Meningitis Trust

Im from New Zealand and after reading through these posts i decided to share my personal experiences.
About a year a go I woke up one morning with the worst headache i had ever had, my legs were achy i was convinced i was getting the flu. Away to work i went like every other day but by mid morning i decided something was seriously wrong. I went to stay with a friend (as i was living alone) and spent the day curled up infront of her fireplace convinced i had the worst flu ever! After ringing the phone nurse at the end of the day they told me to go into A&E which i did straight away, after seeing a GP it took them about 3 minutes to put me in an ambulance and send me to the closest hospital.
The next few days were a blur, although i do recall the lumbar puncture perfectly! I remember actually fearing for my life, wondering if this was really what it felt like at the end, i was so weak and couldnt get the words out i was wanting to say. Then the confirmation came, i had viral meningitis. At the time i was 7 weeks pregnant and chose to refuse treatment as i was told it could harm the baby. I spent the next week in bed at the hospital reflecting on a lot!
It was very difficult for me to accept help from others i had always been so independent but i was struggling doing the simple tasks, even wiping my nose as a challenge. My lovely body pulled through and fought the virus off, after another week i was cleared to go home. The doctors informed me when i was discharged that there could be serious neurological defects to my baby. I was faced with the hardest decision of my life.
Over the next few weeks at home i slowly but surely recovered and got my old life slowly back. After talking with many other Drs getting their opinions on the condition and what they believed was best for me i chose not to keep my baby. The next few months of my life are very hazy to look back on, i think i went into a 'just keep moving' mode. I got back into my usual ways and slowly everything was going back to normal.
Although i had a completely different outlook on life, at 21 i had experienced the hardest year of my life. I changed the way i saw everything around me, all the things my friends were talking about meant absolutely nothing to me, i couldnt handle the drama. I got agitated very easily and it was hard for me to be sympathetic to the people around me. No one understood in my mind, no one had been through what i had.
A year on with everything looking up for me i got sick again, came home from work went to bed then woke up the next morning with the same horrible feelings. The body aches, the headache the neck and spine pain, i rang my dad, made a dr appointment and even managed to throw a few things into a bag.
Sure enough same routine, to the GP and instantly into an ambulance. When i arrived at the hospital i was told there was almost no chance it could be meningitis again, and again had a lumbar puncture. I was put on IV antivirals (as i could have treatment this time) recovery was alot faster, the next morning my results were back and sure enough i have Viral Meningitis again.
Weeks later and home and well again i find myself finding it very difficult again to get back into the normal routine of life. No one really understands what its like to experience this once, but getting over it and going through it again, really something i wish no one will have to experience.
I hope that reading through my story has helped you reflect on your own experiences and realise you are not alone in your recovery