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ENLARGE
Sandy Hunt holds her dog Chica, a 7-month-old Pekingese, while sitting in her favorite chair at her home outside Myrtle Creek. Hunt is recuperating after suffering from Guillain-Barre syndrome in which the body's immune system attacks the nervous system.
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ENLARGE
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A handmade sign telling Sandy Hunt “We missed you” hangs from a tree on the private, mile-long road leading to the Myrtle Creek woman's house off South Myrtle Road. The sign and many others were posted when Hunt returned home in November.
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Three days after celebrating her 50th wedding anniversary in August, Sandy Hunt woke up without any feeling in one of her legs.
Very quickly, the sensation spread throughout her body. Essentially, the Myrtle Creek woman was paralyzed.
She went to Mercy Medical Center in Roseburg, where doctors were initially baffled by her ailment. It wasn't until her condition had deteriorated to the point at which she needed to be treated in the hospital's intensive care unit that is was discovered she was suffering from Guillain-Barre syndrome.
“I noticed I was real tired but didn't know what had caused that,” Hunt said. “Initially, I just noticed my legs went out.”
Guillain-Barre is a disorder in which the body's immune system attacks part of the nervous system. Typically, the first symptoms are weakness or tingling sensations in the legs, commonly spreading to the arms and upper body.
Most people reach the stage of greatest weakness within the first two weeks after symptoms appear, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.
The syndrome is rare, affecting one person in 100,000. It often occurs a few days or weeks after the patient has had symptoms of a respiratory or gastrointestinal viral infection. Sometimes, surgery or vaccinations will trigger it, according to the institute.
While she was in the intensive care unit, Hunt had to be placed on a respirator to ensure that she was able to breathe. That's common in the most serious of cases, according to the institute.
Even so, most patients recover even from the most severe cases of Guillain-Barre syndrome, although some continue to experience weakness for some time after.
There is no known cure. The most critical part of treatment is keeping the patient's body functioning during recovery of the nervous system.
Hunt began her recovery by moving her hands and legs in bed at the hospital. She was later able to pull herself up out of bed using a pole and began walking again. Initially, though, her feet and toes were still numb.
After leaving the intensive care unit, Hunt spent two months in the Rose Haven Nursing Center, where she received daily physical therapy.
“I had a lot of good help both at the hospital and at Rose Haven,” she said.
She returned to her home east of Myrtle Creek on Nov. 2, where she has continued to improve. Hunt, who spent 36 years working for Roseburg Lumber before retiring six years ago, estimates she is now at about 75 percent of normal.
At first, she needed to use a small wooden box as a step to get in and out of her car. Later, she was able to get out of the car without the box.
She is thankful for the doctors and nurses and other caregivers at both Mercy and at Rose Haven. She also credits her family and friends and members of her church, the Myrtle Creek Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, for providing comfort and encouragement.
“I probably couldn't have done it without my family and friends,” she said.
Her husband, Lonnie, said it was rough on everyone around her, especially when they didn't know what the affliction was initially.
“We're all grateful for her continued improvement,” he said.
Hunt said she looks forward to being able to go outside and work in her garden. She enjoys growing rhododendrons, azaleas, roses and lilacs, among other plants. She said she also likes to mow the grass and pull weeds.
“You take things for granted. After having something like this, you're thankful for every day that you have,” she said.
• You can reach reporter John Sowell at 541-957-4209 or by e-mail at jsowell@nrtoday.com.
Very quickly, the sensation spread throughout her body. Essentially, the Myrtle Creek woman was paralyzed.
She went to Mercy Medical Center in Roseburg, where doctors were initially baffled by her ailment. It wasn't until her condition had deteriorated to the point at which she needed to be treated in the hospital's intensive care unit that is was discovered she was suffering from Guillain-Barre syndrome.
“I noticed I was real tired but didn't know what had caused that,” Hunt said. “Initially, I just noticed my legs went out.”
Guillain-Barre is a disorder in which the body's immune system attacks part of the nervous system. Typically, the first symptoms are weakness or tingling sensations in the legs, commonly spreading to the arms and upper body.
Most people reach the stage of greatest weakness within the first two weeks after symptoms appear, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.
The syndrome is rare, affecting one person in 100,000. It often occurs a few days or weeks after the patient has had symptoms of a respiratory or gastrointestinal viral infection. Sometimes, surgery or vaccinations will trigger it, according to the institute.
While she was in the intensive care unit, Hunt had to be placed on a respirator to ensure that she was able to breathe. That's common in the most serious of cases, according to the institute.
Even so, most patients recover even from the most severe cases of Guillain-Barre syndrome, although some continue to experience weakness for some time after.
There is no known cure. The most critical part of treatment is keeping the patient's body functioning during recovery of the nervous system.
Hunt began her recovery by moving her hands and legs in bed at the hospital. She was later able to pull herself up out of bed using a pole and began walking again. Initially, though, her feet and toes were still numb.
After leaving the intensive care unit, Hunt spent two months in the Rose Haven Nursing Center, where she received daily physical therapy.
“I had a lot of good help both at the hospital and at Rose Haven,” she said.
She returned to her home east of Myrtle Creek on Nov. 2, where she has continued to improve. Hunt, who spent 36 years working for Roseburg Lumber before retiring six years ago, estimates she is now at about 75 percent of normal.
At first, she needed to use a small wooden box as a step to get in and out of her car. Later, she was able to get out of the car without the box.
She is thankful for the doctors and nurses and other caregivers at both Mercy and at Rose Haven. She also credits her family and friends and members of her church, the Myrtle Creek Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, for providing comfort and encouragement.
“I probably couldn't have done it without my family and friends,” she said.
Her husband, Lonnie, said it was rough on everyone around her, especially when they didn't know what the affliction was initially.
“We're all grateful for her continued improvement,” he said.
Hunt said she looks forward to being able to go outside and work in her garden. She enjoys growing rhododendrons, azaleas, roses and lilacs, among other plants. She said she also likes to mow the grass and pull weeds.
“You take things for granted. After having something like this, you're thankful for every day that you have,” she said.
• You can reach reporter John Sowell at 541-957-4209 or by e-mail at jsowell@nrtoday.com.
