Meningitis in your words

Cara Smith's story

Location: England
Categories: Meningococcal
Age: Adult 25-59
Relationship: Self
Outcome: Full recovery

When I was 18 months old I had meningitis meningococcal septicaemia. I was perfectly fine one morning and by the afternoon I wasn't feeling quite well.

My mother said I looked a little floppy, she just thought I was tired so she put me to bed. Then my mother came to check on me to make sure I was ok. She said she screamed out loud because it was something out the Exorcist film where the whole bed was shaking. I was taking a fit with very high temperature. That's when my grandmother came running into the room to see what was going on and then called doctor straight away but didn't get to me straight away as my father wrapped me up in blanket and drove me to the hospital.

They rushed me away but gave me an injection of some kind - I don't know what that was.

And then they had to do a lumbar puncture on me and that's when they knew I had meningitis.

I didn't have any rashes until the following day. They kept me in hospital for around 7 days just to keep checks on me.

"I guess I am one of the lucky ones"

And after all they released me from hospital with the all clear and still now to this day 30th of March 2017 I am perfectly fine inside and outside of my whole self.

I guess I am one of the lucky ones that has and did survive from one of the worst meningitis out of all - I had meningococcal septicaemia meningitis.

I am 32 years old now born 1984 and still on going strong and perfectly fine a reason to smile as miracles do happen. 😇

CARA SMITH
MARCH 2017