Lost my sister this weekend!

[Sandy H]

My sister passed away this weekend unexpectedly. She was only 57 years old last Monday the day she was admitted to the hospital. She had been battling a cold the past three weeks and a week ago yesterday she was taken to the hospital by ambulance. Her husband was told she would pull through but it would be a long haul for her. Then on Saturday she took a turn for the worse and passed away Sunday morning. It was determined she had a staph infection that went into the blood and her whole body. The antibiotics were very stong to fight the staph and shut her heart and kidneys down. The nurses told her husband that they are seeing this in the young and they are waiting too long to get treated as was her case. These infections are mutating so fast the antibiotics are unable to keep ahead of them. Very scary and I wanted to let everyone know that for us if we wait two weeks when we suspect something is wrong it maybe too late!!! Beware of your body. We are shocked as I or my siblings never thought my younger sister would go before me!!!! Just had to share this with you all. hugs, Sandy

[Lisa]

Sandy,
I can't tell you how sorry I am. This crazy thing called life leaves us all spinning.
I'm sending love and light to you both.

Lisa

[Carol.hope]

Sandy, what a sad loss for you. I am so sorry. Thank you for sharing this with us. Take especially good care of yourself right now, as you are precious to so many. My prayers are with you, and I know many others will be adding theirs, too. Peace to you.

- Carol

[Barbara H.]

Hi Sandy,
First of all I want to say how sorry and shocked I was to hear about your sister. My heartfelt condolences go out to you and to your family. I have actually heard about these staph infections that are on the rise and are resistant to antibiotics. You just don't expect it to happen to someone who is young and strong. Again, I'm so sorry.
Thinking of you,
Barbara H.

[PatS]

I'm so sorry Sandy, what a shock for you and your family. I'll be thinking of you.

Pat

[karenann]

Sandy,

So sorry for your loss. I am sending hugs and prayers your way.

Love,
Karen

[dawn]

Sandy,

Im so sorry to hear of your loss, be strong and take care

[Bev]

So very sorry for your loss Sandy. Bev

[chrisy]

Sandy - I' so sorry to hear about your loss. What a shock this must be to your family - my prayers go out to you. You certainly didn't need another reminder that each day is precious.

Much love
Chris

[lindaw]

Dear Sandy

I am so sorry for your loss.

love
lindaw

[bobbiw]

My thoughts are with you Sandy.

Bobbi

[IRENE FROM TAMPA]

I just can't tell you how shocked I was to hear this story about your sister.

Time is so fragile and this thing with these staph infections is something I have been hearing about lately.

I was in the hospital for a week with a staph infection on my arm. Lucky for me it did not go into my blood system. A cousin of mine who had a mastectomy 7 weeks ago was just re-admitted to the hospital with a staph infection that they found in an incision that did not heal on her. She went into renal failure and also had some heart issues. She was finally discharged yesterday and very lucky.

I pass all this along also to make people aware of how careful one has to be.

Again I am so sorry for your loss and can just imagine how devastated your family must be.

Take care Sandy

[Joe]

Sandy,
Our thoughts and prayers are with you, may the Lord watch over her soul.


Hugs
Christine and Joe

[Sheila]

Sandy

I am so sorry in the loss of your sister....and so suddenly...it is a constant reminder to all of us how precious sisters are and how precious life is...you are in my prayers.

[Sandy H]

Thanks for everyone who posted. I didn't do it for sympathy but to make everyone aware that we have to be careful where were spend so much time at the hospitals because this is where those infections usually come from. My husband got his 37 years ago from a VA hospital where he spent 9 months and will never get rid of it. It does show its nasty head in the form of abscesses in his leg (his injury from Vietnam). He has been since May 30th trying to get one healed up (spent 5 days in hospital) and probably will go back into the O.R. tomorrow for another cleaning and stitching of a huge tunnel that has not closed in. Knowledge is powerful and if this can save someone's life its worth posting. Sending you all back a hug. Sandy

[RhondaH]

I am SO sorry to hear of your loss not to mention her being so young and it being so unexpected. I will keep you and your family in my thoughts and prayers. Take care and God bless.

