Recovery from Bacterial Meningitis

[ashishbaru]

Hi

This pertains to my Mother who is 72 yrs of age and has been infected with bacterial meningitis ( streptoccocus pnuemonia ) which was diagonised a month back .. She is off hospital after spending 4 weeks there ..

wanted to check out on what could be a possible recovery period as currently she is experiencing extreme weakness , requires help to walk around , loss of appetite and knee pain

[Boneyhay]

Hi sorry this may not be good news that you will want to hear but

I had the same in 2003 don't really know what she was left with I was left deaf and with no balance told I may never walk again also I had to have carpel tunnel operations on my hands

All I can suggest is to take it one day at a time rest and recuperation all are different support her keep her spirits up It is one off the worlds worst disease when u get it it's very hard to explain to your self and your mom what it does to you just help to enjoy life and keep fighting she will needs list of family support which I I am lucky 🍀 to get all I can wish u and her is all the luck in the world 🌎 and she will be great 👍 I am sure please let me how she gets on

God bless

[Tupperitaville]

My husband was 55 when he came down with the same strain along with sepsis, congestive heart failure as well as his organs tried to also shut down. This was Jan 2016. He was in the ICU for 9 days - hospital only a total of 14 days then off to rehab for another 10 then home. He already had neurological deficits from a spinal cord tumor resection in 1985 and the meningitis seemed to just make those worse. So now it has been almost a year and a half. Docs are saying - this may be as good as it gets - he is certainly feeling that way. He has extremely poor balance (worse than before), forgetful and lives with a fairly constant fog over his brain. He does not drive much as he feels he is too "out of it" and he has very poor stamina. He gets tired VERY easily and some days takes everything he has to just get up, get dressed and sit in the living room and watch TV. Other days - he feels pretty good but if he does too much - he is tired again. If we travel - it wipes him out for several days afterwards. But he is happy to be here and so are we! Just a daily struggle - hearing is not too bad, bright sunlight REALLY bothers him now. But he still tries to maintain a pretty positive attitude! Hang in there.

[Saxruth]

Hi

Sorry to hear about your Mum. My husband who was then 73 had bacterial meningitis and sepsis just over a year ago. He was gravely ill and was in hospital for 7 weeks.

When he can home he could not walk, was not eating , had severe problems with memory and focus, no energy and his hearing was still poor ( He had been deaf for the first 3 weeks of his illness)

He was given Ensure high calorie/ protein drinks which were gradually reduced as he started to eat more. This was reassuring as we knew he was getting goodness even when finding eating hard. The family worked with him on building up his movement and walking. We played lots of games and puzzles with him to help focus his brain again. Fortunately he was determined to get better and stronger which made our job easier but it was a steady and constant task for months. I was fortunately given time off work and my son was able to take time off too which made life a bit easier.

Now, just over a year on, he has made a pretty remarkable recovery. He is walking independently, eating well, almost full hearing back and able to do daily crosswords etc on his own. He still tires very easily with some days better than others and his memory is not good.

However, from how he was a year ago to now has been a massive journey.

I know every person and experience is different but I hope this gives you some encouragement for your Mum's future. I think love and encouragement from family and friends is very important to someone who has suffered this ghastly illness.

Best wishes

[pgs9]

I prey to god gor your mom's speedy recovery

My wife has gone through bacterial meningitis on 1april17.was discharged on 19th april ..till today ie 28 may she still have balance problem,low appetite Severe stomach ache after eating

But no memory problem

In follow up visit.. doctor said it will be okay within 2 to 3 months

Hope your mother will also recover soon

[sdjohnson231]

Physical therapy did wonders for me. I was 55 when I contracted meningitis. First a person came to my house twice a week to help me. We basically just took short walks together (me using a walker) in my neighborhood. Once I was able to resume driving, I went to the therapist's clinic twice a week for several months. She gave me exercises to "retrain my brain" and to help rebuild my strength from the time I was hospitalized. At your mother's age, and depending on how active she was prior to her illness, it's going to take time and energy to get back to where she was. Seek out the assistance of someone like a physical therapist. They know just how far to push someone without over-doing it. Good luck!

[sorba]

As others say, best to take it one day at a time, provide a cheerful, not morbid outlook, be patient, encourage her to do a few things to help herself if and when she's feeling a bit better.