An Edinburgh woman who was rushed to hospital after falling ill at work is speaking out on her traumatic ordeal, in hopes of raising awareness.
Rachel Flynn, 25, was in the office one day when she suddenly and drastically became very ill. Before she knew it, Rachel was in an ambulance with her fiancé being told she was in septic shock.
Eight months later, she's preparing to raise funds for charity Sepsis Research FEAT, who research and design treatments for sepsis, by running a half marathon - something she wasn't sure she'd be able to do a few months ago.
READ MORE - West Lothian gran 'can't sleep in bedrooms' due to 'mystery mould' in council home
Speaking to Edinburgh Live, Rachel said: "I was in the office finishing up for the week, even though it was a Wednesday, as I was getting ready to go to one of my great friends' hen parties in Marbella - which shows how fine I was feeling. About 11am, I started feeling really unwell and not myself.
"Ordered myself some food and thought that would sort me out, but as the afternoon went on I just started getting worse and worse, my desk was just covered in sweat and I was so poorly. The heat coming off me was like nothing else, I was shivering and felt so sick and weak and my muscles didn’t feel like they were working."
She decided to work from home for the afternoon, and walked in the door before looking in the mirror and seeing her lips were blue. After struggling up the stairs, Rachel tried her best to warm herself up with no luck.
She continued: "When I was lying there i called my GP again, and told them I felt like I was dying. They recommended calling 999. Next thing I know the paramedics are in my house, my fiancé is pulling up wondering what is going on."
Rachel's fiancé Jordan was told by paramedics that she was in septic shock, while she was told that 'everything was fine, and she just needed checked over' in hopes that a calm attitude would regulate her body a bit. On arrival at the hospital, she was given a bed right away.
She added: "The nurses took one look at me and all I could do was cry. I just remember the machines making the most awful sounds.
"I got rushed to resus twice, heart rate sky high and blood pressure really low. They were explaining my situation was like a 'puncture in a tyre' - they knew something was wrong but they couldn't figure out where.
"It was just a really scary time. It went downhill so quickly."
She was given an ultrasound, where doctors found a kidney infection that had progressed badly. They also found fluid around other organs, and Rachel was diagnosed with both sepsis and meningism.
Sepsis Research FEAT describe the condition, stating: "Sepsis is a life-threatening condition caused by the body overreacting to infection. It kills around 50,000 people in the UK each year."
After nine days of hospital care, Rachel was released - though was struggling to remember what had happened. Jordan, who was by her side throughout, had been 'trying to make the most of the moments she was awake'.
She recalled: "We got home and I had no idea what had happened. I couldn't piece it together at all.
"When we were both finally ready to look at pictures and videos, I saw lots of Jordan really emotional. It was hard to see how it had affected him."
She was told to take three weeks of recovery, and did a phased return to work. It took months, however, for Rachel to return to her usual self.
She said: "It took about five months for me to do any exercise again. I was in a really horrible mental state, thinking 'my body is so fragile, anything could happen'.
"Everyday I was waking up thinking I might end up in hospital again. My first spin class after it all, I was sobbing. Jordan and I found it so emotional. I think it was a Disney themed one and we were both singing Hakuna Matata, and it was a turning point.
"Sometimes you just need to realise what you’re capable of. I suddenly had such a gratefulness that my body was allowing me to do it."
Now that she's back on track, Rachel hopes to raise awareness of the warning signs of sepsis. A sudden spike in temperature, blue lips, a rash that doesn't go away when you pull the skin, and feeling freezing cold are just a few.
In just a few weeks, she'll be taking part in the Edinburgh Half Marathon - and has already smashed her target of raising £500 for Sepsis Research FEAT.
You can donate to Rachel's fundraiser, and find out more about sepsis, here.
READ NEXT:
Impressive Edinburgh flat on one of city’s most ‘coveted’ streets joins the market
Grumpy Edinburgh dog has people in stitches after giving owner the silent treatment
Residents call Lothian Buses a 'disgrace' after pulled service leaves them 'marooned'
West Lothian gran 'can't sleep in bedrooms' due to 'mystery mould' in council home
West Lothian family gutted as accessible leisure centre at risk of closure
