Imagine waking up one morning with a high fever, severe chills, nausea, and diarrhea.  You think it will pass, but you become incoherent and unresponsive. Your partner calls 911 and an ambulance rushes you to a hospital. You end up in the ICU with septic shock, which has a 30% survival rate. Your heart is working so hard to keep your internal organs viable that it can’t be concerned with your extremities and dry gangrene sets in. Your toes, fingers, and your nose are affected. You’re on pain pills and get the news that doctors can’t help the gangrene because the pain, much like a severe burn, would be even worse. The gangrene has to run its course. You know you will lose parts of your hands and feet.

Lynn Pond, at age 64, experienced all of the above. A culture indicated the blood infection could have been caused by bacteria from a dog’s mouth through something as small as a paper cut. Normally when an infection hits, the spleen sends out an “army” of white blood cells to fight it, but at age three, Lynn’s spleen was removed. (She never learned why.) She was also extremely anemic.

Lynn spent 124 days in the hospital and 20 days at a rehab facility. She could have been bitter or felt sorry for herself but, instead, she started each of those days by expressing her thanks to the Lord. She wasn’t thrilled by the 3:00 a.m. blood draws or the 5:00 a.m. daily doctor visits, but she was indebted to the awesome team of nurses, doctors, wound care people, cafeteria workers who prepared her meals, and the gals who cleaned her room every day.

Lynn was thankful for helpful devices that granted her some independence, such as adaptive silverware and a specialized board that allowed her to get from the bed to the wheelchair. She was thankful for family and friends who visited or sent cards, for all those who were sending her love and praying for her. She was thankful to be alive and able to share her story, especially during September’s Sepsis Awareness month. She was especially thankful for her husband, George, who not only kept her company every day, but kept the household going. He brought her clothes she could slip on rather than button or zip, handled dog care, and kept family & friends in the loop.

A person wonders how they would handle an illness of this scope. Would they dwell on their misery?

Not Lynn. Staff were concerned about a man, Mike, whose situation was similar. While Lynn had lost a few fingers and all of her toes, Mike lost most of his hands and all of his toes. He was in a dark place mentally and couldn’t bring himself out of his depression. The staff said they normally wouldn’t do this, but they asked Lynn if she would visit him. She was happy to do so and, in her company, Mike’s attitude did improve.

Lynn also helped Marty, her wound care specialist. Marty and his wife were considering adopting a child, and he knew Lynn was adopted. Lynn answered all of his questions, and based on her testimonials, Marty and his wife did choose to give a child a loving home.

Lynn has always been positive and, as a child, was nicknamed Sunshine by her father, Norm. When her 65th birthday approached, “Sunshine” decided she didn’t care that she was in the hospital or in a wheelchair. She’d still change into a party dress and celebrate!

Lynn’s room became known as the party room and nurses would occasionally jokingly ask her and her visitors to tone it down. Nurses often chose to take their break in Lynn’s lively room.

Lynn credits her faith, family, and friends with her recovery. She’d throw in a few sprinkles of laughter as well.

Thank you, Lynn, for sharing your remarkable story. You’re an inspiration to us all.