The Only Way is Essex star Jordan Brook has been in hospital for weeks and said he doesn’t know how long he will be there
Jordan Brook has opened up on his meningitis diagnosis(Image: Jordan Brook/Instagram)
The Only Way is Essex star Jordan Brook has revealed he has been diagnosed with viral meningitis and encephalitis – a life threatening brain condition.
The TV star, 31, has spent weeks in hospital as doctors struggled to identify the cause after he became seriously ill.
Now doctors have made the life-threatening diagnosis after CT scans, lumbar punctures and MRIs.
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Encephalitis is a rare but serious condition in which the brain becomes inflamed, according to the NHS.
In a video shared from his hospital bed, Jordan said: “This is the first time I’ve really been able to speak strong enough about what’s going on.
“There’s been a lot of speculations as to why I’m here and what’s going on and there’s a few comments and people saying things that this is my diagnosis that I got yesterday.
(Image: Instagram/Jordan Brook)
“I’ve been diagnosed with not one but two joining viruses that are attacking a similar part of my body. I have got viral meningitis and encephalitis together.
“That’s the inflammation of the brain and the lining around it. So this isn’t something small or minor.
“I had CT scans, MRI Lumbar scans, lumbar punctures. With round-the-clock care since I’ve been in this hospital.
“I’m on IV drips, everything antiviral, pain management, physio, seizure monitoring, to minor seizure risk at the minute.”
The TOWIE star, who is expecting his first child with Sophie Kasaei, added: “But unfortunately the swelling on my brain is getting worse. Really, really tough, even with the simple day-to-day activities and normal things that aren’t easy right now.
“So this is what I’m dealing with day-today. I’m on day 11 of treatment and I’d like to reach out to everyone and say just be careful what you read online and be conscious of some things that people are writing.
“Commenting this isn’t like a joke or people are writing that I’m a lot worse than I am and there’s big C-words being dropped and things like that it isn’t that but there’s swelling on my brain it’s really bad it’s up to my meds my steroids to try and get the swelling down I don’t know how much longer I’m going to be [in hospital].”
He continued: “My focus right now is simple I need to get healthy.
“My Sophie’s been amazing and she’s growing my precious baby boy. I just want to be a young, healthy dad, home for my family, with my baby, that’s the goal. This won’t beat me.
“I will get out of this. Thank you to all my family and my friends, everyone’s messages that have been coming through and keeping us all going.”