Patients & Family

Sepsis Alliance provides information and resources to help you better understand your or your loved one’s sepsis diagnosis.

Diagnosed with Sepsis

For anyone recently diagnosed with sepsis, this is the place to start.

Sepsis Basics

Sepsis Survivors

Some sepsis survivors recover completely and resume their lives, while others may struggle to cope with enduring effects of their illness. Here you can find information to help you navigate post-sepsis life.

Survivor Resources

Caregivers

When your loved one becomes ill with sepsis, you may not know what sepsis is or how to help them. Here are resources that may help you navigate this complex and difficult journey.

Caregiver Resources

Lost Loved Ones

Losing a loved one to sepsis can leave you with grief as well as many questions. Here are answers to some of the questions you may have after losing a loved one to sepsis.

Resources for Loved Ones

Sepsis Alliance Connect

Sepsis Alliance Connect is the virtual support community for anyone affected by sepsis.

Sepsis Alliance Connect

Faces of Sepsis

Chris Lamb

Survivor

December 16,2024 is a day we will never forget. After several days of not eating, left side abdominal pain and being bed ridden, we knew something was terribly wrong. My husband visited his PCP office and was told he had constipation. As the days went on, he became worse. I was at work, calling home to check on him. When he answered the phone he could barely speak, he was so short of breath. I immediately left work and headed home. When I arrived at our house, Chris (my husband) was waiting in our garage, hunched over, having rapid breathing, ... Read Full Story

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Kaity Schlauer

Survivor, Survivor

In March 2024, only a week after moving to a different state, I developed the worst pain of my life on the right side of my abdomen. I knew something was wrong, maybe my appendix, but didn’t know what so I went to the ER. They did a CT and ultrasound, but nothing abnormal came up. They figured it was my first kidney stone, gave me some pain meds, and sent me home to pass it. Within an hour of being back home I spiked a fever, started vomiting profusely, and was fetal on the bathroom floor in so much ... Read Full Story

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Robert Wilgenhof

Survivor, Survivor, Survivor

I had suffered a gastrointestinal perforation, this is hard to talk about. (Sepsis and Perforated Bowel) I was in the ICU for along time, two long surgeries. I coded on being admitted and in the ICU. I was fully septic and was not expected to survive. I did, I had to learn to walk again. It took years of rehabilitation. It’s been hard. But I refuse to accept defeat or anything less than positivity. Although. I know I’m not quite as awesome as I used to be, but I’ll get there!! Read Full Story

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Carl Alford

Survivor, Survivor, Survivor, Survivor

Carl’s story At just under 3 years old, my son developed a croupy cough with no fever or other concerning symptoms, so we carried on as usual. On day 5 of the cough, his cough developed a strider quality so I took took him to his PCP. At the time, his oxygen level was normal and his lung sounds were good except for the cough. He was started on steroids and sent home. The following day he had improvement in the strider but began running low grade intermittent fevers. He continued to eat, drink, pee, poop and appear as expected. ... Read Full Story

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Kimora Branch

Survivor, Survivor, Survivor, Survivor, Survivor

At the end of my freshman year of college, I went to the doctor because I was feeling sick. He told me I had pneumonia and strep, gave me a Z pack, and sent me on my way. (Sepsis and Pneumonia, Sepsis and Strep Throat) A week later, I had gotten worse and not better. People were telling me to ride it out but eventually I trusted my gut and went to the hospital. I was then hospitalized for all of finals week because I had sepsis. My health ever since has been nothing but a downward spiral, with it ... Read Full Story

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