Rhonda

[tousled1]

I'm so sorry to hear of the loss of your sister. What a shock it must be to your entire family. Makes us realize just how precious life is. My thoughts and prayers are with you.

[MJo]

I want to add my condolences. This is a terrible thing. Please take care of yourself. I know two people who battled staff infections -- one after knee replacement and one after a bypass. This information is indeed a good reminder to us all. Thank you. Mary Jo

[Jean]

Dear Sandy,

My deepest regrets on the passing of your sister. I was so sad to read your post. Especially since it came from out of the blue, such a shock for you.

Sending you many prayers.

Warmly,
Jean

[judiek]

Dear Sandy,


I'm am so saddened to hear this news...what a shock for you and your family. My prayers go out to you and your family during this difficult time

Warmly,

Judiek

[Barbara H.]

There are many articles on the interenet about these infections. Since one of Sandy's intentions to make us aware of them, here is an article:
http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/idepc/diseases/mrsa/mrsacommunity.html
Best regards,
Barbara H.

[CherylS]

Sandy,

So sorry. May the Lord's presence with His love, comfort and peace surround you and your family.

Cheryl

[madubois63]

Oh Dear Sandy - I am so sorry. There is nothing I can say to make this any better. This is so terrible and such a loss. You and your family are always in my prayers...

[AlaskaAngel]

Dear Sandy,

I try to imagine what it would be like to lose my sister so suddenly, and I am so sorry at the news of your sister. I know you knew about the issue of staph infections but thank you especially in your time of hardship for as always bringing it to the attention of others who are immunocompromised.

So I will add a comment of my own about the issue of staph infections. One major reason the serious kind of staph infections have become more common is because so many people who come down with relatively minor illnesses that are very frequently viral in nature and do NOT benefit from antibiotics have pushed the doctors to give them antibiotics because they believe they might not have to put up with the minor illness for quite as long as it takes while their body fights it off on its own. This frequent use of antibiotics for the wrong reasons is resulting in more people who can become resistant to the first level of antibiotics and that ends up leaving only the ones used to fight the more serious kinds of staph infections. Doctors have been warning us about this problem for a long time. As I understand it, it has been decades since there has been the development of additional antibiotics.

AlaskaAngel

[Vi Schorpp]

I am so very sorry about your loss. Sisters shares a special bond. May you find comfort somehow. I will keep you in my prayers. Take care.

[StephN]

Having roomed with you twice in San Antonio, I know you a little better. You are a very practical person with that Northeast "no nonsense" type personality.

We all certainly appreciate your posting this tragedy as a warning, but we can't help but be shocked and feel sad for the sudden loss to the family. (I could barely put myself in your shoes as I have 2 very dear sisters, both younger and in good health.) {{{hugs}}}

Regarding the staph germs - this is why they pumped me full of $1,600 worth of antibiotics while I was in the hospital last month with my lumbar drain. One other thing. When the resident chief came to see me and saw I had an IV in my hand, he ordered the nurse to remove it and use my port.

Also why my GP was shaking his head and rolling his eyes when he heard about my recent stay in the hospital. He knows those risks. Fortunately, I gambled and won this time.

[sarah]

Dear Sandy,
I am so very sorry to hear about your sister's sudden death. My heart goes out to you.
Sarah

[Cathya]

Sandy;

I am so sorry for your loss. You are so correct in reminding us about the dangers of hospitals but what a horrible way to be reminded. My thoughts are prayers are with you and your family.

Cathy

[Sherry in WV]

for the loss of your sister. One thing I think that is so hard for us saddled with this disease is that we are Expected to die, but then someone so called healthy dies before us.
May God comfort you and help you threw ths very difficult time.
Sherry in WV

[Tom]

Dear Sandy,

I am very sorry for your loss. We often get so wrapped up in the whole breast cancer thing, that we forget that other family and friends can leave us in the twinkling of an eye. I hope God will comfort you through your period of grief and beyond. These events always remind me of just how close we all are on this board. We truly are one big family, and your loss is our loss as well. Please take care in this difficult time.

