Honoring El: Support End Sepsis Cause

Today, May 20th, marks five years since we lost our beloved El. The pain of losing them will never subside, but we have all learned ways to live with that pain and grow around it. We miss El dearly and beyond words.

To honor El on this anniversary I am asking those who loved El and are able to donate to the End Sepsis non-profit.

While some of you may know El’s story, many may not. On May 10th, 2019 El went in for life changing surgery. As a trans non-binary person, El wanted to feel more comfortable in their body and chose to have top surgery in order to help achieve that comfort. The surgery went well and they were so happy about the results. They were planning their trips to the beach and Adirondacks and to be on the boat at the lake feeling more like themselves than they ever had.

Unfortunately, a week later El became very sick very quickly and was diagnosed with septic shock due to a staph infection (MRSA) that had gotten into their body through the surgical site. Despite all life saving measures they were not able to come back to us and passed away 72 hours after they were admitted to the ICU.

I knew next to nothing about septic shock when I heard the words, and that is not uncommon even though it is the leading cause of death in U.S. hospitals. Worldwide, 1 in 5 deaths are caused by sepsis. Immediate treatment is crucial, as it has a 30-40% mortality rate. Unfortunately the signs are rarely given to post-op patients or their caretakers and there is no national protocol when it comes to sepsis diagnosis or treatment. Many nurses and doctors dismiss the symptoms as something else, delaying treatment and increasing the mortality rate.

By donating to this cause you would help by increasing public awareness and education, support sepsis survivors, and advocate for the implementation of life-saving measures in hospitals. While we could not save El, we can use their story to educate and help others in the future.

El, we love you and we miss you. Rest in Power.