In the first part of my Meningitis story I explained how 13 year old me had suffered with a Hangover and ended up back at my friend's house in a rather terrible state of illness where I eventually managed to fall asleep in my friends bed.

(Part 1 of My Meningitis Story can be read here -> https://steemit.com/writing/@grottbags/my-meningitis-story-part-1-doom-disguised-as-a-hangover-little-did-i-know-my-body-was-shutting-down )

(Image Source: https://www.everydayhealth.com/meningitis/guide/bacterial-meningitis/)

One Bad Night of Many Ahoy

I have vague memories of a bad night, blocked nose, sore throat forming, the sweats, achey muscles...very much flu symptoms at this stage. Except the headaches. I had never had such long lasting head pains. The lights pained my eyes. I had to really need a piss before I dragged myself out of bed. I felt so weak. My sweat felt like it was freezing to my skin.

When I put the bathroom light on the light pierced into my eye veins, making my already throbbing head whizz and ear ring in some sort of extra headache layer. Throughout the night Helen's mum kept coming in to check on me. This also involved a little lamp being turned on. More super headaches. My eyes could barely stay open in the light by now. But they were open long enough to see weird red rashey bump things appearing all over my skin. And on the inside of my left foot there were 2 weird little sacs of skin containing dark blood. I had no idea what they were. But then nobody had any idea of what was going on with any part of me. It was clearly becoming a concern.

(Image Source: https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo/meningitis-in-child.html)

When I was managing to sleep, I recall weird nightmares, not scary as such, just uncomfortable, I can barely remember the details now, lots of dark dirty rooms with seaweed type decor, bringing stressful or tired type feelings. These disturbing dreams ensured I kept waking up. But every time I was so grateful when i felt myself drifting off again. The tiredness was immense.

Poking And Prodding Woke Me Up

From this point on I have no real perception of time or exactly how many days passed.

Some time the next day my Mum came round to take me home, after it was clear that it was more than just a case of me sleeping off a hangover.

I started to wake up when i could feel calm hands touching my arms and legs and my mum and Helen's mum talking about how I've been overnight. Thankfully the curtains were still closed, no way could I see the sun!
Then major freeze feelings as i looked to see a glass cup being rolled over my skin rashes...

(Image Source: https://www.meningitisnow.org/meningitis-explained/signs-and-symptoms/glass-test/)

...this was followed by the tones of concern. My mum disappeared to use the phone.

It was time to go to the Doctors.

I have memories of having to get dressed and once again, Helen saved the day and let me borrow some of her clothes. She always had such comfy lovely clothes. It was a fricking mission to sit up, every movement ached and caused head throbs. But it felt so good to be dressed. I was freezing though. My skin was very pale and I felt like my veins were reducing, taking all the heat away from my skin.

I had to slouch drowsily on the settee whilst we waited for the taxi. Time seemed to drag and all I wanted was to go home to bed and be warm. We had to get into the taxi which was... taxing (harhar), and unfortunately, the only Doctor who was suitable for seeing me was 7 miles away in another town. I drifted in and out of my own thoughts as we travelled. Maybe even napped, my eyes were shut pretty much the whole way. All I remember seeing were some trees lining this street, and it gave me flashbacks of my childhood, I remembered we used to come to this Doctors when we were really young and live around here. I recalled a song Mum used to sing to me "Rocking, Rolling, Riding" Was peaceful. I hadn't really understood the implications of my condition.

Scarlet Fever Ay?

(Image Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMHT0024693/)

In the Doctors room he too performed the glass on skin tactic. He thermometered me, checked my blood pressures and I can't remember what else. He also noted the 2 weird blood-filled blisters on my feet... which I had noticed had grown slightly. Very strange. But the rash and my body dramas were priority.

The Doctor sent me home, my disease had been classed as "most-likely Scarlet Fever" with instructions on what to expect and do for the next few days. But with the added warning that if I get worse, no matter what time of day, cal the Doctor.
Off to home, and to beautiful, welcoming bed we went.

Back To School

I remember having a chunk of time off, perhaps the whole week. I don't remember how that time off went down. I have some memories of being in my bedroom with the TV on, but i don't remember how I was feeling or where my illness went to. At some point my headaches must have stopped, or at least dulled down. At some point my fever must have gone. Because at some point I ended up going back to school.

(Image Source: https://ahistoricalhiatus.com/tag/newbridge-high-school/)

I missed my friends. I felt much better. Apart from the skin rash (which we had come to accept was leftover results from this Scarlet fever) and my weird even bigger 2 blood blisters on my foot, I felt well enough, and my mum thought I was well enough, so I merrily went back to school.

