InvestigateTV+: Turning sepsis amputations into a mission to raise awareness
(InvestigateTV) — Fewer than 24 hours after her first emergency room visit, Chris Davenport’s condition had deteriorated into septic shock, the final and most severe stage of sepsis.
Doctors placed her in a medically induced coma.
What began as stomach pain turned to the amputation of both her hands and feet due to septic shock.
Now, Davenport uses prosthetic arms to complete household tasks like folding clothes, hanging laundry, and getting water for herself, though she admits there’s still a learning curve.
Davenport has channeled her experience into raising awareness about sepsis and limb loss. She wrote a book titled “All of a Sudden,” which addresses the obstacles she faced during recovery and how she rebuilt her life.
In this episode of InvestigateTV+, we examine:
- How a Louisiana grandmother lost both hands and feet to sepsis complications, the surge in cases due to aging populations and antibiotic-resistant bacteria, and new FDA-approved technology that can detect sepsis in under 10 minutes
- Why more than half of Americans don’t know heart disease is the leading cause of death, how a simple coronary calcium scan saved one woman’s life by revealing 99% blockage in her “widow maker” artery, and the warning signs women often miss
- Inside Arizona’s underground vault containing $2 million in gold coins and forgotten valuables, where one in seven Americans has unclaimed property waiting to be discovered through simple online searches
- How an 84-year-old Vermont widow transformed grief into joy by becoming a professional dog-sitter and published author, proving it’s never too late to discover a renewed sense of purpose
Louisiana grandmother turns sepsis amputations into a mission to raise awareness
A high fever, chills, clammy skin and unusual pain are symptoms most people experience with common illnesses.
However, for some, what seems like a simple bug can progress into something life-threatening: sepsis.
Chris Davenport, a Louisiana grandmother, knows this reality all too well. What began as severe stomach pain in March 2022 ultimately led to the amputation of both her hands and feet due to septic shock.
“Oh God. That day. I got up preparing to take my grandkids to school,” Davenport recalled, though she admits much of that day remains a blur.
The severe stomach pains that struck Davenport were unlike anything she had experienced. “It felt like the worst labor pains with no anesthesia,” she said.
An ambulance rushed her to a nearby emergency room, where doctors diagnosed her with an intestinal issue. After receiving medication for pain and nausea, she was sent home when her symptoms appeared to subside.
“I do remember the doctor at the hospital give me something for pain and nausea, and it stopped,” Davenport said.
Her relief was temporary.
The next morning, the intense pain returned with a frightening new development.
What’s Your Score? Knowing your coronary calcium scan could save your life
More than half of Americans don’t know heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, despite its century-long reign as the nation’s number one killer, according to the American Heart Association. For one Memphis-area hospital worker, that lack of awareness nearly proved fatal.
Carol Harris, an executive assistant to the CEO of St. Francis Hospital-Bartlett, was going about her usual busy routine when she experienced what seemed like minor symptoms.
“It’s very, very busy, you know,” Harris said of her typical workday.
During one of her walks through the hospital, Harris encountered Dr. Muhammad Janjua, chairman of cardiology at St. Francis Hospital-Bartlett. The two had worked together for 10 years, but this time, the doctor noticed something concerning.
How to find out if any of this $2 billion in unclaimed property belongs to you
Have you ever found a $20 bill in your pocket that you forgot you had put there?
Every year, the Arizona Department of Revenue, or ADOR, returns millions of dollars to the families of individuals who have either moved, passed away, or simply forgotten about those funds. You could have some money waiting for you.
Unclaimed checks, old accounts, safety deposit boxes that have been untouched for years — whatever the state can’t reconnect with the rightful owners, it auctions off. Arizona’s Family got a rare tour of the secured vault in which it’s all stored.
Could any of it belong to you? Learn how to find out by clicking here.
This 84-year-old pet sitter finds inspiration in her ‘grand-dogs’
Liz Schick is a doting dog-sitter.
“I love all my grand-dogs,” she said.
This week, she’s taking care of 16.5 year 16.5-year-old Lula.
“Lula is greatly loved.”
This 84-year-old woman has a handful of dogs she sits for. Lula is her oldest.
“I love them all, I really do,” she said.
Her favorite dog that she owned was her last dog, named Chloe. They both were there for Larry, Schick’s husband, as his health declined.
“She was with me through the ordeal. Luckily, we were able to spend the last four or five days with him at the respite house, which was just wonderful,” she said.
Larry died shortly after that, leaving a big gap.
Find out how she turned to dog sitting to help cope with not only one loss but two within one year.
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