Student Survives Sepsis Due to Oklahoma Medical Research

A metro college student was on her death bed, until she was given a drug that saved her life, made possible by the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation.

Thursday, May 28th 2009, 4:28 pm

By: News 9


By Melissa Maynarich, NEWS 9

EDMOND, Oklahoma -- A metro college student was on her death bed, until she was given a drug that saved her life, made possible by the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation.

Meagan McLain has her life ahead of her as she finishes her degree at the University of Central Oklahoma, but three years ago, she was struggling to remain healthy.

"I was your typical, crazy wild 21-year-old," McLain said. "I went to school. I partied with my friends on the weekends. What was most important to me was hanging out with my buddies."

Within a matter of days, her life was changed as her health quickly declined.

"It started from a pimple on my chin," McLain said. "That got infected with staph...My body harbored the virus. It's a one-in-a-million thing. We went to the ER, they have me medication for that, it went away."

It wasn't long before the college student was back in the hospital.

The virus had moved from her chin, to her spinal cord and she was having severe back pain.

Doctors were stumped until they found a spinal abscess, and the infection got into the blood stream.

Meagan was going "septic," meaning she was severely swelling and her organ could fail.

"Medically speaking, they kept telling me that I should have died," McLain said. "That it really doesn't make a lot of sense why I survived."

It was 30 years earlier inside a lab at the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, scientists discovered a molecule that eventually lead them to a drug called Xigris.

"There were a series of experiment that were done," said Dr. Charles Esmon.

Those experiments and their findings led to the drug Xigris, which saved McLain's life.

Meagan was administered Xigris when she was in the hospital and has since fully recovered.

The experience renewed her love for family, friends and changed her outlook on education.

With Meagan's new marketing degree, she has her whole life ahead of her.

"I don't think I would be here," McLain said. "I don't think I would have pulled through. If it wasn't for that drug and the work they do there, I mean, I'm a perfect example of that. The research and the work they do, they save lives."

Many Sepsis survivors lose limbs, organ function, and even cognition, but Meagan's story is certainly an amazing one.

Learn more about the Oklahoma Medical Foundation Research.

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