Jacki Konrar
I just turned 50 and had my first grandson born, my parents drove from Oregon to see their great grandson, when they arrived at our home I was excited to see them, when I went out to greet them I feel to my knees, I thought I just tripped, by the next morning I couldn’t stand up without holding onto the walls, by the afternoon my right side of my face looked like I had a stroke. At 2:30 am in the morning I knew something was wrong, I could not breathe, some how I called 911 and had my husband meet me at the ER, that was the last time I remember anything. My family had to watch while I was in ICU for over a month, I was on the vent to help me breathe, I was paralyzed from my nose down, not knowing what happened to me was scary. Once they moved me to down step, I realized that my life was going to change. I was in the medical field for over 30 yrs, now I was a PT who had to learn to breathe on my own, to talk, to sit up or hold anything. I was determined to get out of the hospital after two months, rehabilitation was next, learning to walk was fun, I had a beautiful grandson who was my support, he was also learning to get around, I had a wheelchair, he had his scooter, when I got my walker, he had his, when I got my cane he was up waking. When doctors tell me that GBS will change you it does. Yet I didn’t want to be a victim, I want to say it’s a life that I never dreamed of, yet I’m here learning to help others on this road. I was blessed with a wonderful husband who did everything he could, my family was there to help. Getting better slowly is what GBS stands for, we don’t give up, we are the survivors who will be there for the next ones.
