Patient Stories

My name is Elizabeth Sandbothe and when I was 23 years old, in 2021, I was diagnosed with Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS) with a variant of Miller Fisher Syndrome (MFS) while I was playing professional volleyball overseas in Germany, and within days it took my entire body and the game from me. The damage to my nerves was substantial. I quickly was taken over by extreme pain, and began losing my reflexes throughout my body, the ability to walk, and also the full use of my arms and hands. The doctors told me I was becoming paralyzed, forcing me to grieve the body I once knew. With the help of my German doctors and nurses, through many trials and tribulations, I was able to receive 5 days of the blood infusions of immunoglobulin, or what I referred to as “hope juice” that began my healing journey. In addition to being far away from my family and not knowing the language, I spent months going from in-patient to out-patient rehabilitation centers where I experienced some of my darkest hours. Despite them, it was also where I was able to meet some incredible humans along my journey- people I can attribute a lot of my healing to and still call friends to this day. Healing included reteaching everything in my body everything while giving my nerves the grace to try and heal. As well as searching for patience while learning to navigate my life in new ways.

Trying to discover who I am without volleyball was difficult, but I am thankful for all the other ways it has opened my eyes to what life has to offer. My perspective on many things changed, I was able to find the beauty in other things and in the art of starting over. I had the chance to discover new personal interests, and create an even tougher mindset for the challenges faced in everyday life. I was able to slow down, learning to be present in the now and having the opportunity to spend more quality time with the people I love making memories that I will forever cherish. Still, I knew my journey with volleyball was not over yet. Over the course of the last few years I have dedicated myself to transforming into a new player and encouraging my body to remember the game so deeply engraved in my brain. Today I am proud and grateful of the ways my body fought with me to be able to say I am healthy and back playing volleyball at the highest level professionally; coincidently for the same team in Germany where I was diagnosed. I still have moments where I have to overcome obstacles, in regards to parts of me that were affected by this disease, but with the support of my loved ones and belief in myself I find means of resilience. 

I hope to send a message of strength and courage to everyone dealing with these life changing diagnoses because illness and injury is not limited to a timeline – it is a constant battle. There is beauty in the breakdown!