Surviving Sepsis E-Book

Heike Spreter-Krick

• Herausgeber: via tolino media
• Kategorie: Ratgeber
• Sprache: Englisch

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2024

Beschreibung

Surviving sepsis - Book with playlist - Sepsis is a life-threatening condition where time is of the essence. It is an emergency, of similar danger to a stroke and heart attack. Yet, it is the reason behind the third highest mortality rate in Germany. Immerse yourself in the inspiring story of an extraordinary journey of survival. Heike Spreter-Krick shares her personal experience with a life-threatening disease known as sepsis. Throughout the book, she demonstrates how her and her family faced this challenge with courage, hope and determination. This book is more than an autobiography. It is a piece of life-changing work that encourages readers to discover the power of the human spirit and to understand the importance of resilience and perseverance. With profound insights into coping with crisis, the importance of self-care, and the value of support, Surviving Sepsis offers valuable lessons for every reader. Whether you yourself are affected by sepsis, supporting a loved one, or looking for inspiration, this book will touch you, move you, and give you a new perspective. Enter the world of Heike Spreter-Krick and be inspired by her story. Discover how courage, love and hope can shine even in the darkest moments of life. Book with playlist of the band S7EBTERRAUM Immerse yourself musically in my book and discover the playlist by the band S7EBTERRAUM. The combination of music and lyrics perfectly reflects my emotional world surrounding my sepsis illness. The songs offer a fitting musical accompaniment to my story and invite you to empathize even more deeply with my experiences. Experience the emotional journey through my story with the accompanying sounds. Discover the S7EBTERRAUM playlist and let the songs inspire you while you read my book.

Leseprobe

Heike Spreter-Krick

Surviving Sepsis

From the Swiss Alps, into the Intensive Care Unit, and my journey to a new life.

Personal Experiences, Family Perspectivesand Medical Insights

Inhaltsverzeichnis

My motivation for writing this book: Together Against Sepsis

About the author

Prologue - A note from Professor Konrad Reinhart

Content

Introduction to sepsis and its invisibility

Personal experience and diagnosis

Fight for survival

Medical intervention and treatment

Support from medical staff and family

Emotional impact and coping

Looking to the future

Final words

Recommendations

Impressum

Impressum

Heike Spreter-Krick

Surviving Sepsis

From the Swiss Alps, into the Intensive Care Unit, and my journey to a new life.

Personal Experiences, Family Perspectives and Medical Insights

My motivation for writing this book: Together Against Sepsis

With this book, I hope to provide a comprehensive source of information and support for patients, their families, and medical professionals. It is more than just a personal narrative; it is my story from three perspectives and a call to action and a call for collective strength in the face of sepsis.

In August 2021, I experienced an extremely life-threatening disease that began in the remoteness of a Swiss mountain pasture - at an altitude of 1,800 meters with only four people. Within just three days, I became seriously ill, lost consciousness, and woke up in an intensive care unit. Silently, sepsis was ravaging my body, and I barely made it out alive.

Sepsis is a condition in which the body overreacts to an infection, resulting in blood poisoning and the potential for necrosis, cellular death and organ failure. It is often unseen, but since it has the third highest mortality rate in Germany, it remains an urgent problem. This invisible threat, which is comparable to a heart attack or stroke, poses an enormous danger where every minute counts!

I could understand blood poisoning better, but when I think of blood poisoning, I automatically think of a rusty nail and a red line on my arm. However, I hadn't injured myself on the mountain, and there was no red line to be seen. Instead, my symptoms began with severe difficulty swallowing. Many people, including myself at the time, do not realize that sepsis can develop from a simple infection.

I want to use my personal experience with sepsis to raise awareness and educate people about what it means to develop this disease. My goal is to shed light on the silent killer so that not as many people die from it or have to live with the long-term consequences for the rest of their lives.

Thanks to the quick and competent help of the Swiss medical staff, my life was saved. I will breakdown and describe the course of my treatment from the medical reports from the incident. It is not always easy to understand and keep track of medical decisions and treatments in an emergency situation - for the patients nor for their relatives.

That is why it is so important to me that my family members have a voice in this book. Because it's not just us sufferers and the medical profession who are fighting this invisible disease, but also our partners, children, parents and others. The helplessness of just watching is no less terrible and stressful.

With this book, I hope to inspire courage, understanding and hope so that together we can fight the silent threat of sepsis.

Every page counts, as does every minute in the fight against this disease. Become part of a moving autobiographical journey from three perspectives that reveals my survival and offers hope, insight and strength.

About the author

Heike Spreter-Krick, born in 1970, is a vivacious woman whose life has been marked by various illnesses. From neurodermatitis at the age of 6 to cancer with only a 30% chance of recovery at the age of 16, migraine attacks, hypothyroidism and menopause since the age of 40.

Surgery to remove her ovaries and uterus and bilateral breast surgery. She says of her body that it resembles a pattern.

