Viral Meningitis

[Jandy]

I contracted Viral Meningitis about 10 years ago. It literally knocked me off my feet. I couldn't walk without my head throbbing and my neck pulling to one side.

I was off work for 5 months. I couldn't move or walk for about 2 months. As I began to recover I still had the headaches and pulling to the right side of my neck.

I was then referred to a Neurologist who diagnosed me with Cervical Dystonia, muscle spasms in the neck caused by a neurotransmitter in the brain telling one lot of muscles to move against the other. I started with Botuxullinium injections and now have them every 3 months. I also take clonazapam for the pain. The neurologist isn't sure if I already had Cervical dustonia or the Viral Meningitis caused it.

I must say my employer, local government, have not been very helpful at all. I have had to fight to make them understand that I am covered by the DDA. My line manager has taken me to stage 2 capability procedure with a threat of taking me to stage 3 and a capability hearing with the possibility of dismissal.

I joined the Union and have their support and have been told I have grounds for taking a greivance out on my line manager for bullying tactics.

I had a hysterectomy last December and returned to work in February. I had a review meeting and was told I would continue to be monitored. I received a letter yesterday to say I have a further review meeting next wednesday to assess my situation. Bearing in mind I haven't been off work since February and the hysterectomy was a medical procedure I had to have. So I haven't been off with my dystonia since last October.The Dystonia Society have written to my employer outlining my condition. My doctor and neurologist have also written a letter to them. This has made no difference.

I feel under pressure all of the time which doesn't help my condition, but I keep coming to work.

Jandy

[Ali-1]

I have been made redundant. Had a bad year wit my post VM stuff and on top of that was in school before 8 leaving at 5:30 having worked with kids through lunch and after school, zoomed to the hospital every tea to feed my ill grandma who I then lost just before the exams. I then went home and did more work. I had had nearly 3 months off at the beginning of the year. But because I had a bad set of results it was me that got redundancy. I couldn't have done more