At the age of 20 I was shore based at the Royal Navy establishment at Fort St Angelo Malta. I led a fit and active life and I did notice that I appeared to be losing weight. This did not bother me unduly but one morning I woke with a blinding headache.
As required I 'reported sick' and have a vague memory of collapsing and being attended to. From then on for the next three weeks or so I would see for a brief period and then sleep took over. Much later I was to find out that I had TB in both lungs plus meningitis.
Treatment consisted of lumbar punctures for the meningitis on a daily basis where fluid was removed from my spine and streptomycin injected.
I was flown back to the UK and admitted to Chatham Naval Hospital where I was treated for three months. At some time I had crossed eyes and double vision, but they eventually came back to the normal position.
Having been in bed for a period of time I had to adjust to walking again but all that was achieved with the care and attention I received.