Importance Score: 35 / 100 🔵
Woman’s Harrowing Sepsis Battle: Type 2 Diabetes and Weight Loss Journey
Ree O’Reilly, a 44-year-old battling type 2 diabetes, was accustomed to nightly disturbances due to her condition. However, one February night in 2022, an unusual awakening led to a terrifying ordeal and ultimately, a remarkable health transformation. This is her story of surviving near-fatal sepsis and reclaiming her well-being through significant weight loss and lifestyle changes.
Early Morning Confusion and Medical Emergency
Unlike her typical nocturnal bathroom trips, Ree experienced a bizarre episode. Her recollections are fragmented, pieced together from family accounts. “I was standing at the edge of the bed, talking nonsensically to my fiancé Bill,” recalls the mother-of-three from Stawell, Victoria. “I returned to bed, and the next morning, my daughter witnessed me staggering down the hallway, bumping into walls and furniture.”
Ree, in a disoriented state, announced her need for a shower. “I have no memory of those moments, but my children recounted helping me into the shower only to find me unresponsive and babbling incoherently at the shower floor when they checked on me.”
Concerned, Bill, already at work, had предусмотрительно instructed their children to call for emergency medical assistance if they had any worries. They acted upon his advice.
vCard.red is a free platform for creating a mobile-friendly digital business cards. You can easily create a vCard and generate a QR code for it, allowing others to scan and save your contact details instantly.
The platform allows you to display contact information, social media links, services, and products all in one shareable link. Optional features include appointment scheduling, WhatsApp-based storefronts, media galleries, and custom design options.
Ree, weighing 148kg and struggling with Type 2 Diabetes, experienced a night of strange behavior before her health crisis.
Rushed to the hospital by ambulance, a dangerous turn of events unfolded on the rural highway to Ballarat Hospital.
Near-Death Experience and Sepsis Diagnosis
“I flatlined five times en route – my heart stopped,” she recounts. “They had to halt the ambulance on the highway to await another ambulance team to provide further assistance.”
Miraculously, Ree, then weighing 148kg (approximately 326 pounds), was resuscitated in the ambulance and admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).
Her first clear memory was regaining consciousness in a hospital corridor. This was swiftly followed by an overwhelming, scorching pain emanating from her right leg.
“A nurse held a phone to my ear, and I overheard her informing Bill about the situation. All I could utter was, ‘My leg is on fire, my leg is on fire.’ I was completely unaware of what was happening,” she remembers.
The agonizing pain in her right leg was attributed to a localized infection that had escalated into life-threatening sepsis and lymphedema.
Sepsis is defined as a severe and potentially fatal condition triggered by the body’s overwhelming and dysregulated response to an infection. This can cause widespread inflammation, potentially leading to organ dysfunction and death.
Ree had a long history of weight struggles since the age of 16, characterized by skipping breakfast and indulging in chocolate and fried foods throughout the day.
Medical professionals explained to Ree that while her weight was not the direct cause of sepsis, her compromised health increased the risk of recurrence and hindered her body’s ability to combat infection.
The skin on her affected leg was severely cracked and covered with necrotic blisters, extending from her shin down to her foot.
“It felt like my leg was being roasted on a spit or engulfed in flames,” she describes the excruciating sensation. “That’s how intense the pain was. It was a burning sensation from the inside out. I had no prior wounds, cuts, or abrasions on that leg, leaving the cause of the infection a mystery. There were no definitive answers about its origin.”
The specialized wound care team expressed that they had never encountered a case of such severity. At one point, her right leg swelled to eight times the size of her left leg.
Ree later learned that her condition rapidly became critical because the initial infection went unnoticed, lacking overt warning signs.
“I subsequently discovered that doctors had considered amputation of the leg, a prospect I was incredibly relieved to avoid.”
Prolonged Hospital Stay and Gradual Recovery
Following two weeks in intensive care, Ree endured a four-month hospital stay, confined to bed.
Although medical staff successfully managed to control the infection, the persistent threat of sepsis relapse remained, carrying the risk of rapid organ failure. Her kidneys, in particular, exhibited severely impaired function.
Her fragile state necessitated continuous oxygen support and various medical interventions, including blood transfusions, iron infusions, and repeated courses of antibiotics.
Against medical predictions, Ree was discharged from the hospital with both legs intact. However, the lymphedema caused persistent agonizing pain, and extensive open wounds on her foot prevented her from wearing shoes or leaving her home for six months.
The severity of her wound required weekly home visits from a nurse for over two months to manage dressing changes.
“My leg was encased in thick pads that would become saturated with leaked lymphatic fluid by day’s end,” she explains.
Opting for a natural approach instead of appetite suppressants, Ree successfully lost 50kg (110 pounds).