Sincerely,
Tom

[sherri]

Dear Sandy,

I'm so sad about your sister. My thoughts are with you and your family.

Big hug,

[Sandy H]

Thanks Barbara for the article. I read it and found it helpful because my husband is trying to get an abscess healed on his leg and he spent 5 days in the hospital in May. Now, I am really concern and will be even more careful for myself. Thanks for all your well wishes. I am doing o.k. still in shock but time will heal and I will focus on the memories we shared. Sandy

[Berta]

Sandy: My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. BERTA

[Esther]

Wow Sandy, so sorry to hear the news of your sister. That's certainly an unexpected thing to happen. Thanks for the information, it may help somebody else out.

[Maggie]

Sandy, I am so very sorry to hear about your sisters passing! A terrible shock to you all!

You and you family are in my prayers..

Maggie

[Rendi69CA]

I am so sorry for the lost of your sister. I will pray for you and your family.

Rendi Cotton

[lu ann]

Dear Sandy I am very sorry for the loss of your sister. So many times we go through life thinking we have so much time left. This proves how fragile life is. My deepest sympathy to you and your family. Lu Ann.

[Shell]

Dear Sandy-


I am so sorry for your loss. You and your family are in our thoughts and prayers - be sure to take care of yourself during this difficult time.

Cordially,
Shell

[Theodora]

Hello,

I do not know you but yesterday I ws at the funeral of a very good friend of mine who as=lso unexpectedly lost her beatiful yonger sister. So sad, so very sad. My thoughts are with you. Love life, the way your sisterdid. Reach out to others, while thinking of her. Count on the strength and support of your friends, and know that though others do n ot know you, still we are surrounding you at thiw time.

Thea

[Lee]

What an awful thing to have happen. Thoughts & Prayers are with you and your family.

[Kim in CA]

My heart goes out to you Sandy. We just never know, any of us, what life has in store for us.

Thank you so much for the warning. It makes me realize how lucky I was when I had my liver resection and developed soreness around the IV in my good arm. I complained to the nurses, but it took them forever to get it removed. It was indeed infected, and looking back I can't believe how lax they were in dealing with it. the doctor ordered them to get hot compresses and keep them on my arm, as I actually had redness going up my arm. I had to constantly nag them to bring me the compresses.

It just reminds us that we truly have to stay informed and take charge of our own well being, and after that, it's up to God.

Take Care, Kim in CA

[Lala]

Dear Sandy,



Thank you for bravely sharing your loss with us. I thank you for thinking of others during this time of great sorrow. My thoughts and prayers go out to you and your family.

Bless you.

[Liz J.]

Dear Sandy and family,

My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family at this time. I know Our Lord will bring you strength. Please take care of yourself and your hubby. That is what your sister would want. May she rest in peace.

Sincerely,

Liz J.

[julie pilgrim]

Dear Sandy, I am so sorry for your loss, when you know a family member is very sick at least we can prepare ourselves a little bit but for it to happen so suddenly you don't realise how precious our time is. I know you will miss your sister as we do Lyn. Regards Dawn

[suzan w]

Sandy, so sorry to hear about your sister. Thank you for making me aware of the severity of staph...I had an infection as a kid and still have a huge scar as a result. Nasty stuff

[lisahammo]

Sandy, I am so, so sorry for your loss. With everything that you go through, to then lose your sister, is just now fair. And in such awful circumstances. My thoughts are with you at this sad time.

Lots of love and hugs

Lisa

[mamacze]

Dear Sandy,
I am stunned to hear about the loss of one so young. You are right, knowledge is powerful and I am grateful that you have made us even more aware of how powerful these new "bugs" are. I have been under the mistaken impression that we are still young enough to fight them off in our fifties; but your sisters experience as well as very similar experiences of 3 of my acquaintances have heightened my awareness that we are all still so vulnerable. (one died in her 30s and the other two were hospitalized for 2 weeks with the infection).
This is a tsunami time for you and your family...how fortunate she was to have had you.
Love Kim from CT