I have what?
Now that I was staying awake more with each passing day, the severity of my situation slowly became real. I found out I had a rough 6 weeks - near death, including a cardiac arrest due my bradycardia which required a temporary external pacemaker, getting blood clots in my lungs and left leg due to my PICC line, issues with low blood pressure and pneumonia. I received many treatments of IVIG (Intervenous Immunoglobulin), common treatment for this disease. Interesting I had all these complications at the same time I was having those vivid dreams. Wonder if there is a connection?
When I awoke, I could not move my limbs and I did not have a voice. All I had was facial expressions to communicate. I was scared. Dr. Zuege came in my room when I was awake, he asked for his smile, which I gave him. He finally told me that I had Guillian Barre Syndrome or GBS. What the heck was that diagnosis? It seems a bacteria such as Campylobacter (found in under-cooked chicken) attacks and destroys your peripheral nerves’ myelin sheath leading to a person’s paralysis. For me, my paralysis was from my forehead to toes. In the beginning I have been told I had whites for eyes, then the paralysis recovered where I was able to communicate by blinking my eyes followed by the eyebrows.
It is unfortunate the type of GBS I contracted was one of the worst cases the doctors have seen. Even though there is no known cause/reason for getting GBS nor is there a no known cure for this disease; documentation on the disease the campylobacter infection followed by days of diarrhea mixed with a probably low autoimmune system (working too much extra hours) and being over 40 years of age (45 at the time of onset of symptoms) created a perfect storm for getting the disease, and how severe my case is , in my estimation. The cure is dependent on the regeneration of the peripheral nerve and their myelin sheath in my body and regeneration is only 1mm per day.
So many emotions I was feeling I didn’t know where to start. All I know is I have a very long haul in my recovery. I was so happy to have my mom by my side. Something makes you feel better when your mom is there to hold your hand, brush your forehead with her hand or tell you that you are okay.
When I awoke, I could not move my limbs and I did not have a voice. All I had was facial expressions to communicate. I was scared. Dr. Zuege came in my room when I was awake, he asked for his smile, which I gave him. He finally told me that I had Guillian Barre Syndrome or GBS. What the heck was that diagnosis? It seems a bacteria such as Campylobacter (found in under-cooked chicken) attacks and destroys your peripheral nerves’ myelin sheath leading to a person’s paralysis. For me, my paralysis was from my forehead to toes. In the beginning I have been told I had whites for eyes, then the paralysis recovered where I was able to communicate by blinking my eyes followed by the eyebrows.
It is unfortunate the type of GBS I contracted was one of the worst cases the doctors have seen. Even though there is no known cause/reason for getting GBS nor is there a no known cure for this disease; documentation on the disease the campylobacter infection followed by days of diarrhea mixed with a probably low autoimmune system (working too much extra hours) and being over 40 years of age (45 at the time of onset of symptoms) created a perfect storm for getting the disease, and how severe my case is , in my estimation. The cure is dependent on the regeneration of the peripheral nerve and their myelin sheath in my body and regeneration is only 1mm per day.
So many emotions I was feeling I didn’t know where to start. All I know is I have a very long haul in my recovery. I was so happy to have my mom by my side. Something makes you feel better when your mom is there to hold your hand, brush your forehead with her hand or tell you that you are okay.
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