Encephalitis Cases
Fiona
Three weeks later I returned home. I left a 2 week old son and returned to a 3 month old, I'll never accept this loss. At home began a process of rehab. Wheelchair-bound, I attended physiotherapy, I also had speech & occupational therapy. My tremor meant daily tasks such as dressing & feeding had to be relearned.
Update: August 8, 2003
Well I am really not sure where to start explaining how my continuing recovery from this unusual illness has changed my life and hopefully touched the lives of everyone that knows me. I am now 7+yrs into my recovery from an undiagnosed case of encephalitis. No reason has been given for my illness; in fact I am totally unique. Neurologists all over the world tried to find out in 1995 what had happened to Fiona Gunn and failed to "figure me out". My consultant referred to me as a "puzzle" and my father knowing I have to be different in everything, said, "trust you, could you not have just got something "ordinary"?" To be honest, some of the illnesses I was tested for were pretty horrible egg; MS and I am thankful that all the tests were negative. The science behind it is, that the cerebellum in my brain (which controls speech and movement) was totally demylinated (cells destroyed) leading to a whole host of physical disabilities. Thankfully everything has improved for me, although it has been extremely slow. Physically I no longer consider myself as disabled, rather differently abled. As a black belt in Karate I have probably found loss of mobility the hardest thing to cope with emotionally. My muscle tremor, which was once so bad I couldn't even blow my own nose, is now very manageable. Speech wise very few people misunderstand me now. Although I still get defensive and self conscious about it. I no longer have to spell words out and neither can I get away with swearing at people. Now on to the best thing in my life, my gorgeous son Daniel, who is my pride and joy. Definitely keeps me smiling, calls me his "beautiful mum"! He is very funny, a bit head strong and demanding and never shuts up, bit like me. I am a career girl interrupted but am working towards returning to teaching Biology someday. My personal interest in science, human physiology etc has led me to return to hospital recently to request further brain scans. That was a joyous event!!! As a patient in 1995 I felt I was a bit of an "exhibit". The hospital is a teaching hospital so I was in "demand" as a teaching aid. Now I am more than happy to relate "my story" to anyone as a success story. Although I strive to being known as just me not that "disabled girl". I am just a person with every fault, feeling, etc as everyone else. As yet my mobility does not allow me to return to Karate but there was a time when even taking one step was beyond my ability. My muscles are too shaky to drive safely yet but I can call upon family and friends for lifts. LIFE NOW
Despite the enormity of "my story" I have to live life as "normally" as possible, not that I've ever been "normal". I am naturally extremely close to my family, especially my mum, whose continual belief in my recovery and protective care of my son and me Daniel has been phenomenal. Ironically I am much better friends with my dad now, than before I was ill. I have 2 great brothers, both totally different and special in their own ways. I have an enormous circle of friends from all walks of life. Those who knew me before, have watched me endure, other teachers, mums, karate doers, therapists, other disabled people, people that knew me as the crazy outrageous teenager, those that flocked to mum's ice cream shop to see my Miss Scotland impressions, kids I've taught…countless people. A tendency to be a bit of a perfectionist and overachiever drives me to be the best that I can. The future: No one can predict their future, I do believe, however that I will continue to recover, albeit slowly. At the moment I am extremely happy with things but long to return to teaching and Karate, if it doesn't happen I'm quite sure I'll cope somehow! Fiona
Scotland
Posted: August 8, 2003
