Mum, 35, dies from deadly sepsis days after mistaking mysterious symptoms for chest infection
A MUM has died from deadly sepsis just days after going to hospital with what she thought was a chest infection.
Alison Powell, 35, of Langley Mill, Derbyshire, started to complain of exhaustion and flu-like symptoms a few weeks ago.
She had also drastically lost weight and was spending most of her time in bed, reports.
Doctors were baffled by her mysterious symptoms and prescribed her strong antibiotics and inhalers to ease her pain.
But her condition continued to deteriorate and her husband Andy - unable to watch her suffer any longer - took her to hospital.
Once she got to Nottingham City Hospital, doctors revealed what Alison thought was a chest infection was actually sepsis and pneumonia.
The mum-of-one's liver and kidneys were starting to fail and just four days later on August 6, she passed away.
Shock death
Her mother Julie Walker says she is struggling to come to terms with losing her daughter, who leaves behind 16-year-old son Ryan.
The 53-year-old said: "We are totally shocked. Me, her husband and her best friend were with her at the time.
"We spent all night with her. I am just devastated."
She explained how Alison started feeling exhausted a few months ago before things went quickly "downhill".
Alison had managed to drag herself out of bed for her son's prom, but was otherwise bed-ridden since June.
She had suffered with pneumonia and had a lung biopsy last year, but it was thought her health had returned to normal.
But her sudden death has been a massive shock to the family who admit they never thought for a minute it was anything more serious than a chest infection.
Our worst nightmare came true when her extremely poorly frail body gave up and she was finally at peace and out of pain
Kim
Alison's best pal Kim, who has set up a , said: "We never thought for one minute we would be told she wouldn't make it through the night.
"Her husband Andy, mum Julie and myself sat by her bedside all through the night hoping and praying they was wrong.
"But our worst nightmare came true on the morning of Tuesday 6th August when her extremely poorly frail body gave up and she was finally at peace and out of pain.
"With broken hearts and streaming tears we stood there in disbelief that our bong was gone - a day none of us will forget."
Symptoms of sepsis
If you, a loved one, or in the case of medical professionals their patient, feels "severely sick", doesn't appear to be themselves and shows any of the following symptoms, sepsis should be suspected:
- weakness
- loss of appetite
- fever and chills
- thirst
- difficult or rapid breathing
- rapid heart rate
- low blood pressure
- low urine output
If a person is suffering these symptoms and they are thought to have suffered an infection - pneumonia, abdominal infection, urinary infection, or a wound - sepsis is a likely cause.
MORE ON SEPSIS
Alison previously volunteered at a Barnardos charity shop in Langley Mill before getting a care worker job.
Her mum Julie added: "We always said you were in Alison's life whether you liked it or not. She just loved friends and family. She wouldn't harm a fly.
"I can't get over the fact that we're not going to see her anymore."
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