As a kid growing up for the most part I was pretty healthy, but I will never forget the deadly battle I had with Reye's Syndrome. Back in the 60-70's it was deadly to give a child aspirin which at the time my mother did not know. However, I had become ill with I vaguely remember it starting as a mild cold, and it progress to getting worse, in the event of my mother hoping the aspirin would help and make me better -- her hopes were denied by me growing increasingly worse. The most I do remember is losing strength from my body and barely being able to open my eyes to see. My mother told me of some of the events after I became better. She explained to me how I couldn't even recognize her and was asking why no one visited me at the hospital. I didn't even know who my own mother was!
Anyway, I don't how familiar anyone is with Reye's Syndrome, but I do remember all the other children at Children's Memorial hospital dying from Reye Syndrome, there were a few who survived but they were left in a vegetated state. I do remember watching some children being wheeled away, and other children who I suppose were in the hospital for other reasons running up and down the corridor as I lay in bed.
Two months later when I returned to school I couldn't understand why no one wanted to play with me. I had been gone so long they thought I still had some contagious disease -- but I didn't and I had the hardest time convincing those little chaps that it was safe to play with me.
The doctor can't understand how I fully recover with all of my mental faculties working. Needless, to say it was by the Grace of God that I had received a miracle. I know I was put on the earth for some mighty powerful reason. I even have dreams of speaking to audiences of large numbers of people -- giving messages of hope and survival.
fondly,
from a patient's perspective
Adrienne
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