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

Louis French

Survivor

In 2017, my husband and I were visiting Bogota Colombia on a Narcos TV show inspired vacation. We made a bad choice of having steak tartar at a beautiful modern restaurant. Both of us got symptoms food poisoning. Over the next several days, I became weaker and weaker, needing to rest after an hour of walking. I still had diarrhea though my husband had recovered. We finally went to a hospital clinic where I was diagnosed with giardia and sepsis. (Sepsis and Food Poisoning) I was immediately admitted, put in a private room and the work began. They saved me ... Read Full Story

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Ann Catherine L.

Survivor, Survivor

I had some female surgery. A few days later, I was a little achy and sleepy. I lost my appetite. I got out of bed on Monday morning and couldn’t stand up. I called my daughter and said, “I think I need to go to the hospital”. When we arrived I was taken right into a bed. My BP was 51 over 40. I was frozen. I couldn’t form a sentence. I was pumped full of different antibiotics until all the blood tests came back, then they used drugs that worked. I remember very little of my week in hospital. ... Read Full Story

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Cassandra Vestal

Survivor, Survivor, Survivor

I got my IUD taken out to start IVF. I began hemorrhage, bleeding. I knew I was dying and wasn’t taken seriously until I passed out with my oxygen at 50%. I had 2 life saving surgeries a near heart attack, and pneumonia.  (Sepsis and Pneumonia) My family was told I wouldn’t make it. I lost my entire reproduction system. However, I’m glad I was one of the few to survive. Read Full Story

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Rose Aumen

Survivor, Survivor, Survivor, Survivor

As a registered nurse, I knew when assessing patients in the Emergency Room the appearance/signs/symptoms of sepsis. I never thought I would become a sepsis patient myself. I was in pretty good health for a 65-year-old female. March of 2024 I had chills that morning, My right leg was hurting the day before and was still somewhat painful but tolerable. I took two Tylenol and went back to bed. After resting I felt pretty good, Later that evening I suddenly was unable to walk and had severe pain in my right hip. Bacteremia and sepsis took over my entire body. ... Read Full Story

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Thomas Wood

Survivor, Survivor, Survivor, Survivor, Survivor

In November of 2021 I called into work after feeling the chills and abnormally exhausted. I ignored the symptoms for a day and told everyone I would go to the immediate care right away. I did not do that. I went a day later when my employer noticed I was confused and not making much sense. I was walked to the immediate care next door by my boss. I remember the the waiting room of the immediate care and then waking up in the ICU about 3 weeks later. During that time I was in a coma, living what felt ... Read Full Story

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