I was a bit weak and at times light headed, but being back at school felt good. Although some of the stupid boys started mocking my Scarlet fever and rash! Calling me names, I cant even remember the "witty" ones they;d come up with. Dumb brains. But most people were glad to see me back and gave me good attention.

Back to dossing with my friends, it wasn't long before I picked up a cigerette to smoke (cos it was so cool to do don't you know) but the taste was very strange. Sort of sweet, cloudy, not quite right. I compared it to smoking a mouldy strawberry. Although I don't know why I would know what that is like! So smoking wasn't on my cards. But hanging out after school was still a must. We had some Britney Spears to listen and dance to when we were dossing about the shopping precinct in the evenings.

I remember feeling quite energetic as I left the house one evening with my friends. This must have been a couple of days after I had gone back to school. It was a cold, fresh night. We dossed in the precinct and walked around the town. I tried another cigerette and still it wasn't tasting right. Maybe it was my nose. It was still a bit blocked and sniffly. Stupid Scarlet Fever.

Never felt so bad in my life

Time goes awry again here but the next memory I have in line is the most horrendous night's sleep ever (again)

Whether this night was the same night I was out with my friends, or whether this was a night or two later, I was suffering once again with headaches, sniffles and acheyness. My blood blisters were about 1cm by now. My skin rash wasn't going anywhere. I felt like my energy just plummeted one night. So strange after feeling so good lately.

(Image Source: https://www.deviantart.com/tag/meningitis)

I was so bad with these symptoms, my Mum had brought me into her bed so she could sit with me and monitor me overnight. I can't remember if I spent a whole day and night there, I do remember some nightmares, one where my mum was dying and I couldn't save her. This woke me up to sweats and terrors. My mum kept putting cold towels on my head because now my body felt like it was on fire...despite how freezing I felt. And the light drama began again. I couldn't handle any lights on. Even when the bedroom door was slightly open letting the landing light in, my brain screamed at me.

Another Doctor Appeared

My condition must have caused my Mum serious concern because at some point I heard a weird man voice coming up the stairs. It was late at night, im guessing around 11pm, and my usual local Doctor had come out of his house to visit me. He had that strong Indian accent I always recognised. But today he was far less jolly. Even I was getting worried by now because I knew Doctors are daytime things unless something really bad goes down.

He checked my breathing and temperture and skin rash and blood blisters. My temperature was extremely high. He told my Mum that I need to go to hospital straight away, and then he called an ambulance whilst she was getting me ready.

I was so sleepy and zombiefied, my main focus was on my aches and pains and keeping as much light out of my head as possible. The street lights, the ambulance. Then the bouncing journey all the way to the city about 15 miles away. I can't even remember thinking by now.

At The Hospital

(Image Source: http://www.lloydworrall.co.uk/projects/healthcare/view/health_Leicester_Royal_Infirmary)#

There are some memories of different wards, sick children and darkened rooms where ill people were sleeping.

I had to give them a urine sample. This was my first ever experience of doing this. It was so hard to do. I could barely stand up, let alone hover and try pee in a small cup. I got piss all over my hand. Urgh.
But in the end, a successful cup. And that also meant I could be taken off to a bed. I couldn't wait to be left alone and sleep.

Drips

(Image Source: https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/344839/dargaville-mumps-cases-prompt-warning)

But nope. Not yet. I had to endure more prodding. The nurses looked at my blisters, poked about my mottled red rashed skin, and then told me i need to have needles put in my veins for some vital fluids.

Unfortunately my veins were so weak it took them ages to find one they could attach a drip to. Lots of stabs and weird uncomfy wiggles later, I had 2 drips attached and some weird wires with stickey circles stuck to my chest and head, even in my hair at the top of my head. No idea what they were for. I didn't care at this stage. Please let me sleep was my inner mantra.

The machines were beeping constantly, I could here distant voices and noises every time I was conscious. Every hour I was woken up by a nurse checking my temperature and redripping me with stuff. The water the flush it with gives a surreal cold streak through the veins. At first it fascinated me as I'd never felt my veins like that before. But after so many times later, all it was doing was waking me up when I wanted to sleep. And it became a realuncomfy chore to endure.

My Mum and Dad were both there. It was very unusual to see them in the same room. It made me wonder how serious things were for them to both be here, but I was so tired and heavy I just carried on sleeping whenever I could.

(Image Source: https://www.meningitisnow.org/support-us/news-centre/meningitis-stories/)

Feeling happy my parents were around, feeling like, because the nurses are here, everything will be fine, they'll make me better. I just wanted to feel warm and comfy and wished I had a fluffy puffy duvet to sleep in instead of this poxy thin white sheet the hospital made me have....I still hadn't grasped how dangerous my situation was at this stage.

To Be Continued...

(Hopefully this feeds some of @riverflows curiousity ;) )