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| Daniel |
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Hi I’m Daniel. I am a keen student of the Chinese language and in the year 2004 I traveled to central China to further my studies. Unfortunately in that year I contracted Gillian Barre syndrome, a neurological viral infection. I returned to my home nation of New Zealand later that same year and after 6 months of recovery I decided to return to the same part of central China to finish the half year I had left in 2005.
Unfortunately, this is the last part of the first half of that year that I can recall as I woke up in July of 2005 with Bickerstaffs brainstem and limbic encephalitis, though the original diagnosis I’m told were stroke (in central Asia then Hong Kong) and the onset of multiple schlerosis (initial impressions here in NZ which the doctors thought) – hence given the lack of potential for significant improvement one who suffers these two awful conditions has, I was willing to accept this unfamiliar to me at the time ultimate diagnosis of encephalitis, bad news of course, but not as bad as the two alternatives.
In me encephalitis caused significant short term memory issues (lost first half of 2005 and sketchy on the rest), initially nerve pain, headaches, imbalance, bowel/bladder issues, weakness and something which became more and more significant as these things started to subside called ‘presyncopal lightheadedness’ which is simply an imbalance issue resulting in an exaggerated eye astigmatism (another issue for me which was constant), headache and feeling of being about to faint, which is most inconvenient when trying to cross a road, I tell ya.
Anyway the hospitalization was for the last half of 2005 and post discharge I was introduced to physical rehabilitation by my sister, a physical therapist, and so joined a gym in May of 2006. It is now February of 2008 and I still go to the gym and still study mandarin Chinese (with the ability to retain it, I’m relieved to say) and I believe these two aspects of my ongoing recovery have lead to the point I’m at now. The nerve pain is completely gone as are the headaches. My imbalance has improved to the point where I no longer require any assistance to go places (though still need to be careful), the toiletry issues have finally cleared up, my memory has improved but still with a little way to go yet, and my voice clarity is much improved though could be better.
I think the most significant improvement has got to be that the lightheadedness has now gone from presenting 3 times day on average and especially in bright hot weather, to now being at 15 days without presenting in the height of Summer in this country. I attribute this good fortune not to advice from neurologists, who admit to having guessed on my condition, but to physical therapy and the retraining of physical abilities. Also, I’m being treated with a medication called ‘vertigo heel’ which appears, at least, to have assisted greatly in the ongoing and almost complete resolution of my lightheadedness.
Essentially I awoke in mid 2005 feeling terrible at about 50% health, after a year or so in mid 2006 it felt around 60%, in mid 2007 I’d say 75% and now in having seemed to have resolved the lightheadedness and regained much physical independence I’d put that figure at 85% health over the 2.5 years of recovery to date.
My neurologist told me in early 2007 that there would be no improvement but he was obviously incorrect. It’s hard to hold that against him but satisfying to know he was wrong. I urge all those out there currently receiving the ‘Get used to it as there’ll be no further improvement and any there is will be a bodily adaptation’ speech that I got to disregard such advice and stay positive. Encephalitis is a brain problem, therefore it stands to reason that depression and self doubt would hinder recovery greatly. The advice of my doctor, while potentially true was, nonetheless, only one potential outcome. I’m just glad at having chosen to see a different such outcome, believe it and now be in a frame of mind where it seems imminently about to come true – doctors aren’t always correct when they’re writing you off.
I’m keen to hear from anyone who would like to contact me about this disease and my email address is essavato@hotmail.com
Thanks, and good luck if recovering.
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Daniel
Christchurch, New Zealand
Updated: Feb. 27, 2008 |
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