ENCEPHALITIS CASES

Encephalitis Cases

Kate

My name is Kate , I contracted HSV Encephalitis in January 2000. I live and work in London and am a hospitality manager for a large corporation. The doctors have told me that stress is a factor which contributes to this illness.

I started to feel unwell on January 26th with flu like symptoms, aching muscles, shoulders etc, I was working late and arrived home hoping a hot bath would 'sort it out', by the time I got home I could barely walk up stairs and the headache that I had had all day was excruciating, I went to bed and spent a very uncomfortable night trying to sleep and realizing that I couldn't take any more painkillers.

The next morning I could barely lift my head and my husband insisted that I stay in bed - still believing it was the 'flu, I spoke to the receptionist at the surgery and had to beg for an appointment as I was now hunched over and could not bear any light, I had also started to vomit.

The doctor saw me early that evening and, rang the local hospital and told them he was sending me straight there with suspected meningitis, my husband Bob drove me there and I was taken through straight away, after blood tests and a CAT scan they started to treat me with Acyclovir, I have since learned that I was lucky to get the treatment started so early. A lumber puncture early the next morning, showed that it was not meningitis but that there was another problem - at that stage I was starting to get confused, my speech was slurred and I was apologizing to anyone who came into the room as I thought they would think I was drunk, I was still vomiting, the pain in my head still severe, the Acyclovir treatment was continuing. I remained conscious that day but very drowsy. I lost consciousness and my family were hounding the doctors to find out what was the problem, the doctors thought that my kidneys may have had a reaction to the Acyclovir and stopped the treatment , until the results of a kidney biopsy were done. The doctors knew by then that the problem was encephalitis , but the renal failure was an unusual development. The Acyclovir treatment was restored after the kidneys showed no trace of crystals.

The doctors took the decision to put me into intensive care after I had seizures, one lasting for 5 - 6 minutes followed quickly by 2 more. My family were all informed and the doctor said he was only cautiously optimistic about my recovery, this was the worst 24 hours. Following the seizures another brain scan was done luckily showing no damage.

I was in intensive care for 6 days on life support, the last two days being bought out of sedation, then moved down to another ward. Initially I was extremely frightened and confused so much so that the intensive care staff gave me a furry dog to cuddle and to reassure me.

I had vivid hallucinations under sedation - which I still have daily but I am learning to live with , I have no memory at all of being in the two renal units, the doctors and nurses of St Helier hospital were all marvelous. They patiently answered all the questions asked them and comforted me when I was at my worst. There would never be a suitable way to thank them all.

I have made an excellent recovery thanks to the superb nursing , and my fantastic family who never left my side in the hospital, staying all night at times and my husband Bob who I have aged at least 20 years and who still loves me, and all my friends who wrote and sent so many flowers to the hospital.

My memory is not as good as it was, I now have to write down everything and I still get headaches, I returned to work after 4 months rest but am only working a 'normal' week, but reading other stories I realize just how lucky I am.

I have decided that life should be for living and am trying to do the things that I thought I would never have time for, learning new skills and spending more time with my lovely husband and my family.

Kate
England

Posted: Sept. 14, 2000

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