Tales from the Emergency Department

 Well, I’ve done great so far, but today was the day I finally had to make a trip to the emergency department (ED). Congestion and sore throat with possible strep, bone, muscle and joint pain, chills and then my temperature started to rise. I decided to get my buns straight into the ED where they’re working me up for strep and possible sepsis. 

When I was in quality, one of the quality measures was getting fluids and antibiotics in a potential person with sepsis within 1 hour of arrival. They did it! This continues to show the great care I get right here in my town of Palmer, AK. No big cities needed. 

 Some of you know but some of you don’t, that my mom had sepsis. She was within hours of potential death by the time she got to the hospital. Her situation was a septic hip joint. She survived but it’s very important to know how serious sepsis is. She and I both run a lower temperate normally so when we both got over 100 degrees, we knew it was an issue. It helps to know your baseline temperature for that reason.

 My oncologists office told me to get to either them (they’re not open) or the ED if I had a temperature over 100. I didn’t hesitate and the ED team says I did the right thing. Don’t hesitate! Get the care you need!