Jimmy Williamson, Gold Coast
When Jimmy Williamson woke up for his morning bodyboard session with a headache, he had no idea he would be fighting for his life hours later.
The 16-year-old was driven to Duranbah on Sunday but never entered the water, instead returning home to Burleigh and becoming progressively ill as bacterial meningitis took hold in his brain.
At first his parents thought he was coming down with a common bug but when he began thrashing about, screaming and falling over, they knew something was seriously wrong and called an ambulance.
The up-and-coming bodyboarder was given a dose of antibiotics and put into an induced coma at Gold Coast Hospital on Sunday night but when he showed no neurological response the following evening his parents were warned to prepare for the worst.
Thankfully, on Tuesday morning doctors were able to bring Jimmy out of the coma and he is now expected to make a full recovery, although he will be in hospital for at least another week.
"I'm so low in energy but I'm fine, I just definitely need more sleep," he said on Thursday.
"It's all right though, there's no surf at the moment so it makes up for it."
Jimmy is the third person in a fortnight to present to Gold Coast Hospital with pneumococcal meningitis, which kills about one quarter of those infected.
Director of medicine Dr John Gerrard said it was not an outbreak as the illness is non-contagious, but the cluster was indicative of how busy the hospital had been this winter, with more patients admitted then ever before. None of the three people admitted with pneumococcal meningitis had died but one patient lost vision in one eye.
"Meningitis is an infection of the lining of the brain and there are a number of difference causes - this is one of the bacterial causes," said Dr Gerrard.
"It can be difficult to pick early but typical symptoms include fever, a headache unlike any other, neck stiffness, photophobia (inability to tolerate bright light), confusion and drowsiness."
Dr Gerrard praised the efforts of Jimmy's parents, Arna and Richard, in getting their son to hospital quickly when his erratic behavior began. "He was unable to focus or have a lucid conversation and he began thrashing around on the couch and knocking his head against the wall," said Mrs Williamson, who is a registered nurse.
It was very scare and were just so incredibly lucky that we got him to hospital on time because it could have been a terrible outcome.
We really thought we were going to lose him, so emotionally its very difficult."
The Palm Beach Currumbin High School Year 11 student said the sudden illness has also been a shock for his bodyboarding mates, who brought him two boards signed by big names from along the coast, as far south as Yamba.
He even received an SMS from the sport's world No. 2, Ryan Hardy, currently competing in Chili, who has taken Jimmy under his wing since moving in next door to his family 12 months ago.
"Little Jim! I only heard about your news yesterday along with the rest of the world, heavy! So glad ur pullin thru bro! Talk soon," it said.
Jimmy said support from friends 'meant heaps' to him during what had been a crazy and scary time.
"What theyve done for me is pretty cool," he said.
The bodyboarder, who picked up three sponsors about six months ago, regularly competes in Gold Coast Bodyboard Club contests, took part in the national titles for the first time last year and has ridden the waves alongside top professionals at Rarotonga in the Cook Islands.
by Katie Miller (Health Reporter) [Gold Coast Bulletin]
