Key facts
- Audrey Wiggins experienced a severe case of sepsis in 2015, leading to a 10-day ICU stay and a five-day medically induced coma.
- Wiggins initially mistook her symptoms for the flu, experiencing fever, body aches, and stomach issues.
- Her condition worsened, leading to random pain, nosebleeds, and extreme weakness, prompting a friend to urge her to seek medical attention.
- At urgent care, her vital signs were abnormal, leading to an ER visit where doctors eventually diagnosed sepsis after initially suspecting autoimmune diseases.
- Sepsis can lead to tissue damage, organ failure, and death if not treated promptly, with common warning signs including high fever, confusion, rapid breathing, and low blood pressure.
- Wiggins now runs the Begin Again Foundation to raise awareness and has written a children's book to help families recognize sepsis symptoms.
Audrey Wiggins, wife of professional golfer Marc Leishman, shared her near-fatal experience with sepsis to raise awareness about the condition. In 2015, Wiggins, then 31, initially believed she had the flu due to symptoms like fever, aches, and chills. However, her condition deteriorated rapidly, with a spiking fever, severe stomach issues, and random pains in her elbow and toe. When she became too weak to care for her young sons and started experiencing nosebleeds, a friend insisted she see a doctor. At urgent care, her high temperature and low blood pressure led to an ambulance transfer to the ER. Doctors initially suspected autoimmune diseases but eventually diagnosed severe sepsis, which led to a 10-day ICU stay, including five days in a medically induced coma due to acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Sepsis occurs when an infection triggers a widespread, life-threatening inflammatory response that can cause tissue damage, organ failure, and death if not treated promptly. Common warning signs include high fever, confusion, rapid breathing, extreme weakness, low blood pressure, fast heart rate, and extreme pain. Wiggins, who had no prior knowledge of sepsis, realized its severity after her ordeal and founded the Begin Again Foundation to educate others. She also authored a children's book, 'Katie Koala's Biggest Bite,' to help families recognize the symptoms early. Wiggins emphasized that sepsis can stem from any infection and that asking a doctor 'Could this be sepsis?' can be crucial for early diagnosis, as mortality rates increase significantly with each hour of untreated illness. The financial burden of sepsis hospitalization was also a significant concern for Wiggins, highlighting the need for support for affected families.