A British mother’s flu-like symptoms in March 2024 rapidly escalated into a life-altering diagnosis. Vicki Purdey, 37, was hospitalized after developing a fever, severe headaches, and vomiting. Tests confirmed viral meningitis, an inflammation of the brain and spinal cord lining. The initial infection triggered a secondary condition that would rob her of her mobility.

Purdey’s recovery stalled, and she was readmitted two weeks later. Doctors identified the root cause as a functional neurological disorder (FND), where the brain struggles to send signals to the body due to the meningitis’s neurological damage. This resulted in a near-total loss of sensation and motor control from the waist down, leaving her reliant on a wheelchair.

The disorder also causes daily brain fog and approximately 20 eye spasms. Purdey emphasizes that resources and specialist support for FND patients remain critically limited despite rising cases. Her experience challenges the misconception that meningitis only affects the very young.

Two years after her initial symptoms, Purdey continues intensive physiotherapy. She states that each flare-up forces her to essentially re-learn how to walk, describing it as a relentless daily battle for a fraction of her former independence and ability to care for her children.