I had been starting to get
sick in November of 1994. I kept going to the doctors and they kept
telling me it was the flu. In December I was still feeling sick so I went
back to the doctors and they said I had a bad sinus infection and they
gave me antibiotics. I started feeling better until New Years that year.
I was so sick. I had a severe headache and nothing would make it go away.
I also could smell the foul smell I must have been smelling the
infection. On January 29, 1995, I got up and went to work. In the mid
afternoon I really started getting dizzy and I couldn't feel my hands at
all. My friend said you look really pale you should go home. I told my
boss and she got a taxi for me to take home. By the time I got home my
body felt so stiff and hurt so much. My 4 month old baby was at the
babysitters and all I could think of was to get into bed. I called my
father and told him I needed him to take me to the hospital because I knew
something was not right with me. After I told him that I must have passed
out because the next thing I knew my father was inside my house trying to
get me dressed to go to the hospital. All I kept hearing him say was,"
What in the world are those purple dots in your body?" I was groggy and
did not know what he was talking about. He picked me up and took me to
the hospital. At the hospital they did not know what was wrong with me.
They ran every test possible they can think of. They finally had to send
a specialist from another hospital to come and take a look at me. On the
second day they finally diagnosed me with Bacterial Meningitis and told my
parents that they should have all my family come and see me because they
didn't know if I could make it through the night. On the same night I
caught pneumonia and I couldn't breathe. They were pumping me with
penicillin, plasma and like 3 IV's to flush out my body. I really just
remember opening my eyes and watching my family staring at me crying. My
mother had put pictures of my baby all over the ICU room so when I would
wake up I could see him. It was a total nightmare. After 3 weeks. I was
getting better but I had holes in my leg from where the purple dots were.
I also could not walk. I had to learn how to walk again. I thought I was
never ever going to see my family and my son again. The first time I saw
my son when I got out of the hospital I was so happy I was crying. I
hugged him so much that day but I was still too weak to carry him. I went
to live with my parents for a little while so they could help me. They
nursed me back to health. I thank God everyday had them to help me.
It is now 9 years later.
Although I am so grateful that I am alive and was given a second chance to
have yet another son and be married to a wonderful man, I go through a lot
of after affects. I can't taste certain beverages and food. My smell
sense is out of wack too. I get severe migraine headaches. My sinuses are
really bad too. Sometimes my body and skin hurt. I also am very tired
all the time. I have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. I am on depression
medication because I get mood swings. I am lucky to be alive and lucky
that they caught the disease on time. I may look good on the outside but
there are still things wrong with me inside. A lot of people don't
understand what I go through they just think I am telling them the story
so they could feel sorry for me but I don't I tell them my story so they
could be educated and never have to face this ugly disease like I did.
