Updated on Sep 14th 2012 at 9:23 PM from the JustGiving API

Exceeded my target!! Thank you.

Updated on Sep 12th 2012 at 6:54 PM from the JustGiving API

Exceeded my target!! Thank you.

Updated on Aug 20th 2012 at 9:51 PM from the JustGiving API

Thank you Alison

Updated on Aug 20th 2012 at 9:25 PM from the JustGiving API

Wow, almost 10% there!!! Thank you

Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

This years Great North Run will be awesome for me in so many ways.  It is my second Great North Run but this year I wanted to run with my friend Alison Grant.  It's all one big coincident as you will read.

Early 2009, Alison told me that she wanted to do the Great North Run in support of our dear friend Leanne who had recently been diagnosed with the gene for Breat Cancer and was due to go through a great deal of surgery.  I suggested that she ask my husband if he would do it.  He rose to the challenge and 8 months of training began.

The whole family wanted to show their support, so there was Scott, myself, Solomon & Florence (our children – 3 and 1 at the time) and my in-laws, Maria and Alan.  We checked into a hotel the Friday before the Sunday of the run and made a wonderful weekend of it.

On the Saturday, Solomon (my son) & I took part in the Great North mini run – a gruelling 1 mile.  It was wonderful, a real family bonding session.

Then came the big one.  However, that night I had had a terrible nights sleep and awoke with a terrible headache and earache.  But, this day was all about Scott, I did not want this to turn into man-flue and I was determined to not let this get the better of me.  We waved Scott and his dad off as they set off for the start of the race and that left Maria, Solomon, Flo and myself to go back to the room and prepare to meet Scott at the all important finish line.

With my head as bad as it was, my mother in law looked after the children whilst I tried to rest. 

I realised I just could not go and I went back to the hotel room to try and sleep the pain off.  As soon as I got back to the room – and believe you me, I am no drama queen – after all this was just a headache. – I rang reception and asked them to call me an ambulance.  The duty manager, Michaela came into the room and asked a series of questions and promptly rang the NHS helpline.  More questions, and for whatever reason, she put the phone down on them and called an ambulance.  She felt that she should ignore their advice.

It was the biggest day in Newcastle’s diary.  The roads were jammed.  An ambulance came within 10 minutes.  I climbed aboard and then the real battle started.  I remember nothing from here on in to the moment I awoke – 3 DAYS LATER.

So, back to the day of the run, in the meantime, the family was blissfully unaware of my downfall and I guess they were somewhat disappointed that (they thought) I’d stayed in bed. 

Whilst Scott was doing the run, Maria did receive a call from the A & E consultant and he told her that I wasn’t well and that I was in hospital.  He didn’t give out any details and when Scott completed his run and asked his parents where I was, they explained that I had gone to hospital.  Scott said “Oh she’s fine, she’s got an ear infection and they’ll give her antibiotics”.

Well, within minutes, Scott got his call.  “Your wife is very poorly Mr Brenchley,  she’s in critical care.  "Could you come to hospital now?”.

Scott got to the hospital, and was lead immediately to the Critical Care Unit.  At this point the prognosis was unknown, just that I had been put into an induced coma and I was on 3 generation antibiotics to start the fight against any infections that may be lurking.  I think it was at this point that Scott turned to his father and said “Do you think she’d want the children in black for the funeral”.  Things were very bleak; the kidney dialysis machines were on standby.

A room was made up for Scott near to the ward so that he could be near me.

A lumber puncture was taken and that revealed Pneumococcal meningitis.  I had punctured my left ear drum and the infection had lead to it.  It was a waiting game. 

Scott contacted my family.  My dad came immediately.  My mum was back home in Italy and was hours away from catching a flight for a holiday in Asia.  Thankfully she was able to be at my side less than 12 hours later.  Two hours later, and she would have not been contactable as she would have been on a plane.

My stepsisters travelled the length of the country to see me, and never even got to see me awake at the hospital.  Something I will always regret....

 

So, Tuesday – day three finally arrived and Scott, Mum & my dad are prepared for my awakening.  “The Mandy you knew before all of this, is unlikely to be the same person.  We just do not know what damage has been done until she wakes”.  Scott apparently turned to my mum and said – “well we’ll deal with that when we have to”. 

The machines were switched off, I was breathing by myself and it was just a waiting game.  Waiting for me to wake up.  It could be minutes, it could be hours, days …..

Within about 20 minutes, I heard my name being shouted and three desperate faces looking at me, my wonderful husband, Scott, my mum and my dad.  Scott stayed by my side and he tells me I was complaining within seconds – and it was at this point he turned to my mum and said – “she’s okay, she’s back, my Mandy is back”.

So you see, had it not been for Alison's suggestion, I would have not been in Newcastle and had a great team of people around to ultimately save my life. 

I dedicate this run to Alison.  Thank you.

Without the great work that the Meningitis Research Foundation do, survival would have been near impossible.  Please dig deep.

 

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