Claire Panella

Claire began having waves of severe back, shoulder and abdomonal pain along with hands and feet tingling  around October 17. She was seen in the ED and sent home only to have the pain worsen the next day. Back to the ED that afternoon, Claire was then admitted for pain control and the lengthy process of making her elusive diagnosis. Nearly a week after she first began having symptoms, Claire was diagnosed with Guillain-Barre syndrome .  Her pain had continued to increase  and her  legs became weak. The weakness ascended her body until she could no longersit-up , stand up or hold a cell phone. She was moved to the Intensive Care Unit to receive 5 courses of IVIG. At the end of that treatment she was moved to a regular floor. But there she was found to be dehydrated and unable to swallow her pain pills properly.  Apparently she aspirated pieces of the pills Causing Respiratory distress , Right lower lobe pneumonia and the need for a ventilator support  and  readmission to the intensive care unit. . There she remained for Six Days on the ventilator. Since the IVIG treatments, her pain has slowly improved and her breathing has slowly improved. But her weakness is taking longer to improve. Although she has regained some upper body strength with the help of physical and occupational therapy, she is still unable to  stand up. She has been on antibiotics for the right lower lobe pneumonia .  She has been receiving  nutrition and water through a feeding tube. She has been awake and alert on the ventilator which is unusual and is able to communicate with Michael using using paper and pencil and hand signals. She was able to FaceTime Esther and Michael this morning. Esther said her color looks better and she was clearly improving. The neurologists restarted the IVIG treatment today.   We appreciate your support and words of hope and encouragement. Thank you for visiting and we will keep you posted with the latest news as it evolves.