College Freshman's Untreated UTI Leads to Septic Shock, Medically Induced Coma

“When they did the testing, they found she had a UTI for about a month that actually caused a hole in her kidney,” the teenager’s mom said

A Pennsylvania freshman went from happily celebrating the Christmas holiday at home with her family to being in critical condition at the hospital within the span of a few days due to an untreated urinary tract infection (UTI).

The family of 18-year-old Katie Sullivan told WPXI-TV that the teenager had been experiencing lower back pain in early December — something they initially attributed to her rigorous training schedule since the Waynesburg University freshman was both a gymnast and a softball player.

However, her family told the outlet that she took a turn for the worse a few days after Christmas. At that point, she was experiencing extremely low blood pressure and a high heartbeat. She eventually had to be transported by an air ambulance to Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh.

Once at the hospital, doctors determined that Sullivan was in critical condition and needed treatment immediately. They also tested her to find out what exactly was causing her illness.

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“When they did the testing, they found she had a UTI for about a month that actually caused a hole in her kidney,” the teenager’s mom, Shannon Sullivan, told WPXI-TV. “It caused an abscess in her liver into her back muscle and behind her kidney. She was in septic shock.”

Following the diagnosis, the teen underwent several surgeries and had to be put in a medically induced coma with a ventilator as she experienced brain swelling, per the station. This went on for about a week and a half — something which Sullivan’s mother said had been tough to go through.

“We weren’t given much hope,” she said. “We brought all our family in. Hour to hour, we went out and celebrated that she didn’t deteriorate.”

Related: Tanya Roberts' Cause of Death Revealed: Actress Died from a Urinary Tract Infection, Says Her Rep

It was about a week and a half before Sullivan was finally able to communicate again. The family said she was able to shake her head "yes" or "no" in order to respond to basic questions.

“I asked her if she wanted to go home, and she shook her head 'yes,' ” her mother told WPXI-TV. “I told her if she wanted to go home she had to put a thumbs up, and she did. From not moving on Sunday, and telling us hour by hour, today is miraculous.”

The teenager’s parents said doctors have told them that their daughter has a long road ahead to recovery, but they hope that she can someday return to doing what she loves — playing softball. They also advised to get checked by a doctor if they someone feels that something isn’t right with their body.

“Even if you think it’s nothing, please get it checked,” Sullivan's mother said. “Because never in a million years, and I’m a nurse practitioner, would I think she would be here with renal failure, intubated, and being given a dire diagnosis at 18.”

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