BBC OS Conversations: Surviving sepsis
The Documentary Podcast
BBC
4.3 • 2.7K Ratings
🗓️ 20 January 2024
⏱️ 24 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
The inspiring story of nurse and mother Cindy Mullins from Kentucky in the United States has captured a lot of attention online and has raised awareness of a condition that affects millions of people around the world. Following an infection that led to sepsis, Cindy’s doctor told her she would need to have both of her arms and both legs amputated. Cindy and her husband, DJ, share their experiences and emotions with host James Reynolds. “I told the doctor to shoot it to me straight and he explained what they had to do to save my life and that the very next day I would lose my legs from the knees down,” Cindy tells us. “I was okay with it, I was at peace, I was just happy to be alive.” Sepsis – sometimes known as blood poisoning – occurs when the body's immune system has an extreme reaction to an infection and starts to damage the body’s own tissues and organs. Recent figures suggest there are 50 million cases of sepsis a year worldwide. We also bring together two other survivors of sepsis who have had to adapt to life without legs or arms. Caroline from the UK contracted sepsis after falling sick from Covid-19 and pneumonia. Shan from South Africa, contracted sepsis after being bitten by a mongoose. She has since had dozens of surgical procedures but still regularly works out in the gym.
A Boffin Media production in partnership with the BBC OS team.
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | World of Secrets, Season 2, investigates allegations surrounding one of the most powerful religious figures of the 21st century, TB Joshua. |
| 0:10.0 | Search for World of Secrets wherever you get your BBC podcasts. |
| 0:15.0 | Hello, I'm James Reynolds. |
| 0:17.0 | Welcome to the documentary from the BBC World Service. |
| 0:20.0 | In BBC OS conversations, we bring people together to share their experiences. |
| 0:25.0 | This time we hear from three women adapting to life after surviving sepsis. |
| 0:30.0 | Today's edition was inspired by Cindy Mullins, a mother of two from Kentucky in the states. |
| 0:39.1 | She has such a positive story to tell of how she has responded to the dramatic physical impact of |
| 0:46.0 | sepsis. |
| 0:47.0 | We also bring together two other women who tell us about their new lives after quadruple amputations, |
| 0:52.2 | including visits to the gym. |
| 0:54.6 | I showed them and I even had one guy, a big guy, like a bodybuilder guy, |
| 1:00.8 | come up to me and he was like in tears's like I've been watching you and I just I can't believe it |
| 1:07.4 | that there are able-bodied people out there that wouldn't even attempt what you are doing now. |
| 1:15.0 | Figures reported by the World Health Organization from a few years ago |
| 1:19.0 | suggested that there were 50 million cases worldwide of sepsis each year, leading to 11 million deaths. |
| 1:27.0 | Also known as blood poisoning, sepsis occurs when the immune system has an extreme reaction to an infection and turns on the body's own |
| 1:35.5 | tissues and organs. For some sepsis can lead to that phrase you hear sometimes on the news, |
| 1:41.4 | life-changing injuries often that means having limbs |
| 1:45.0 | amputated that's what happened to nurse Cindy Mullins we'll hear how she and her |
| 1:50.4 | family are adapting to a new life in a few moments time. It is an unforgettable account. |
| 1:56.8 | Firstly though, we thought it might be useful to hear from an expert. |
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