I never really thought very much of my illness until I stumbled upon your site. It got me thinking of many
things that I now face. I was 4 years old in 1972, and I remember going to my dad complaining of a terrible
headache. My dad took my temperature and gave me some aspirin. I remember lying down on the bed with
my dad beside me asking him when I would feel better, my dad I remember, just said 'soon sweetie...sleep
now and you will feel better'. From what I have been told the fever did not go away and I remember the very
next morning being in my father's car, he was taking me to the hospital. My mother said that he was
overreacting but my dad just wanted to make sure. My dad had been reading up in a medical encyclopedia
and he feared that it was meningitis and that is why he did not want to waste any time.
I remember vaguely the drive to the hospital, and then I remember being taken by some doctors to get a
spinal tap. I was an extremely shy little girl and had never been separated from my dad or mom. I started
yelling out for my father and crying. Needless to say that made the procedure even longer ...two nurses
were holding me down. I could not understand what was happening to me.
The diagnosis came back; they informed my dad that it was encephalitis. My dad was extremely upset
by the news, as he knew very well the implications of this disease. Everything is sort of fuzzy after
that. According to my parents I was unconscious for about 10 days, though it seems to me it was only a
day. I cannot believe I was out that long. I remember waking up every now and then (or maybe I was just
dreaming???) and seeing different family members beside my bed. I remember my mom wetting my lips
with some ice cubes. What I do remember very clearly is waking up in the middle of the night, screaming for
my parents, realizing that I was strapped in my bed and vomiting. Maybe that was the point that I actually
woke up from my unconscious state????
Well after that I remember I got all better. I remember going home with no brain damage that I can
recall. I have been told that my father took me for the following two years every month to get checked up.
I survived this horrible disease, and this is what I want to share with others. I have always been an honor
roll student, an above average IQ (140), I studied ballet and jazz for over 10 years, I have a strong career in
marketing, have learned foreign languages, and I am now a proud mother of a beautiful baby girl.
I have always suffered from mood swings, I have a bad temper that I can not control, I do suffer from
migraines, I am light sensitive and I do suffer from fatigue. Till stumbling upon this page, I never thought
these things were related. Now at least I understand that these symptoms are a result of my illness.
In general, these symptoms are a small price to pay for surviving. I feel normal in every way.
My advise to you, if you feel any symptoms, go to the hospital immediately, just as my father did...stay
positive, like myself many have survived with very little secondary effects.
I would love to hear from survivors like myself.
Thank you,
