When Lori Becker arrived at the Snoqualmie Valley Health Emergency Department, she thought she had kidney stones.

She had no idea she was facing a life-threatening medical emergency.

The SVH Emergency Department team quickly recognized signs of sepsis, stabilized Lori and arranged for her transfer to another health system for the level of care she needed.

“The team at SVH recognized the signs of sepsis right away. They stabilized me and got me on my way to the treatment I needed. That quick diagnosis saved my life,” Lori said.

That recognition was the beginning of a journey neither Lori nor her husband, Ed, could have imagined.

When Every Minute Matters

Sepsis is the body’s extreme response to an infection and is a life-threatening medical emergency. Without timely treatment, it can rapidly lead to tissue damage, organ failure and death.

For Lori, what followed was months of hospitalization and lifesaving treatment. During her critical illness, she developed severe complications affecting her hands and feet. Ultimately, doctors determined that all four would need to be amputated.

While Lori was unconscious for some of the most critical moments of her illness, Ed was by her side, advocating for her care and facing difficult decisions on her behalf.

Looking back, Lori says she sometimes feels she was the lucky one because she was unconscious for some of the hardest parts. Ed had to live through them.

“I’d say he experienced more trauma than I did in those first few months,” Lori said. “I was unconscious for so much of it, but he had to live through it.”

For Ed, those months brought unimaginable uncertainty. But after everything they have endured, one thing matters most: Lori is still here.

A Second Chance at Firsts

Surviving sepsis was only the beginning of Lori’s recovery.

After losing her hands and feet, she faced an entirely new reality. Things she had done without thinking now had to be relearned. Everyday routines became challenges, and independence took on a whole new meaning.

At first, Lori struggled. She worried about being a burden to her family and about what life would look like moving forward.

“For a while, I wished I hadn’t made it because I felt like I was placing such a burden on my family,” Lori shared.

But little by little, Lori began to see her new life differently.

Instead of focusing only on what she had lost, she began recognizing everything she was getting the opportunity to experience again.

Lori and Ed call it her “second chance at firsts.”

The first time standing. The first steps with prosthetic feet. The first time completing an everyday task, like the dishes or applying makeup, with prosthetic hands. The first time doing something independently that once seemed impossible.

Each milestone became a new first and another reason to keep going.

Rebuilding at Snoqualmie Valley Health

Eventually, Lori’s journey brought her back to Snoqualmie Valley Health. This time, instead of fighting for her life, she was learning how to live it again.

Lori continued her recovery through inpatient care in SVH’s Swing Bed Program, followed by ongoing physical and occupational therapy.

Learning to navigate life with prosthetic hands and feet required strength, patience and an extraordinary amount of practice. Her rehabilitation team worked alongside her as she built strength, adapted to her prosthetics and relearned the everyday skills that would help her regain her independence.

“My therapists didn’t have previous experience working with prosthetics, but they dove in headfirst. They learned everything they could to help me get the most out of them, and they pushed me harder than I thought I could go. That was exactly what I needed. They helped me get back to living my life.”

Today, Lori credits that team with helping her get back to truly living her life, rather than simply surviving.

Life on the Other Side

Lori’s life may look different today, but she is living it fully.

Her story is one of extraordinary resilience, but it is also a story about family. Through every hospitalization, decision, setback, therapy session and new milestone, Lori and Ed have faced this journey together.

“We’re so lucky to have Lori here with us today. She gets to watch her grandchildren grow and play and see her own children build lives and families of their own. It’s truly a blessing,” Ed said.

Their journey began with an unexpected trip to the emergency room. It has included tremendous loss and challenges neither could have anticipated. But it has also brought gratitude, perseverance and countless opportunities to experience life for the first time all over again.

For Lori, surviving sepsis didn’t mean returning to the life she had before. It meant discovering just how much life was still waiting for her, and embracing her second chance at firsts.

Know the Signs of Sepsis

Lori’s story is also an important reminder that sepsis may not look the way someone expects.

Sepsis is the body’s extreme response to an infection. Almost any infection can lead to sepsis, and infections that lead to sepsis often begin in the lungs, urinary tract, skin or gastrointestinal tract.

Signs and symptoms can include fever, shivering or feeling very cold; confusion or disorientation; shortness of breath; extreme pain or discomfort; clammy or sweaty skin; and a high heart rate or weak pulse.

If an infection is getting worse or isn’t getting better, seek medical care immediately. Sepsis is a medical emergency, and recognizing and treating it quickly can save lives.

Raising Awareness Together

September is Sepsis Awareness Month, making Lori’s story an especially powerful reminder of why recognizing the signs of sepsis matters.

On Tuesday, September 22, the Seattle Mariners will host a special Sepsis Awareness Night at T-Mobile Park, bringing survivors, families and supporters together to raise awareness and help more people recognize this life-threatening condition.

Seattle Mariners Sepsis Awareness Night
Tuesday, September 22
First pitch: 6:40 p.m.
T-Mobile Park

Purchase tickets here: https://www.gofevo.com/event/SepsisSEA26

Lori’s story shows just how much can follow one moment of recognizing that something isn’t right, and how much life can exist on the other side.