RTE star James Patrice has revealed his horrific experience when he nearly died at 10-years-old after developing meningitis and septicaemia.
Just after Christmas, the Dancing With The Stars presenter developed a stomach pain, which he put down to having eaten too many selection boxes.
Speaking to the Irish Sun, he explained that when he went to the bathroom to try to be sick at around 6am, his mum saw red spots on his legs and knew straight away something was wrong.
He attended his GP, who told him to go straight to Temple Street Hospital as it “didn’t look good”.
In and out of consciousness, he underwent a lumbar puncture, and his siblings and parents were told that James was “critical” and may not make it– which he described as “harrowing” for his family.
He was quarantined for 48 hours in a glass room, before being moved to intensive care.
James explained: “I was going to intensive care, and I was out of the woods. I was very fortunate that there was no long-term effect after – some people can lose their sight, they can lose their hearing they can lose limbs – it can have profound impacts on some people, so I was very fortunate”.
“I remember a lot of it very very well. I was very drowsy at the time, you’re in and out of coherence really but I do definitely remember being in the hospital, I was with doctors the whole time – I definitely knew something was wrong.
“They say your whole life flashes before the eyes and I think that’s definitely true.
“I remember before I came to properly in intensive care I remember seeing my mum, my dad, my sister and my granny basically telling me to ‘get up there and cop on and get home’ – it’s something that definitely stays with you”.
James partnered with Meningitis Ireland to spread awareness on the illness.
Meningitis is an infection of the lining of the brain and spinal cord, which can cause serious brain problems and also lead to death if not treated quickly.
It is usually caused by a bacterial or viral infection, and that same bacteria can also cause septicaemia (blood poisoning) and a rash.
Vaccines can offer some protection against meningitis.
The illness can kill in under 24 hours, and around half of all meningitis deaths are in children under five.
Today, October 5 is World Meningitis Day, and James is urging others to share their stories in order to raise vital awareness of meningitis, so it can ultimately be defeated.
The thing with meningitis is people think it only effects children, but it can affect you – it doesn’t favour anyone, it affects every one of every age.”
James Patrice
People are contributing their story to ‘Meningitis In Your Words’, which is an initiative led by the Meningitis Research Foundation, aiming to collect 2030 stories of meningitis.
James said: “Those stories really put a human face to the infection, and they also show that it’s not linear at all, some people can have all of the symptoms, some people might only have one or two, some people mightn’t have any.
“It’s all about awareness and knowledge and hopefully then that knowledge leads to power in the long run when it comes to defeating meningitis”.
MENINGITIS - THE FACTS
MENINGITIS is an infection of the lining of the brain and spinal cord, which can cause serious brain problems and also lead to death if not treated quickly.
It is usually caused by a bacterial or viral infection, and that same bacteria can also cause septicaemia (blood poisoning) and a rash.
Vaccines can offer some protection against meningitis.
The illness can kill in under 24 hours, and around half of all meningitis deaths are in children under five.
Symptoms of meningitis and septicaemia develop suddenly, and usually patients do not get every symptom.
The most well-known symptom is a rash, but according to the HSE, symptoms can appear in any order.
Symptoms include:
- A high temperature of 38 degrees Celsius or above
- A rash or spots – this may be harder to see on brown or black skin
- Feeling and being sick
- Headache
- A stiff neck
- Aches or pains – for example, stomach, joint or muscle pain
- Breathing fast
- That they are bothered by bright light
- Cold hands and feet or pale, mottled skin – this may be harder to see on brown or black skin
- Fits (seizures)
- Confusion
- Drowsiness
- Hard to wake them up
- Irritability and a lack of energy
Babies may also:
- Refuse feeds
- Not take their usual feed
- Be agitated
- Not want to be picked up
- Have a bulging soft spot on their head (fontanelle)
- Have an unusual high-pitched cry
- Have a stiff body
- Be floppy or unresponsive
The HSE urges patients not to wait for a rash to appear before getting medical help.
James added: “The thing with meningitis is people think it only affects children, but it can affect you – it doesn’t favour anyone, it affects every one of every age.
While anyone can get it, the people most at risk of getting meningitis include babies and young children, teenagers and young adults, elderly people and people with a weak immune system – for example, those with HIV and those having chemotherapy.
James urged: “Go with your gut, go to meningitis.org, check out the symptoms, keep them to hand, screenshot them and send them into your WhatsApp group.
“Just take the time to familiarise yourself with the symptoms so if you’re not feeling great, you’re having a bit of sensitivity to light, if you’re having a bit of vomiting or something doesn’t feel quite right then pursue it, you can never be too careful.
“Have a look, read stories, check the symptoms and just try and be as vigilant as possible.
“So much of meningitis survival is knowing the symptoms and knowing to act on time – because timing really is everything.”
