A serious disorder that occurs when the body's defense (immune) system mistakenly attacks part of the nervous system. This leads to nerve inflammation that cause muscle weakness.
I remember so well the day I noticed my youngest daughter sitting on the steps that led to the upstairs bedroom. She would sit on one step and then scoot up to the next step. She was doing this instead of walking up the steps. I just thought she wanted to do this instead of walking up the stairs and did not comment on this even though I saw her do this several times during the day. Soon after that she came to me and said "mama I can't put my barrette in my hair"
I commented "what do you mean" she shared she could not squeeze the clasp. I put the barrette in her hair and immediately I knew something was wrong.
We had moved to the country farm home a number of years earlier but since she was 11 years old I still took her to the pedatrician in Nashville. I called and had an appointment the next day. She was checked, many questions asked and I do not remember if they did blood work at that time. I do know that my baby girl was admitted into Vanderbilt Children's Hospital for more tests.
The results Guillain Barre. Another name is French Polio. I had never heard of such a disorder. It surely unsettled this mother. It turned out to be what they called a mild case but the constant fear of how far it would progress never left me. I read everything I could pertaining to this disorder.
Even though it was mild it was disturbing that summer to see my healthy young daughter become thinner and weak concerning her walking and arm skills. It progressed during the summer and then suddenly started going away. The good thing was this was the end of the school year in the Spring and she was well enough in the Fall to return to school.
Who knows what makes memories arise from out of our consciousness. During the night this memory surfaced. I realize more and more that I have some deep memories that are surfacing on their own. Some of them happy, some sad and some very painful. We all have our stories, special memories and dreams.
Some more sharing on this One Woman's Journey Through This Life.
6 comments:
How well I know what you mean. One of my daughters was diagnosed with Henoch Schonlein Purpura when she was a senior in high school. I won't go into it but she was no longer able to be a cheerleader and had to be on steroids most of the year. It affects the skin and can cause kidney failure. I get scared to this day that it will come back.
My memory is about my son who was six at the time. He kept running a fever and we would rush him to the doctor's office and he was given antibiotics, the fiver kept rising until he became so listless that he didn't move. Each night was a repeat trip to the doctors. The third night his temperature was 106 and I was so scared I went in the closet to cry so he wouldn't see me. The doctor finally did what he should have done in the beginning; he took a throat culture. Mark had strep throat and two of the germs thrived on antibiotics.
Oh my Guillian Barre.. thanks for sharing about your daughter and so glad a mild case.
Yes looking at photos often brings tears..lots of tears for me.
I love Sunday's post picture: the garden man.
Now I wish I hadn't give away all my clay pots before our household items went into storage 5 years ago.
I sure would like a garden man like that!
And the food cooking sounds just perfect.
Mim
I am too so happy it was mild. I knew she seemed fine now as I read her blog. Hope you have nice dreams tonight. Maybe of being in the country...
It is impossible to live as long as we have and not have important good and bad memories. And like you, my memories sometimes just pop into my brain. Something I had long forgotten. Thus is life. I am so glad that she got better. The absolutely worst is when our children are seriously ill.
Judy, Darlene, Mim, Beverly and Tabor thank you for the kind comments. Yes, memories - it seems so many times mine pop up in the middle of the night. At this stage of life there are so many that maybe they are surfacing to get them out of the way for new ones. LOL
Post a Comment