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David BrahamA British man with Guillain-Barré syndrome
Date of Birth: 01.01.1979
Country:  Great Britain |
Content:
- A Life-Changing Meal: David's Guillain-Barre Syndrome Journey
- The Onset of Guillain-Barre Syndrome
- A Slow and Arduous Recovery
- A Living Nightmare
- Medical Treatment and Diagnosis
- Rehabilitation and Recovery
- Home for Christmas
- A Return to the Gym
A Life-Changing Meal: David's Guillain-Barre Syndrome Journey
A Love of Fitness and FamilyDavid, a 40-year-old father of two and avid gym enthusiast, found himself paralyzed "from the tip of his nose down" after a meal of chicken curry triggered a life-threatening autoimmune condition.
The Onset of Guillain-Barre Syndrome
David felt unwell while watching his son's rugby game in Swansea. He had eaten a "quick bite" of chicken curry, which unbeknownst to him, would lead to days of fighting for his life in a coma. Doctors determined David had suffered from food poisoning, which acted as a trigger for the rare autoimmune disorder, Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS). The father of two became paralyzed, lost his ability to speak, and required a ventilator for four months.
A Slow and Arduous Recovery
Eight months after consuming the Chinese chicken curry, David is finally able to walk unaided. He has been granted a short home visit over the festive season. "I felt great until I had the chicken curry," says David, a driving instructor from Bridgend, Wales. "I just grabbed it as one of my students was doing a test." David soon regretted his decision, convinced the Chinese takeaway had made him ill. "I felt very strange and the next day I just got worse and worse," he added.
A Living Nightmare
Tingling sensations gave way to a realization that he was trapped in his own body. It was "like being in hell." He feared he would never see his children again and was convinced he would never walk again. "The only thing that kept me going was my kids," David said. "I never gave up. I just didn't think I was going to survive." His only wish was to be back playing with his children and acting as a father.
Medical Treatment and Diagnosis
After visiting a roadside cafe for chicken, David was taken to Princess of Wales Hospital on April 10, 2018, four days later. He was treated with antibiotics and sent home after six days. The following day, his body began to fail, and he was eventually paralyzed. Call a an ambulance, he was taken back to hospital.
Doctors identified the poisoning as Campylobacter, which led to acute inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy. GBS is a rare neurological condition that causes the immune system to attack the body's own cells. Infections, including food poisoning, can trigger the condition.
David was placed in a medically-induced coma for four weeks and connected to a ventilator as he could no longer breathe unaided. "When I came round, I had no idea what had happened," recalled the fitness enthusiast. "I was paralyzed, I could not feel anything." "I didn't see my children for three months when I was in intensive care."
Rehabilitation and Recovery
On emerging from the coma, the long and slow road to recovery began. David was transferred to a Cardiff hospital in September 2018 for rehabilitation. Thanks to daily physiotherapy, occupational therapy, and hydrotherapy, he took his first steps in early November. "I had to learn how to brush my teeth and wash myself again," he explains. "It took three months to put one foot in front of the other."
"It was like being a child again, learning to do the simplest things. My mind knew what to do but my body wouldn't respond." David says that going through this recovery process was "horrendous," but he was grateful for the support of "the other lads" in the unit. "Everyone gets each other up and going, one more step forward," the former driving instructor added.
Home for Christmas
David was finally home and able to enjoy spending time with his children on December 8. He is hoping to spend Christmas at home with his loved ones, which doctors have agreed to. "It will be brilliant to see my kids opening their presents on Christmas Day," said David, who has a son, Junior, and a four-year old daughter, Georgia. "I can't wait to be a dad again, actually spending time with them. It will be brilliant."
A Return to the Gym
A keen sports fan, David is also looking forward to returning to the gym for five or six sessions a week. However, that will have to wait until 2019. His rehabilitation will continue until at least March.