Ree and her fiancé Bill now enjoy active holidays. Inspired by Ree’s transformation, Bill also shed 27kg (60 pounds) following the same healthy lifestyle principles.
Ree’s foot and leg still bear scars from the devastating effects of sepsis.
“I feared this debilitating condition would be my permanent reality, and I lived in constant anxiety of sepsis recurrence.”
Bill took leave from work to care for Ree, who was largely confined to bed and needed a walker for basic mobility.
Taking Charge of Her Health: Anti-Inflammatory Diet Success
Frustrated by the limitations of conventional medical treatments and feeling that doctors were merely maintaining her on existing medications without exploring alternative solutions, Ree decided to proactively address her condition.
“My mother introduced me to an anti-inflammatory diet program. I conducted my own research and embarked on this dietary approach,” Ree explains.
She eliminated heavily processed foods, a staple in her diet for years, replacing them with whole, natural, and unprocessed ingredients.
“Previously, I would skip breakfast, then consume chocolate and sugary drinks like Coke or lemonade throughout the day. Lunch would typically be takeaway fast food – fried chicken, fish and chips, or a quick ham and cheese sandwich,” she admits.
“Family dinners often consisted of dishes like chicken parmesan and chips or homemade meat pie with chips.”
Transitioning to the anti-inflammatory diet, Ree’s breakfast shifted to homemade meatballs made of chicken, turkey, or beef. Lunch and dinner became similar, featuring lean protein sources like chicken breast paired with vegetables or salad.
“I also incorporated collagen supplements, which aided in gut healing and reducing inflammation,” she added.
Facing Medical Prognosis and Defying Expectations
Just as Ree began experiencing newfound hope and positive changes with her diet, a discouraging specialist appointment delivered a grim outlook.
“Shortly after starting to eat healthily, my specialist stated, ‘Given what you’ve been through, I estimate you have five years left to live, with a diminished quality of life,'” she recalls with distress.
“I was stunned, uttering, ‘Pardon?!’ I instantly burst into tears. It felt like conventional medicine had given up on me. I knew I couldn’t accept that prognosis and achieve a positive outcome, so I cancelled any future appointments with her and persevered with my dietary regimen.”
Ree had struggled with weight management since being diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) at age 16, and her weight had steadily increased over time.
“I became increasingly isolated and withdrawn from the world,” she confesses.
While weight loss was not Ree’s primary motivation for adopting the diet (her initial goal was to reduce inflammation), eating healthily resulted in a remarkable 50 kg (110 pounds) weight loss within 12 months.
Starting at 148kg (326 pounds), her weight reached a low of 84kg (185 pounds) last year, stabilizing around 89kg (196 pounds) currently.
“I don’t obsessively monitor the scale anymore,” she states.
“It’s not about the number on the scale; it’s about being healthy. Therefore, weight-loss medications like Ozempic were never considered.”
“For the initial 30kg (66 pounds) of weight loss, I was unable to exercise. However, after that point, I regained enough strength to begin walking and gradually increased my activity level.”
Reversed Diabetes and Renewed Life
Ree is now a picture of thriving health – a testament to her personal determination.
She has successfully reversed her type 2 diabetes, discontinued 12 different medications (including pain relievers and muscle relaxants), and experiences no further pain in her right leg.
“I will have lymphedema for life, but I currently feel healthier than ever before, and I attribute this to the transformative impact of improving my gut health,” she affirms.
“Our diet is centered around high protein, clean, low-GI foods. Bill and I still enjoy a weekly treat – a slice of cheesecake on our coffee date. But now, instead of anticipating television shows and consuming copious amounts of chocolate or ice cream while feeling unfulfilled, my focus is on experiencing and enjoying the world.”
The scars on her leg now serve as the only visible reminder of her close brush with death.
Ree, now healthy and happy, refers to sepsis as her ‘second blessing,’ considering it a wake-up call to ‘live life to the fullest.’
“For a considerable time, I had to exercise extreme caution even with minor scratches or insect bites on my right leg, as I was warned of potentially severe consequences,” she says.
“I was informed that while being overweight wasn’t the direct cause of sepsis or lymphedema, my overall unhealthy state could have contributed to my body’s compromised response. However, with my improved health, this is no longer a constant concern.”
Embracing a Full and Active Life
Ree now embraces life to the fullest, every day. She works as a health mentor, exercises twice weekly with a personal trainer, enjoys bushwalking and kayaking on weekends, and recently returned from a paddle boarding and snorkeling vacation with Bill, who has also achieved a 27kg (60 pounds) weight loss.
“I refer to [the sepsis ordeal] as my second blessing,” she concludes.
“It was a traumatic experience, but surviving it instilled in me a sense of purpose to make significant changes. It was the wake-up call I needed to start living life as I was truly meant to.”