A mom who assumed her flu-like symptoms weren’t serious has shared a warning after receiving a devastating diagnosis.
Vicki Purdey, 37, started feeling unwell in March 2024, but at first she didn’t believe anything was seriously wrong.
She experienced a fever, intense headaches, aching muscles, and sensitivity to light, and initially put it down to a common seasonal illness.
Vicki, from Dorset in the UK, said: “I was fit and well and at the height of my life. So when I first started feeling unwell, I thought it was just the flu.”
However, her symptoms were being caused by a far more dangerous condition—one that would later leave her unable to walk properly and prompt her to urge others to stay alert.
“Never did I think it would be meningitis,” said Vicki. “Many people think it’s a illness that only affects babies and young persons – but that’s not the case.”
She added: “It had me nearly at deaths door and there are times now where I can’t be the mum or wife I want to be.”
As the days passed, Vicki’s condition deteriorated, and her mum ultimately called for emergency help.
“Over a few days, I just felt worse and thankfully my mum was there to call the ambulance,” she said.
“At the hospital, I was pumped with antibiotics as my body was somewhat shutting down.
“But when I heard meningitis, the words hit me like a train.”
While she remained in hospital, it became clear her recovery wasn’t following the expected path.
“I remember walking to the loo and I just lost the coordination to walk,” she said.
“It was the strangest thing and doctors assumed it was because I was led in bed for ages.
“On top of this, I also developed short-term memory loss and there was a time where I couldn’t recognise my neighbour.”
Although Vicki was sent home after a week, she was readmitted in April when her symptoms came back—and doctors later found there was more going on than meningitis alone.
Testing revealed she had FND, a condition that can be triggered by meningitis and affects how the brain sends and receives signals throughout the body.
Despite being told her movement should improve within weeks, her day-to-day independence has remained deeply impacted two years on.
“I essentially lost sensation from the waist down and my independence took a severe hit,” she said.
“I was virtually housebound for a year,” she said. “I relied on a wheelchair to get around and I missed out on being a mum and a wife.
“It was incredibly isolating. I couldn’t go out without someone taking me out or enjoy the outdoors like I used to.
“And I didn’t recover like doctors said I would.”
Now, Vicki is speaking up in the hope of increasing understanding of FND and encouraging people to take potential meningitis symptoms seriously.
“I’ve had a real rubbish past couple of years and I wouldn’t wish it on anyone,” she said. “Even though I am trying my hardest to recover.”
“I don’t think I ever will but I hope my story can help others to become more aware of the symptoms for meningitis and FND.
“You are not alone.”