Katie Thompson
ASMP Advocate

My journey with bacterial meningitis began in 2005 at the age of 18 when I was a freshman in college. One day I stood up from my dorm room desk to excruciating pain in my back and legs. I’d herniated a disc that compressed my spinal cord. I had surgery but then suffered complications and a few weeks later contracted bacterial meningitis (staphylococcus meningitis).

Those weeks battling meningitis were the most horrific time of my young life. It was a level of pain and suffering I would not wish on anyone. I was in and out of consciousness, but what I do remember is extremely traumatic.

 What followed were more weeks of bed-bound recovery and I had to be completely cared for by others. I knew then that I had to do something to help educate others and help spare them such torture as meningitis destroys not only lives but also families. I was eventually discharged to home nursing care and was determined to get back to school and return to college after a total of 6 months off.

I’ve had many more health issues since then. I now use a variety of mobility aids and have three spinal cord stimulators that help me live as independent a life as possible with the neurological damage I’ve sustained.

Meningitis still dominates every minute of my life almost 20 years later but for all it has taken from me, I’ve also been very blessed for what I’ve gone through. I now share my story as a patient advocate and I’m incredibly passionate about increasing meningitis awareness. I believe working together with organizations like ASMP is vital to winning the fight against this devastating disease.