Sandra´s Story

I am now 30 years old. I contracted Neisseria meningitis when I was about 3 years old. I don´t remember much from then but from what I´ve been told I was really sick. I was on ventilators and all the other machines you can think of. Back in 1975 they didn´t know much about the disease so when my mother brought me to the hospital in Williams Lake they told her that I had the mumps because of the rash I had on my body.

The doctors sent me home to wait it out. I´m glad my mom didn´t like that idea because we went back and they finally figured out that it was meningitis. Down to Vancouver we went and I spent the next 5 months there. Not the way a kid wants to spend her time. My family was very supportive of my condition and they helped whatever way they could. I went in as a left-handed person and came out with my right hand being the strongest.

Now I have to deal with the effects of the disease. I have bladder and bowel problems and walk with crutches. My balance is not so good some days because of the spastic muscles and the weakness in my legs and my left arm. Some times it takes all my strength just to do the little things. But no matter what I keep trying and Now I have a son that´s almost 5 years old. He´s the best thing in my life.

I don´t know that I would change anything about having had the disease. Well maybe a few things but overall I think I came out of it stronger and I hope to tell people about meningitis so they may be aware of it and to help those who have a disability either from meningitis or from something else that you can still do what you want to in life you might just have to work a little harder. Keep trying.

Sandra Stuart