In August 2021, she again faced a life-threatening situation, this time in the seclusion of the Swiss mountains, where she contracted life-threatening sepsis within three days.

Her life is an inspiring example of the resilience of the human body and mind. Despite the darkest moments, she has always found the strength and courage to emerge from difficult situations with renewed energy and determination.

Heike Spreter-Krick created the SEPSISHELDEN.com community platform because she and her loved ones felt the need for a place where they could exchange ideas and access a wide range of support options, be it through conventional medicine, alternative healing methods, books, courses, etc.

She encourages everyone to register here and actively participate in the exchange, because only together can we support, help and develop each other.

Prologue - A note from Professor Konrad Reinhart

Sepsis can happen to anyone! Although sepsis is also the number one preventable cause of death in Germany, the possibilities of prevention and the fact that sepsis must be treated as an emergency similar to a stroke and a heart attack. That is why this book is so important, in which Heike Spreter-Krick describes the most important lessons from her fight for survival against sepsis.

Sepsis, informally known as blood poisoning, is the most serious complication of infectious diseases, including pandemics. It is caused by bacteria, viruses, fungi and protozoa such as malaria. Sepsis occurs when the immune system is no longer able to contain an infection locally. The infectious agents that then enter the bloodstream trigger an excessive immune response throughout the body, resulting in collateral damage to the body's own organs and tissues. The clinical manifestations of sepsis are often multi-organ failure, and the collapse of the cardiovascular system. Such that three-quarters of survivors suffer significant long-term consequences.

According to current predictions, 13.7 million sepsis-related deaths were expected worldwide in 2019. Of these, 8.9 million have been caused by bacterial pathogens. These estimates do not include pandemic-related deaths caused by the COVID-19. Compared to the estimation of the World Health Organization (WHO), 15 million deaths from COVID-19. Sepsis can occur from a wide range of infectious diseases such as influenza, COVID-19 and Ebola, to name a few. Then, these diseases target organs such as the abdomen, kidneys, urinary tract and the respiratory tract, causing irreparable damage to the human body.

It is estimated that half a million people in Germany needed hospital treatment for sepsis in 2019, and around 140,000 of those patients had died in the hospital. Unfortunately, three-quarters of the 360,000 survivors have suffered from long-term side effects of sepsis. This includes memory and concentration problems, significant physical limitations due to loss of limbs, chronic pain and fatigue, muscle wasting and depression. One-third of those affected require long-term care for the first time. For many sepsis patients, like Ms. Spreter-Krick, the consequences of sepsis are barely visible on the outside. Because many doctors, insurance companies, and employers are unaware of the long-term consequences of this condition, patients are often dismissed as psychosomatic. Thus, the patient’s condition is not taken seriously which creates further medical problems later on.

Most sepsis-related deaths and long-term sequelae are preventable through infection prevention. This ranges from vaccination, good hygiene, early recognition, diagnosis, and emergency treatment. To make sepsis a priority for healthcare systems in Germany and internationally, the Sepsis Foundation initiated a Memorandum for a National Sepsis Plan in 2013 and, together with the Global Sepsis Alliance, was one of the driving forces behind the adoption of a sepsis resolution by the World Health Assembly (WHA). The resolution calls on WHA member countries to take action to improve the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of sepsis and to integrate them into their health systems.

Heike Spreter-Krick was very lucky. However, if those around her knew of the early signs and symptoms of sepsis, her treatment could have been administered much earlier. This would likely have avoided a lengthy stay in the ICU with an initially uncertain outcome. Heike was very lucky to be admitted to the Luzerner Kantonsspital, a hospital with a highly qualified medical team that has excellent knowledge of the treatment of sepsis. Therefore, her team was able to implement life-saving intensive care measures swiftly and confidentially.

Unfortunately, personal surveys and scientific studies in Germany indicate that medical staff in ambulances and hospital emergency departments are often not sufficiently informed about sepsis. There is a great potential for improvement in the care of patients in hospital emergencies in Germany compared to other countries. The lack of knowledge among the general population about the prevention and early symptoms of sepsis is the basis as to why the mortality rate from sepsis in Germany, at around 30%, is almost twice as high as in countries such as Sweden and Australia.

For example, in Australia the mandatory emergency-related training of medical staff in hospitals has reduced the sepsis mortality rate from 35% to 18% in the years between 2000 and 2017. For decades, the Sepsis Foundation has been calling for the mandatory introduction of these quality assurance measures for all acute care hospitals. Also, the call for a nationwide education campaign on infection prevention and early detection of sepsis, similar to the procedure for other rampant conditions such as AIDS. These preemptive measures have led to the reduction of AIDS cases in Germany to three per 100,000 inhabitants, while the incidence of sepsis in Germany is over 700 per 100,000 inhabitants.

