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| Meningitis teenager shares photos to raise awareness | Meningitis teenager shares photos to raise awareness |
| (about 17 hours later) | |
| A teenage girl who nearly died from meningitis has shared photos of her rash-covered body in an attempt to raise awareness of the disease. | A teenage girl who nearly died from meningitis has shared photos of her rash-covered body in an attempt to raise awareness of the disease. |
| Charlene Colechin, 18, described how her organs failed, causing her "to die" until doctors managed to save her. | Charlene Colechin, 18, described how her organs failed, causing her "to die" until doctors managed to save her. |
| The hair stylist, from near Chesterfield in Derbyshire, has been in hospital for a month and spent nine days in a medically induced coma. | The hair stylist, from near Chesterfield in Derbyshire, has been in hospital for a month and spent nine days in a medically induced coma. |
| She still faces surgery to remove her toes and possibly her feet. | She still faces surgery to remove her toes and possibly her feet. |
| Miss Colechin said she had bacterial meningitis - which is rarer but more serious than viral meningitis. | |
| "I had the meningitis jab but it only covered viral meningitis," she said. | |
| Speaking from hospital, Miss Colechin said she felt lucky to be alive. | Speaking from hospital, Miss Colechin said she felt lucky to be alive. |
| "I was screaming because I was in that much pain," she said. | "I was screaming because I was in that much pain," she said. |
| "I kept throwing up, then I had a really bad headache like a migraine, and all my body was aching." | "I kept throwing up, then I had a really bad headache like a migraine, and all my body was aching." |
| How meningitis is spread | How meningitis is spread |
| Meningitis is usually caused by a bacterial or viral infection. | Meningitis is usually caused by a bacterial or viral infection. |
| Bacterial meningitis is rarer but more serious than viral meningitis. | Bacterial meningitis is rarer but more serious than viral meningitis. |
| Infections that cause meningitis can be spread through: | Infections that cause meningitis can be spread through: |
| Meningitis is usually caught from people who carry these viruses or bacteria in their nose or throat but aren't ill themselves. | Meningitis is usually caught from people who carry these viruses or bacteria in their nose or throat but aren't ill themselves. |
| It can also be caught from someone with meningitis, but this is less common. | It can also be caught from someone with meningitis, but this is less common. |
| Source: NHS Choices | Source: NHS Choices |
| Paramedics were called out on 6 September but thought she had flu because she did not have any marks. | Paramedics were called out on 6 September but thought she had flu because she did not have any marks. |
| However, her condition worsened and marks appeared the following day, when paramedics rushed her to hospital. | However, her condition worsened and marks appeared the following day, when paramedics rushed her to hospital. |
| "Within minutes I was on a drip in the ambulance on the way to Chesterfield Hospital," she said. | "Within minutes I was on a drip in the ambulance on the way to Chesterfield Hospital," she said. |
| "I was in a coma for nine days because all my organs were failing. | "I was in a coma for nine days because all my organs were failing. |
| "I did die but obviously they brought me back." | "I did die but obviously they brought me back." |
| She is now waiting for tests to see what parts of her feet will need to be amputated. | She is now waiting for tests to see what parts of her feet will need to be amputated. |
| "My heels are black," she said. "That could mean dead tissue, which could be infected and which could go up my legs." | "My heels are black," she said. "That could mean dead tissue, which could be infected and which could go up my legs." |
| She hopes that sharing her photos will prevent other people from the life-changing effects of the disease. | She hopes that sharing her photos will prevent other people from the life-changing effects of the disease. |