A young woman who suffers from recurring urinary tract infections (UTIs) says she’s lucky to be alive after her illness took a turn for the worse.

Kelly Strudwick, of Prince Charles Avenue, Minster, first fell poorly in 2009, when she was at work as a dispenser at Paydens Pharmacy in Sheerness.

Although she had no symptoms and had never previously had problems, she suddenly
felt she couldn’t go to the toilet and as her bladder got fuller and the pain got worse, she
eventually went to hospital and was given a catheter to help her pass water.

She then went on to have numerous tests and operations to try and fix the problem after she began to continually suffer with the infections.

The 25-year-old now has a mitrofanoff, whereby the appendix is used to create a conduit between the skin surface and the urinary bladder, and a catheter passes through the belly button.

She has also been diagnosed with Fowlers Syndrome, which causes urinary retention.

By December last year, former Minster College pupil Kelly’s infections took a turn for the worse as her system started to become resistant to the antibiotics she was being prescribed.

In January this year, her doctor referred her to hospital, where she was given a different type of drug – one that her condition was sensitive to.

Two days later, she began feeling seriously poorly again and was sent back to hospital, where she stayed for a week before being discharged.

Within a week and a half, she felt terrible again with severe stomach pains, painful bladder, dizziness and a temperature, so her mum took her to A&E.

She got worse and ended up in intensive care, where she learned she had severe urosepsis – a life-threatening bacterial infection of the blood that complicates urinary tract infections.

Kelly, who now works for Paydens pharmacy in Gillingham, said: “I needed a transfusion and my parents were also called in as my breathing was laboured.

“It was touch and go, and I’m lucky to still be here today.”

Kelly was discharged in February and had another week of antibiotics at home. She still gets infections now, and is usually given a 10-day course of oral antibiotics.

She found out which ones she was resistant to after her GP sent her urine sample off for it to be checked for cultures, which reveals whether the body has become immune to any drugs.

“I still get UTIs but I’m a bit more aware of antibiotics and know how important it is to make sure you’re on the right antibiotics and only use them when you really need them, so you don’t become resistant,” she added.

“If you are suffering with recurring infections or think you are resistant, it’s worth asking for it to be checked.”

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Kelly said she still can’t go for a wee normally – she has to empty her bladder through her belly button using the mitrofanoff.

She also has a sacral nerve stimulator – which she describes as like a pacemaker for her bladder, and which stimulates it to help her go.

Kelly’s waiting for further operations but doesn’t let it stop her from leading a normal life.

She said she pushed herself and if there was something she wanted to do, she would do it – such as the sky dive she did earlier this year. She said she should still be able to have children, but might have to have a caesarean.

“You have got to live your life,” she said.

She also praised the urology team she sees at Sheppey Community Hospital.

Kelly is planning to use her experience to help others, by setting up a support group for people who have bladder problems.