Mom made Denise go to school on Monday, in spite of her sore throat. It was June, near the end of the school year, every day was important, and she had a presentation to make. However, by 4 a.m. on Wednesday, she was in hospital in a coma. Despite her apparent distress, doctors could not find the cause right away. Fortunately they did in time and a week later she was home with a new appreciation for life.
June 12 - 20, 2000 The One Week Of My Life I'll Never Forget
It was a Sunday Night when I started to feel ill, I complained to my Mom about having a sore throat, but the 8th grade science presentation Tuesday made her believe otherwise. Monday came and she made me go to school, all day I was still feeling sick. I went home that day and went to bed feeling really sick.
So the doctor came in, and said to key out everything they would have to do a spinal tap. Now, at that point I was in so much pain, that a spinal tap had to be done. So after calming my worried parents down, the doctor performed the spinal tap. We were relieved to find out it was negative. With all the pain I had, my parents weren't going to let the doctor tell us it was just a virus. We had the surgeon come in and he said there's nothing wrong with me. Finally, he called in the Infectious Disease doctor. This doctor had to be our miracle, if it wasn't for him I wouldn't be here today. He told me I could stay overnight if it would make me feel better, and I agreed. It was about 12:00 midnight when we got settled into a room in paediatrics. By 4:00 a.m I was in a coma. They had a doctor come in and try to wake me up, because at that point I wasn't responding. For some reason, He lifted my left leg up, which triggered something, and made me start to thrash around. It took 6 nurses, the doctor, and my uncle to hold me down. By morning they did another spinal tap, and it came back positive, I had Meningococcal Meningitis.
I got out of the hospital by Tuesday, I still had the IV in my arm when I went home. Thursday morning I broke out into a rash from the medicine, and they had to take the IV out early.
That was a month ago, now I am on the road to recover, I do still have some effects from this. I am losing my hair from the stress of the Meningitis, but it will get better. I do still get back pains from the spinal taps, and at times I'm a bit drifty, and can't pay attention. I am always told how lucky I am to be alive, and I do cherish life now. I live life one day at a time, and make everyday the best I can, because you never know when it's going to end!
Denise Ganier, age 14