The danger of sepsis is that it can happen to anyone at any time. Not only does it negatively impact the patient and their family, but there is a large financial burden placed upon the patient by society. This is due to the significant financial costs of acute treatment and rehabilitation, the burden on social systems and the labor market, a new dependency on care, early retirement and a long-term incapacity to work.

In the novel Surviving Sepsis, Heike Spreter-Krick fulfills a crucial role within society, the importance of medical transparency. This book will dive into Heike’s own experiences, highlighting the important message that “It is high time that sepsis receives the necessary and urgent attention in public perception as well as on a political and medical level”. The motivation behind the author’s work is "Strong together against sepsis". Her demonstration of perseverance and strength is a sight to behold in the retelling of Surviving Sepsis.

It is my sincere hope that this book will not only inform readers but to help them to avoid sepsis and to recognize the symptoms earlier. Furthermore, it will help to raise awareness of sepsis and encourage people to take an active part in the fight against this underestimated danger.

Professor Konrad Reinhart ML Berlin, April 2024

Content

My motivation for writing this book: Together Against Sepsis 2

About the author 4

Prologue - A note from Professor Konrad Reinhart 5

Introduction to sepsis and its invisibility 11

The "silent" danger: What is sepsis and why is it so dangerous? 11

Personal experience and diagnosis 25

My first contact with sepsis: symptoms and uncertainties 25

The beginning phase: diagnosis and insight into the personal sepsis experience 29

Fight for survival 31

The emotional and physical challenges of treatment 31

Moments of doubt and determination: Persevering in the fight for survival 43

Medical intervention and treatment 51

The first steps of medical care: From alarm to diagnosis 51

A behind the scenes look at sepsis treatment: measures and challenges 55

Support from medical staff and family 60

The importance of the team: experiences with doctors, nursing staff and therapists 60

Focus on family members: Insight into their perspectives and challenges 68

Emotional impact and coping 83

Fear, uncertainty and trauma: the emotional impact of sepsis 83

Coping: Strategies and experiences in dealing with the aftermath 94

Looking to the future 103

Looking back and reflecting: How did sepsis change my life? 103

The importance of hope and confidence: Perspectives for the future after sepsis 125

Final words 131

Encouragement: Strong together against the silent danger 131

Thanks 133

Recommendations 135

Helpful sepsis websites 135

Books that have given me strength, courage and a desire for something new 138

Impressum 139

Introduction to sepsis and its invisibility

The "silent" danger: What is sepsis and why is it so dangerous?

Diseases such as heart attack and stroke are well known and taken very seriously by almost everyone. When someone complains of sudden chest pain or experiences sudden signs of paralysis, the right action is almost always taken intuitively and an emergency call is made immediately, setting the rescue chain in motion. The emergency response team is prepared for such emergencies and has optimized their procedures, medications and courses of action. so that rescue measures, so-called chest pain or stroke units, are usually initiated within a very short time.

Sepsis is a serious life-threatening condition caused by an infection in the body (see Figure 1). Symptoms of sepsis and septic shock include fever, low blood pressure, chills, difficulty breathing, confusion, and loss of consciousness (see Figure 2). As the body responds to the triggering infection, it can overreact, leading to organ failure and dangerously low blood pressure. In the worst cases, septic shock can occur due to these hazardous conditions.

Today, more people die from sepsis than from heart attacks and strokes combined. One in six deaths in a German hospital is temporally or causally related to sepsis.

Fig. 1: Prevalence of organs of origin for sepsis-triggering infections / © Global Sepsis Alliance

Description of symptoms of Sepsis from my General Practitioner's (GP) perspective

Headache- Mr. R

Mr. R. had made an urgent appointment with me at very short notice. I was surprised, because he was usually a rare guest, who only came for the routine control of his high blood pressure and otherwise avoided medical contact. He was independent and always very busy, rather taciturn during his visits and anxious to leave as soon as possible.

When I called him in, he seemed very upset, came into my room very quickly, and started ranting about the medication before he had even sat down. He had noticed that they were no longer working, he had terrible headaches, and he realized that his blood pressure was to blame because it was way too high all the time despite the pills. His accusations were empty and his descriptions incoherent. I could hardly stop him and was very worried because I didn't know him like this. I persuaded him to let me take his blood pressure first.

During the examination I noticed that Mr. R. was very warm, his temperature was 40.3°C. During the physical examination, I found a so-called meningismus, a "stiff neck," which can indicate an inflammation of the meninges. The patient's blood pressure was 110/90 mmHg and his heart rate was 118/min. Suspecting the onset of septic shock of unknown cause, I reported the emergency to the integrated control center. Mr. R. was admitted to a tertiary care hospital with emergency medical assistance, where he spent five days in the intensive care unit and another ten days as an inpatient. The cause of the sepsis could not be fully determined, but chronic sinusitis was suspected. Nevertheless, the treatment was successful and Mr.

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