My story for Fuel Up to Play 60 is about my disorder (which is gone now). Over two years ago when I was in the 7th grade, I was told that I had Guillain-Barre Syndrome, which is a serious disorder that occurs when the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks part of the nervous system.
It all started when I was playing volleyball; my feet started to feel tingly, and my legs felt like rubber. I thought it was just from the cold weather and the snow. I told my coach and so she told me to take it easy. The next week we had another game and I couldn’t run or jump, and I could barely raise my arm. I went to the hospital that night, because I was running after a ball and I felt as if I could not control myself. It scared me and I started to cry, that was when my parents took me to the emergency room.
The next day the hospital called, they wanted me to go in for an MRI on my brain and my back. On Friday, the doctor called my parents told them that I had Guillain-Barre Syndrome. I had to get a spinal tap and then some immunoglobulin treatment to restore myself back to normal. The medication I was taking made me very sick and I would throw up a lot, so much that I lost a bunch of weight. Once I was done with my treatment, I was sent to a physical therapy. When I finally came home I had to walk with a cane and be pushed in a wheelchair to go upstairs and back down. I still had to go to a physical therapist.
Because of my young age I quickly sprang back to life, including my weight. Everyone told me I needed to put all of the weight I lost back on. I thought junk food and large portion sizes was the way to go because it is fast and simple, but after a while I knew (and my parents saw) that my weight was catching up with me.
Soon I heard about the Fuel Up to Play 60 program, and I decided to join because I thought it would help me with my eating habits. When I found out that I was selected the Idaho State Ambassador I told myself that this was my chance to get my healthy eating habits into place, and I’ve been working hard to do that and get others to eat healthy and get active ever since.
Maddie S.
Idaho State Ambassador
9th Grade
i love your storyeis
very scary
Awww you poor thing. That must have been very. Scary 🙁
But a least your better now!! 🙂 and you can probably get back to playing volley ball 🙂
What a great testimony your story is! I am glad that you were diagnosed and got good medical care for Gillian Barr Syndrome. You remind us all how important good nutrition is when we are well but even more so when our bodies are recovering from an illness or injury. I feel blessed to have gotten to know many of the State Ambassadors at the Summit. I am optimistic about our future because you all are going to be great leaders who understand the value of investing time, energy and money into promoting sustainable healthy lifestyle choices. I am proud of you!