In August 2015, Tina found out that she was pregnant. She started suffering from headaches and felt more tired but put it down to her pregnancy and continued her work as a support worker despite not feeling herself.

“My last day I remember is completing a long day shift in a care home about a 40 minute drive from my home not feeling right phoning my sister and saying- I have just drove all the way back from Deal but I can’t remember getting home or what way I drove”.

As recalled by her sister Stacey, Tina started not sleeping and her behaviour changed. She has become obsessed with drinking water since the GP told her that she was dehydrated – in 24 hours Tina consumed about 20 litres of water. Thinking that she may have a mental health breakdown, her family took her to hospital. The Nurse Practitioner assessed her and concluded that Tina was just stressed. She was advised to go home, have a bath and relax. On the next day, her behaviour changed drastically: Tina was talking to the pictures of her recently deceased relatives, repeating herself and not finishing sentences. She ended up running away from her family, on the dual carriage way without any concept of danger or reality. The police arrested Tina under section 136 and took her off to the local mental health hospital.

Over the next week, Tina wasn’t making any progress, but deteriorating even more. Following the development of seizures, Tina was taking to the A&E where she has had various tests performed, but no closer to a diagnosis. She was moved to ICU and then to a tertiary hospital where she was diagnosed with anti-NMDAR encephalitis. An ultrasound showed that the baby was healthy, but the cyst was measuring 11cm so roughly the size of the baby as well. Tina deteriorated rapidly and she was put in an induced coma for about eight days. Tina stayed in hospital for nearly five months. She had to learn to walk, eat and talk again and also adjust to the new life whilst her pregnancy bump continued to grow. At 33 weeks, she delivered a healthy baby girl. After the birth, over the next few days and weeks, Tina started to recover a lot quicker although her short term memory problems persisted.

“I wish I could remember what my bump looks like or giving birth but I don’t I feel robbed of something so precious”

Six months later, Tina was diagnosed with a 16cm ovarian teratoma which was removed and after testing, found to be the cause of her anti-NMDAR encephalitis.

Find out more about the symptoms of encephalitis here.

Story published April 2025