When my last son was born in 2003 I had a c-section. 3 months later I ended up in the hospital with meningitis caused by the West Nile virus. I also ended up having surgery for my gallbladder at the same time because they had misdiagnosed me as NOT having the meningitis three days before I entered the hospital.

I guess I should tell the whole thing huh. It's a bit confusing the way I just said it so heres the long version.

On a Sunday in May, the 11th to be exact, I was sitting at the computer and working, at home. My newborn baby was in his cradle behind me, peacefully sleeping. Alls well in my little world.

Without warning, I begin to feel dizzy, my neck starts stiffening and I feel like I'm going to vomit. I have a sudden understanding that I'm suffering from meningitis though I've never had these symptoms before. I call the nurse line and she tells me to call an ambulance after I explaine the symptoms. Instead, I call my sons Godfather to take me to the ER because I'm thinking I am not THAT sick. He takes me to the ER and the next thing I remembr is being told I need a spinal tap. Thjen it's two days later and I'm getting seen at my doctors office, my husband telling them that I have spent the past two days sleeping at home. I don't remember anything after the spinal tap except the doctor in the ER telling me I'm having an "atypical migraine" and NOT meningitis.

The next day, Wednesday, I'm getting an ultrasound of my gallbladder and, afterwards, I'm laying on the couch in the lobby of the hosital, yelling at my husband that I'm not going anywhere till I'm told what's wrong with me. While he's outside talking to my doctor on his cell, a wonderful nurse comes and talks to me for a minute, telling me that they will get me a room asap. Aparently my doctor actually LOOKED at my chart and saw I DID have meningitis and called the hospital to tell them to admit me.

The next morning, after a wonderful night of Dilaudid induced sleep, I was taken down for surgery after some tests. They removed my gallbladder and I went back to my room for recovery. I hadn't been able to eat or drink anything since the 11th, my surgery was on the 15th. I was dehydrated and had meningitis, tested positive for the West Nile virus and they still did surgery on me anyway. On the 18th, I was finally able to eat jello without barfing. on the 20th I went home, feeling like a train wreak.

I never really recovered from that 9 day period. Since then I've been in constant pain. Some days better than others and the exhaustion is unimaginable some days. It took 4 years for a firm diagnoses of Fibromyalgia. Ten different doctors and literally thousands of blood tests, medications, diet change, weight loss... I've done it all. It's been a hell of a ride. Thank heavens the bumpiest part is over.

Had my first panic attack when I was at work. Thought I was having a heart attack. After a month of various tests coming back normal, I was diagnosed with panic attacks.

Shortly after my youngest son was born in 2003, I started having anxiety when I'd go out. By the end of that year I'd stopped going out except to go to the Drs. and the grocery store. By the end of 2004 I stopped going anywhere but the drs. They put me on Xanax in 2000 but stopped in 2002 because I was pregnant.