QUEENSBURGH resident, Eileen Drever, was diagnosed with listeriosis three days after Christmas last year – after she suffered stroke-like symptoms.
The diagnosis led to the 75-year-old spending 21 days at Westville Hospital’s ICU ward followed by another two weeks in a general ward requiring physiotherapy twice a day.
Also read: Source of dangerous listeriosis still baffles authorities | Highway Mail
Eileen has lived in a flat in a retirement village in Queensburgh for three years, close to her sister, Rose Andrew’s home.
On the day she was admitted to hospital, Rose was visiting a relative in Hillcrest and Eileen tried to WhatsApp her but none of the messages made sense.
“At some point she was sending me random pictures that weren’t very clear and I knew something was up,” said Rose.
Rose was worried and she rushed to check on Eileen. She found her sitting upright on her couch not moving and slurring her words. It was then that Rose thought Eileen might have suffered a stroke.
“I asked my husband to get the car and we rushed her to hospital and after some tests the stroke was ruled out,” she said.
Eileen then lost the ability to walk and had multiple seizures and a lumbar puncture confirmed she had listeriosis.
Also read: Enterprise polony identified as source of SA listeriosis outbreak …
After being in hospital for more than a month she was moved to a rehabilitation hospital where she spent another month before going back to the retirement village’s frail care facility.
Eileen told Queensburgh News that she never really ate polony but did eat ham now and then. Even after having a hip replacement operation in the same year, she was able to bounce back from many setbacks until her Listeriosis diagnosis.
Eileen still can’t walk and needs assistance with most daily activities but her spirits are high and she looks forward to making a full recovery.
Her medical aid funds have been depleted. She hasn’t started paying for her frail care costs and she still has to pay for her flat.
“We could use all the help we can get, I am trying to sort out bills as they come but the reality is that we will struggle,” said Rose.
To get in touch with Rose call 072 696 6472.
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