Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
TH little almost of is... Jack orrie 32 33 34
transfusions and would be left with seven separate scars.” Penelope remained in hospital for six weeks. “On the whole, she coped really well,” says Morwenna.
“The staff were fantastic and had play therapists and a sensory room to help relieve the inevitable boredom.
“But having a child in hospital has a big impact on your family - and finances. I was self-employed as a communications manager so was able to take time off and spent every day and every other night at the hospital. “Peter, however, juggled work in Gloucester – an hour away – with alternate night hospital stays. Fortunately, we have amazing family and friends who rallied round.” The final MRI scan revealed that the ball joint of Penelope’s right hip had been pushed out of the socket and she needed a cast covering her entire right leg, pelvis and half of her left leg.
“She was allowed home when she finally stopped having intravenous antibiotics, and an occupational therapist provided a specially adapted chair,” says Morwenna.
“Finally feeling herself again, there was literally no stopping her. Watching her trying to crawl with both legs immobilised was as comical as it was joyful and inspirational.” When the cast was removed four weeks later, Penelope was in a lot of discomfort because her legs had been in the same position for so long. But by Christmas 2014, six months after her sepsis diagnosis, she was walking again.
Morwenna says: “Penelope still has regular check-ups and may need a hip replacement when she’s older. But she’s a healthy, happy five-year old. And, at school, apart from slightly limited mobility in her right leg, you wouldn’t know anything had been so seriously wrong with her. “I’m aware of just how lucky we are. I applaud Coronation Street for running a storyline to raise awareness and urge all parents in similar situations to ‘think sepsis’.” Dr Ron Daniels BEM, Chief Executive of the UK Sepsis Trust (sepsistrust.org) has been working closely with the writers of the soap to ensure that the subject matter is dealt with both accurately and sensitively. Doctors therefore need to get better at detecting sepsis. There are two main reasons why it gets missed. Firstly, sepsis was only identified for the first time in 1991 so when you realise that we’ve been reliably diagnosing and treating heart attacks since the 1960s, we’re decades behind.
“Secondly, sepsis is a great mimic. Unlike heart attacks, which have classic symptoms, the symptoms of sepsis can be diverse and varied. And because symptoms can be confused with flu, gastroenteritis or a chest infection, patients tend to wait to feel better or call their GP and 111 – but not an ambulance.”
But awareness campaigns – and soap storylines like Jack’s – mean we are now recognising the symptoms of sepsis more reliably.
Dr Daniels adds: “Yougov polls show that public awareness has risen among the general public from 47% to 80% in the last five years. And among the medical profession, screening for sepsis has risen from less than half to 86% in the last three years, while early treatment with antibiotics has increased from 32% to 80%.
“Treatment isn’t complex or expensive. It’s simple and extremely effective – doubling the chance of survival if put into place early enough.
“Doctors should now look for ‘red flag’ symptoms and treat them urgently.
“The key piece of advice I would give every reader is this,” he adds. “If you have the symptoms of an infection and feel worse than you have ever felt before, ask your GP or hospital doctor, ‘Could it be sepsis?’ Or, if you’re at home, dial 999 and get to A&E.
“A difference of just one hour in receiving treatment can mean the difference between life and death.”