ENCEPHALITIS CASES

Encephalitis Cases

Linda

My name is Linda I am 41 and live in Central Scotland. When I was 27 years old my husband and myself went to Portugal for a week's holiday. My mother said that she would look after the children who were then 2 and 5. We went away and had a great time although I always seem to get lots of insect bites.

After a few weeks when we came home my foot was very itchy and sore and I had to go to the doctor for antibiotic capsules. It was just after that I was working night duty, I was fine all night then in the morning I could not walk from the chair. I can hardly remember driving home that morning, all I can remember is that the car lights were making my eyes sore so I had to stop the car several times before I got home. When I arrived home I woke my husband up and I was telling him what happened. He just looked at me and thought I had been drinking as my words were slurred. He wanted me to phone the doctor but I said I would be okay.

When I got up later I felt even worse, I had a very bad headache, could hardly walk and I could not talk properly. I went to the doctor who admitted me straight away to the hospital, he to thought I had been drinking. I was very sick for most of the first night then I was transferred to Glasgow Southern General.

At first they did not know what was wrong, my only treatment was painkillers for the headaches. I had test after test for MS, brain tumor and a stroke. I also had to have a lumber puncture. My own doctor told my husband to expect the worse, he thought I would end up in a wheel chair or that I might even die. A few days later everything came back negative and they said that I had viral encephalitis. It took me quite a few days to be able to walk again without help. I had no proper reflex's down my right side for months although I felt okay. I was off work for about six months. Thankfully I was very lucky to be able to lead a normal life as many people don't. I don't think about it very much now except when I get bad headaches I think it may come back.

Linda Cooper
Glasgow, Scotland

Posted: Dec. 12, 2000

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