GBS│CIDP Foundation International DIY Fundraising

*TRIGGER WARNING*

My experience:

I had the most common type of Guillain Barre syndrome: AIDP/Acute inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy. What that means is that I had muscle weakness that started in my lower body and traveled up my entire body to my head. It took six days, 4 doctor's visits, and 2 emergency room visits for me to finally be admitted to the ER for long term admission. I was dismissed multiple times as being a "stressed vet student" since "vet students love to self-diagnose themselves." I was told again and again that I should take a Xanax, and in order for them to rule out anxiety, I was forced to take one. During these six days, I went from progressive muscle weakness in my legs to: profuse vomiting any time I ate or drank, face covered in gross oozy cold-sores, legs so painful and tingling/on-fire and so weak that I could not walk for long distances and I had to hobble or have my legs extended, and excruciating pain while sitting or lying down. My six day journey ended when I head a snap in my back and I fell to the ground, unable to move any part of my lower body to get back up. Around 4am Sunday morning, after waiting three hours at the ER, I was seen again.

The next seven days after finally being taken seriously and admitted to the ER where some of the scariest yet strangest times of my entire life. After the doctors performed a spinal tap and saw my protein levels in my CSF where many times higher than they should have been, they thought I either had GBS or multiple sclerosis. After hearing that I had both a stomach bug and a rabies vaccine within the past three weeks, they ruled it GBS. I was moved to the ICU, where I received a five-day treatment of  IVIG treatment. I was told that if my symptoms do not get better by the end of day three, they were going to have to resort to more desperate measures. This was because of my still declining signs. I had completely lost all feeling and ability to move my lower body, with almost my entire upper body function gone as well. I developed bells parsley on one side of my face, making it look like I had an almost evil grin at all times. I could not eat, and I could not urinate or defecate. My breathing keeping getting slower and slower with my oxygen saturation hitting dangerously low levels. I was teetering on a line where I was being monitored for potentially needing a ventilator. My resting heart rate was incredibly high, and I was also being monitored for potential heart attack watch as well. Having a man you barely know come into your room at 2am, saying you might need a ventilator and only 50% of people who go on one come off, is something that you will never forget. 

To read about my entire experience, click here:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1AhgSou8VCb2iW3U_32qkRsg962_K6eL95pISE-Jddhs/edit?usp=sharing​