Rowena Orrell's story

In the week leading up to me getting viral meningitis, I had had tonsillitis and been under stress. I think the combination led up to the meningitis.

I opened my eyes at 8am to my three-year-old daughter shouting “mummy, it’s morning!” The first thing I thought was, wow, my head hurts! I took some paracetamol and thought I was coming down with something, or maybe had a migraine. Later on that day, I was getting gradually worse. I had never had a headache like this before, and my neck was hurting so bad. I was feeling very tired, and deep down I knew there was something wrong.

I went to my local accident and emergency department, where I was sent home and told I had a migraine. I took some migraine tablets they had given me, and again, they did nothing to help me, so I went to sleep in hope that the next day I would wake up feeling better.

The next day came, and little did I know that I would be spending the next two weeks in hospital.

 

After-effects

I headed back to the A&E after vomiting and feeling worse. They again sent me home. I told them I felt like there was something seriously wrong! They basically told me I was being dramatic.

That evening, me and my partner were supposed to be going out, but instead he was phoning the emergency doctors, as I could barely stand up and I was vomiting every time I moved. On arriving at the doctors, the receptionists looked very concerned and kept coming to reassure me I would be seen soon. It was starting to get pretty much a blur. The doctor saw me and sent me straight to a different hospital, and told them he wanted a CT scan and lumbar puncture doing!

I was told after a lumbar puncture I had viral meningitis, and I stayed in the hospital for two weeks hardly able to move and vomiting every time I tried to move. It was hell. This was a year ago, and I am left with various after-effects. These include daily headaches, tingling and burning head sensations, tinnitus, nausea and short-term memory issues.

I have since been diagnosed with myalgic encephalomyelitis from the meningitis. I pray I get to be a little more like my old self one day, and I am thankful I am still here.

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