Warwick Davis has cautioned the public not to take sepsis lightly after nearly losing his wife Samantha (known as Sam) to the illness in 2019. The Willow star tweeted an interview with The Sun in which he shared his fears that she wouldn’t survive the illness.
“This took place a while ago and thankfully Sam has now fully recovered,” Davis tweeted.”I hope her story will stay with someone which will in turn save a life. In these times, when someone’s poorly, it’s automatic to think Covid but please don’t overlook sepsis. #ThinkSepsis.”
Videos by PopCulture.com
Sepsis is a serious but uncommon infection-related complication. It can result in multiple organ failures and death if not treated quickly. According to Davis, his wife had been itchy and fatigued before being unable to stand up. “Fortunately for us, our doctor recognized Sam’s symptoms and told us to head to A&E immediately with a suspected case of sepsis,” the actor said.
Symptoms of sepsis include weakness, loss of appetite, fever and chills, thirst, difficult or rapid breathing, increased heart rate, low blood pressure, and decreased urine production. Sepsis may occur if a person suffers from these symptoms after developing an infection, pneumonia, urinary infection, or wound.
Upon Sam’s arrival at the hospital, doctors became concerned about an open wound on her back that was “inflamed with fluid, red, and hot to touch.” The scar had become infected, and Sam’s family was told she could die without treatment.
“Our family gathered by her bedside; although optimistic, we were sort of saying goodbye in case Sam didn’t survive,”Davis explained.”The next few hours were the longest of my life as I waited on the ward with our children in the empty space left by Sam’s hospital bed. I hoped it would not symbolize a future for us without her,” he told The Sun.
Sam’s surgery was a success, but Davis notes that she still has some PTSD due to sepsis. “If I’m completely honest, I do too,” he remarked. Davis was informed that Sam’s subsequent hours in intensive care were “vital” while she was receiving strong antibiotics after surgery.
“It’s so hard to see someone you love more than anything in the world fighting to stay alive without the strength to even roll over in bed,” he said.”Doctors told me the infection had ravaged every cell in her body causing depletion to vital vitamin and mineral levels.”
To help spread awareness of the condition, Davis recently teamed up with The UK Sepsis Trust to mark the company’s 10th anniversary of working with Green Flag. The veteran performer narrates videos sharing the stories of families, survivors and sufferers who have fought the deadly infection.
Davis told The Sun that he and Sam “never take life for granted now, living each day as if it were our last. I appreciate and cherish every moment that Sam and I spend together.” The couple married in 1991 and share two children, Annabelle and Harrison.
Related Posts
-
Official promotional image for Gucci Mane's "Lemonade" Music video (Credit: Warner Bros. Records) -
'Squid Game.' Credit: Netflix -
THE GOLDEN BACHELOR – ABC's "The Golden Bachelor" stars Joan. (ABC/Ricky Middlesworth)
