Sorry, I haven't written, but I have been slightly busy. I wanted to write all of you and say thank you for all your prayers. They have meant so much. I would like to tell you how this all happened so you will know that all your prayers have helped.
On Sunday, September 21st I was working at the fire station when Hurricane Ike came to our town with 60 mph winds. At about 5:00 that evening we began to go out on reports of wires down, trees on fire, trees into homes, among many other things. My partner and I worked for a constant 5 hrs with all of our firefighting gear on. This weighs an approx extra 30 lbs.
The next day the back of my calves and thighs were very sore. I attributed this to the evening before of getting in and out of the fire truck for 5 and a half hours straight. Later, Sunday evening I started to feel weak and was beginning to get a headache.
Tuesday was more of the same, weakness, headaches, and pain to the back of my legs.
Wednesday, I was back at the fire station. Again I was not feeling well so I advised my partners that I was going to go and lay down. Something which I have never done in the past 15 years. I tried to take a nap between running EMS and fire calls, but was unable. That evevning I was unable to sleep.
Thursday I found myself up in the Cleveland area filling out some paper work. All of a sudden the paper work became very blurry. Luckily, I was only in Cleveland for a short time. I drove myself home and on the way called for a dr's appt. When I arrived to the dr's I advised them of my symptoms which included, the weakness, headaches, leg and back pain, I no longer had a sensation of hot to my hands, and what I described as my head feeling like a baloon and my body like a kite. The nurses tried to draw some blood, believing I was dehydrated. The nurses had a difficult time getting the blood, which is usually quite rare for me. After some time I became extremely nauseus. Jessica was called and drove me to the E.R. After describing my symptoms to the Dr's they treated me for dehydration and a migraine headache. I was sent home
Friday and Saturday was more of the same. On Sunday, Jessica was taking the kids to church and Sunday School and asked if I would like to go. I had every intention on going to work the next day and said I would like to stay home and rest since at the time I still was not feeling well. While at home, Sunday morning I began to feel my face going numb. I went upstairs and looked in the mirror. I also noticed that I was unable to crinckle my forehead, close my eyes, blink my eyes individually, and was beginning to have a droop to the left side of my face. I thought I was having a Stroke or Bell's Palsy. When Jessica came home I told her all the things I had noticed. We went to the E.R. again After Cat Scans, chest X-rays, EKG's and blood work I was admitted for a possible Stroke or Bells' palsy. Sunday evening I had an MRI done and we were told that a Neurologist would be seeing me the next morning. That evening my speech began to also get slurred.
Monday morning no Neurologist and after some time of worrying about what was going on, Jessica started to ask questions. I had a carotid ultrasound which showed up ok. Later that afternoon I had a Lumbar puncture and was told that I would have to lay on my back for next few hours and take it easy. Jessica went home to feed the kids and bring them back later. The Lumbar puncture results came back with a high protein levels and no fever. This is one way that is used to determine Guillain-Barre Syndrome. I was in ICU within a half hour of finding out what my diagnose was. The problem is that noone called jessica. So she brings all the kids up to my room and there is no me. When she asks where I am they tell her that I have been admitted to ICU with GBS and their plans are to send me to another hospital where they can take better care of me.
In the ICU I was given a femoral catheter and readied for the ICU at the other hospital. When I arrived at the next ICU I was given Plasmapharesis, which continued for the next five days. Plasmapharesis is where your plasma is removed thru the femoral catheter run through a machine and new plasma is given to you. After five days in the ICU I was moved to the step-down unit and given three days of IVIG, which is IV immuno globulin. A few days later I was sent home and was told to schedule for physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy.
I currently do all three therapyies three days a week. I am currently using a cane because my left leg sometimes travels slightly behind me. I have a handicap sticker, for those times I have a long way to walk. I also have a wheelchair for the same reason. I still have tingling in my feet and hands, back pain and I am starting to sleep better with the help of medication. I had to learn how to eat again, but I can eat what I want to now. I lost 20 lbs, but I don't recommend this diet on anyone. I get very weak at times and can only lift about 5 lbs. We have been told that this is 100% recoverable. I am off work for approx 6 mths to a year and can't wait to go back to work.
I know this is lots of information and I apologize for not getting to all of you sooner. I want to thank you all for your prayers. they have been a wonderful help and I'm sure that is how I have been so lucky through thiis. I have heard that GBS can get much worse then I have had it.
Please keep all of us in our prayers and continue to pray for Katie Frederick
Love,
Jeff
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