Claudia Gill knew something was terribly wrong when she woke up dazed and confused, squinting in a hospital bed under bright lights while hooked up to monitors.
The last thing the then 18-year-old remembered was talking to someone in a hospital hallway, hours earlier after arriving in an ambulance with a severe headache, stiffness, vomiting and sensitivity to light and sound.
The 20-year-old Wollongong woman had been placed in an isolation ward after contracting the contagious and potentially fatal meningococcal disease, despite never developing the telltale purple rash.
She survived, albeit with persistent tinnitus and headaches, but doctors said if she had gotten to the hospital just 30 minutes later, she probably would have died.
Now the ringing in her ears and the pain in her head serve as a lasting reminder of the disease that nearly took her life.
Claudia Gill (pictured), from Wollongong, contracted the contagious and potentially fatal meningococcal disease
The 20-year-old’s first symptoms were headache, light and sound sensitivity, vomiting and stiffness. She began to lose consciousness as she made her way to the hospital
Claudia told FEMAIL she wants all Australians to familiarize themselves with the signs and symptoms of meningococcal disease.
‘I have been so very lucky; my story could have ended very differently. “I urge people to learn the signs and symptoms and stay alert,” she said.
In May 2022, aged 18, Claudia had returned to her informal retail job after a family holiday in Queensland when her symptoms began.
She had severe headaches and noticed that she was sensitive to light and music. When she went home, her condition deteriorated further.
“I got a stiff neck and felt nauseous, but eventually I threw up and passed out,” she recalls.
‘I lay very stiff in my parents’ bed. I couldn’t move much because my head felt so swollen and painful. My father tried to get a doctor’s appointment, but it didn’t work.’
Claudia’s father, Sam, called an ambulance and the paramedics immediately suspected she had meningitis.
‘I don’t get sick that often, so we thought it could be the flu or some other infection. “I don’t think it ever occurred to anyone that it could be meningococcal,” she said.
“I managed to walk to the ambulance, up the driveway, into the ambulance. Looking back, I don’t know how I walked, but once I got into the ambulance I started to get worse and worse.’
In May 2022, aged 18, Claudia had returned to her informal retail job after a family holiday in Queensland when her symptoms began
On the way to the hospital, paramedics asked Claudia questions, but she found it difficult to speak and she became increasingly conscious.
The next thing she remembers was talking to a doctor in the hospital hallway and waking up hours later in an isolation ward.
She never developed the telltale purple rash (pictured)
‘I only had the hospital gown on and all these monitors around me. “I remember thinking it was so bright and so loud and I was confused,” she said.
While she slept, doctors ran a number of tests and performed a notoriously painful and unpleasant wood puncture that she said she was glad was unconscious.
Tests confirmed that Claudia had contracted invasive meningococcal disease, a bacterial infection that attacks the blood or membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord.
It is spread by small droplets of fluid from the nose and throat through coughing and sneezing. Cases increase in the fall and winter as cold weather drives gatherings to enclosed indoor spaces.
Meningococcus is often thought of as affecting young children who develop rashes, but it is also common in teenagers and young adults.
Doctors treated Claudia for the disease based on her symptoms, but before it was confirmed, meningococcal disease can cause disability or even death if the disease is not treated quickly enough.
Although a rash that resembles red or purple pinpricks or a larger bruise is a sign of meningococcal disease and is often associated with the disease, it does not develop until the later stages of the infection.
Claudia said she only noticed two small red dots on her arm.
“I only have a tiny bit of a rash on my arm, but it was just a few red dots instead of that purple rash everyone knows about,” she said.
Doctors treated her for the disease based on her symptoms, but before it was confirmed, meningococcal disease can cause disability or even death if the disease is not treated quickly enough.
‘Doctors said time saved me for the most part. “If we had been half an hour later it would have been much worse,” she said.
Claudia spent five days in hospital on antibiotics to which she responded well and was able to return home and slowly return to work.
However, it has lasting consequences.
‘The headaches are worse than before, but they are manageable. I also have some damage to my ears. “If I go to a concert or event where there is loud music, I have to wear earplugs,” she said.
Claudia wants people to inform themselves about the signs and symptoms, so they know when to go to hospital before it is too late (photo with her parents Sam and Katrina and sister Alice)
To this day, Claudia has no idea where she contracted meningococcal disease, even after medical staff tried to track down the cause to stop its spread.
“They checked where I had been but we couldn’t find anything so it’s completely unknown where I got it from,” she said.
Claudia wants people to know how serious meningococcal disease can be and to educate themselves on the signs and symptoms so they know when to go to hospital before it’s too late.
‘It’s interesting because I get one of two reactions: people say, “Oh my God, that’s so scary. I can’t believe that happened,” or they have no idea what it is and how serious it is ,’ she said.
‘If you have any of the symptoms, take it seriously and get it checked out as it can happen to anyone at any time.’
