Meningitis in your words

Kathryn Alderson's story

  • Location: England
  • Categories: Meningococcal
  • Age: Adult 25-59
  • Relationship: Self
  • Outcome: Recovery with after effects
  • After effects: Hearing problems
Kathryn Alderson
Three weeks ago I was in the middle of teaching my year 9 class. One of my pupils asked me if I was OK. I felt really tired and dizzy. Another member of staff took over my class so I could go home.

"I went into the bathroom and passed out"

When I got home I went to bed and slept all day and woke up at 4am because my head hurt so much. I went into the bathroom to get some paracetamol and passed out. When I came round, the pain in my head was agony, I had a fever and couldn't move my neck. My husband stayed with our baby son and daughter and my father took me to hospital.

The doctors and nurses looked after me at the hospital, they were amazing. I don't remember a lot that happened in hospital. I didn’t see my two-year-old son or one-year-old daughter for a week, it was so hard.

I'm still not back teaching yet as I’m having residual headaches and some hearing loss. I see the ENT next week. My family, friends and colleagues have been very supportive.

Kathryn Alderson
June 2012