6 months post-GBS

Hi everyone,

Thank you so much for sharing your experiences with GBS and CIDP. It was so helpful knowing that there were other people who had gone through this disease and managed to go back to normal lives.

I just want to share a little success story with you all, since hearing success stories from other people is what got me through the bad days. I was diagnosed with GBS in May after a fairly rapid progression left me partially paralyzed and barely able to walk or lift my hands above my head. One round of IVIG was not enough, and I had to go back for a second round two weeks later. I was really disheartened since I was due to start medical school in the fall and was afraid that I wouldn’t have the strength or endurance.

My classes started in mid-july, and although I was still weak and walking with a limp, I decided not to defer, and went ahead and started school. It was not easy, and there were nights that my residuals acted up so much I was sure I was having a GBS recurrence. I would come home from school exhausted and unsure of how I would find the strength to study. However, I persisted and things have been going pretty well – I finished my semester with almost all A’s, made some good friends and connections with students and faculty, and really enjoyed being a student. I still get residual symptoms, especially when I am tired (stiff ankles, feet and hands) but I am doing okay. I got my medical school diagnostic kit over chrismas and tested my reflexes, and actually managed to find one in my right leg for the first time since I got sick!!

One never knows what the future will bring, and although I hope this GBS nightmare is behind me forever, I know it is always possible I could get a recurrence. However, I have decided to live my life as normally as possible and try not to let my fear of this disease dictate how I live. If nothing else, this disease has taught me how precious life is and how lucky I have been!