Katie Sullivan: Pennsylvania softball star, 18, battles for life after untreated medical condition leaves a 'hole' in her kidney

PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA: A UTI that went unnoticed for a month left a hole in the kidney of Katie Sullivan, an 18-year-old softball star and athlete from Pittsburgh.

She was in a coma for over a week, fighting for her life, as the infection spread to her liver and back and caused septic shock.

How did UTI cause a hole in Katie Sullivan’s kidney?

Katie thought she was just tired from her rigorous training schedule and ignored the mild back pain she felt.

She celebrated Christmas and New Year’s Eve with her family as usual but, on New Year’s Day, she collapsed and was rushed to the hospital. There, the doctors found out that she had a urinary tract infection (UTI) that had damaged her kidney and formed abscesses in her liver and back.

She was left in septic shock, a life-threatening condition that occurs when the body’s response to infection causes organ failure.

Her mother, Shannon Sullivan, a nurse practitioner, told WKYT, "She was a perfectly healthy 18-year-old who was suddenly fighting for her life on Sunday."

The doctors gave the family little hope and asked them to prepare for the worst. Shannon said, "We brought all our family in. And hour to hour, we went out and celebrated that she didn’t deteriorate."

She added, "When they did the testing, they found she had a urinary tract infection for about a month that actually caused a hole in her kidney, which caused an abscess in her liver into her back muscle and behind her kidney. She was in septic shock."

Katie Sullivan's miraculous recovery from a coma

Katie was put into a medically-induced coma and underwent several surgeries. She also suffered from brain swelling and was on a ventilator. At one point, the family was told that Katie had a "brain injury" and they had to take things "hour to hour"

But, the next day, they received some good news. There was no "devastating brain injury" and the doctors were optimistic that they could "turn this around."

Shannon wrote on Facebook, "Please continue to pray for continual improvement and the doctors to get more answers today. We need a miracle so keep praying. We all need our Katie back to being our bubbly beautiful sweet Katie."

The family’s prayers were answered on Wednesday, January 10, when Katie woke up and started responding to questions by nodding or shaking her head.

She was also able to move her limbs and wiggle her toes. Shannon wrote, "We got our miracle our baby has woken up and is answering questions appropriately by shaking her head yes or no."

"She is moving all her extremities and squeezing hand and wiggling toes like they ask her too. I can not thank all of you enough for Praying for our Katie. Our road to full recovery is long. Our prayers have been answered," she added.

 

By Thursday, January 11, Katie’s ventilator was removed and she was able to talk and eat. On Friday, January 12, she was moved out of the intensive care unit and continued with physical therapy.

Shannon wrote, "We are moving out of the ICU today is the plan. Kidneys did well over night and are improving!! Talking and eating."

As therapy continues, Katie Sullivan's family asks for 'continued recovery'

"We are continuing physical therapy today to get stronger!!! God is Great!! Thank you for all the prayers and thank you to all the ICU staff and doctors of MICU North!!! You are the best. Continued prayers for our recovery!!!," Sullivan's family said.

 

The family urged people to never ignore back pain or other symptoms of UTIs, which can include burning sensation while urinating, frequent urination, cloudy or bloody urine, fever, nausea or vomiting.

Shannon said, "Even if you think it’s nothing, please get it checked. Because never in a million years, and I’m a nurse practitioner, did I think I’d be watching my daughter being intubated, being given a dire diagnosis at 18."