Reply To: Effects of GBS over 2 years later

I was wondering about Center of Excellence facilities. Have you had any past experience with them?

I was in college in Vermont when I first contracted GBS. After graduating, I made a key decision: move to a warmer climate for graduate school – in Florida or California. So, I ended up in Berkeley – no snow nor ice. Very easy to get around. I tried cross-country skiing in the Sierras but could not stay upright. That was it for the snow for me – I let my boys and wife do the skiing while I stayed home.

I wore braces immediately after I got GBS. But after a few months, I did not need them. But now I do need them (after 46 years without them). I think there is general wear and tear as one gets older, and the way I walked probably led to more stress on legs and ankles (fortunately, not knees). When I am outside, I expect to wear braces in my tennis shoes all year round – with long pants. In the house, I currently don’t use braces – I am stable and I am not walking around a lot. But this may change …. one step at a time. 🙂

And while disappointed and somewhat frustrated with the turn of events, I am also grateful, especially when knowing that there are worse things out there – a few of my close friends have cancer, far worse than braces.

Let’s hope for a good 2018.