I’m a married man of 8 years to my wonderful wife Lee-Anne a registered paramedic of 18 years, she currently now lectures Paramedic Science at the University of East Anglian in Norwich Norfolk.
I've recently in July turned 48yr old had a fanatics birthday, my job? I’m a Police Officer of 16 years from Suffolk dealing with emergency calls.
We have beautiful boy girl twins aged 6.
This is where it all began, Wednesday the 27th July another ordinary day, I woke up with a muzzy head, took paracetamol went to work completed my shift and came home, headache was still hanging around, so took my migraine medication and had a normal family night went to bed no issues.
Woke up the next morning, still with a muzzy head again, but this time felt quite tired, not sleepy but drained, I ate my normal healthy breakfast during which I mentioned to my wife I still felt off colour, despite that I went to work but pain relief couldn’t shake the headache.
Thursday was a late shift so we had a day at home with the family, the plan was to go swimming, for a walk but, my head was bad, I felt completely devoid of energy, couldn’t face walking downstairs, moving around, felt uninterested, restless and my legs and arms hurt, ached like a serious bad case of flu, such a weird pain in my joints. I was really grumpy. I just sat around, took pain relief again and went to work hoping to get over it knowing it was probably the wrong thing to do.
Got to work around 5pm told my supervisor I want not going to be great company this shift, few hours in I started to feel cold, I’m never cold, my hands and feet where frozen, I have even turned up the heater in the car to 26c, it was 23c outside this was the red flag to me, something was wrong. I was cold. Conducted a LFT Covid test, hoping for a simple answer. Negative.
I drove to the local doctors surgery round the corner in the vein hope to locate someone who can take my temperature. my temperature 38.8c. We have a problem. I rang my wife, told her, by now my neck was getting stiff to the point I could not move it, I got back safely to the police station and booked off duty, rang my wife told her my new symptoms, her medical side in full swing I was now a medical emergency for meningitis.
Taken to the hospital, immediately placed on steroids and antibiotics IV’s, CT scans starts straight away and 8 days later I’m still in the isolation ward, slowly improving I’ve been very lucky thanks to my amazing wife so spotting the early signs so soon, and the wonderful staff at West Suffolk Hospital in Suffolk. It’s not just the rash to look for, trust your instinct and seek help regardless please. For yourself and your family.
Any age, any time, anybody, symptoms in any order don’t ignore it.
regardless!!!!
Daniel Witter
August 2022