‘Maternal sepsis awareness is crucial because early recognition saves lives. No mother should suffer due to delayed diagnosis. By educating and advocating, we can ensure faster treatment, protect families, and prevent tragic outcomes.‘ (Khedidja T/Deesh March 2025)

Hello, I’m Khedidja, but you might know me as Deesh/Deesha. Life threw me a curveball that I never saw coming, and I wanted to share my story with you. 

With two children under 10 in our family already, on the 12th April 2023 I welcomed beautiful twins into the world, naturally, with only gas and air. As much as it was a long labour, I remember the joy of it going well and also being over. I was so happy.   I said to my partner, “I did it”. We were in complete awe, our babies were perfect and we went home the next day to introduce them to their big siblings and family. Little did I know that this joyous moment would quickly turn into a life-altering journey. 

Shortly after arriving home, I started to get some stomach pains and as the days went on they worsened. Despite my concerns, medical professionals initially dismissed my symptoms. On April 17th I finally made a desperate call for an ambulance, as my symptoms had dramatically worsened – including yellowy green, soup-like vomit, diarrhoea, aches, shivering, loss of appetite and generally feeling like I was going to die. 

The ambulance services collected me from my home and I suddenly found myself in the care of a south London hospital. 

It turned out that I had battled a Strep A infection, which had worsened to such an extent that my body had gone into septic shock. My body fought really hard though, and miraculously, after multiple surgeries, I survived. I have been left with profound challenges, however. 

My last memory was in ICU in the early hours of 18th April 2023. I was told that I needed a procedure done ASAP. My heart rate was high and my blood pressure was very low. I waved my family goodbye and went off to theatre. The last words I remember saying to myself were, “I got this”.  

I woke up thinking that I had just had my procedure. My partner Shawn then began telling me how happy he was that I was awake and that I had spent the whole of the previous week in an induced coma. He and my family were apparently told to prepare for the worst. I initially thought it was a joke, and then family and friends started turning up in tears, saying, “Don’t do that again. We thought we were going to lose you.” I was baffled, but also drugged up and full of energy. I even told my friend she had a big nose and another friend that she looked like Shrek. Lol. The energy died down as my body was revealed to me. The sepsis had left lasting damage. My feet, legs, hands, arm and nose were black. How did this happen? I didn’t know what was going on.  

To be honest I don’t really remember specifically being given a diagnosis of sepsis – I think it was when I came out of the coma. Shawn, who I have been with for 13 years, says that he had received the diagnosis whilst I was in the induced coma. He says that he was shocked but also confused. He knew about septicaemia as it was something that his granddad had died of but didn’t really understand how that related to sepsis or what the difference was. 

It was then that I became non-verbal and didn’t speak to anyone. All my visitors were getting were nods and shaking of the head and deep stares. Doctors were concerned that the sepsis had travelled to my brain so I was sent for an MRI scan. Everything appeared to be fine, but on the way back to the ward, my nurse told me she heard someone say “hi”. She and the porters looked back confused, since I was the patient that was not speaking and they weren’t sure therefore why they were taking me for a MRI scan. I then proceeded to ask her how she was. She asked if I knew where I was and I said, “Yeah, in Jamaica”. I clearly was drugged up/confused because I definitely wasn’t in Jamaica but I do remember that the roof was made of glass and the sun was beaming through it – it really felt hot, as if I was in Jamaica. 

As the days went on I got better and was transferred from ICU to HDU and then finally to a ward. It was then that I was told that I would have to have amputations. I was trying not to hear that. I said, “No, I want to see how much my body can heal.” After a while it became apparent that the limbs were dead and I had to make the tough decision to go ahead with the amputations. 

On 22nd of August 2023, both of my legs (below the knee) were amputated. Then two weeks later the stumps were formed and I had a complete below-the-elbow amputation on my left arm and the fingers on my right hand were also removed, but not the hand itself as it was healing well. 

In total I spent six months as an inpatient in south London and then another three and a half months undergoing rehab at Roehampton. Once I was discharged I was on a schedule of three, six and twelve month checks, but those have now come to an end and it is up to me to call Queen Mary’s as and when I have an issue with my prosthetics. 

Adapting to this new reality has been physically, emotionally and mentally demanding but I feel like I’ve really smashed it and become more resilient. Life goes on, right? I have also got children to raise! I would say that my outlook is probably more positive now than it was before – I feel so much gratitude that I am still alive to watch my children grow. Before I was more reserved and quieter, now I am more confident. My main goal now is to spread awareness, whereas before I didn’t feel like I had a purpose or something that I was as passionate about. 

I’m on the path to rehabilitation, but my journey is far from over. With four children twelve and under, I face unique challenges in adapting to this new chapter of my life. 

I’ve always prided myself on being an independent Black woman, determined to navigate life’s challenges on my own. Asking for help has never been easy for me. But in this moment, I have found myself putting aside my pride and reaching out for support.  

My children’s father, my family and my friends have been incredibly supportive, but the weight of this situation is more than anyone could bear single-handed. My ability to work is limited for the time being, and I don’t want to overburden my family so I started a GoFundMe page and will use the funds for advanced prosthetic limbs, maintenance of wheelchairs, therapy, mobility aids, adaptions to my home and support for my family as we continue to navigate this new normal.

So finally, my message to others? It would be to with your gut if you feel anything at all is wrong – particularly as a new or first-time mum. Please don’t put your own health last. 

Thank you for taking the time to read my story. I hope that as you do we can come together to show that even in the face of adversity, we can make a difference in each other’s lives. 

Love Deesh x 

Charity Comment: 

Deesh’s honest and powerful account highlights the potential severity of sepsis, its rapid progression, and the challenges faced by clinicians in diagnosing it. The importance of recognising early symptoms and seeking timely medical help is paramount, particularly for new mothers who might dismiss their own health concerns whilst focusing on their newborns. The need to advocate for a new mother, as a friend or member of the wider family or community can significantly change outcomes for a maternal sepsis patient. 

What Deesh also highlights so powerfully are the emotional and mental challenges faced post recovery from sepsis, particularly with life-changing consequences such as limb amputations. Deesh’s story underscores the importance of resilience, mental recovery, and the impact of trauma on a sepsis survivor’s psychological health. It also touches on the journey toward acceptance, rehabilitation, and finding purpose in adversity. 

We are so grateful to Deesh for sharing her story with Sepsis Research FEAT and for her support for the charity’s maternal sepsis awareness messaging.