Hi, my name Is Michelle Barry, I am 15 years old and I lIve In the UnIted States.
I was 9 years old when I came In contact wIth MenIngItIs. I woke up one morning and I notIced a rash all over my body. It was somethIng I had never seen before and I didn't know what to thInk of It. I remember wakIng my mother up and tellIng her somethIng was wrong and she saId I would be fIne not knowIng about the rash.
I Didn't Know What To Think
The next thIng I know I was In a bed wIth a brIght lIght In my face. I looked up and my elbows and wrIsts had I.V.s In them. The doctor told me I also had one In my thIgh goIng up to my heart. BeIng so young I didn't know what was goIng on and I was afraId that I would be there for awhIle. I remember askIng my mom If I was goIng to dIe. She looked at me and her eyes fIlled wIth tears. She gently smIled and saId "no baby, you'll be fIne." Her tellIng me that made me feel so much better and I knew she wouldn't leave my sIde. I was In IntensIve care for about a week then they transferred me to a different floor where I could be around other chIldren. I didn't need to have any amputatIons, and the doctor saId my mom got me to the hospItal just In tIme. They saId they had used a newer vaccIne on me and It had worked great. Even today I don't know much about MenIngItIs, but I stIll thInk about others gettIng It and I read their storIes about them havIng It.
