Journeying through Sepsis: Some final thoughts

Transcript

Cindy Martin: It's been a very, very, very long road. I don't think we're quite finished. I don't think we'll ever be finished. My biggest thing is don't blame yourself. Ask for a second opinion. You don't have to take no for an answer, and it's tough. It is really, really tough. And it's really hard to see your child sick because you don't know, you can't fix it.

Take time for yourself because I wish I did. And find a friend. If you don't have a husband or a wife or anyone like that find someone that it's understanding of you and can give you five minute peace. Even if it's just go to the toilet or take the washing out or , I've learnt to, the housework can wait. If you come into my house, I don't care if there's stuff on the floor where the kids have been playing craft or lego, they're happy. It's about family time now.

Marissa Ryan: Something that I say to my girls all the time is just get your big girl pants on and get out there. And, I guess it's on that theme of trying to be brave that, , you've just got to step up. Because no one else is going to step up for your child, except for you. And they're depending on you to be their advocate.

And no one who's going to judge you for being an advocate. In fact you'll probably let yourself down if you don't.

Tiffany Ritchie: So, after being through everything with Austin, my advice to parents would be to not wait. If your child is sick, don't wait for a reasonable hour, if it's in the middle of the night, to take them to hospital. If we had have waited until a decent hour on that Sunday morning, he wouldn't be here with us because he was that sick.

If you have to go back to a GP or take him to emergency days in a row before you get advice or the answers that you need to find out what is wrong with your child, then that's what it takes. Because you brought this child into the world, you need to look after them and you can't take no for an answer if you know that there is something wrong with your child.

Amy Wilkinson: We're three years on and it's not as much of a rollercoaster, but there's still days where, you know, I'll be in tears to Mia's teacher because of something that's, you know, she might've been upset that morning. So, you know, it's levelled out, but there's just, you know, still there's, there's grief and, and guilt, you know, that I carry now that I'm, you know, I need to work through and deal with.

Marissa Ryan: The whole experience has been really, really challenging. It was really, really challenging. Thankfully we supported, we had amazing support around us. And then, and when you, when you are so vulnerable, it just being, The generosity and love of others absolutely astounded me, you know, and, I guess being a, allowing yourself to accept that generosity and the love of others, and allowing them to help and support you.

Amy Wilkinson: You know, you do have worries for the future that, you know, you can look at everyone's limited in some ways. I'm never going to be. The winner of the 100 meter sprint in the Olympics, you know, because of my body, it's not going to do that. So, you know, so it's everyone has to work within their own abilities and limitations.

So she's adapted and will problem solve. And, you know, it's not even that you, you're intentionally adapting how you think about it. It's time just creates that, you know, it just happens that, okay. Mia, put your legs on. Max, get your shoes. Mia, you know, sit down. Come on, we're gonna put your leg, you know, and she'll get to a point, like we put them on for her now, but she will get to a point where...

She will be able to put them on herself. And that feels impossible, but it will, you know, she'll, yeah, she'll figure it out and away we go.

Tiffany Ritchie: I did daily posts on Facebook for family because I didn't want to have to tell the story and give updates over and over and over again. So they come up in my feed every year, every year they come up and it's a nice, it's a horrible reminder, but it's a nice little reminder of how far he has. He is the most determined and strong world little boy I have ever met.

I'm very lucky to be his mum.

Sabella Ryan: It's life changing. It definitely changes, the way you look at things, and the way you, like, look at other people, as well, and, sick people. It changes your way of life and how you act on certain things. It really changed who I am as a person, and encouraged me to grow up a lot faster than the rest of my friends, and it's, it guided the course, like, where I am today. It's guided, what I'm doing at university. Originally I wanted to do a different course, but, being so sick has guided me into doing nursing. It definitely changes the way you look at things, and yeah.

Marissa Ryan: She's a very social person and a hard worker and, you know, she's always been a leader, but, I guess since the accident, she's certainly built resilience and, has you know, matured into a, you know, beautiful young woman, with lots to offer and she just shines, really.