My name is Monica from Norway. Born in 1975. Me and my father has survived meningitis.
1975 was the year I was diagnosed. I was only 8 months old.
The doctor who took me in, knew right away what it was. It probably saved my life
We didn't have time to wait for an ambulance, so my father was asked if we had a fast car. 45 minutes is normally the driving time to the hospital.
After a wild and reckless drive, he called the police and explained the reason. They had received two calls about the drive. One was not stopping on a red light. It was matter of minutes to save me. I was unconscious twice on the way, we arrived at the hospital, the doctor tore off my clothes and held me out of the window. They cooled my body down because november in Norway it gets cold.
The hospitalization lasted 2 weeks between life and death. When I was going home, I didn't recognize my parents and cried when they pulled me away from the nurses who looked after me.
For the rest of my life, I have been in and out of the hospital a lot. Strange, rare diagnoses and a body that no one can quite understand. Narcolepsy, immunodeficiency and electrolyte disturbance are some of it. Blapherospasm in one eye and headache, shadowy, was too loud.. It's like some of the same bacteria are still in my body. After several dangerous infections, especially in recent years, with coma, 600 in crp, water in my lungs when I got a cold. The list is huge. Now I receive treatment for the immune system and need this for the rest of my life.
I have to live with what I call late-onset injuries for the rest of my life.
I have a motto that keeps me going.
As bad as it may be, it could be worse.