My daughter was seven weeks old when she contracted viral meningitis. My now ex-partner, I and our three kids were staying in temporary housing as we had nowhere to live. My little girl woke up one morning and she was floppy, cold to the touch, her skin was mottled and I couldn't keep her awake for extended periods. I called an ambulance and I attended the local hospital with her by myself.
Upon arrival, they did a battery of tests, bloods, mucous, a lumbar puncture - you name it, they did it. Her lumbar puncture came back positive for leukocytes, her levels were 27, which in the grand scheme of how high we know that number can be, was quite low and told us it looked like the beginning of it.
They discovered she had meningitis but weren't sure what type, so she was started on antibiotics and antivirals. During her six-night, seven-day stay, she became tachycardic. Her heart rate would not drop below 200 beats per minute, so much so that they altered her criteria after performing an ECG and sending it to a top cardiologist at Westmead Children's Hospital and got the clearance from him.
After day three and more and more tests, they found out she had contracted viral meningitis and now had to rule out what virus. Her older brother had been hospitalised the day after she arrived with severe HSV type 1, so they were concerned that might've been it, but after further testing, they discovered it was the parechovirus. Knowing this, she was put on the right medications and within a few days of resting, fluids, meds and lots of love, she was discharged along with her brother and we went and stayed with my parents.
Now, six years on, she has recovered but definitely has long-term effects. Her milestones were all met but with obvious delays. She didn't walk until almost fifteen months old, she couldn't recognise or remember things she was told. Now at six years old, she has problems with clumsiness, attention span, retaining information such as basic math skills etc. She talks but she mumbles quite a bit, and I have to ask her to repeat herself numerous times before I can fully understand what she's saying. Her teachers approached me and have said she is having difficulties in the classroom, which they are working on, but it breaks my heart knowing this disease caused it.
She is such a beautiful, kind and generous little girl and she's not letting the disease define her. She actually says to people, "My brain was sick when I was a baby but I'm better now and I do dancing!" She makes me so proud and I will always advocate for her and those like her.
To my daughter, should you ever read this one day, I love you so much my darling and you have come leaps and bounds. You are so strong and kind and brave and beautiful and all the good things in life. Never let anyone dull your light 💜