Coping With Encephalitis

I am a 43 year old female, who contacted encephalitis from an insect bite 10 years ago. My life is forever changed by this disease. I was bitten just prior to a vacation with my family. Before we reached our destination I was having difficulty breathing and was halucinating. I was seen in a clinic in a little town and then sent on to a bigger center for further evaluation. An amount of blood was analysed, and it showed and elevation in my white blood cell count, from there a lumbar puncture and an MRI was performed and I was given the diagnosis of Encephalitis.

I was treated with steroids to “jump start my imune system ” into looking after itself and started to feel better.Only a few weeks later I started experiencing seizures which are controlled to this day with anticonvulsive medication. I have finally come to terms with the fact that I will probably never regain the portion of my memory that I lost and I will most likely remain on the medication for the rest of my life. About two weeks ago I suffered a more severre seizure than most of the others and was transported to hospital by ambulance only to be told that it was still connected to the damage from the Encephalitis, and I was then given another anticonvulsive to add to the ones I’m already taking.

I think someitmes that I will never get out from under the effects of the medication, or just when I am starting to feel secure going out alone or working alone I suffer another set back. This disease had changed my life as a mother , as a friend , as a daughter and I am wondering if there is anyone out there suffering in the same way with the same after affects. I would love to know of anything that helps.