Dave Kessler Giullian-Barre Syndrome

On June 7, 2023, my Dad was diagnosed with Guillian-Barre Syndrome (GBS). GBS is a rare autoimmune disorder that attacks the peripheral nerves in the body after having something like food poisoning, pneumonia, or even a vaccine in some cases. This autoimmune disorder usually starts in the feet and works its way up your body. For some, it paralyzes the patient all the way up to their head. For my Dad, the paralysis has stopped at his legs causing him to be unable to walk. He also feels tingling in his fingers and lips at times.

Many of you might not know, but my Dad almost lost his life at the end of March of this year with a severe case of pneumonia. He was placed on a ventilator for four days and at the same time we found out he had type 2 diabetes with a blood sugar level of 500. This meant that at the same time as having pneumonia, his body also was in Ketoacidosis from having such high blood sugar causing his body to hold on to the CO2 as he was breathing which turned his blood acidic. Luckily, after 8 days in the hospital he was released and made a full recovery. After being released from the hospital, he quit smoking after 45 years and lost 20 pounds in two months. I’m extremely proud of his stamina and dedication to live a healthier lifestyle for himself and for his family.

Although we were blessed with his recovery, things took a turn after taking an injection to help him manage his diabetes. He started feeling weakness in his legs which rapidly progressed over a few days with his feet being completely numb and no power in his legs. On May 31st, we went to the ER and he has been in the hospital since that day. He has completed a five-day round of immunoglobulin IV treatments which help with GBS but do not eradicate the syndrome. How long it takes to regain function with GBS patients differs from person to person. It could be two weeks, six months, a year, or five years to recover. It depends on how long it will take for his body to grow back the myelin sheath around his nerves for him to be able to walk again. On June 19th, he was transferred from Cascade Valley Hospital in Arlington to Providence for their Rehabilitation Center which will work with him three hours a day for physical therapy.

At this point there a lot of unknowns. We don’t know precisely what caused his GBS. We don’t know how long it will be before he will be able to walk. With that, we don’t know when or if he can return to work. We don’t know how long he will be hospitalized or in a rehabilitation for. We don’t know what his mobility will be like when he does come home. We don’t know what his insurance is going to cover or for how long he will have coverage through his employer.

If you are able to help donate to my Dad’s recovery, we would appreciate any and all assistance. I have been looking into organizations that help with emergency assistance and his immunoglobulin treatments. However, he still has bills from the March hospitalization and my stepmom Jamie depends on his income for their normal living expenses. Even if he is granted funds for emergency and medical assistance, he will still need help. If you are able to donate even a dollar, we would appreciate any assistance to help with my Dad's recovery journey.

Thank you!