Australian TV legend John Burgess has opened up about his battle with an illness that he claims “came out of nowhere”.
After experiencing an unusual range of symptoms, John discovered he had sepsis.
“I kept passing out and I felt very unwell. It all happened very quickly in the space of a day or two. As soon as I was rushed to hospital they did a blood test and discovered I had sepsis,” Burgess told A Current Affair.
“They caught it just in time. Any longer and my organs would have started to shut down.”
John was treated with strong antibiotics and despite having a severe reaction to the medication, he bounced back from the dangerous infection.
“Sepsis can kill you in no time. I was lucky. It is a bacterial infection and we still don’t know how I got it, but thankfully doctors were on to it straight away,” he said.
While his initial recovery from the infection went smoothly, doctors told him it could be up to six months until he really starts to feel like his old self again.
Despite still being on his recovery journey, Baby John is now back on air at his beloved 6iX radio station in Perth, doing what he loves.
“But a few weeks ago I was unsure if I’d ever be back,” he said.
John has started a new role as an ambassador for Sepsis Australia in order to shine a light on the terrifying illness and make more Aussies aware of the early signs of infection.
He has also been touched by the amount of support he has received from the public while on his road to recovery.
“I’m a disc jockey and a game show host but apparently I’ve touched quite a few people over the years,” he said.
“It’s been a long time, but nice to know they care about you.”
Image credits: A Current Affair
This article first appeared on OverSixty.