April-1-2020 | Barbara Layt Vujaklija, RN
Now that frantic February is finally over its time to look back and take stock of what we achieved. World Encephalitis Day (WED) was started by the Encephalitis Society in October of 2013 and has been held every February 22nd annually since then. The purpose is to raise awareness of encephalitis globally. The International Autoimmune Encephalitis Society (IAES) has participated in WED annually since its formation. This year IAES designated the month of February to be Autoimmune Encephalitis (AE) Awareness month and will continue to exhibit the face of AE every year.
So, what did we do to bring attention to AE in February 2020? IAES President, Tabitha Andrews Orth, put together our 4th annual AE awareness video. This wonderful video features members who were kind enough to send photos of themselves in treatment and before and after shots. The AE Warriors Stepping Forward video was a great success so thanks to all who participated.
Our annual Virtual Arts Show 2020 was a beauty to behold. Filled with talent. Drawings and paintings, poems and short stories. It was an outpouring of emotion from the hearts of AE Warriors from all over the world. If you ever want to know what it feels like to have AE look no further.
We rolled out a selection of AE awareness products that provide the support and encouragement of everyone in the AE community’s desires. AE Warrior Gifts, now available year-round, features the Royal Registry certificates for the AE warrior ™ and Caregiver. These certificates recognize the heroism in battling AE by the patient and caregiver for their heroism under fire. Survival Kits for AE patients, caregivers, doctors, RNs, Kids, and parents were created, and many members gave these out. Candy bar wrappers with fun encouraging statements were developed for fundraising efforts and are available for free as well as a unique AE Medical Identification card IAES developed.
With all these great things going on there was still a magnificent topper to the month. Tabitha and her team rolled out a first of their kind Autoimmune Encephalitis Trivia Playing Cards Deck. These remarkable cards were developed with assistance by Dr. Dalmau and have questions and answers about AE to use for quiz games with families, who want to know more about AE, doubles as a rehabilitation tool or can just be used as playing cards. The original art on the cards was done by a fellow AE warrior, Julia King. Complimentary decks are being sent out to AE doctors on our Doctor’s List. The excited responses IAES is receiving from doctors about AE Trivia playing cards are filled with praise and congratulations in developing the ideal tool for AE patients, families and therapists. AE Trivia playing cards are on sale to the public and all proceeds will go to support AE research. Well done team.
So outreach for the first annual Autoimmune Encephalitis Month was a big success and thanks to all the members, caregivers and volunteers who put in their time and hearts to make it happen.
Of course, the culmination of the month is February 22nd and World Encephalitis Day. Many members sent in updates around this date and pictures to show before and after views that we decided to share some of them in case you missed them the first time around. So here are some great pictures and a few quotes to go with them.
From Renee Sanchez, “Well today’s the day! Almost exactly 5 months from her first seizure, which would be the last day of work and the beginning of this nightmare for our daughter, she is going back to work!”
From Paula Lee Ramirez, “Happy world encephalitis day
From ICU September 2017 to now. Symptoms started in August 12, 2017. I wasn’t admitted and believed I was sick until September 17,2017. Diagnosed on October 3, 2017 with ANTI-NMDA Receptor encephalitis. I have yet to relapse! ❤️
Lucy May Dawson, “Today is World Encephalitis Day. I, like 78% of people, had no idea what Encephalitis was until the words fell out of my neurologist’s mouth after I was misdiagnosed as having had a mental breakdown and had spent 3 months in a psychiatric ward…….Regardless, I am one of the lucky ones, and I hope that by continuing to post about encephalitis, someone will one day remember one of my posts when their loved one begins to act strangely, and they will ask their doctor to test for it, and it may just save a life”.
Daisy Garuvadoo: World Encephalitis Day today, from being critically ill with Anti-NMDA Receptor Encephalitis in Nov 2017, 2 years ago, having to relearn to walk, speak, to brush her teeth. to get dressed, to read, to write, to learn basic maths, to tell time and to regaining her cognitive abilities to Medical School and thriving. Yesterday, my daughter was honored for her research project related to Intrathecal procedures at her Medical School. INTRATHECAL RITUXIMAB TREATMENT(though the spine) IS WHAT SAVED HER LIFE.
Kimberly Anne Thompson I beat this. I have no lasting side effects. But awareness is so important… Because Encephalitis often presents with psychiatric symptoms it is often misdiagnosed… I spent six weeks in a Psychiatric Hospital originally diagnosed with having a Nervous Breakdown. I was given meds that only made My condition worse. It wasn’t until I started having Seizures and the Encephalitis began affecting My Heart that I was transferred to ICU and had a Lumbar Puncture which showed I had Anti-NMDA Encephalitis…. It is this delay that kills. I urge all Medical Professionals to consider Encephalitis in Patients that present with Hallucinations for the first time… You could save a life.”
Grace Harimate, It is world Encephalitis Awareness day today yesterday in NZ time…. as I contemplated sharing these images and my story, my heart was pounding … I wanted to forget but this ordeal you’ll never forget…I was misdiagnosed and mistreated with bipolar taking the wrong medications and wrong treatment for 6 years from 13y to 18y. Spending most of my teenage years in the mental health ward. But so glad I met the most amazing people in those years…..The hard part was to come when I woke up from a two-year coma… I was fully blind for one-year memory loss still tube fed etc.
I was determined to walk … determined to get my eyesight back determined to get back on that horse determined to get a job … I walked into my 21st blind.
These awesome warriors and their brave care givers look at World Encephalitis Day and the new Autoimmune Encephalitis Month as a milestone. Where was I last year and where am I now? Some who have been floundering in a wilderness of lost memories have found their way or at least see a light at the end of their tunnel. Some are still, though making progress, struggling with issues others cannot even begin to imagine. Not only one year at a time but moment to moment. Some have been in comas only to wake up to a new truth, new situation, others are missing months or years of their lives. People they will never see again and new members of family and friends they are only meeting now. Such is the nature of Autoimmune Encephalitis. Your own body turning on you and messing up your brain. Sometimes making you hear, see, taste or smell things that are not there. Trying to make the family and friends in their lives understand the impossible.
March on brave warriors, continue to fight and savor your special month and the day set aside for you every year. May your lives look better next February.
Your generous Donations allow IAES to continue our important work and save lives! Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the need for our services has surged exponentially. Some cases of COVID-19 have affected the central nervous system and medical researchers are suspecting the infection could cause ADEM, type of Autoimmune Encephalitis. Donations of any size are vitally important to meet the increased need in our community. If you have the ability to set up a reoccurring monthly donation, it will be greatly appreciated and will immediately begin to help patients and families during this historic time.
Become an Advocate by sharing your story. It may result in accurate diagnosis for someone suffering right now who is yet to be correctly identified. Submit your story with two photos to IAES@autoimmune-encephalitis.org
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