Sally Semenock Sally's Update

First post: May 21, 2021 Latest post: Jun 18, 2021
Welcome to our CaringBridge website. We are using it to keep family and friends updated in one place. We appreciate your support and words of hope and encouragement. Thank you for visiting.

Sally developed an infection from a usually benign strain of e. coli bacteria that is normal in the human bowel. For some reason it got out of control, infected her urinary tract but caused, at first, only chills a couple of times and she was a little achey.

Then last Sunday evening it really take off and she spiked a fever of 103.7 and we knew something was very wrong. Tylenol reduced the fever and Monday morning she called her doctor. They told her to go to the Swedish Urgent Care Clinic in Edmonds. An hour later the doctor told me that something was "overwhelming her immune system ."

They called an ambulance to take her the 100 yards to the Stevens Hospital emergency room. We later learned the bacteria was in her bloodstream and had formed a lesion on her heart's mitral valve. Small bits of the lesion broke off and the clots traveled to the brain and caused three small occlusions, or strokes. She was very confused, didn't know where she was or what day it was.

That was scary as hell, but by the next day, after being transferred to Swedish Hospital in Issaquah, she seemed almost back to herself, but had trouble finding some words. That is improving ever day.

A special scan of her heart showed a three quarter inch strand of the bacteria hanging from the mitral valve and flapping in the breeze, so to speak. That's not good and poses a continuing risk of another stroke.

She was transferred to Swedish Cherry Hill Campus in Seattle, where she'll get the valve replaced on Monday. That should take care of things and she should be back to about 60% by Harrison and Brooke's wedding on July 4th.

Sally is feeling a little tired, but is in good spirits, and is grateful for all the love and support from family and friends. ❤

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