A Pennsylvania teen is combating for her life in a coma as a result of an untreated UTI

For many of us, a UTI looks like no large deal. We’ll seize some cranberry juice on the best way dwelling and hit up an pressing care if it doesn’t clear up in a couple of days—perhaps even put it off if we’re busy. However a Pittsburgh teenager is now a cautionary story for why you need to by no means ignore UTI signs, as a result of like several an infection, they will flip critical.

18-year-old Katie Sullivan skilled decrease again ache for a few month, however wrote it off as a symptom of her coaching schedule as a gymnast and softball participant. However simply after Christmas, docs found she was in septic shock from an untreated UTI. She was flown to a hospital in crucial situation.

“After they did the testing, they discovered she had a urinary tract an infection for a few month that truly triggered a gap in her kidney, which triggered an abscess in her liver into her again muscle and behind her kidney, and she or he was in septic shock,” Katie’s mother, Shannon Sullivan, advised native information reporters. “She’s a superbly wholesome 18-year-old who on Sunday was combating for her life.”

Katie was put in a medically induced coma, however her household says she’s displaying indicators of progress.

“For the primary time at this time, I requested her if she needed to go dwelling and she or he shook her head sure. They requested her if she was in ache, and she or he shook her head no,” her mother mentioned on Thursday.

Katie’s docs imagine she has an extended highway forward of her after turning into so sick. Though she was sturdy and wholesome, her sickness was crucial and it’ll take a while earlier than she’s again on her ft.

For others, her household simply desires to unfold the phrase that even seemingly minor medical points shouldn’t be ignored.

“Even if you happen to suppose it’s nothing, please get it checked,” Katie’s mother mentioned. “As a result of I by no means in one million years, and I’m a nurse practitioner, did I feel I’d be right here watching my daughter being intubated, in renal failure, and being given a dire analysis at 18.”