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A accomplished triathlete is now preparing to tackle life with no her limbs after having limb loss due to a critical fight with sepsis.

Originally believing she was battling a typical case of student sickness, Lily McGarry from Jersey soon found herself in a critical crisis.

Following being taken to the hospital, she endured two cardiac arrests and fell into a coma, with the following three months being a total gap in her memory.

"As you're a young adult, you usually believe, the way I used to, that these kinds of medical situations don't affect you," stated Lily.

She added, "Individuals feel a bit untouchable, and you aren't eager to stress over your health because you've got a active lifestyle to live."

Unexpected Decline

Described by friends as "a fantastic athlete", Lily was passionate about aquatic sports, jogging, and spending time at the beach.

However as she now recovers in her hospital bed, she reflects on the day her normal daily life was flipped upside down.

"I felt a bit unwell, but I was still going about my activities," she said. "I remained at home with my flatmates at uni."

That took place on the 14th of January, and she opted to go to bed at approximately 11 PM, stating, "I just thought I'd have a rest and recover overnight."

Critical Turn of Events

But as the night continued, Lily's condition worsened suddenly.

She explained, "A friend noticed my light was still on when she woke up in the night, and visited me."

"I was vomiting repeatedly and had been unable to control myself."

Roommates assisted her and took her to the emergency room, at which point she noticed a rash that was starting to spread on her body.

Lily was transferred to the emergency section, and was still not fully aware of the severity of her condition.

"I was able to walk into the emergency room and so at that point I assumed I'd just be given some medication and go home the next day," she said. "However in resus I remember the physician asking for my mother and father's mobile numbers."

Other than being in a room surrounded by doctors and nurses, she remembers very little after this, until about three months later in the spring.

Lily did not even know she had experienced a myocardial infarction, and refers to it as "quite unreal" discovering about this from a post her sibling had written.

"It seems I really realised the magnitude of what had happened until about May when I was starting to look at my body," she continued. "I've been told I swiftly went into sepsis shock."

"My blood pressure was very low and within 24 hours I'd had two cardiac arrests and was found to have meningococcal septicaemia."

Understanding Sepsis?

Blood poisoning occurs when the body overreacts to a pathogen, causing internal parts to work incorrectly.

This may cause a sharp drop in BP and harm the lungs, kidneys, hepatic system and other internal systems.

Among the challenges in recognizing sepsis is that it can appear very uniquely in each person.

Experts identify six important indicators to watch for:

• S - difficulty speaking or mental fog
• E - intense pain in tissues and joints
• P - releasing no urine in a day
• S - severe difficulty breathing
• I - individuals expressing "it feels like I'm going to die"
• S - skin that's blotchy, discoloured or very light

Moving Forward

"I'm lucky to have lost my arms and legs in an era where there's abundant technology," Lily stated.

She is researching devices such as arm-powered bikes, noting, "I have long enjoyed aquatic activities and immersing myself in the water and I'm really excited about the sense of freedom I'll have without gravity in the water."

"Therefore I anticipate that can occur soon."

Lily will return to the Channel Islands in November, and is excited about seeing her grandparents, spending time at the beach and to "regain strength and process what's happened."

Community Support

Friends and loved ones are also collecting funds to help offer her as many possibilities as possible, and she expresses feeling touched about assistance from various communities.

One close friend shared how empathetic and caring she is, and how Lily would take additional steps to help others.

"Since she's become sick she's just that and more, she's so upbeat," the friend added. "Whenever I see her she's making more improvement and considering the future, she's so strong-willed."

"She remains the same Lily asking about everyone else and showing concern for everyone else."

"Honestly she amazes me, on each visit I see her, she impresses me with her attitude and her view on life."