‘We nearly lost her three times’
Family say teen on long road to recovery after battle with severe brain infection Just foiling around
It’s been a rollercoaster week for a teenager and her family who believed they would lose their daughter three times but say she is now recovering from a severe brain infection.
Alice Giltrap, 17, was taken into Whanganui Hospital with what was thought to be glandular fever on Monday last week. Within half an hour of arriving she stopped breathing.
“[Whanganui Hospital staff] brought her back, they revived her. The first two days we were told she was probably not going to make it,” said Alice’s mother, Maree Dowdle.
Staff at Whanganui Hospital then thought Alice had meningitis and she was flown to Wellington Hospital where she had a piece of her skull removed to allow the swelling in her brain to come down.
It is now believed she had encephalitis — a potentially lifethreatening inflammation of the brain, caused by infection.
Dowdle said her daughter, known by friends and family as a “cheeky, vibrant redhead”, was now showing some positive signs.
“On the third day she started to respond and smile. The nurses and doctors here [in Wellington] are shocked, they’ve never seen anyone with what she’s got wrong with her do what she’s doing.
“She can talk, smile, laugh and recognises us. And then she has periods where she sleeps a lot and is a bit forgetful — that should improve.”
Alice’s dad Bevan Giltrap was very relieved. “Considering this time last week we nearly lost her three times, she’s come a long way in a week.
“From near dead to talking, moving on the right-hand side — that’s quite a lottery ticket if you ask me.
“I’ve been through a lot in the last 10 years, I’ve experienced three deaths in my family. Having my only child going through that . . . it’s pretty hard.”
It will be a long road to recovery for Alice, Dowdle said.
“She has no movement all down her left side but can feel some touch so she’s going to need extensive rehab. She’ll have to learn how to walk again.”
Alice will be flown back to Whanganui within the next few days where she will stay in hospital and then a rehab unit for several months.
But despite the challenges ahead, Dowdle was confident her daughter would get through it.
“She’s got incredible willpower. The outcome is usually not good for that particular brain infection but she’s beaten the odds.”
Dowdle said Alice was popular with students at Whanganui Girls’ College where a mufti day fundraiser with the theme “Alice Beach” had been organised.
Family friend Christina Ivar has also started a Givealittle page to raise money for expenses with the family having to travel to and from Wellington as well as for some accommodation in the capital.
It will also go towards helping Dowdle care for Alice as she had to quit her part-time job to look after her daughter.
HFor a video go to nzherald.co.nz Waves don’t have to be perfect to surf, says Armie Armstrong.
The Raglan man proved this yesterday when he and mates surfed near Northcote Point.
“Today it was about 25 knots of wind southwest coming down the harbour . . . [it pushed] up enough wind cells so I could just ride the energy of the wind swell with the foil,” he said.
His business Armstrong Foils supplies foils to America’s Cup sailor Jimmy Spithill, who surfs with them for fun and to get a feel for how they work. World champion surfer John John Florence also uses the foils for training, Armstrong said.
“The beauty about hydrofoiling is just the sensation is really floating. Basically you are flying a wing in the water and I guess the closest thing you could compare it to is riding in perfect waist-deep powder.” Armstrong said the foil system could be used on a kite surfer, stand up paddle board, wake board and surf board.
Armstrong Foils will be at the Auckland on Water Boat Show at the Viaduct this weekend.