SYDNEY, N.S. — Amber Barrett doesn't remember being sent home from work in March 2021. The now 30-year-old from Sydney doesn't remember spending weeks in ...
Amber Barrett in hospital in 2021, then 28 years old, hooked up to the machines that helped her breath and eat while battling severe symptoms from anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis. CONTRIBUTED - ContributedSYDNEY, N.S. — Amber Barrett doesn't remember being sent home from work in March 2021.
"It was scary," she said about waking up in hospital, unaware of what had happened over the past three months. While fighting the virus or cyst, the immune system also begins attacking the healthy NMDA receptor in the patient's brain. The next day, her mother, Debbie Burns, took her to the Cape Breton Regional Hospital emergency department for the first time. It was the first of many trips to the emergency, each time being given a diagnosis of depression and anxiety. At least eight times Barrett went to hospital from March 14-25, 2021. Three times were by ambulance.
While in hospital, they also discovered a tumour on Barrett's ovary. Later, it was discovered there was a tumour on both of her ovaries. During this time, Barrett would often choose not to talk because it was so difficult to find the words or carry on a conversation. Her mother and partner would find ways to encourage and engage her, helping her talk again.
"Through the whole thing because of COVID, I was only allowed to have the two visitors," said Barrett."And if it wasn't for my mother and Alex , my partner ... I don't know how I would have got through it like they were my biggest supporters through it all."The first case of anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis was diagnosed in Canada in 2008 in a 12-year-old girl in Ottawa.
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