My name is Monique Hopgood-Wilis and I came down with Meningitis at 2 1/2 years old.
On October 20th, 1997, I complained to my mom about neck and knee pain and using the bathroom on myself.
According to my mom, I was really irritable all day. My mom took to me to the doctor once she realized I had a rash. The doctor told my mom I was fine and sent me home.
Later that night, my mom went to work and my dad was home with me when I started having seizures on my left side and was slipping into a coma. He then called my mom and told her they needed to get me the hospital ASAP.
The nurses did many of tests and my blood count and glucose levels were down. My left pupil was dilated 4mm. I continued to have seizures for 3 hours before the nurses and doctors controlled them with Dilantin and Ativan. I was in a coma for 2 week.The doctors told my parents if I were to come out of it I would be handicapped (deaf, mute, blind etc.).