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FIGHTING FOR LIFE

Teacher’s body shuts down after catching deadly superbug and sepsis while in hospital for a kidney infection

A PRIMARY school teacher caught a life-threatening superbug while in hospital being treated for a kidney infection.

Rosie Summers thought she had developed a urinary tract infection in March this year, but quickly realised it was something more serious when she was unable to stand the next day.

Rosie thought she had developed a urinary tract infection when she first became unwell
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Rosie thought she had developed a urinary tract infection when she first became unwellCredit: Rosie Summers / MDWfeatures
She was admitted to hospital with a kidney infection but caught a deadly superbug
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She was admitted to hospital with a kidney infection but caught a deadly superbugCredit: Rosie Summers / MDWfeatures

Taken to hospital in an ambulance she was diagnosed with a kidney infection and was kept on a ward for four days.

The 32-year-old, from Surrey in Kent, was then sent home without anyone knowing she had contracted the highly contagious superbug, C-difficile (C-diff).

Just two weeks after having left the hospital, Rosie was re-admitted with a case of severe sepsis and C-diff which was causing her body to shut down.

Doctors began treating both conditions, but Rosie suffered an allergic reaction to the sepsis medication.

Two weeks after Rosie was discharged she went back to hospital feeling unwell and her body started to shut down
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Two weeks after Rosie was discharged she went back to hospital feeling unwell and her body started to shut downCredit: Rosie Summers / MDWfeatures
Rosie had contracted the superbug C.diff and developed sepsis
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Rosie had contracted the superbug C.diff and developed sepsisCredit: Rosie Summers / MDWfeatures
During her treatment Rosie suffered an allergic reaction to the sepsis medication
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During her treatment Rosie suffered an allergic reaction to the sepsis medicationCredit: Rosie Summers / MDWfeatures

Recalling the weeks leading up to her ordeal Rosie said: “I still went to work and was feeling really unwell, so I saw my GP who didn’t mention sepsis but just said to keep an eye on my symptoms and let him know if I felt worse.

“The next day I took my son to school and I could barely walk home.

“I was shaking, I had a fever and was aching all over my body.

“Throughout the day my symptoms got worse, so I rang up NHS 111 who sent an ambulance for me.

Rosie spent a week in isolation in hospital while doctors worked to save her life
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Rosie spent a week in isolation in hospital while doctors worked to save her lifeCredit: Rosie Summers / MDWfeatures
Rosie became so unwell her weight plummeted to 7st
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Rosie became so unwell her weight plummeted to 7stCredit: Rosie Summers / MDWfeatures

 

“By this point I was vomiting and couldn’t stand and I had no way of getting to the hospital.

“So, I was admitted, and I stayed for four days until I was discharged. I was treated with antibiotics through an IV, but I still felt very unwell and weak.”


FIND OUT MORE What is sepsis, how do you get it and what are the symptoms and signs of the infection?


Rosie left the hospital after doctors believed she had recovered from her kidney infection and was healthy enough to return home.

But in the two weeks that followed, she returned to the hospital twice when she felt unwell but only stayed a couple of hours.

During those two weeks, Rosie suffered severe vomiting and diarrhoea, resulting in her weight dropping from 8st 10lbs down to just 7st 10lbs in just a fortnight.

A killer condition more deadly than heart attack and cancer
Rosie, pictured with her son, is warning everyone of the deadly signs of sepsis in a bid to save lives
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Rosie, pictured with her son, is warning everyone of the deadly signs of sepsis in a bid to save livesCredit: Rosie Summers / MDWfeatures
Rosie was kept on a IV of antibiotics for two weeks
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Rosie was kept on a IV of antibiotics for two weeksCredit: Rosie Summers / MDWfeatures

The kidney infection that Rosie had developed in March followed by the superbug infection caused Rosie to contract sepsis.

“I researched the symptoms myself and then told my GP to test me for the superbug C-diff, which came back positive,” Rosie said.

A SUPERBUG THAT CAUSES DIARRHOEA

Clostridium difficile, also known as C. difficile or C. diff, is a bacterium that can infect the bowel and cause diarrhoea.

The infection most commonly affects people who have recently been treated with antibiotics, but can spread easily to others.

C. difficile infections are unpleasant and can sometimes cause serious bowel problems, but they can usually be treated with another course of antibiotics.

People with a C. diff infection may also experience:

  • tummy cramps
  • feeling sick
  • dehydration
  • headaches
  • fever
  • loss of appetite and weight loss

In some cases, serious complications can develop, such as damage to the bowel or severe dehydration, which may cause drowsiness, confusion, a rapid heart rate and fainting.

You should seek medical advice if you have persistent diarrhoea after finishing a course of antibiotics, have blood in your stools, or suffer any of the above symptoms.

“I’d caught C-diff whilst I was in hospital and so I was re-admitted just two weeks after with severe sepsis which was caused by C-diff.

“This time in the hospital, I had allergic reactions to the antibiotics used to treat sepsis as my body was shutting down completely.

“They had to treat sepsis and the superbug with two different medications and I was put in hospital isolation for a week.

“My friends and family were worried and scared that I wouldn’t recover.

Rosie's family and friends were terrified she wouldn't recover
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Rosie's family and friends were terrified she wouldn't recoverCredit: Rosie Summers / MDWfeatures
Rosie has since made a full recovery and is now back at work
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Rosie has since made a full recovery and is now back at workCredit: Rosie Summers / MDWfeatures

“Thankfully the alternative medication worked. When I was isolated I felt very vulnerable, but I knew I had to stay strong and focus on my recovery, so I spent the whole time planning how I was going to overhaul my health to make sure this didn’t happen again.”

After a week of IV antibiotics, Rosie was discharged from the hospital.

It took another six weeks for her to build up enough strength to return to normal working hours after suffering with severe exhaustion.

“I feel really proud of myself for staying strong mentally throughout as it was such a struggle to be positive at times when I was faced with the prospect of dying,” added Rosie.

“At first I would get extremely exhausted after doing minor things such as food shopping or walking down the road. I had to work on gradually building up my strength and stamina.

“Now I’m overly-cautious every time I feel unwell and I’m scared of being hospitalised again because being in isolation was quite traumatic.

“I suffered emotionally for a long time and I still live in fear every time I feel unwell because it brings back the memories of it all.

“It’s important to learn the symptoms of sepsis and watch out for them if you get any type of illness or infection. Be so vigilant about ensuring that your voice gets heard.

“If the doctors dismiss you and say that you just have a virus, demand a blood test. If I hadn’t been proactive in seeking medical help, I could have died.”

BBC Panorama investigation unearths poor performance of NHS in diagnosing Sepsis


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