Living with Guillain-Barre Syndrome

A while back I was visiting relatives and I noticed I was slurring, when I got home I spoke to my daughter and she informed me at 57 yrs old to be careful cause some times ,slurring is a first sign of a stroke, so she kidnapped me and brought me to the hospital where they admitted me ran a weeks worth of tests and found nothing, well I went home and life went on as normal, except the slurring was there everyday along with drooling, I mean homer Simpson type of drooling, also my legs and arms were so tired and walking just to food shop was getting tuff.

I had a dr’s appt for something else and when I was at his office he noticed the slurring, he went to get his collegues and they listened to me talk. as they filed out of the room my doctor said if it’s what he thinks it is he ,in 27rs of practice never came upon a case, well he found his missing link. he had me go to a neuro, dr who specializes and he gave me info on it but I already went internet crazy and found out about all that can be found. he made one thing clear, that if for any reason my throat gets worse do not hesitate I repeat do not hesitate to get to the hospital, well that day came soon after when I could hardly swallow water, they admitted me immediately and began that plasma thing in a bag treatment, it would be 5 bags and they take aprox 8 hrs each.

well I was very very scared, I was on a liquid diet (dah)and after about the 3rd bag man like I had a new throat, I could swallow, I could gulp, ate everything and everything and got sick as a dog eating to much, after the 5th bag they sent me home, very weak in arms and legs, still on the meds, let me tell you, you gotta stick to the meds cause they are only a 4 hr pill and need to be in your system, if your doctor has not told you listen up, you can just be sitting home and bam you might not be able to walk, it can just strike all at once, they have me set up with out patient to do another episode of the bag treatment, a nurse come puts an iv in and again 8hrs a bag.

if theres any good to having this particular disease is that it can just burn out go away, it is definitely an life style alternating disease, my arms get so tired they bother me with just shampooing my hair. am I frightened? Very yes, but listen up take the meds and keep taking tem, they work this is not a common cold, be around for your grandkids and the ones that love you. bye for now.

John L.