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Surviving Sepsis
Rebecca Green-Birdsall’s chilling experience with sepsis highlights the critical role of Providence Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital’s trauma center in emergency care
“It was astounding how swiftly I received treatment.” It was amazing to see how medicine should work.”
Rebecca Green-Birdsall has long known how important it is to have a trauma center in Santa Rosa, as she has needed emergency care for aging parents many times. But a few months after undergoing surgery herself, she found herself in a situation that was far more dangerous than she could have imagined. Initially, Rebecca noticed a loss of appetite and lethargy, unusual for her energetic nature. The surgical site exhibited redness and swelling, and her respiration rate soared, accompanied by a rising fever.
“I tried to go for a hike that day and every bench that we came to, I wanted to lie down on,” Rebecca says. “We went to lunch afterward, and I couldn’t eat a bite. At home, I noticed that I had a mild fever of 99 degrees, but within two hours it was 102. That’s when I called my friend who is a nurse, told her my symptoms, and she told me I needed to get to the ER.” Rebecca followed her friend’s advice and sought help at Providence Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital’s emergency department.
Upon arrival, she witnessed the urgent care needed by others, including a heart attack victim and a child struggling to breathe. Despite feeling apprehensive about her condition compared to others, Rebecca was swiftly triaged and diagnosed with sepsis.
Sepsis, the body’s extreme response to infection, is a life-threatening medical emergency, which can lead to organ failure, irreversible tissue damage, and death. She was immediately given antibiotics and fluids, leading to a rapid improvement in her condition. “It was astounding how swiftly I received treatment,” Rebecca recalls. “It was amazing to see how medicine should work.”
The medical team’s efficiency and clarity in communication were notable, with a clear plan outlined for her hospitalization. Her medical team coordinated seamlessly, with her surgeon consulted promptly and treatment plans finalized within minutes of her arrival.
Rebecca expressed gratitude for this efficient network of communication which played a crucial role in her treatment and recovery.
“Dr. Kurt Holt was amazing, very forthright and clear,” Rebecca says. “It was astounding to experience this magical network of doctors talking to each other. He had my surgeon on the phone within five minutes, approving the antibiotic approach that he was taking. The next steps were all worked out within what felt like the first half and hour.”
She emphasized the importance of recognizing the severity of sepsis, as its symptoms may not be readily apparent to the average person.
“I’ve done various things to myself, like falling off horses, but I’ve never, ever had anything like this. This is the closest I’ve ever come to dying, and since I spent the better part of 10 years taking my parents to Memorial periodically, it never occurred to me to go anywhere else.”
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