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Hello, my name is Kathleen. I am 50 years old and contracted
Encephalitis April 29, 1999. I had been taking all type of anti-inflammatory
medications for my back, hip and bursitis. A doctor prescribed
a drug they had just put on the market for arthritis patients.
Unfortunately my doctor was very busy moving his practice and
didn't read the fine print on the medication. It stated if you
were allergic to sulfa, or an asthmatic patient this medication
wasn't for you. After taking it for a short period of time I
noticed that I felt different. The room felt funny. Then I started
to have severe headaches. It took all of two days for me to
forget the simplest tasks. I slurred my words, couldn't stay
awake and I slept all the time.
No one would help me but this doctor. He freaked when he saw the X-ray and gave
me medication to help drain the fluid in my brain, but by the
time I was finally treated the damage done to my brain was catastrophic.
It wasn't until a few months later that they came out and told
me I had Post-Encephalitis, it was not something that they could
pin point to being the doctor's fault.
I lost a lot of my functioning for the first 9 months and slept most of the time.
My processing was off. I couldn't drive for it was too much
movement. I couldn't talk on the phone because it hurt to think.
I cried all the time and watched my children then 17, 15 & 8,
live in horror of what I had become. I was the one that took
care of everything, my children didn't have to want for anything.
Then, I couldn't even take care of myself. They were just so
devastated.
I still am unable to work. My processing is very slow, and
I get tired easily. But, I haven't given up hope there either.
Yes, it has been a very hard road, but so many good things
have come out of this that I can only be grateful I am a live.
That is my story. I was around 40 years old when this happened
to me, I am now 50.
Thank you for allowing me to share.
Kathleen
Nebraska, U.S.A.
Posted: Sept. 15, 2002
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