Nicole Harvey: Welsh Fire spinner 'thought she was going to die' of sepsis when pregnant
- Published
Nicole Harvey in hospital last August after contracting sepsis
"I thought I was going to die". Western Storm and Welsh Fire bowler Nicole Harvey was 32-weeks pregnant when she contracted sepsis.
Her situation was deemed so serious that her husband was even brought in to say goodbye to her.
The Cornwall-born cricketer, then 27, had developed a kidney infection which turned into sepsis - a life-threatening reaction to an infection which starts to damage your body's own tissues and organs - and left her in intensive care.
Now recovered and playing for Welsh Fire in the inaugural women's Hundred, and the mother to a baby boy, Harvey told BBC Radio Somerset the situation made her "put everything in a little bit more perspective".
"I feel very grateful that I'm here and Jonty's here and everyone's OK now, but it was quite a scary time to be honest," said Harvey.
'I couldn't put my trousers on'
It was early last August and Harvey - a leg-spinner - was at home, just over six months pregnant and preparing for the arrival of her first child.
She had been keeping up her fitness with regular countryside walks, when she felt something might be wrong.
"For about a week I didn't feel myself - they do say when you're pregnant if you don't feel yourself please make sure you tell someone," said Harvey. "For about a week I was in and out of hospital saying something's not right, I'm not quite feeling right.
"I had reduced movements and a few things like that, but they said everything was fine.
"By the Saturday morning, I couldn't put my trousers on and couldn't lift my legs."
A 'scary' time in hospital and writing a will
Harvey's husband Scott took her back in to hospital, where she underwent more testing over the next 40 hours before sepsis was diagnosed.
It was discovered her unborn son was squashing her urethra, causing the kidney infection which led to the sepsis.
"I started getting worse and the antibiotics, my body wasn't reacting to them. I think it wasn't until the fourth antibiotic that they started seeing any sort of progress," she continued.
"They'd already let my husband come in to see me in ICU by this point, and obviously it was quite traumatising because not only was I worrying about myself, but I had a baby inside me that I didn't really know what was going to go on.
"It was scary, don't get me wrong. I wrote a will at age 27 before I had to have a C-section early because of how poorly and weak I was."
Harvey remembers doing what she could to stay positive, even when her husband was brought in to say goodbye.
"I was trying to not think about it, but in the back of my head I remember I left a WhatsApp for my mum - because I couldn't see my mum - just saying I love you, because I couldn't tell my mum and dad that.
"In the back of my head I just kept thinking, it's going to be OK, kept telling myself that, because I didn't want to think about it too much."
Nicole Harvey in action for Welsh Fire in the women's Hundred
The road to recovery
Harvey spent almost seven weeks in and out of hospital, and then needed regular care when she returned home.
Her mother came to live with her for three months to help with her recovery, as tasks such as sitting up and going to the toilet were initially difficult. All the while Harvey was also trying to raise her first baby.
"It's been very difficult at times, but I think parenting as a whole is a difficult job and I put my hands up to anyone who does it," she added.
"It is difficult and there are times when clearly it was testing, but the good outweighs the hard times by far."
A route back to cricket
Initially, Harvey thought her cricket career was over because her illness had been so severe. Just running 50 metres left her in tears.
But in January she started walking more and more, and gradually walking turned to running with her husband and father.
Then, in March, Lisa Pagett, Western Storm's regional director of cricket, called to invite her back to the team.
"They've been fantastic, her and Mark O'Leary [Western Storm head coach] and everyone in Storm and Welsh Fire, they've been so supportive," Harvey said. "I just loved every moment because I never thought it would happen."
Harvey made her county debut for Cornwall in 2005 and has represented Devon, Nottinghamshire and Somerset - who she still plays for - in the years since.
Since her comeback, she has played in all four of Welsh Fire's matches in the Hundred, which has seen them beat Manchester Originals and Oval Invincibles.
"I honestly find it surreal. I remember getting my Western Storm cap at Bristol and I just remember crying," she said.
"I think before all of this I was quite a tough cookie and I don't think I ever really cried that much, it makes me quite emotional to think. But I'm amazed at what the human body can get through and what women's bodies can achieve with childbirth as well.
"I just feel it is surreal, really, to think that's where I was a year ago. Now we've got our son Jonty and next thing I'm playing for the Welsh Fire in the Hundred, the first Hundred. For me, perspective is don't take anything for granted and try and soak it all up."
Nicole Harvey was talking to BBC Radio Somerset's Charlie Taylor.