Woman Forgets 20 Years Of Her Life After Catching A 'Cold'

Claire Muffett-Reece went to bed one night in 2021 with what she thought was a common cold. The next morning, she slipped into a coma for 16 days, from which she woke up having lost 20 years of memories. She has now opened up about the harrowing experience. 

Claire, who lives in Essex, UK, with her husband Scott and their two sons, Jack and Max, spoke about living with encephalitis or inflammation of the brain, which caused her to lose her memories. She appeared on the TV show Steph's Packed Lunch with her husband on February 22 to mark World Encephalitis Day. 

Tomorrow marks World Encephalitis Day, so catch me and @Chipfatinasock on @PackedLunchC4 to raise awareness of encephalitis and how serious it is#worldencephalitisday #red4wed #theencephalitissociety #encephalitis #abi #acquiredbraininjury #stephspackedlunch #channel4 pic.twitter.com/33VXkBiF5y

— Claire Muffett-Reece (@MrsMuffettReece) February 21, 2022

Speaking on the show, Scott revealed how his wife was rushed to the hospital after she started seizing one morning. 

"Claire, for around about two weeks, had been suffering from a cold that she picked up from our youngest, Max. Just gradually deteriorating, getting worse and worse, and getting more and more lethargic," he said, as reported by Ladbible.

"And then she went to bed the night before Father's Day, and in the morning, I couldn't wake her up," he added.

Claire was rushed to the hospital where she started seizing. Doctors put her on a ventilator before she was transferred to Royal London Hospital. While her condition was initially suspected to have been caused by a brain bleed, further tests revealed that she actually had encephalitis.

"I woke up and had forgotten the past 20 years - I couldn't remember my kids' birthdays"

Great article from Claire - a member of @encephalitis - who shares her story in @TheSun

Read now ???? https://t.co/DnHrINxWMa pic.twitter.com/OUlZ5veovX

— Encephalitis Society (@encephalitis) January 24, 2022

Encephalitis is inflammation of the brain, and one of its most common causes is viral infection. In most cases, it causes flu-like symptoms, but encephalitis can also be life-threatening and cause lasting damage, according to Mayo Clinic.

Claire told The Sun that her memory loss made her forget several significant life events. "Though I knew I had children I loved and recognised, I couldn't remember giving birth, their birthdays, first days at school, their likes or dislikes," she said.

"Thankfully, I remembered everyone I knew - I don't know how Scott would have coped if I'd thought he was a stranger," Claire added. 

"As for my lost memories, there's still a tiny chance they could return, but if not, I'll just have to make many happy new ones."