My name is Bonnie and I am writing in regard to my 21 year old son Jeff. We live in Minnesota, Jeff was diagnosed this past July with Viral Encephalitis,
this is his story.
Jeff was camping with his girlfriend this last July (2months ago) when he had his first
seizure in Duluth. He was ambulanced to Two Harbors ER where they said it was probably
due to dehydration, they had been hiking that morning, and than they sent him home.
Jeff had another seizure that weekend and again he was ambulanced to a hospital, where
they did a CT scan, gave him dilation and said to see his doctor here in St. Cloud.
Jeff came home and had a seizure the morning we were taking him into the doctors and this
time we brought him into the ER. The doctors first thought Jeff had Epilepsy and it just
started to show at age 21. They admitted him to the hospital where he just kept having
more and more seizures, then they doctors started to get worried and put him on antibiotics
for the Herpes Encephalitis and did test after test.
Finally they could do all they could do for Jeff and wanted to transport him to United
Hospital in St. Paul where they could do more tests and watch him better. The day
he was to go to St. Paul, Jeff had a seizure in front of me again, but this time I noticed
he was not breathing. Jeff was resuscitated, put on a vent and then went by Helicopter
to United Hospital. Jeff was in ICU for 5 days, they did all the tests, Spinal taps,
MRI, but could not come up with anything. The word Encephalitis would come up then be
dismissed.
Finally after 6 days Jeff was starting to improve, though he was very confused, sometimes
angry, he had a hard time talking, remembering who his family was etc. Jeff was dismissed
from United about 4 week ago, was then sent to a St. Cloud hospital for brain injury
rehab but we were able to take him home with in a week.
Jeff has been home with us now 4 weeks, he has had many seizures and takes 17 pills a day
to keep them under control. Jeff is able to walk and talk, he has had hallucinations but
they are almost diminished. When he is tired he stumbles on his words and sometimes
stutters. He is doing well, if only we can keep the seizures under control, noises set
them off - like the phone ringing, our dog barking.
He is going to speech and OT therapy now a couple times a week. This is a very confusing
disease for us, not much is said about it and the doctors will not reflect on what the
long term will be for Jeff. Jeff is sometimes sad and depressed, his world has been turned
upside down. I am so glad I found this web site, it has helped to read about others that
have experienced what we have gone through. I hope someday they can find a cure for this
so others will not have to suffer like Jeff has. But we are grateful for everyday we have
Jeff and I know he will get through this.
