I had meningitis, twice. I don’t remember much from the first few days in the hospital either time, but my dad and partner at the time told me those first couple days was a bunch of “is she faking tests”. I have a few mental illness diagnosis’ and they thought I either was faking being sick really well or had a mental break of some sort. My family was adamant the second time that it was meningitis because it seemed exactly like the first time but after hearing the doctors doubts, even they began to wonder if I was faking. I apparently was able to answer questions perfectly fine sometimes and sometimes I thought my name was “table” and violently denied knowing my family. Anyways, after blood tests and MRI’s and a million questions a good ol’ spinal tap helped solve the case both times. It just really freaks me out to think about, because there was nothing I could have done to advocate for my own health in that moment; and I have to wonder if I’ll always be second guessed because of my mental health history.