Things We Take for Granted

The ability to:

• grip a toothbrush
• walk to the bathroom
• raise your arms to shampoo your hair
• dial phone numbers
• write
• open ketchup packets

With Guillain-Barré, you get weaker and weaker until you hit rock bottom—a point that's different for each patient. Then you plateau at the bottom for awhile before things improve.

We don't know when rock bottom will occur, but right now Matt's ability to move is disappearing more each day. Gross motor skills are labored and fine motor skills are practically impossible. In worst-case scenarios, paralysis spreads to the lungs, at which point a respirator becomes necessary. But the docs tell us Matt seems to have a relatively mild case. We're grateful for that.

Let's just hope for a speedy recovery!