Andrew's Story: GBS

     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 with GBS make a full recovery. Andrew became very close with his therapists and documented what therapy looked like in each stage of recovery. In the onset stage, Andrew needed assistance with bed mobility, wound care, and bathroom care. During this stage, Andrew spent many hours in pain, and was unable to communicate his needs. The next stage was the plateau. Andrew's muscles were very thin and his tolerance to exercise was extremely limited. He worked on simple ADLs such as feeding, and movement was minimal. The third and final stage was recovery. Once Andrew reached this stage, he couldn't progress fast enough. Each day, he consumed approximately 3,000 calories to build muscle, and he spent around 5 hours in therapy. Within a few months, Andrew was back to doing the things he loved. 

    I chose to watch Andrew's story on YouTube because I wanted to learn more about GBS from a first-hand perspective. His video showed me how quickly the disease can turn for the worse and how difficult the recovery process can be. Another takeaway I have from Andrew's video is the importance of a client's care team. Toward the end of the video, Andrew stated that GBS is a family illness. His parents, siblings, and girlfriend were with him every step of the way. I believe this support was very motivating and reassuring for Andrew. As therapists, we should always include the family during treatment plans, and we should always take into consideration how a diagnosis can affect the caretakers. I would recommend this video to anyone who would like to learn more about GBS. Andrew's story was insightful and uplifting. 

Franek, Andrew J. (2017, Aug. 1). Andrew's story: Gullian barré syndrome. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VWvrHhs2jps