The Iron Man: A Meningitis Miracle

How I beat a disease that almost killed me.

By Mike LaForgia, as told to Irene S. Levine, PhD
From Reader's Digest
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Photographed by Jessica Dimmock
Mike LaForgia was not only on his feet again only six months after surgery, but he was running with the help of high-tech prosthetics.
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Photographed by Jessica Dimmock/Redux
What a thrill to celebrate my recovery with Michael Jr. and Jenna over Italian food.
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Meningitis Survivor
Photographed by Jessica Dimmock
Mike LaForgia was not only on his feet again only six months after surgery, but he was running with the help of high-tech prosthetics.
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Fighting a Rare and Deadly Disease

I hold a special place in my close-knit Italian family. At 42, I'm the baby brother of three older sisters. My folks retired to Maine more than 20 years ago, and two of my sisters followed them. Since then, all of us get together with our families each year after Christmas Day. My wife, Donna, and I drive up and rent a big hotel suite in the coastal community of South Portland, where about 20 of us have dinner and usher in the New Year.

On December 31, 2004, after dinner, we were swimming in the indoor pool, just fooling around, playing hide-and-seek and having fun. At midnight, we gathered around the TV to watch the ball drop, kissed and hugged, and said goodbye to those who were leaving. Donna and I were exhausted after we got the kids to bed. Nine-year-old Michael and six-year-old Jenna had made the trip (12-year-old Kaelyn lives in Georgia with her mom). I think we fell asleep the minute we hit our pillows.

But I awoke just after 2 a.m. with what seemed like a nasty case of the flu. I had an excruciating headache and terrible chills. My body was shaking so violently that I was literally bouncing on the bed. Overcome by nausea, I spent the early-morning hours dragging back and forth to and from the bathroom.

We decided to cut our holiday short and head home to Smithtown, Long Island. Donna called my mom and dad to let them know that we were all leaving.

Donna loaded our bags into the SUV and got in the driver's seat while I sat next to her, knuckling down for the seven-hour trip. Michael, Jenna and our dog, Chip, a King Charles spaniel, were in the backseat. At one point, I threw up into a plastic bag. I knew it was horrifying for Donna and the kids to see me so sick and weak. I was an avid runner and athlete who prided himself in being strong and physically fit.

By the time we made it home, at around five that evening, I was barely able to drag myself upstairs to bed. It never occurred to us to go to a hospital, because we were so sure this was only the flu.

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My father died November 1990 of Septic/Meningitis, the only thing he had did was he had just taken a flu shot.Can you please tell me if the iron man in this article had a flu shot. I know of another case where a young man had also just had a flu shot and developed meningitis and died.I will never have a flu shot but I am interested to know if this is more common then we know. Thanks you, for sharing this story. C Evans

By C Evans, on 2009-10-15 18:45:27.727
This story mirrors one that, sadly, did not end in a miracle. My 39-year-old brother died in the ICU from sepsis. His symptoms were identical. It appeared to be the flu. These strains of infection are very deadly, yet we seldom hear about them. It was, and continues to be, a shock to our family.

By blevinse, on 2008-09-04 15:48:05.413

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