If you’ve never heard about the Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS), it may be better to never know about it. It’s the name of a very rare and serious disorder in which your nerves are getting attacked by your own immune system. The condition mainly affects the limbs, and it can lead to numbness and even paralysis.
The Jerusalem Post speaks about the unusual case of Jerusalemite Nir Levy, a man who couldn’t walk anymore after dealing with an upset stomach, although he’s just 41 years old.
While Levy began to deal with a serious lack of strength in his muscles, even when it came to performing simple activities like brushing his teeth, there was apparently nothing serious going on. The man explained, as the Jerusalem Post quotes:
Several times, I went to my health maintenance organization clinic for a check-up, but each time, there was no diagnosis of anything that required immediate treatment.
He also added, as the same publication quotes:
The simplest actions became more complex, until the day I collapsed. I collapsed like a tower of cards and couldn’t get up. I was taken by ambulance to Hadassah in Ein Kerem, where my life changed radically. Suddenly, in the middle of my life, at the peak of my career, I became a patient who needed nursing care. I lay in bed unable to walk and get up, literally paralyzed. I was connected to a monitor and fluids.
The man became very scared that he’ll never get to walk on his feet again. After going through numerous tests, Levy received the Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) diagnosis.
Luckily enough, there is hope after receiving a GBS diagnosis. It’s important to recognize the condition early, and it can take two to three weeks for most people to start recovering.
Prof. Marc Gotkine, a physician from the Hadassah-University Medical Center, treated Levy so that he won’t end up in a wheelchair.
