Coping With Encephalitis

My name is Kerry. I am 37 years old and live in New Zealand. Three years ago I think I had been feeling a little run down, had a cold etc and then the headache came. It was horrendous, the pain was unbearable, my son was at school and I spent the whole day in my bedroom with the curtains closed thinking that I must have had a migraine (I felt sorry for the migraine sufferers).

When my son came home from school I managed to drive my car about 45 mins to my parents place as he had rugby practice. My Dad took him there and I went and lay down, by this time I was really feeling like I was going to die. I had started to vomit and also had a very high fever. Dad took me to the ER where I was immediately put into isolation they performed a lumbar puncture and various procedures. I can remember being freezing cold yet they had a fan on me ?? I would beg my Dad to turn off the fan. I gradually got better and after a week they discharged me from hospital. I have no recollection of leaving the hospital and I was only home (at my sister’s house) for a few hours and they called me an ambulance and sent me back. My first memories were perhaps 5 weeks later I had no idea how long I had been there or what was really the matter with me. My family and friends would come and visit me and I remember them having very worried looks on their faces.

I was on a drip and also had a catheter. I would be showered on a shower bed. By week 7 of being in hospital I was eating solid food but still not mobile. I didn’t realise I could not walk and they told me they would be sending me to the BIRS (brain injury rehab services) department of the Burwood Spinal Hospital in Christchurch, that was very scary and made me cry alot because I really wanted to be able to walk. By the time I got to the re-hab place I was very good at getting in and out of my bed and getting around in a wheelchair.

Once arriving at ‘BIRS’ I became very focused on my recovery. There was lots of physio and occupational therapy,there was a library there with lots of medical journals etc. I researched my condition (encephalitis) and the area of the brain that was affected (cerebellum) and with a with alot of positive thought and a huge amount of prayers and support from my family and friends and the staff at both hospitals I have made a full recovery.

In the early stages (of hospitalisation) I had alot of seizures and hallucinations and was on medication for that, which I came off not long after getting out of hospital I also had to take medication for an overactive bladder which may have been caused by having a catheter for so long?? But am now off that medication as well.

So all and all Encephalitis has changed my life and yes I do get a little bit tired sometimes but I am very happy and lucky to be here I have the most amazing son (he is 17) and family to support me.