“I had three or four drinks,” the 18-year-old recounted, describing her experience of being in a medically-induced coma for four days.
Sian Alderton, from Norwich, England, was out with her friends when she used a vape with some of her companions. This act led to her developing bacterial meningitis, a rare infection that inflames the brain’s surrounding membranes.
The day following her night out, she began to feel unwell, and when her mother noticed red spots appearing on her face, she was taken to the hospital. There, she was placed in a coma to help her body fight the infection.
This incident occurred in October after she had visited two clubs with her friends. Reflecting on this experience, she mentioned: “I’m not a heavy drinker and prefer the socialising of going out. I had three or four drinks.”
“I shared my vape with three mutual friends and this is not unusual as everyone shares vapes on a night out.”
“I didn’t think anything of it because they were my friends.”
The medical team informed her that the infection could have been contracted by sharing a drink, a vape, or through kissing, although they were unable to determine the exact source.
Sian mentioned: “The last thing I remember is walking into the hospital entrance.”
“I know I was aching, and it was hard to move, so I sat in a wheelchair, but then it gets blurry.”
“When I woke up a few days later, I was still pretty out of it but was told I had bacterial meningococcus or meningitis.”
“It was one of a very few cases the hospital had ever seen.”
She remained in the hospital for a total of two weeks before being released. Her mother, Kerrie Durrant’s quick actions were crucial in altering the potential outcome.
The evening following the dangerous night out, Sian ordered a Chinese meal, but after eating it, she began to vomit.
Seeing the ‘red and purple spots’ that had appeared on her daughter, her mother pressed a glass to them, and they didn’t fade.
Durrant, 36, stated: “Everything happened so quickly when we arrived at the hospital.”
“Sian was put into an induced coma and the doctors and consultants told us Sian was very poorly.”
“We would need to prepare for the worst and to say our goodbyes as she may not come out of the coma.”
“I want to make people aware that the doctors have to find a source or where the meningitis bacteria started from.”
“During tests, Sian showed symptoms of sinusitis, meaning it could have possibly been contracted through saliva from such things as vaping, kissing, or sharing drinks.”
Amazingly, just one week after her discharge, Sian was able to take and pass her driving test.