Listeriosis Meningitis, leading to hydrocephalus...neurological problems specific to Hands and ability to grip.

[Ming2405]

My poor darling husband contracted listetiosis Meningitis and was on the road to recovery when he was hit by hydrocephalus, can anyone out there share similar experiences. My hubby has had a dreadful summer as the medics struggled to fit a shunt that achieved the desired results. Unfortunately, less than a month later, he seemed to suffer a decline: both in terms of memory loss and his physical ability to use his hands effectively...tonight he fell backward so the stairs and has sustained a nasty break to his tibia. ..I feel so frightened for us, what does the future hold. He is my life and we are so good together...

[menigitishead]

I had Chryseobacterium meningosepticum a gram negative bacteria. I to was was diagnosed with Hydrocephalus 6 mos later as my headache continued on. My opening pressure was around 25. I had a hole in my sphenoid sinus' which was how I contracted the bacterial menigitis. The hole closed with scar tissue after the menigitis. This was all in 2010, for two years my then nuro.. wouldnt pay attention to any of my concerns and low and behold the hole came back in Dec. 2013, along with a brain herniation. I've since had a crainaiectomy to close the hole and am on diamox sequels to control the hydrocephalus, my opening pressure has gone down since I first was diagnosed with hydrocephalus. Also it was discovered that I have sleep apnea which is a big contributor to having hydrocephalus. That is now under control with a CPAC machine. (i've never snored a day in my life .. who knew I even had apnea). I've been fortunate that I do not have to have a shunt just yet as the diamox is doing it's job for now. I had trouble initially for the first 8 mos after menigitis with my gait and walking, not noticable to many but I knew I was having issues, along with dropping items from my hands from time to time. I was an advid runner prior and retrained my self to run again, so much so I completed Tough Mudder :). Since the hole and brain surgery my once athletic days are on minimized to walking, light weights, eliptical machine. Not at all what I could do before. My head hurts 24/7 and I'm now dealing with neuropathic pains... nothing works to take the pain away. I get frustrated easily at home and work. (I suspect your husband is edgy). II'm greatful to my husband for sticking this out with me. It's been a long 3 years for both of us. I guess what I'm trying to say is that with some time he'll get better but don't expect to him to be exactly who he was before. These kinds of chronic conditions after a tramatic illness tends to make a person view the world a little differently. My best advice get him moving around as best he can. gotta get those 'feel good" receptors up and running in the brain. It may just have to be a different "normal" to the "what was'. I learned a lot about who I am as I recovered initially. Overall it will get better, hang in there.. I know it's tuff on you spouses as much as it is on us with this crazy stuff.

[Ming2405 in reply to menigitishead]

Thank you for taking the time to share your experience. I am afraid my husband is losing his lucidity and has had a nasty fall resulting in a broken leg ! He, like you, used to be a keen gym bunny, but now is bed ridden and semi dementia, I am struggling to come to terms with the hope and then sudden despair of this dreadful illness

[mitty999 in reply to menigitishead]

I was given a glass of unpasteurized milk on holiday on a farm near Barnstable. I didn`t know at the time. Later the farmers wife said how good it was for you !! I was told it would put hairs on my chest . I felt sick and nauseous the next day. That evening I had terrible diarrhea which got worse and I was passing lumps of jelly . I had a fever about 105 and felt very ill indeed. I lost the control of my bowels during that night and had to lie naked on towels. More jelly in larger bowel shaped pieces carried on the next two days. At the end of the week I went to stand and keeled over , I thought I had slipped , but on standing upright I collapsed and cracked my head on the oak floor boards. The next day I started with a very bad headache mostly at the back and my vision was blurred. I stayed on my back for the next few days and bit by bit I got my balance back and my temperature dropped to normal.

Of course my family tried to call a doctor , but everyone we tried refused to come and see me. I could not go to him due to my severe diarrhea . We waited until we were due to return 14 days later and using towels I managed to travel on the back seat of the car, we got home after 4 hours. We called my own doctor , he wouldn't come out either. 2 days later when I got control of my bowels back I went to see him. He immediately diagnosed Listeria , said I could have died. Lastly he told me never to drink unpasteurised milk ever again. I did contact the farm and they told me all their cows had passed the required tests and not to bother them again.

Really annoyed by their attitude. The year before I contracted Cholera on my holiday to Amalfi in Italy. I lost a lot of blood and was paralysed for a time. Even then I never managed to get a doctor as we could not get the money. The medical insurance said I had to pay in Italy and I would be re-embursed on returning home. The police there said I would have to go to a large town to use an ATM. My chamber maid said the people in Amalfi used lemon juice for a cure. I drank about a gallon of fresh juice for about a week and then raw rice until I was able to return by aeroplane. I only had 1 day out of bed. I gave her £100 . This was in 1969 so the sum I was asked to pay the doctor was collosal for the time. The next year I went to France, got ill again, but the French were wonderful, the nurses were wonderful and I got over my sickness with injections. Vive la Franch. !!!!!!!