Evie and Angie’s story

In August this year, Hawke’s Bay-based school deputy principal Angie Dent and her daughter Evie could not have anticipated the storm that was about to disrupt their lives.

In a heartfelt account, shared for World Meningitis Day, this mother-daughter duo recount a harrowing and recent journey of how meningitis impacted their lives, and share the importance and power of early intervention.

It was just two days after Evie's 20th birthday when her life was forever changed by meningitis. Prior to her own experience, Evie knew nothing of the disease that could take her life in a matter of hours.

She had chosen to spend a few nights that week at her boyfriend's place, and what should have been a joyful celebration quickly took a dark turn.

On Thursday 17 August, Evie began to feel unwell, plagued by relentless vomiting and an insidious headache. The night wore on, and Evie's condition worsened.

By 8pm, Evie's boyfriend messaged Angie to let her know things weren’t getting better. Sensing that something was terribly wrong, Angie rushed to her car, and made the drive through the country roads from Havelock North to collect her daughter.

By the time Angie arrived, Evie had worsened. The vomiting hadn’t stopped, despite Evie not having eaten anything for over 24 hours. Angie knew instinctively that this was no ordinary stomach bug. They didn't hesitate; Angie helped Evie into the car and raced to Napier City Medical.

Angie spoke with a kind receptionist at the medical centre, who offered a sick bowl and towel and helped Evie to a private room behind the reception where the head nurse was called. She acted quickly, laid Evie down, and ordered an urgent blood test to save time at the hospital.

All of a sudden, Evie’s eyes rolled into the back of her head, and she became delusional. Thankfully, an ambulance had already been called. It arrived shortly afterwards to rush her to Hawke’s Bay Hospital. This is the last thing Evie remembers from the night.

In the ambulance, Evie's condition worsened again, and her coherent state gave way to incoherent babbling. Angie's heart ached as she watched her daughter slip into delirium. Upon reaching the hospital, Angie witnessed the full extent of the emergency. Her daughter was rushed into the emergency room, surrounded by a flurry of medical activity.

The night was a blur of anxiety and uncertainty, marked by the constant beeping of monitors. Before dawn broke, a nurse accompanied Evie for a brain scan, and Angie called her husband to come and share the emotional burden as Evie was still unresponsive.

The following hours were marked by a relentless wave of uncertainty and medical tests.

After approximately 13 hours, Evie regained consciousness, disoriented and unable to recall the events that had transpired. Her memory was fragmented, with the last piece being the friendly receptionist at City Medical.

Evie was transferred to the acute assessment ward, still grappling with debilitating headaches, nausea and diarrhoea. Further tests, including a lumbar puncture, were conducted to uncover the root cause of her illness. The days were a rollercoaster of emotions, filled with hope and despair, as doctors suspected either viral or bacterial meningitis.

A microbiologist friend provided valuable insights, suggesting a viral infection as the culprit. The uncertainty was agonising, but the family clung to hope as they awaited clarity. Evie remained in an isolated room at the hospital.

As the days passed, Evie's condition gradually improved. The headaches subsided, offering a glimmer of hope to her anxious family. On Monday, she was finally discharged, confirming it was bacterial meningitis, the exact strain to be assessed from the cultures, with thankfully no lasting effects from her experience.

The ordeal serves as a stark reminder of the importance of early detection, vaccination, and heightened awareness of meningitis. Angie and Evie are now turning to spreading the word, urging individuals to recognise symptoms and seek immediate medical attention.

When asked to reflect on the experience, Angie says, “We’re just so grateful that Evie is okay. We know how bad things could have turned out for her. Death was a very real possibility. If Evie had stayed home to rest away her symptoms the outcome would have been very different. Just trust your instincts.”

"Evie had been vaccinated as a baby for meningitis, and we thought that would protect her for life. We hadn’t considered it could be meningitis as we had always associated it with having a rash. It's essential to get informed about the symptoms and ask your doctor about the right meningitis vaccine, especially when your child is leaving high school."