Meningitis victim baffles doctors

Jun 14 2007 By Poppy Brady, Birmingham Mail

A FORMER builder told today how he had beaten the deadly brain bug meningitis EIGHT times over the past 11 years.

Phil Parry has been in and out of hospital ever since he was first struck down with the disease at the age of 35.

"At first doctors thought I had flu because they felt I might be too old to get meningitis," said Phil, of Needlers End Lane, Balsall Common, near Solihull.

"I was told to take paracetamol and go to bed, but four days later I collapsed and was unconscious for three days. Ever since then I've been in and out of hospital, but doctors are baffled at how well I seem to recover.

"I know when it is on the way because my mouth gets full of blisters. I don't get any rash until I've nearly recovered, which is when the skin on my feet starts to flake off, like a snake."

Phil, who suffers from lym-phonic meningitis, is now a carer for his partner Josie. He was prompted to contact the Birmingham Mail after reading about 19-year-old Hannah Laffoley, of Kings Heath, Birmingham, who has survived bacterial meningitis seven times.

Phil's younger brother James died of a different strain of meningitis 30 years ago, aged eight.

He added: "The worst side effect of all this is the 22 or 23 lumbar punctures I've had to have. I now have so much scar tissue that it takes longer each time to have one.

"I find when I'm having an attack that I get very short tempered and just want to be left alone."

Phil was in hospital for three days in February with his last attack and he hopes it will be some time before the disease strikes again.

He added: "I would say to anyone to challenge a diagnosis if you are told you just have flu.

"Many people suffer from meningitis and don't realise they have it."

Phil Parry says he is keen to help fellow meningitis sufferers. He can be contacted on 07847 555 393.