"My heroes!"

I was on holiday in Beadnell and had the most horrendous headache, stiff neck and back ache. This had gone on for a few days and so I called to see if I could be temporalily registered at the Seahouses branch.

I got an appointment with an advanced nurse at 8.45am the next morning and the staff bent over backwards to help me get an appointment - even suggesting the other practise Belford if I'd had no luck.

I went on at 8.43am and went straight into my appointment. I was told I had a tension headache and to keep on with paracetamol and ibuprofen.

A few hours later and things took a turn for the worse.

I became confused, disorientated and couldn't speak properly.

My parents rushed me back to the GP surgery where a lovely member of staff came running out to see if they could help.

They said to my parents to get me straight to A and E and offered to call can ambulance.

She told my parents it would possibly be a 3 hour wait time and maybe driving me would be quicker.

I don't remember anything from around this point but apparently I was taken to A and E, had a CT scan straight away and taken to intensive care and sedated.

I ended up, after many tests and observations, having encephalitis which is a serious brain infection.

You need to be on antiviral treatment as soon as possibe to avoid brain damage.

Just wanted to say thank you so much for reacting so quickly and helping my parents stay calm in such traumatic circumstances.

I have managed to get rid of the infection after 14 days of IV treatment and I'm on the mend.

I'm am so lucky to have been looked after so well.

Thank you thank you thank you xxxx