Your Pen Pal Al

      Gullian Barre Syndrome (GBS) affects approximately 3,000 Americans annually. It is a strange condition that rapidly attacks the immune system. Although definitive causes are unknown, GBS typically occurs after a viral infection.      Andrew's story is a prime example that GBS can affect anyone. Prior to his diagnosis, Andrew was healthy, active, and a young firefighter. In 2016, he was diagnosed with a case of Strep. This may or may not have been a correct diagnosis, but shortly after, he began showing symptoms for GBS. The symptoms started as numbness and tingling. Within days, Andrew was unable to walk and was admitted into the ICU. The condition kept progressing, and he was soon unable to eat or breathe on his own.      Thankfully, Andrew's story doesn't end here. After several gruesome weeks, Andrew entered the recovery phase. The best part about GBS is the prognosis. Although it takes a lot of time and effort, most people diagnosed...

      Multiple Sclerosis, or MS for short, is a rare neurological disease. Although medical professionals do believe there is a genetic component, causes and cures are unknown. Symptoms and their onset are both highly unpredictable. They may show up as numbness, tingling, fatigue, vision changes, and more.      In order to learn more about this mysterious diagnosis, I decided to read the blog titled " My Conscious Decision ." The author of this post wrote a real and genuine description of what it's like living with such a strange disease. Her vision, strength, balance, and heat tolerance have all been impaired. However, instead of reflecting on what has gone wrong in her life, she decided to focus on all that is good. Throughout my courses in OT school, it has been mentioned time after time how impactful a client's outlook is on their recovery and prognosis. Having a positive attitude of gratitude is one of the many "controllables" in our lives. Our outlook...

      Dani Izzie's story is proof that you can live a normal life after being diagnosed with a disability. When Dani was 23, she slipped on a bathroom floor and became paralyzed from the waist down. Today, she is considered quadriplegic with incomplete paralysis. She has paralysis in her fingers, triceps, abdominals, and back muscles. After receiving her diagnosis, Dani realized she had two options: she could either give up or continue to pursue her dreams.      Dani's positive outlook led her to pursing dating apps. She met her now husband Rudy, and in April of 2020 they were blessed with twin girls. Undoubtedly, Dani and Rudy faced many challenges. But who doesn't face challenges as first time parents? Not to mention, those with twins! Just as other successful parents do, Dani and Rudy adapt and support one another.      In the CBS news article, Dani described some of the hurtful backlash she and her husband received. People made comments d...

      Parkinson's Disease is one of the most prevalent neurodegenerative diseases. It produces a wide range of symptoms (motor and non-motor). There are a few hallmark signs that clinicians use to diagnose PD. These signs include bradykinesia (slowed movement), tremors, rigidity, and postural instability. Each of these hallmark signs can greatly impact a person's ability to walk. The more symptoms someone has, the more difficulty they will have getting around.      I recently read an article from Brain & Life titled "How to Improve Gait in Parkinson's Disease." This article did an excellent job of describing many different compensatory strategies that allow those with Parkinson's to walk efficiently and safely. Researchers composed seven different categories of compensatory strategies.  Among those seven are internal and external cues. Internal cues include motivation tactics such as telling yourself "ready, set, go" before moving. Another exampl...