Mum's Flu-Like Symptoms Masked Rare Neurological Disorder
Vicki Purdey, a 37-year-old mother from Wimborne in Dorset, believed she was suffering from a common seasonal flu when symptoms first emerged in March 2024. The initial signs included fever, severe headaches, muscle aches, and heightened sensitivity to light. However, what seemed like a routine illness would soon escalate into a life-altering medical crisis.
Rapid Deterioration and Hospital Admission
Over a critical 72-hour period, Vicki's condition deteriorated dramatically. She began experiencing vomiting and debilitating migraines, prompting emergency intervention. On 1 April 2024, she was admitted to Poole Hospital where medical professionals conducted extensive tests, including a lumbar puncture. The diagnosis confirmed viral meningitis, a serious inflammation of the protective membranes covering the brain and spinal cord.
Following a week of hospital treatment, Vicki was discharged but faced a sudden relapse. She was readmitted on 15 April with recurrent meningitis, a condition where the infection returns after initial treatment. By this stage, she had experienced a terrifying development: she had completely forgotten how to walk.
Functional Neurological Disorder Diagnosis
Medical experts subsequently identified that Vicki had developed functional neurological disorder (FND), a condition triggered by the meningitis infection disrupting normal brain signal transmission. This neurological complication caused her to lose most functional use of her legs, rendering her virtually housebound for nearly a full year.
"I was fit and well and at the height of my life," Vicki recalled. "So when I first started feeling unwell, I thought it was just the flu. Never did I think it would be meningitis."
The mother-of-two, who works part-time and previously enjoyed hiking with her 39-year-old husband Ian, found herself dependent on a wheelchair for mobility. Despite undergoing various therapeutic interventions, she continues to experience limited sensation in her legs and requires wheelchair assistance for any outdoor activities.
Ongoing Challenges and Awareness Campaign
Two years after her initial diagnosis, Vicki's recovery has been slower than medical predictions suggested. The FND has introduced additional complications including brain fog and frequent eye spasms occurring approximately twenty times daily. These spasms necessitate regular Botox treatments provided through the National Health Service.
In November 2024, Vicki connected with the charity Meningitis Now, which provided funding for an electric wheelchair. This equipment has enabled her to regain some parental functionality with her children, 16-year-old Lara and six-year-old Freddie.
"I still have little sensation in my legs and rely on my wheelchair," Vicki explained. "I suffer with flare-ups occasionally and it means I need to re-learn how to walk in a new way each time. It's a battle, but I am learning more about myself and the support from friends and family has been great."
Advocacy for Greater Awareness
Vicki is now committed to raising awareness about both meningitis and functional neurological disorder. She emphasizes that meningitis is not exclusively a childhood illness, as many assume, and can have devastating neurological consequences for adults.
"Many people think it's an illness that only affects babies and young persons - but that's not the case," she stated. "It had me nearly at death's door, and there are times when I can't be the mum or wife I want to be. FND has impacted my ability to coordinate and walk and it needs more awareness and resources."
Vicki believes she may have contracted meningitis while visiting a hospital emergency department with her son Freddie a week before her symptoms appeared. She continues to attend physiotherapy sessions and performs mobility exercises in her determined effort to regain independence, while advocating for increased research funding and clinical attention for functional neurological disorders.
