Source : Perth Now news
Juttima Chinnasri was at work when she started to “feel a bit off” with a headache, fever, and nausea but “didn’t think too much of it” at the time.
The then 28-year-old decided to leave work early and booked an appointment with her GP for the following day but her condition deteriorated overnight.
“I woke up with vomiting, diarrhoea, and then eventually I saw the rash, the purple rash in the mirror,” Ms Chinnasri said.
“The last thing I remember was the doctors telling me that I’m very, very sick, and I went into septic shock,” she said.
She next remembers waking one week later from an induced coma.
“I couldn’t speak because I had a tube in me. I had a needle in my neck for the dialysis. I could see that my hands and feet were going black already. So, I had a feeling that I would probably lose them,” she said.
After 25 days in the ICU trying to fight off sepsis that was damaging her organs, Ms Chinnasri had both her legs amputated below the knee, and later lost her fingertips.
Ms Chinnasri knew about meningococcal disease through her medical science studies but outside of what she had learned at university, hadn’t heard much about it.
Ms Chinnasri has joined forces with renowned artist Vincent Fantauzzo as part of a new public awareness campaign as experts warn upcoming events such as ‘Schoolies’ and large gatherings for festive celebrations are prime conditions to spread the bacteria.
“Meningococcal disease is rare, but it is a serious and potentially life-threatening infection that can progress rapidly,” leading public health and infectious diseases expert Associate Professor Daryl Cheng said.
“Infants, adolescents and young adults are at higher risk, so parents, carers and young people need to be vigilant, particularly as early symptoms can be non-specific and may easily be mistaken for a cold, flu or simply being run down,” Prof Cheng said.
“While the risk of contracting invasive meningococcal disease is low, knowing the signs and acting quickly if symptoms appear is critical,” he said.
He said the meningococcal bacteria can spread quickly through sneezing, coughing, or kissing.
The disease is often accompanied by a red or purple rash, but experts warn not everyone develops a rash and symptoms – including headaches, fever, vomiting, neck stiffness, drowsiness, sensitivity to light, or confusion – may not appear all at once.
Those aged between 15 and 19, and children under 4 are considered most at risk, although it can impact anyone.
“I want young people to be able to learn the signs and symptoms and trust their body, trust their instinct, and really seek medical attention if something is wrong,” Ms Chinnasri said.
As part of the campaign, Ms Chinnasri posed for an art class at Melbourne’s RMIT overseen by Fantauzzo.
“Portraiture is such a personal way of telling someone’s story,” the artist said.
“Juttima’s incredible story offered an opportunity to bring the realities of invasive meningococcal disease to life in a way that goes beyond words.
“Having someone right in front of the students, sharing such a personal experience and building a connection, allowed them to connect with the story and interpret how it made them feel through their art.”
Before meningococcal, Ms Chinnasri was doing her master’s degree and working full-time but after losing her limbs, she had to relearn everything.
“At first it was just with a lot of help and then as I progressed I ended up going to rehab twice a day to do physio to get myself ready for the prosthetic legs,” she said.
“Then I had an OT session where I had to relearn how to hold a pen, how to hold a fork and spoon, how to transfer to have a shower.
“Eventually when I got prosthetic legs, I had to relearn how to take a step again.”
Ms Chinnasri said a lot of the students involved in the class didn’t know about meningococcal disease or how serious it was.
Ms Chinnasri said she wouldn’t be where she is today without her family who were with her from the start.
“Without them I wouldn’t be able to survive this whole experience to be where I am today and be able to talk about it and raise awareness for it,” she said.
“They were there every day, they supported me through this whole thing whether it was helping me be independent again or supporting me morally.”
Meningitis Centre Australia CEO Karen Quick said the “ripple effect” from just one case of meningococcal can be extensive.
Families often carry an emotional burden – seeing a loved one so sick or fighting for their life can be a very frightening experience,” Ms Quick said.
“Whatever the outcome, it’s an experience most people will never forget. The more we talk about the symptoms and different types of meningococcal disease, the better chance we have of protecting young people.”
