Rick T.

The day my life changed 

Imagine one day your whole life changes; for me that day was April 29/2015. It started as any normal day, wake up, have a cup of coffee and head off to work. About half way through my shift, I felt the chills, sweaty, headache, just like you are coming down with the flu. 

I decided to head home early to sleep it off. I told my wife I just needed to rest and went to bed. After a couple of hours, I was extremely thirsty and tried to get up but fell to the floor, it was as if my feet were on fire. My wife helped me downstairs where I collapsed again and began to have difficulty breathing, she immediately called 911 and I was rushed to the hospital.

After working on me for a while, the Drs. informed my wife that I probably would not make it through the night. They didn’t know it at the time, but I had contracted Pneumococcal Meningitis and was in Septic Shock. The next thing I remember was waking up to learn that I had been in a medically induced coma for 4.5 weeks, was on a ventilator and had been on dialysis. I can only imagine how difficult this time must have been for my wife and family. It would have been like watching a scene in a horror movie. 

And now I had a choice to make; either be transferred to palliative care or face the amputation of all 4 limbs due to the Necrotizing Fasciitis I had developed while in the coma. Obviously, I chose amputations and we decided to get it over with in one surgery. So in an 8.5 hour surgery, both my legs below the knees and both my hands were amputated.

Post amputations, I had several surgeries including 6 facial reconstruction surgeries. I spent 9 months in rehabilitation before being discharged home. I am walking, going to the gym, and enjoying my best life with my wife. I am grateful for the second chance that I have been given. And I am looking forward to the next chapter in my journey to becoming whole again. 

We all have a story to tell, mine is a story of survival, devotion and the will to live. Please learn to recognize the signs of Sepsis and get medical attention immediately.