Part one of A First Step - Understanding Guillain-Barr Syndrome is a true, blow-by-blow account of the Author's encounter, as a healthy Canadian businessman, with a rare and devastating disease, Guillain-Barr Syndrome (G.B.S. for short). It describes his seven-month long struggle for life in 'Intensive Care' after receiving a grim prognosis, and his subsequent dogged determination to overcome the effects of that disease. The second part is devoted to short stories based on dreams and hallucinations experienced whilst he was in 'Intensive Care', which in themselves reveal something of what a patient was going through. They also serve to illustrate the narrow boundary between reality and the dream world, and which whilst making for entertaining reading, could possibly be the subject of further study. Although the Author is a layperson, in medical terms, it is believed this book will be an important aid to medical professionals and care-givers, providing as it does, new insights and a unique perspective on the effects, not only of the disease, Guillain-Barr Syndrome, but also of the handling and care of any long-term intensive care patient, and their subsequent rehabilitation. For the curious, it will answer many questions. For G.B.S. patients and their families it should provide inspirational reading. The foreword to the book has been written by Dr Frank Warshawski, MD, FRCPC, Director of Intensive Care, Rockyview General Hospital, Calgary. In addition to that prestigious involvement, the Author has been fortunate in receiving permission to use other material authored by exceptionally well qualified medical professionals, for which due credit is given in the 'Acknowledgements' section of the book, enabling him to produce not only an interesting publication, but an informative and educational one. In short, a 'must read' and deserving of a place on any medical bookshelf.

This book is about three people from different walks of life, each of whom experienced a life-changing episode of Guillain-Barré Syndrome. Three dramatic stories in one. Firstly, a story of the Author's remarkable almost complete recovery following his encounter with the syndrome. It is a frank and personal account of his struggle to regain much of what he had lost in bodily function during one year of hospitalisation. It should provide inspiration and possibly answer so many questions typically asked by others afflicted with this syndrome. Secondly, case studies written by two co-author contributors, one a Calgary Veterinarian and mother of two, the other a retired Vancouver resident who was struck with Guillain-Barré Syndrome whilst shopping for a boat in England. "There is no single answer to the question as to how life may change after recovery from this disorder. Each case appears to be unique. That is why I have chosen to include, not just a record of my partial recovery, but also the recovery record of two additional people, each different from one another's and each certainly different from mine (Author's Preface)". "We eventually identified a boat—only three feet short of what we had wanted— that was within our budget. At this point Heather's brother, who lived nearby, said he would like a share in the boat, to which we agreed. During this discussion in his house I had to ask him to refrain from smoking, as my throat was quite sore. I was feeling rather run down and often felt cold. About the same time on a Saturday, I felt a tingling in the finger tips of my left hand and found they were a bit swollen. I mentioned it to Heather, but it did not seem serious. It was, however, the first sign that I had contracted GBS. If only I had known, the treatment might have been started earlier! (Patrick Hill)" "Probably the worst face of Guillain-Barré Syndrome is the effect it has on loved ones. Severe, or not, chronic or not, it matters little to the supporting family at the bedside of a patient. Fear, puzzlement, and apprehension are all experienced by the loved ones. Reading the case histories of Sarah and Patrick, one learns how their spouses also suffered many frightening experiences, but in spite of all that, they remained – obviously without second thought, hesitation or doubt. True to their marriage vows, they provided so much love, care and support. That was the shared experience among the three of us (Author: Epilogue)."

Guillain Barre Syndrome is strange combination of symptoms that includes paralysis in varying degrees. It strikes men and women, young and old. Often the primary care physician has difficulty diagnosing a GBS patient. After the symptoms have peaked and recovery has begun, patients expect to regain their old routines. However, many find their lives have changed in some way. A quest for information and a need to be connected with other GBS patients led Ann Brandt to walk a different path, away from community college teaching and toward writing and liaison work with other GBS patients. Patients need to feel connected with others. They are hungry for information about others’ experiences with the disease. Read how a sense of humor, faith in God, and a stubborn nature can work in recovery.

