A Further Legacy Of Surviving Sepsis | By Kirsten Lavine – Sepsis Survivor
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A Further Legacy Of Surviving Sepsis | By Kirsten Lavine – Sepsis Survivor
Valuing the importance of living life to the fullest!
The aftermath of sepsis can bring, for many survivors, a whole array of long-lasting physical ailments and various mental impairments – hence the title ‘A Further Legacy Of Surviving Sepsis’. Added to all of this are the emotional traumas and psychological readjustments of having survived such a life-threatening illness.
For me, the experience has been all of these things and more. Two years down the line I’m still struggling with various issues – my bowel is so wrecked that I can barely eat anything without incurring pain and most days I can’t concentrate very well, nor sleep very well at night.
However, personally, having come through a near-death experience and been given a second chance at life has also presented a whole other experience: I now fully value how precious my time here is and the importance for me of infusing it with meaning. And I would invite others to do the same.
The experience of going into hospital for a routine procedure and emerging nearly dead has taught me that there are absolutely no securities in life. Everyone knows this on some intellectual level, but to experience it so profoundly – how quickly life can be taken away from you without warning, has heightened my urgency of getting on with things.
The universe is not going to wait while I say, ‘Maybe I’ll do it next year.’ There simply may not be a next year!
Granted that yes, many things in life carry risks. But for me, the real danger is to be afraid to try, to hold back from attempts to follow your dreams. Because really, I now feel, what’s the worst that can happen?
I’ve learned that if I can survive the traumatic experience of having had sepsis, then I can truly do anything.
This has included writing a book about my experiences, called A Measure of Light, and a year after coming home from hospital, embarking on a solo 3-month dream trip to Australia.
It wasn’t without its massive challenges, but I learned so much about inner strengths I didn’t know I possessed.
In that respect, while having sepsis has weakened certain aspects of my being, in so many other ways, it has made me stronger.
I would urge other survivors to seize their second chance at life again and try to fill it with meaning and joy and be the best person you can possibly be.
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By Kirsten Lavine
Kirsten is a Canadian author and oral historian based in the UK.
Her book ‘A Measure of Light’ is available for sale on Amazon.
Connect with Kirsten on Facebook
#ameasureoflight #imasurvivor #survivingsepsis #sepsissoapbox #sepsisvitality
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