Meningitis in your words

Julie Perkins' story

  • Location: England
  • Categories: Meningococcal
  • Age: Adult 25-59
  • Relationship: Child
  • Outcome: Bereavement
Julie Perkins

On the 11th of January 2018, I received a phone call saying my mum had been taken in to A&E.

I got to the hospital just in time as 10 minutes after my mum was put into a medical induced coma. I managed to give my mum a cuddle and say I love you and she said it back whilst being very short of breath. I was very unaware at this point that this would be the last time I would get to speak to her.

"I couldn’t really get my head around this, I had literally seen her 48 hours ago and she was walking around completely fine."

We were all taken to a small family room, where the doctor came in an explained she was very poorly and there was a chance she may not survive. I couldn’t really get my head around this, I had literally seen her 48 hours ago and she was walking around completely fine.

My mum was put into the coma, and taken to the ICU room, where she was put onto a life support machine and dialysis. This all happened on the Thursday night, by Friday evening we had been told that she wasn’t going to make it to the morning.

We all stayed in either the room with mum, or in the family room. I personally didn’t stay in the same room as mum for too long at a time as her appearance had changed so much, with a blue/purple rash all over her face, plus she had swollen so such she didn’t really look recognisable.

By early morning the doctors came to speak to us and we had to make the decision to turn off her life support machine. The doctors said this was one of the worst cases they had seen. My mum was always so glamorous, even if she did pull through she would have had serious effects such a losing her nose as well as other limbs.

"My mum, Julie, passed away within 30 seconds of the life support machine being turned off. "

My mum, Julie, passed away within 30 seconds of the life support machine being turned off. She was only 51 years old and left myself 21, and my brother 19 heartbroken.

My mum constantly gets spoken about, she is remembered so positively for her kindness and beauty both inside and out.

Katie Oliver
October 2018
 

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