"Guillain-Barre (ghee-YA-buh-RAY) syndrome is a disorder in
which your body's immune system attacks your nerves. This disorder was a
stranger to me until my dad was hit by this disease, and our lives had changed." (definition and picture below were taken from http://www.mayoclinic.com)
Late 2012, around October or November, he began complaining
about the tingling sensation in his hands, sometimes feeling stiff. We thought
it was just a simple arthritis. On January 31, he felt pain on his back and was
so weak, so my parents went to the nearest clinic. He was even referred to a
Cardiologist but he was okay except for a mild Urinary Tract Infection and an
elevated SGPT level.
 |
| Guillain-Barre syndrome destroys the protective covering of the peripheral nerves (myelin sheath), preventing the nerves from transmitting signals to the brain.- |
The following day, February 1, 2013, my dad started
vomitting, complaining headache. Anything he takes in, he vomits. He did not
want to be brought to the hospital. I told my mom to call me immediately even
in the middle of the night if the vommitting persists. Saturday morning,
February 2, 2013, I received a text message for my mom saying that they would
bring my dad to the hospital cause he never stopped vomitting the whole night.
The next was Medical Center Imus Horror...
My dad was admitted in Philippine General Hospital at 11pm
of February 3, 2013, Sunday. "They rarely admit patients on weekend except
you are showering in your own blood", said my tita. His former Gastro-Enterologist
attended him the following morning, Monday. My dad has a history of ulcerative
colitis that's why we requested for his GI to check on him. However, the doctor
said that his symptoms of body pain, back pain is extra-colonic.
