A woman in West Sussex, Vicky Chadwick, shares her harrowing experience of facing a rare infection that left her face paralysed. Initially, Vicky disregarded the severe headaches she suffered, but soon found herself admitted to the hospital three weeks ago. It was there that doctors diagnosed her with encephalitis, a rare brain infection known to cause brain swelling and resulting in various symptoms including temporary paralysis, seizures, and weakness.
Vicky expressed feeling like a “broken woman” and yearning to have her face restored. Her ordeal began with severe headaches in November, which escalated when she became dizzy and fell off her bike during a cycle ride. Following a visit to the Princess Royal Hospital in Haywards Heath, Sussex, where doctors initially failed to identify any issue, Vicky’s condition worsened. Her face started drooping, she lost the ability to speak, and faced increasing confusion and dizziness.
After multiple hospital visits and misdiagnoses, Vicky was finally diagnosed with Ramsay Hunt syndrome, a rare condition caused by the varicella-zoster virus. The infection had spread to her brain, leading to encephalitis. Though receiving treatment, Vicky is uncertain about her future as the medical professionals handling her case had limited knowledge about her condition. She emphasized the need for more awareness about such illnesses to aid early diagnosis and better prognoses.
While Vicky is expected to eventually recover, the right side of her face remains paralysed, causing challenges with basic tasks like eating, drinking, and speaking. Feeling depressed and anxious, Vicky’s current condition has impacted her professional life, hindering job opportunities despite her attempts at re-employment. Grateful for the care received from her medical team, Vicky looks forward to complete recovery and putting this distressing chapter behind her.