Help Stephanie Fight Sepsis

This is a campaign to help 26 year old Stephanie battle a lift threatening, prolonged, medication resistant heart infection. She has been fighting this infection with many complications for over one month and needs to continue receiving treatment in order to survive.

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Hi, my name is Stephanie! I am 26 years old and I’m a registered nurse who loves art, nature, music, and photography. I’m also severely and critically ill. For 4 weeks, I have been battling sepsis, septic shock, endocarditis, bacteremia, a wound infection, and a central line infection. 

I have had four surgeries in the last 6 weeks. I had a chest port placed in the beginning of March 2021 for IV fluids. I receive IV fluids at home for dangerously low blood pressures and a type of chronic dehydration called hypovolemia. 

I was initially well after the chest port placement and even returned to work as an RN. 3 days postoperatively, I began to experience extreme pain, a high fever, and swelling in my chest wall. 

I went in for an outpatient procedure to drain fluid from the inside of my chest with a large needle. As my mom was driving me home from the procedure, I declined rapidly. I was crying in immense pain, delirious, weak, and shaking. 

My mom called 911 and I was brought back to the hospital. They then began lifesaving interventions. I was alone and told I had a 50% chance of survival. I was in septic shock with multiple infections, vegetations (growth of bacteria on my heart valves), and clotting with septic emboli. I had life threatening low blood pressure anda fever of 104°F.

I required a 4 hour emergency surgery with no anesthesia to remove the chest port, remove surrounding infected tissue, and wash out my chest wall. I drifted in and out of consciousness from severe pain. I was left with a large chest wound that measured 3.9 inches in depth. My wound requires daily packing and dressing changes. 

I was placed on the maximum adult daily doses of IV vancomycin and IV Cefazolin in attempt to mitigate the infection and save my life. A PICC line (an IV catheter that goes from my arm up into a large vein and into the tip of the atria in my heart) was placed to continue antibiotics. I was hospitalized for one week. 

I was discharged with two nurses coming daily (for central line care and wound packing changes), physical therapy, and occupational therapy. I had rapidly lost weight, muscle mass, and physically decompensated. My doctors insisted I use a wheelchair due to the stress that standing put on my cardiovascular system. 

I took a formal medical leave from working as an RN, as I was unable to perform basic needs for myself, like making food, bathing, and getting dressed. I moved in with my mom because I require 24/7 supervision and care. 

While home, I continued my high dose IV antibiotics through my PICC line several times daily under the guidance of my infectious disease physicians. As you can imagine, IV antibiotics of this strength don’t come without side effects.But having a severe heart and bloodstream infection, they were my one and only hope of recovery. 

I am writing this from my hospital bed, asI am now admitted once again. Three weeks after my first admission, the antibiotics caused something known as bone marrow suppression.  At a follow up appointment, it was discovered that I had some dangerous levels within my blood work and I was sent back to the hospital. I have a dangerously low white blood cell count,which was inhibiting my body’s ability to fight off the infection. I also had a marked increase in my D-dimer levels.

I have pancytopenia (extreme low blood counts across the board, including things like anemia and impaired oxygen transport) from the bone marrow suppression due to the antibiotics. Pancytopenia can be life threatening, as can low white blood cell counts during a severe infection. Basically, I have very low immunity to fight this infection right now.

My infectious disease doctors have madethe decision to change antibiotics to savemy life and prevent me from becoming septic again with no ability to fight off the infection.

Without treatment, I will not survive. I need to stay alive for my family, my friends, and my own patients. Being a nurse is truly my calling and my passion. It has been so humbling to be a patient and to be cared for. But I promise, I much prefer being on the other side and being a nurse. 

I have started this fundraiser at the request of my family and friends. I have had two long hospital stays, four surgical procedures, daily home care multiple times per day, and a host of IV medication. IV antibiotics and medications carry astronomical costs. My new antibiotic is currently $2,472 weekly. Home care is $155 per visit. My IV medications including antiemetics so I can eat and IV fluids to keep hydrated are ~$336 weekly, not including things like an IV pump, saline and heparin flush syringes, and PICC line dressings, which are completely out of pocket. My bills from my hospital stays are quite high, and I will receive one soon for this present admission. I have needed many assistive devices, such as my wheelchair also. 

Additionally, I need to pay to continue things such basic daily living necessities andbills, such as insurance, car payments, student loan payments, etc. 

For full transparency, I have maintained my health insurance through my employer although I am on medical leave. Insurance is covering portions of my care. Most IV medications are nonformulary (we cannot switch to an alternative and prior authoriztions and peer-to-peers have been unsuccessful) and not part of my deductible. My surgeries carry a 20% copayment of the entire cost. Hospitalizations are billed differently outside the deductible.

I was denied TDI due to a brief period of receiving unemployment, as I had COVID-19 twice last year. I have no income over the last month, and my doctors estimate it will be quite some time before it will be safe for me to return to work in any capacity. 

My boyfriend, Colin, whom I typically livewith, and my mom, have both taken time off work in recent weeks to care for me.

I am in need of help. As someone who loves and lives to help others; a giver rather than a receiver, it pains me to admit this. But it takes a village to foster hope and healing, and I have faith in that. 

Going forward after being discharged, I will continue to be honest and transparent. I will scan bills and receipts and prove that every penny donated will go towards essential items only.

I recognize these are hard times for everyone. Many are continuing to lose their jobs, houses, and lives due to the COVID-19 pandemic. If you are unable to donate, I am grateful for prayers, thoughts, goodvibes, and virtual get well messages! If you can share this page on your social media or to someone who can help, it would be amazing as well. 

Thank you, thank you, thank you. Grateful to those who have read my story and considered helping financially. May your days be bright and may your life be blessed in abundance always. I appreciate you!