Ashley Andreasen, a 15-year-old girl, died on Friday from bacterial meningitis, barely a day after her father took her to the emergency room as she complained of a severe headache. It looks like Ashely's immune system may have been weakened from a bout of mononucleosis three months ago.

 

She was taken to the hospital, and while doctors ran a few tests, Ashley began having small seizures and her speech became incoherent.

Afterwards, doctors decided to perform a spinal tap, with the help of which they determined Ashley's spinal fluid was infected with the bacteria. She was taken to Children's Hospital in Omaha, put into a CAT scan around midnight, but she was already brain dead. More than 100 of her friends came to the hospital to support Ashley, but no wonder happened.

 

Mr. Andreassen, Ashely's father, decided to donate her organs in order to save other lives with them. Health officials have announced that Ashley's symptoms were traced back to Christmas time, when she was on winter break, so they don't believe anyone else at the school presents a risk for infection.

 

What is meningitis? Well, it's caused by a bacterial or viral infection of the cerebrospinal fluid and the inflammation that results can cause brain damage. However, bacterial-based meningitis, what Ashley had, is much more severe than when the infection has viral origins. About 3,000 cases of meningitis are discovered each year, and 10 to 12 percent of those cases are fatal. An infection carries flu-like symptoms, including headaches, nausea, vomiting, a stiff neck, sweats and rashes.

 

Ashley's visitation will be held from 5 pm to 8 pm on Wednesday, at Cutler-O'Neill Funeral Home in Council Bluffs.