I am a 60 year old female who was the first patient in Harris County, Houston, Texas to be diagnosed with this dehilibating decease.

I had a severe case which had me bed ridden for over seven months after passing out Easter Sunder 1969. I went into a coma for about three month and at that time they could not find the diagnosis. Not capable of paying for any more cost of a hospital they released me.

If my friends and family had not helped me with feeding,bathing and being by me side at my bedside I would not have made it. I was on an iron lung machine while my stay at the hospital took all possible tests (spinal tap) blood replacement throughout my body several times, etc. I got down to 61 sixty one pounds about nine months after the attack with no hope to save me. I was put back into the hospital and they were giving up my possibility of making it. The doctors was not that knowledgeable at this time in Houston. But used me as a patient to study my progress which was not good.

Being 25 years of age was in my favor, however, I felt that I died and returned back to life and saw myself leaving in the room. A miracle happened it seems. They put me back on an iron lung machine hoping this would help. The following day the ambulance took me back to the hospital to try and revive me and after many procedures I came around. The morphine and IV's was not helping much.

I did make it and it took another year for me to learn how to walk all over again. (Wheelchair confined during this year. Started back to work (about 80 lbs) to do very light work and friends taking me to work and therapy treatments. I was determined to lick this terrible decease and hopefully get rid of this terrible pain in my body from head to toe. Now I have the tingling feeling still in my limbs and cannot do the exercises I did before my life totally changed.

God blessed me with two wonderful sons years after this happening and I feel so thankful to have survived.

God Bless You,
Trish Orcutt
GBS 1969
08.2003