Gbs can re-occur, no doubt about it

good morning to everyone.

Sorry about my delay in responding to this particular thread. I had my first bout of GBS when I was 19 years old – full blown GBS (vent, plasmapheresis, 60+ days in the hospital with twice that time in rehab).

I had “almost” forgot about GBS completely, until Southern Missouri was devestated by the Ice Storm in 2007. I lasted 12 days more or less, and came down with a very rapid numbness in my feet legs and less than 24 hours later was on a vent again, with GBS a second time. This time was with a vent, another 60+ days in the hospital, IVIg multiple times, NG tube for multiple days.

I suppose what struck me when I read the posts was the worry, that was mentioned. I can’t say that I don’t worry – I even thought I was coming down with it again a couple of months ago. Again stress related and having a real hard time with somthing going on in life. I eventually calmed down and realized that I was creating a self-fulfulling prophesy if I was going to worry myself back into a hospital bed.

There are times that I wake up at night and my residual numb/cold/tingly/ice cube feet makes me think for an instant that I’m in trouble. So, I can’t say I never think about it, however I try not to dwell on it.

GBS for me, the second time around, was a bit of a blessing in a weird way. Long story short, we had a daughter and my wife was pregnant with our second little girl when I came down with it. During the ice storm, I shipped my wife and daughter out of town and brought in “refugee’s” into my house that had heat. We lost a couple of neighbor’s two houses away that had used a BBQ grill to heat their home. 9 full days without power and three more with intermittent power. Anyway GBS hit me like a sledgehammer.

I went from playing competitive softball on a travelling team at 31 years of age, to complete paralysis for the second time. The first time around I played collegiete level athletics, and was “grounded” if you will.

After GBS the second time, I spend more time at home, and with my family. My girls really enjoy me coming home and spending time with them. I’m able to do “most” things I could before. I’ve even built our new home (my wife and I did 50% or better of the construction…) for all of us. It just seems that I got GBS the second time for a very real reason. One that I can’t explain in this message.

Hang in there, and don’t worry yourself into poor health.

Be safe,