{"id":461279,"date":"2025-09-29T20:18:14","date_gmt":"2025-09-29T20:18:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/461279\/"},"modified":"2025-09-29T20:18:14","modified_gmt":"2025-09-29T20:18:14","slug":"mum-im-dying-arent-i-young-bangor-man-recalls-tale-of-survival-with-sepsis-and-meningitis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/461279\/","title":{"rendered":"\u201cMum\u2026 I\u2019m dying aren\u2019t I?\u201d: Young Bangor man recalls tale of survival with sepsis and meningitis"},"content":{"rendered":"

Now 21, Kai Cochrane recalled his harrowing battle with the severe illness after he contracted meningitis in 2022.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

\u201cI 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. <\/p>\n

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. <\/p>\n

The illness can cause sepsis, a severe and often fatal reaction to an infection. Sepsis causes the immune system to attack the body\u2019s organs and tissues.<\/p>\n

Symptoms include high temperature, confusion, cold hands and feet, and a rash which may not fade under pressure.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

\"Kai<\/p>\n

Kai in the Ulster Hospital\u2019s ICU department<\/p>\n

Kai recalled how his initial symptoms began: \u201cI remember leaving work that night with a sore back. When I got home, I started vomiting and sweating.<\/p>\n

“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.<\/p>\n

“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.\u201d<\/p>\n

The severity of the infection left lasting scars. Sections of Kai\u2019s skin, including parts of his face, turned black.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy 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,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut the nurses who cared for me every day were exceptional. Over time you just learn to live with the scars.\u201d <\/p>\n

Recovery was a long and painful journey. Kai had to relearn how to walk after losing all muscle strength.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou think walking will be easy, you have been doing it your whole life but even getting out of bed was a struggle,\u201d he added. <\/p>\n

\"<\/p>\n

Kai and his Mum Sylvia Barnes<\/p>\n

\u201cMy mum was amazing. She washed and dressed me, cut my hair, brushed my teeth, she did everything for me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Today, he plays football with his brothers for Bryansburn Rangers Football Club in Bangor and enjoys going to the gym.<\/p>\n

\u201cI 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.” <\/p>\n

Kai\u2019s mother, Sylvia Barnes struggles with the memories of her son\u2019s near-death experience, recalling how she pleaded with him to keep fighting to stay alive.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I got to the hospital it was horrific. Kai was my baby and I begged staff to do everything they could,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\n

“Mum, are you going to say goodbye to me? I am dying, aren\u2019t I?\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\u201cThey fought for him day and night. When I was allowed to see him, Kai said, \u2018Mum, are you in to say goodbye to me? I am dying, aren\u2019t I?\u2019 Hearing your 17-year-old say that is devastating.<\/p>\n

\u201cI told him, \u2018No, you have to fight this to stay with me\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sylvia has paid tribute to the medics who saved her son\u2019s life and supported his recovery.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe hospital staff were incredible. Consultant Plastic Surgeon, Sandra McAllister has been amazing and Kai has come on so much,\u201d she added. <\/p>\n

\u201cHis story deserves to be told, if it saves even one life by helping someone recognise the symptoms, then that is something.<\/p>\n

\u201cKai is amazing. He fought with everything he had to stay alive.\u201d<\/p>\n

South Eastern Trust Consultant in Emergency Medicine, Dr Conor O\u2019Toole, emphasised the importance of sepsis awareness. <\/p>\n

\u201cSepsis occurs when the body\u2019s immune system has an extreme response to an infection, damaging tissues and organs,\u201d said the consultant,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n

\u201cIt is a serious condition that requires emergency treatment due to the risk of organ failure.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe symptoms can include feeling cold, shivering, cold hands and feet, a mottled or ashen appearance and reduced urine output.<\/p>\n

\"<\/p>\n

Kai and his Mum Sylvia Barnes<\/p>\n

News Catch Up – Monday 29th September<\/p>\n

\u201cPatients undergoing chemotherapy or biological treatments are particularly at risk, as infections can be more severe in these groups.<\/p>\n

\u201cEarly treatment of Sepsis is vital to protect organs and prevent lasting damage that may require intensive care.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Now 21, Kai Cochrane recalled his harrowing battle with the severe illness after he contracted meningitis in 2022.…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":461280,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[1384,108813,105,17037,16,15],"class_list":{"0":"post-461279","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-health","8":"tag-down-news","9":"tag-gabrielle-swan","10":"tag-health","11":"tag-health-trusts","12":"tag-uk","13":"tag-united-kingdom"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/115289437924052647","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/461279","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=461279"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/461279\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/461280"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=461279"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=461279"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=461279"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}