🔗 Share this article

An dedicated endurance competitor is now preparing to navigate life with no her limbs after having surgical removal due to a severe fight with sepsis.

Initially thinking she was suffering from a typical case of "freshers' flu", the medical student from Jersey quickly found herself in a critical crisis.

After being admitted to the hospital, she endured two myocardial infarctions and slipped into a state of unconsciousness, with the next three months staying a utter gap in her memory.

"When you're a young adult, you usually assume, the way I used to, that these kinds of medical situations don't affect you," remarked Lily.

The athlete added, "Individuals tend to feel a bit invincible, and you don't want to fret about your health because you've got a social life to live."

Rapid Decline

Regarded by close companions as "a exceptional sportswoman", Lily was extremely dedicated about water activities, jogging, and relaxing at the beach.

However as she currently lies in her recovery room, she recalls the day her typical university routine was turned upside down.

"I felt a bit unwell, but I was still going about my routine," she explained. "I stayed at home with my flatmates at uni."

This took place on January 14, and she decided to go to bed at about eleven o'clock, commenting, "I assumed I'd take it easy and recover overnight."

Critical Turn of Events

However as the night continued, Lily's condition worsened suddenly.

She added, "One of my roommates noticed my light was still on when she got up in the night, and visited me."

"I was sick everywhere and had been unable to control myself."

Roommates cleaned her up and brought her to the ER, at which point she observed a redness that was beginning to expand on her body.

Lily was taken to the emergency section, and was still not fully aware of the seriousness of her condition.

"I was able to walk into the hospital and so at that point I assumed I'd just receive some medication and go home the next day," she shared. "But in resuscitation I remember the physician asking for my mum and dad's mobile numbers."

Apart from being in a room surrounded by doctors and nurses, she has memory of very little after this, until around three months later in the spring.

Lily had no idea she had experienced a heart attack, and describes it as "quite unreal" finding out about this from a update her sibling had shared.

"I believe I really realised the magnitude of what had happened until about May when I was starting to look at my body," she added. "I've been told I swiftly went into septic shock."

"My blood pressure was very low and within a day I'd had two heart attacks and was found to have meningococcal septicaemia."

Explaining Sepsis?

Blood poisoning develops when the body overreacts to a pathogen, causing the organs to work incorrectly.

This may cause a significant drop in BP and harm the respiratory system, kidneys, hepatic system and other organs.

Among the difficulties in identifying sepsis is that it can manifest very uniquely in each patient.

There are six important signs to look out for:

• S - difficulty speaking or confusion
• E - severe pain in muscles and joints
• P - passing no urine in a day
• S - extreme difficulty breathing
• I - people saying "it feels like I'm going to die"
• S - complexion that's mottled, discoloured or very light

Moving Forward

"It's a blessing to have undergone removal of my extremities in an age where there's plenty of technology," Lily said.

Lily is considering equipment such as arm-powered bikes, noting, "I have long loved swimming and immersing myself in the water and I'm really enthusiastic about the feeling of liberty I'll have without weight in the water."

"I am optimistic that can take place soon."

Lily will head back to the Channel Islands in autumn, and is excited about seeing her elders, going to the beach and to "recover and reflect on what's happened."

Community Support

Companions and family are also collecting money to help give her as many possibilities as possible, and she describes feeling touched about assistance from various communities.

A companion described how compassionate and caring she is, and how Lily would take additional steps to help others.

"After she's gotten poorly she's just even more so, she's so optimistic," the companion continued. "Each occasion I see her she's making more progress and thinking about the future, she's so resolute."

"She continues to be the same Lily asking about everyone else and showing concern for everyone else."

"Frankly she astounds me, every time I see her, she impresses me with her outlook and her view on life."