ENCEPHALITIS CASES

Encephalitis Cases

Nikki

My name is Nikki Tomlinson. I contracted E in October 2000. I was 29 years old. I live in Cheshire, England. I live with my partner John and my three beautiful children Jamie, Rebecca and Chloe.

I first got ill on the day of my dad's birthday. I woke up feeling like I was about to come down with flu. Later that day I went to visit my dad, and as the day went on I got worse. I woke up the next morning and I felt awful. I got my John up to take our 2 eldest children to school. This is the last thing I remember for 3 1/2 weeks. John and my mum and dad have told me that I got steadily worse for the next week and when my bout of *flu* was not getting any better they phoned a doctor. The first doctor who came out diagnosed a water infection. He prescribed antibiotics. I seemed a bit better the next day but the day after that I was worse than ever. Nobody could understand me and I was lapsing in and out of consciousness.

John phoned the doctor again and this time a different doctor came out. He said he wasn't sure what was wrong with me and sent me to my local hospital. At the hospital they examined me. They gave me a CT scan and 2 lumbar punctures. They eventually diagnosed Encephalitis and immediately put me on Acyclovir. I was put in intensive care and I fell into a coma for 5 days. When I woke from the coma I was sent to another hospital that had an infectious diseases ward. I stayed here for a further 3 weeks. I left hospital 5 weeks before Christmas. I had not seen my baby daughter during my time in hospital and she had started to walk which I found upsetting.

I now have problems with depression, memory and temper but I am learning to deals with these. I also have problems with tiredness. I could sleep all day and still feel tired. I am hoping this will stop but only time will tell.

Nikki
Cheshire, England

Posted: February 25, 2002

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