A healthy and active cheerleader, ready to embark on a new chapter in life, is now in intensive care, sedated after a minor health issue escalated into a dangerous condition.
Maddie Clary, 22, had just graduated with a nursing degree after four years as a college cheerleader and planned to start healing others in her hometown. Unfortunately, shortly thereafter, she found herself in a life-threatening situation.
Maddie’s ordeal began with a simple migraine that rapidly evolved into a series of alarming seizures, causing distress among her friends and family. Two weeks earlier, the newly qualified nurse from New South Wales, Australia, had experienced mild flu-like symptoms.
These symptoms included a sore throat and a persistent migraine that soon became unbearable. Her mother, Erin Clary, shared that even under full sedation, doctors are puzzled about the origin of this condition.
In an interview with news.com.au, Erin described the uncertainty as both ‘distressing and frustrating.’ She added, “She’s still heavily sedated, so it’s hard to figure out exactly what’s going on.”
The unpredictable progression of Maddie’s illness has left both her mother and the medical team perplexed.
Erin recounted that her daughter initially complained of neck pain that spread to the front, left side of her head, accompanied by severe nausea. Maddie mentioned never experiencing such pain before.
Since Erin occasionally suffers from migraines, she advised her daughter to take some painkillers, rest in a dark room, and avoid bright lights.
Contrary to expectations, Maddie’s condition did not follow the usual pattern. After following her mother’s advice and consulting a doctor, who deemed her migraines typical, Maddie seemed to improve.
“We had dinner and watched TV. She was laughing, she seemed fine,” Erin recalled. “She was just herself again.”
The next morning, however, Erin was startled to find Maddie still in bed, unresponsive when she checked on her.
Rushed to the hospital, Maddie was diagnosed with a major seizure, prompting immediate sedation to stabilize her condition.
Erin expressed gratitude for the swift medical response, saying, “The doctors were phenomenal. The quick response was unbelievable. We’re so thankful she received care so quickly.”
Despite this, doctors remain uncertain about what triggered Maddie’s sudden and severe illness. She was transferred to a specialist unit in Sydney for further testing, including MRIs, CT scans, and lumbar punctures, but a diagnosis still eludes them.
Currently, Maddie is being treated for autoimmune encephalitis, a rare disorder where the immune system attacks the brain, leading to rapid swelling and seizures.
As Maddie remains sedated, her mother continues to be concerned. She shared, “They keep saying to us that we’re here for a marathon, not a sprint,” and emphasized the emotional toll, saying, “It’s incredibly stressful. We’ve had days where we’ve cried and been frustrated. But we’ve both tried to maintain positivity throughout.”
You can support Maddie’s recovery by visiting her GoFundMe page here.