An Australian fitness influencer’s holiday in Bali took a terrifying turn after she contracted a potentially life-threatening brain infection, leaving her hospitalised in the intensive care unit (ICU).
Khiana Smith, a 23-year-old fitness coach, was admitted to a hospital on the Indonesian island after a trip through Europe. Since then, she has been sharing updates about her condition through a series of videos on social media.
In a TikTok video shared on October 23, Smith revealed that she had been taken to the intensive care unit (ICU) with brain swelling and a suspected life-threatening brain infection, the PEOPLE reported.
“It’s actually insane how fast life can change,” she said in the video, which she filmed from her hospital bed with an intravenous (IV) drip visible in her arm. She added that just a week earlier, she had been travelling with friends on a girls’ trip.
In a follow-up video shared on October 25, Smith revealed that doctors had diagnosed her with meningitis. However, they were yet to determine whether she had contracted the bacterial or viral form of the infection. She said doctors were treating her for bacterial meningitis as a precaution.
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23-year-old recalls symptoms before hospitalisation
{{/usCountry}}(Also Read: Woman says she returned from India with a metre-long tapeworm and 38 parasites in her brain)
23-year-old recalls symptoms before hospitalisation
{{/usCountry}}Recalling how the ordeal began, Smith said she woke up with the “worst headache”. She explained that the pain was so intense that she could barely get out of bed or open her eyes properly. “I was really sensitive to light. I couldn’t stand up without falling over,” she added.
The 23-year-old said that she suffered through the symptoms for an entire day, hoping for the best. However, she woke up the following morning feeling “10 times worse”. She was eventually taken to the hospital in an ambulance, where medical tests revealed the infection.
In a subsequent update, Smith said she had initially shown signs of improvement and was moved out of the ICU. However, she had to be shifted back to intensive care after experiencing persistent head pain, light sensitivity and slurred speech.
She also revealed that she had been experiencing memory loss and had not yet received medical clearance to travel due to the swelling in her brain.
According to a report by news.com.au, Smith’s mother, Cass, took the first available flight to Bali after learning about her daughter’s condition. “There is nothing more terrifying than knowing your child is fighting for her life in a foreign country and you’re thousands of kilometres away, unable to hold her hand,” she told the outlet.
Her mother also highlighted the importance of having travel insurance, saying Smith’s hospital expenses would be covered because she had purchased an insurance policy before leaving Australia.
“Thankfully I had convinced her to take it out before she left, and she listened to me for once. I think it is so important for anyone who travels to understand the importance of having insurance,” she said.
Influencer reflects on sudden health scare
Reflecting on the experience, Smith said the ordeal had made her realise how quickly life could change.
In an Instagram Stories update shared on Sunday, she recalled how she had been enjoying her dream holiday in Europe just weeks earlier before finding herself fighting a serious infection in a hospital in Bali. “Only a few weeks ago, I was travelling Europe on a DREAM holiday. Healthy, happy and living life. Never did I imagine I’d be lying in a hospital bed fighting something so serious just weeks later,” she wrote.
“Going from being so active and independent to barely having the energy to get out of bed has been incredibly confronting. If there’s one thing this experience has taught me, it’s that your health really is everything. Life can change so quickly, and we often take the smallest things for granted,” she continued.
“Still a journey ahead, but I’ve never been more grateful for my body, my family and simply being here. What a privilege it is to be healthy and able to move your body,” Smith concluded.