Nicola Murray from Bishopton in Renfrewshire is just 24 years old and has already survived sepsis multiple times. Her resilience has helped her recover, though she is still dealing with the effects. She has written this sepsis story in her own words to share her experiences and to help the charity Sepsis Research FEAT raise awareness of sepsis.

February 2018

I was first diagnosed with sepsis due to pneumonia. I was 19 and was on my first day of a new apprenticeship as a nursery practitioner.  I felt very poorly but put it down to first-day nerves. However, when I got home, I felt awful and took to my bed. Over the next two days, my symptoms got worse. I was sick, had diarrhoea, a very high temperature, shivering, and began hallucinating. On the third day I saw my GP and was sent to hospital as they thought I had severe flu. After two days the tests revealed it wasn’t flu but pneumonia and then I was told I had sepsis. I didn’t understand what this was so it was explained to me how sepsis attacks your body. After treatment of antibiotics and oxygen and a four-day stay in the hospital, I was allowed home. I recovered well enough to return to work after three weeks. I had just thought I’d been unlucky.

April 2019

It was approaching my 21^st birthday and I was excited about the plans for celebrating. I was also reaching the end of my apprenticeship at the nursery with one more final exam to go. Life was good. I was learning to drive and had a great social life with a group of great friends.

I had a cough that had been annoying me for a few days but one day I suddenly felt quite nauseous.  I was out shopping with mum so we went for lunch thinking it would help if I ate. When we got home, I went to bed as I was very tired and my temperature was up slightly.

The next morning was Monday so I forced myself to get up and head to work. As the morning wore on, I began to feel worse. During my lunch break, I checked my temperature and it was 39. I was a bit concerned but just thought I had a bug. I was so glad when 5 pm came so I could get home to bed. But over the next couple of days my symptoms gradually got worse. I was very breathless and no matter what medication I took, I couldn’t get my temperature to lower. I wasn’t eating or interested in anything but sleeping. I had a temperature of 39.7 and mum noticed my eyes were bloodshot. She called the doctor to make an appointment for that morning. Mum had to go to work so my gran came down to take me to the doctors.  However, as I got up to get ready, I had severe diarrhoea. I had broken out in a sweat so I was drenched.  I was so weak it was impossible for me to get to the doctor’s even though it was only a five-minute walk.

When mum came home, she called the doctor again and made another appointment. This time she drove me in the car. It was horrible in the waiting room as I felt awful. I had to go into the toilet three times with diarrhoea before my name was called. Once I was taken the doctor asked me lots of questions before he said that I had to get to the hospital immediately so he would call for an ambulance. Mum said it would be quicker for her to drive me rather than wait for an ambulance so off we went. On arrival at A&E I was sent to the medical assessment unit.  They settled me into a room and put me on a saline drip as I was dehydrated and gave me antibiotics and oxygen. They told me I wouldn’t be going home as they wanted to monitor me. The next few days were just a blur with doctors’ visits and nurses doing tests.  After more results came back, I was told I had really bad pneumonia. Within two hours I was also told I had sepsis again. The germ causing the pneumonia couldn’t be identified for a few days so in the meantime I was put on different antibiotics but none were working.

I was transferred to an isolation room. My body was struggling to fight pneumonia as it was also being attacked by sepsis and I knew it was shutting down. I had no control over my bodily functions, my temperature was still spiking and my oxygen dropped so low they told my mum that they might have to put me into a coma in intensive care. My body was covered in bruises and then my veins started collapsing. I was still being sick and then I saw it was blood that was coming up. I told my mum that I was now very scared. I actually thought I was dying. She told me that I had to be strong and fight against it, that she was definitely taking me home from this hospital so it was now down to me to stay positive and fight!

I couldn’t eat anything; I only sipped liquid and had no interest in anything. I had to have the blinds closed as the daylight blinded my eyes and the TV noise hurt my ears. I was in so much pain that it took mum nearly two hours to just brush my hair. I spent most of the time sleeping and I had really strange vivid dreams. I was so out of it that at one point was talking to someone who wasn’t there! I’m a well-built girl but the weight was falling off me so fast.

My concept of time was lost so I had no idea of how long I had been in hospital or what day it was. Then one day the doctor said that the last antibiotic they were trying was finally doing something. Although slowly, they were seeing a difference. But they had also identified I had another contagious virus so it meant everyone coming into my room had to wear masks and aprons for protection.

When mum and gran came to visit one morning, I asked them to bring me food. That was the turning point in my recovery. I wanted to eat! I will always remember it was chicken and bacon pasta although I only managed a small amount. My body was slowly recovering so the oxygen mask was removed and I just had the tubes into my nose. My temperature slowly dropped to normal levels and I was able to sit up in bed. I became more alert so could take part in conversations. One night mum persuaded me to try a walk and we walked slowly around the ward with my drip still attached. I was so breathless and exhausted afterward but beamed a massive smile as I was proud of myself that I had walked.

Over the next few days, I had improved although with setbacks. My oxygen dropped again which meant I had to go back onto the mask for a while and I still had temperature spikes which made me feel ill. It was like being on a roller coaster, nothing stayed the same or at the same level. I got so agitated and angry with everyone. I began to dislike the nurses and doctors and I was shouting at my mum and gran. It felt like it wasn’t me as I’m not normally like that. I think I was just so frustrated and I wanted home so badly. Then eventually, the doctor said I was stable enough to leave and do my recovery at home.

October 2019

This time around was not as serious as my last time. But I was off work ill for a few days as I had a stomach bug. As I now knew what to look out for, I recognised the sepsis symptoms as soon as they started. My temperature was very high and I felt awful so I was not taking any chances. I made my way to the hospital to make sure I was going to get treated quickly before things started to get worse. Once I arrived the doctors recognised the signs and gave me antibiotics and put me on a drip as I was dehydrated. After an overnight stay, the doctors told me they were not worried and did not think my symptoms were going to develop into anything serious so they sent me home to rest and recover with my antibiotics.

November 2021

I had just moved into my new flat 2 months before. Everything was going well but one night I didn’t feel well. I can now recognise the symptoms and feel a difference so know when something is wrong. This time I did not feel myself at all. The sickness and diarrhoea were back and I was shaking and knew this was known as the “rigors”. The rigors are when your body feels freezing but you are boiling to touch. You can’t physically move as you feel so cold. I shouted my boyfriend as I knew I needed urgent medical help. He checked my temperature and it was 39.8.  He called 999 as he was aware of my past medical history. They told him a consultant would call back before they could send an ambulance but if I started to feel worse to make my own way to A&E. I knew myself I couldn’t wait because of how serious sepsis can be. We booked a taxi as I didn’t want to wait any longer.

Once we arrived in A&E I was exhausted. I was in and out of the toilets with diarrhoea but was so weak I fainted. When I came round, I thought I was in my bed sleeping then realised I was on the toilet floor. I was so confused and had a massive bump on my forehead from hitting the floor.  I was then taken straight away and had lots of tests. I had silent pneumonia and sepsis again. I had to stay in hospital again but due to the covid pandemic I wasn’t allowed visitors which was hard.  After 4 days the doctors allowed me home with 4 weeks rest and recovery.

I now accept that most times I have an infection I have to act fast as my body reacts and attacks itself.  No-one can give me a reason for this and I’ve been told I’m just unlucky.  My message to everyone is: Make yourself aware of the sepsis symptoms and make your family and friends aware. It could be you next, or someone you care for deeply. Knowledge and awareness can save lives. Act fast if sepsis is suspected.