Mary Beth Walewski's story

About three years ago I began to have severe headaches and sensitivity to light. This went on for about a week.

One evening I went out for dinner and began to feel numbness from the right side of my body, (starting at my right foot) and travelling up and over to the left side. My mouth went numb and I couldn't talk and say "I'm scared". My friend decided to take me to the hospital.

Upon arrival I began to vomit uncontrollably. The doctors sedated me and placed me in quarantine.

I woke up three days later, with my family in my room. The doctors said that if I had waited another 30 minutes I wouldn't be here. I had bacterial meningitis.

I was told the numbness was due to the seizures. They said that I may never be ‘normal’ and couldn't tell if there was any permanent damage. I don't know how I got it, apparently there was an outbreak in my area.

I wanted to send in my story because I did not see any similar symptoms in the other stories. Mostly I feel like I have fully recovered. I don't think I have any after effects but I am still terrified every time I have a headache.

Mary Beth Walewski
July 2011