Encephalitis Cases
Kimberly
Pennsylvania, U.S.A.
Updated: October 17, 2000
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Encephalitis Cases
Kimberly
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On February 26th, 1999 my beautiful six-year old daughter developed encephalitis.
This date will forever be ingrained in my mind. Kim had a virus the previous
week but seemed to return to normal, Kim was rarely sick. That morning she
insisted she was once again sick and did not want to go to kindergarten,
she did not have a fever and looked fine but did vomit, so she stayed home
and both of us went to first grade registration. As we stood in line to
register she grew increasingly pale but said she was fine. We returned home
within the hour, and she went right to the sofa and fell asleep.
Minutes later my mother dropped by and Kim yelled hi! Mom-mom, by the time
my mother got to the family room Kim was unconscious and stiff. I called
911. They took us first to a community hospital where she became alert and
they said she apparently had a seizure --then she had another seizure and
they admitted us just for over night observation. They did a spinal tap
and things went down hill dramatically. The tap showed infection and she
went into status epileptus. We were transferred to A. I. Dupont intensive
care unit where she remained in a coma for 5 weeks. She had 128 seizures
in a 19-hour period. She was treated for every possible infection. MRI was
normal. It was concluded she must have encephalitis.
She opened her eyes after 5 weeks and could smile but did not speak and only
focused her eyes at times. On Palm Sunday she called out for my sister's
dog (I should add we didn't even like- but we now love). She continued to
improve but very slowly with many set backs along the way. We were left
with intractable seizures and we remained at A.I. Dupont hospital in Delaware
for a 4-month stay. I never left her; I slept in her room. Kim is the youngest
of my three beautiful girls, the older girls were 15 and 12, and Kim had
come along years after them. I felt they had to allow me this time with
Kim, although they came to the hospital I never left, and I hoped they would
not hate me for it. I told them if it were you I would do the same thing.
I thank God for the help I received from my family. Kim has been evaluated
at John Hopkin's university, the children's hospital of Philadelphia, the
Cleveland clinic in addition to A. I. Dupont. She was given the best care.
I am so thankful to A. I. Dupont hospital for the wonderful care and compassion
they gave us. I know heaven sent us her doctor, because you couldn't find
another doctor as great as this one, on this earth! I am eternally grateful
to this wonderful man. Today, Kim walks runs, talks, even yells, a lot!
Almost a year later we still deal with a seizure disorder but its improving,
she's not where she was cognitively but continues to improve each month.
My heart cries for every mom, who has a child with encephalitis, I hope
their child receives the care my child did.
Kimberly Pennsylvania, U.S.A. Updated: October 17, 2000 |
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