Fully updated and revised, the second edition of The Practice of Emergency and Critical Care Neurology puts a more modern approach on the practice of emergency neurological care. When most texts within the field focus on the theoretical aspects, this book concentrates on the management of neurologic conditions, recognition of deterioration of neurologic functions, neurosurgical procedures, and immediate interventions. This text also presents hard data to explain why we do what we do. Dr. Wijdicks condenses essential information into several sections comprising of the principles in recognizing critically ill neurologic patients in the emergency department, the evaluation of symptoms indicating critical emergency, general principles of managing critically ill patients, monitoring devices and diagnostic tests, complete management of specific disorders in the neurosciences intensive care unit, postoperative neurosurgical and neurointerventional complications, management of medical complications, and end of life care. Key Features of the New Edition include 1. Additional chapters on critical consults in surgical and medical ICUs, critical care management, and comprehensive monitoring and biomarkers to reflect new research; 2. Rich illustrations using color photos of patients and drawings of important basic concepts of mechanism of acute neurologic disease; 3. Fully updated and comprehensive reference list; 4. A pocket book of selected tables and figures covering all essential points for quick reference and as a survival guide for house staff. This is the go-to guide for every physician, staff neurologist, neurointensivist, resident, and fellow in training with managing acutely ill neurologic patients.

This book is about three people from different walks of life, each of whom experienced a life-changing episode of Guillain-Barr Syndrome. Three dramatic stories in one. Firstly, a story of the Author's remarkable almost complete recovery following his encounter with the syndrome. It is a frank and personal account of his struggle to regain much of what he had lost in bodily function during one year of hospitalisation. It should provide inspiration and possibly answer so many questions typically asked by others afflicted with this syndrome. Secondly, case studies written by two co-author contributors, one a Calgary Veterinarian and mother of two, the other a retired Vancouver resident who was struck with Guillain-Barr Syndrome whilst shopping for a boat in England. "There is no single answer to the question as to how life may change after recovery from this disorder. Each case appears to be unique. That is why I have chosen to include, not just a record of my partial recovery, but also the recovery record of two additional people, each different from one another's and each certainly different from mine (Author's Preface)". "We eventually identified a boatonly three feet short of what we had wanted that was within our budget. At this point Heather's brother, who lived nearby, said he would like a share in the boat, to which we agreed. During this discussion in his house I had to ask him to refrain from smoking, as my throat was quite sore. I was feeling rather run down and often felt cold. About the same time on a Saturday, I felt a tingling in the finger tips of my left hand and found they were a bit swollen. I mentioned it to Heather, but it did not seem serious. It was, however, the first sign that I had contracted GBS. If only I had known, the treatment might have been started earlier! (Patrick Hill)" "Probably the worst face of Guillain-Barr Syndrome is the effect it has on loved ones. Severe, or not, chronic or not, it matters little to the supporting family at the bedside of a patient. Fear, puzzlement, and apprehension are all experienced by the loved ones. Reading the case histories of Sarah and Patrick, one learns how their spouses also suffered many frightening experiences, but in spite of all that, they remained obviously without second thought, hesitation or doubt. True to their marriage vows, they provided so much love, care and support. That was the shared experience among the three of us (Author: Epilogue)."

The Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) or Landry-Guillain-Barre-Strohl syndrome, also known as post-infectious polyneuropathy or acute idiopathic polyneuritis, is an acute acquired, frequently severe, monophasic autoimmune illness of the peripheral nervous system (PNS). GBS manifests itself with the clinical picture characterised by gait disturbance, pain, weakness, rapidly ascending symmetric flaccid muscle paralysis, areflexia with distal predominance (involving lower motor neuron), sensory disturbance, variable autonomic involvement, and increased cerebrospinal fluid protein without pleocytosis . Although GBS had previously been viewed as a unitary disorder with variations, it is today considered as a group of syndromes with several distinctive variants or subtypes. The aim of this book is to describe and discuss this disease that is not exactly rare but is almost the only inflammatory polyneuropathy and the most frequent cause of acute flaccid paralysis in general medical practice.

Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS) is a disorder in which the body's immune system attacks part of the peripheral nervous system. Feelings of tingling and weakness increase in intensity until the muscles cannot be used at all and the patient is almost totally paralyzed. No one knows why Guillain-Barre strikes some people and not others, or what sets the disease in motion. What we do know is that GBS is now the most common cause of acute paralysis in Western countries since the virtual elimination of poliomyelitis with vaccination programs. Guillain-Barre Syndrome, co-authored by a survivor of this illness, addresses all aspects of this condition, including initial symptoms, diagnostic evaluation and criteria, general and illness specific treatments, and typical outcomes. Fortunately, most GBS patients have a good recovery, but the pathway to this goal can be slow and scary. This book covers a wide range of issues including: Features unique to GBS such as pain without injury and other abnormal sensations. Workplace adjustment with incomplete recovery Intensive care unit management Practical caregivers guidelines The rehabilitation process Sexual dysfunction, and much more Guillain-Barre Syndrome is a comprehensive book, written in lay terms, covering everything from diagnosis to emotional issues. It is a book that stands alone. This latest volume in the American Academy of Neurology Press Quality of Life Guide series is an essential tool for all individuals, families, and caregivers coping with Guillain-Barre Syndrome.

Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS) is a disorder in which the body's immune system attacks part of the peripheral nervous system. Feelings of tingling and weakness increase in intensity until the muscles cannot be used at all and the patient is almost totally paralyzed. No one knows why Guillain-Barre strikes some people and not others, or what sets the disease in motion. What we do know is that GBS is now the most common cause of acute paralysis in Western countries since the virtual elimination of poliomyelitis with vaccination programs. Guillain-Barre Syndrome, co-authored by a survivor of this illness, addresses all aspects of this condition, including initial symptoms, diagnostic evaluation and criteria, general and illness specific treatments, and typical outcomes. Fortunately, most GBS patients have a good recovery, but the pathway to this goal can be slow and scary. This book covers a wide range of issues including: Features unique to GBS such as pain without injury and other abnormal sensations Workplace adjustment with incomplete recovery Intensive care unit management Practical caregivers guidelines The rehabilitation process Sexual dysfunction, and much more Guillain-Barre Syndrome is a comprehensive book, written in lay terms, covering everything from diagnosis to emotional issues. It is a book that stands alone. This latest volume in the American Academy of Neurology Press Quality of Life Guide series is an essential tool for all individuals, families, and caregivers coping with Guillain-Barre Syndrome.

At the age of twenty-six, less than three weeks after giving birth to her first child, Holly Gerlach noticed that her fingertips were numb and her legs were weakening. In less than three days, she was paralyzed and could no longer breathe on her own. She was diagnosed with Guillain-Barr syndrome, a rare autoimmune disorder that occurs when the body's immune system mistakenly attacks part of the nervous system. She was admitted to the hospital, where she spent two and a half months in the intensive care unit on a ventilator. She couldnt move, she couldnt speak, and worst of all, she couldnt hold her newborn daughter. She felt like her life was over as she couldnt be the mother that she had always wanted to be. As the weeks went on, the paralysis began to wear off. And once she was able to breathe on her own again, she started on her road to recovery. With intense physiotherapy, she learned how to use her muscles again and eventually how to walk again. She was determined, and worked hard, and after a long four months in the hospital, she was able to reach her goal of getting back to her husband and daughter. Holly Gerlach shares her inspirational story, where she faced the most terrifying and challenging experiences of her life. The book follows her entire journey, starting with the beginning symptoms, through the many months she spent in the hospital. The story continues on well past her release from the hospital, where she fought to regain her independence and eventually got her life back.

After I had published my first book, A First Step - Understanding Guillain-Barr Syndrome, it occurred to me that the dream sequences described in that book would make for an interesting read on their own, as a collection of short - but impossible - stories. Thus were sewn the seeds for this publication. The 'postscripts' that have been added are included to assist readers who have not read the earlier book, and who therefore may not have a full understanding of the circumstances I found myself in. During my seven-month confinement in Intensive Care, on a ventilator for breathing assistance, diagnosed with severe acute chronic Guillain-Barr Syndrome - sometimes referred to in its abbreviated form as GBS, I experienced many dreams and hullucinations, some of which are described in the book. The medications I was taking, the inability to distinguish between night and day, being thrust into an unfamiliar environment, or something inherent in the disease itself may have been the cause. Although these dreams are not necessarily in the sequence in which I dreamed them, it is possible to connect them to certain events or phases of my illness. Initially, I was paralysed from my toes up to my eyebrows. This did not appear to inhibit my mobilty in some of the dreams though. One moment I was in a wheelchair, the next flying an F16 fighter jet, even though I had never flown before, other then as a fare paying passenger. I found these episodes much more intense than the garden-variety dream. In fact, most seemed so real that sometimes it was difficult, if not impossible, to separate them from reality. Every effort has been made to keep the original story lines. It must, of course be understood there were a few - although very few - grey areas, and only in those situations have I linked different parts of the story by the logical threads suggested by circumstances. For the most part, my recall of these dreams was total. Except for my relatives, the names used to identify characters are fictitious and used to enable the reader to follow the thread of the story. In these sequences, any similarity to any person, living or deceased, other than in the case of the exception noted, is entirely coincidental and unintended. I hope you enjoy your read. The Author.