I was 11 years old when I contracted viral encephalitis after having the mumps. The year was 1955, Florida, USA. Initially, they thought I had polio and my house was quarantined. I remember distinctly the excruciating pressure and pain in my head. I was delusional. I was put in the hospital and a spinal tap was given which provided the diagnosis, viral encephalitis brought on by having had the mumps.
After being in the hospital for quite some time, not remembering too much, I still remained dizzy and off-balance. My parents flew me to Oschner Clinic in New Orleans for further testing. They determined that there had been permanent damage, not significant though.
However, I believe that I have suffered my entire life from the ill effects of this disease. I've had tics, compulsions, panic attacks, poor memory, depression, slight hearing loss, severe motion problems, (I have never been able to do a somersault, spin around, swing on a swing, go on a plane, train, boat, back seat of a car, etc.)
I've fought hard my entire life to overcome these hardships. I got a master's degree in college and ran a business for 25 years but always had difficulty with memory. I never knew if these symptoms were related to this dreadful disease or just a genetic disorder or chemical imbalance in my brain. I'm slow at grasping material and must read it over and over.
I wonder if there is a test that can be done now to determine what type of damage was actually done? Does anyone know?
