Now 21, Kai Cochrane recalled his harrowing battle with the severe illness after he contracted meningitis in 2022.
His condition at the time was so severe that the then 17-year-old asked his mother if she was there to say goodbye to him.
“I just remember there being loads of doctors and nurses around. My mum came in and from what she was saying, it sounded like her last words to me,” Kai said.
What began as back pain during a work shift, turnout to be meningitis, a disease which inflames the protective membranes around the brain and spinal cord.
The illness can cause sepsis, a severe and often fatal reaction to an infection. Sepsis causes the immune system to attack the body’s organs and tissues.
Symptoms include high temperature, confusion, cold hands and feet, and a rash which may not fade under pressure.
Kai suffered multiple organ failure, spent 11 days in Intensive Care and eight weeks in total in the Ulster Hospital as doctors fought to save his life.
Kai in the Ulster Hospital’s ICU department
Kai recalled how his initial symptoms began: “I remember leaving work that night with a sore back. When I got home, I started vomiting and sweating.
“I thought going to bed would help. I noticed a bit of a rash but I did not think much of it. The next morning my mum saw I was covered in a rash and phoned for an ambulance. I woke up in ICU and was told I had Sepsis.
“At 17, it was very hard, I could not even lift a drink to my mouth or go to the toilet without help. It was during COVID so my Mum could only visit for a short time each day.”
The severity of the infection left lasting scars. Sections of Kai’s skin, including parts of his face, turned black.
“My skin was raw and I panicked when I saw it. When I left hospital, I did not go out for a long time. People asked me if I had been in a fire,” he said.
“But the nurses who cared for me every day were exceptional. Over time you just learn to live with the scars.”
Recovery was a long and painful journey. Kai had to relearn how to walk after losing all muscle strength.
“You think walking will be easy, you have been doing it your whole life but even getting out of bed was a struggle,” he added.
Kai and his Mum Sylvia Barnes
“My mum was amazing. She washed and dressed me, cut my hair, brushed my teeth, she did everything for me.”
Today, he plays football with his brothers for Bryansburn Rangers Football Club in Bangor and enjoys going to the gym.
“I know I am very lucky to be here and very lucky not to have lost a limb. My advice is simple – act fast. If I had gone to hospital when I first started being sick, I could have avoided what happened. I am just grateful that I survived.”
Kai’s mother, Sylvia Barnes struggles with the memories of her son’s near-death experience, recalling how she pleaded with him to keep fighting to stay alive.
“When I got to the hospital it was horrific. Kai was my baby and I begged staff to do everything they could,” she said.
“Mum, are you going to say goodbye to me? I am dying, aren’t I?”
“They fought for him day and night. When I was allowed to see him, Kai said, ‘Mum, are you in to say goodbye to me? I am dying, aren’t I?’ Hearing your 17-year-old say that is devastating.
“I told him, ‘No, you have to fight this to stay with me’.”
Sylvia has paid tribute to the medics who saved her son’s life and supported his recovery.
“The hospital staff were incredible. Consultant Plastic Surgeon, Sandra McAllister has been amazing and Kai has come on so much,” she added.
“His story deserves to be told, if it saves even one life by helping someone recognise the symptoms, then that is something.
“Kai is amazing. He fought with everything he had to stay alive.”
South Eastern Trust Consultant in Emergency Medicine, Dr Conor O’Toole, emphasised the importance of sepsis awareness.
“Sepsis occurs when the body’s immune system has an extreme response to an infection, damaging tissues and organs,” said the consultant,” he said.
“It is a serious condition that requires emergency treatment due to the risk of organ failure.
“The symptoms can include feeling cold, shivering, cold hands and feet, a mottled or ashen appearance and reduced urine output.
Kai and his Mum Sylvia Barnes
News Catch Up – Monday 29th September
“Patients undergoing chemotherapy or biological treatments are particularly at risk, as infections can be more severe in these groups.
“Early treatment of Sepsis is vital to protect organs and prevent lasting damage that may require intensive care.”