Northampton councillor shares story of battle with life-threatening Sepsis to make others aware of danger this winter

A Northampton councillor has shared his experience of battling a life-threatening illness in the hope it makes others aware of the dangers this winter.

Cllr André Gonzales De Savage, chairman of West Northamptonshire Council, spent a week in hospital with Sepsis last January — but only spotted the symptoms after hearing somebody else telling their story on TV. He said: “If it wasn’t for that and being able to relate to what I was experiencing, I wonder if I would have sought medical help when I did.

“My body felt like an ice block, I had felt unwell for a few days at this point and was gradually feeling worse. It was like nothing I had experienced before. I remember sitting at home, wearing multiple layers of clothing and still needing to be covered in blankets to try and stop the profound shivering I was experiencing.”

Sepsis — sometimes called septicaemia or blood poisoning — happens when your immune system over-reacts to an infection and starts to damage your body's own tissues and organs. Cllr Gonzales De Savage, who represents East Hunsbury and Shelfleys, said: “I took myself to bed in the hope that a good night’s sleep would make me feel better, however I found myself at 4am, wide awake needing urgent medical help, how I was feeling was deteriorating rapidly.

“My wife rushed me to A&E and at this point, I was struggling to walk, unable to control my balance and shaking through feeling extremely cold. I knew that this was more than I could treat myself at home and my body wasn’t able to fight whatever it was.

“I spent just over a week in hospital experiencing further symptoms of Sepsis — high temperatures and constant sweats, little appetite and dehydration. The day I was discharged and walked out from hospital, I couldn’t believe it. I didn’t think I was going to be able to walk again.

“Only a few days before I was ill, I’d watched the news where someone shared their experience of Sepsis and mentioned the symptoms, which were almost identical to mine: shivering, freezing cold, confusion, difficulty walking, extreme fatigue.

"In the run up to being admitted into hospital I remember feeling gradually worse, which may be why I didn’t recognise the symptoms early on. I hope by sharing my story, that others will recognise symptoms of Sepsis and the severity of it.”

Sepsis can sometimes be hard to diagnose due to the symptoms being like other illnesses and that’s why it is important to know the symptoms and to be vigilant on how your own body is feeling.

Common symptoms of Sepsis include:

Very high or low temperature

Uncontrolled shivering

Confusion

Passing less urine then normal

Blotchy or cold legs and arms

Fast or difficult breathing

Rapid heartbeat

Feeling dizzy or faint

■ To help protect yourself from Sepsis, it is encouraged that those who are at a higher risk of serious illness, are recommended to get the pneumococcal vaccination which is available on the NHS. This includes; babies, adults aged over 65 years and over, and children and adults with certain long-term health conditions. Click the nhs.uk website for more information.