Life after sepsis: One survivor’s mission to save others

THE WOODLANDS, TX -- A fever and chills changed a local man’s life.

When Dan Lemire, 57, walked into the Houston Methodist The Woodlands Hospital emergency department, he didn’t know he was fighting for his life.

Lemire believed he had COVID-19, but doctors quickly discovered he had sepsis – a life threatening bodily response to an infection that harms vital organs and often leads to death.

After being admitted to the Intensive Care Unit, the Houston Methodist team worked to determine the cause of Lemire’s sepsis. Blood tests revealed he had endocarditis, an infection of the heart’s inner lining and valves. Within days, his kidneys began failing, requiring dialysis, and a staph infection attacked his aortic valve, leading to emergency open-heart surgery while septic.

Lemire spent 22 days in the hospital, battling kidney failure, dangerously low blood pressure, endocarditis and open-heart surgery. His survival odds were just 30%. Overcoming the odds and now a sepsis survivor, Lemire has made it his mission to spread awareness about sepsis.

“I had never even heard of sepsis before I got it, and I really didn't know how serious it was until after I got out of the hospital,” Lemire said.

Eighty percent of sepsis cases begin outside the hospital and develop from common infections like pneumonia or diarrhea. It remains the top cause of death in hospitals and the top reason for readmission.

“Sepsis is a dangerous overreaction by your body’s immune system to an infection, causing widespread inflammation that can quickly damage organs and become life threatening,” Dr. Michael Nguyen, medical director of the emergency department at Houston Methodist The Woodlands. “It’s important to know about sepsis because recognizing the signs early and getting fast treatment can save your life.”

In addition to spreading awareness for sepsis, Lemire also volunteers at The Woodlands every Saturday with Houston Methodist’s heart-to-heart initiative where he meets with patients undergoing open-heart surgery to provide guidance and reassurance.

“Volunteers from heart-to-heart came to visit me every day, and I looked at my wife and said, ‘if I survive this, I'm going to do it,’” Lemire said. “Only people who have gone through open heart surgery understand what it’s like to wake up from that – and that’s the connection we can make with patients.”

The course of Lemire’s journey spanned beyond his 22 days at Houston Methodist The Woodlands Hospital. It continues through his dedication to sepsis awareness with Sepsis Alliance and patient advocacy.

“After surviving everything, I was depressed – I couldn’t believe this had happened to me,” Lemire said. “There's a lot of emotional damage it does, not just physical damage. So that's why I try to do more advocacy work; it helps me too.”

Lemire’s story highlights the urgent need for sepsis awareness. If you or someone you know is experiencing fever, chills, shortness of breath, rapid heart rate, lethargy or disorientation, seek medical attention immediately.

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