Thanks for saving my life

A man who was treated for sepsis at King's Mill Hospital, Sutton, has thanked medical staff for saving his life.
Stuart Artliff and family with the medical staff at King's Mill Hospital.Stuart Artliff and family with the medical staff at King's Mill Hospital.
Stuart Artliff and family with the medical staff at King's Mill Hospital.

Stuart Artliff thinks he contracted the disease, which is carried by rats and other animals, when he took part in a mud run.

He said: “I had felt ill for two weeks, and after going downhill fast, I ended up in the emergency department at King’s Mill Hospital and then spent three weeks in intensive care.

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“If it wasn’t for the quick thinking of the nurse who first suspected I might be developing sepsis, I wouldn’t be here now.

“I owe her my life and can’t thank her and the other hospital staff enough for the fantastic care I received.”

King’s Mill Hospital is part of Sherwood Forest Hospitals, one of the best performing hospital trusts in the country for diagnosing and treating patients with sepsis.

Sepsis can be triggered by any type of infection. The body’s immune system goes into overdrive as it tries to fight the infection, which can reduce the blood supply to vital organs such as the brain, heart and kidneys. It is essential to treat the condition with antibiotics as soon as possible.

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One member of the team who cared for Stuart at King’s Mill was emergency department nurse, Julia Rose, who recognised and treated his sepsis when he arrived at the department. Julia said: “I remember Stuart coming in very clearly, he looked so poorly. I quickly carried out the sepsis screening and he scored really highly on it, so we then immediately started treating him.”

Stuart, who lives in Alfreton, recently returned to the hospital to thank the team who saved his life.

Julia said: “It was brilliant to see Stuart again and see how well he is doing now, we don’t always get to see the impact we make on patients, so it’s always great to see them again when they are fit and well.

“The lifesaving work that we do is down to team work, educating staff and establishing efficient systems to identify and treat infections appropriately. I am delighted that Stuart has fully recovered and that I was part of the team that made this happen.”

l Do you have reason to thank King’s Mill for saving your life? Email: [email protected]