I woke up with circumcisions in my hands, and within days I was paralyzed

Rowan Salem, a 33-year-old accountant from the north, began to suffer from a tingling sensation in her hands and within a few days found herself sedated and ventilated, paralyzed in all four limbs and fighting for her life.

What initially appeared to be a gastrointestinal virus quickly developed into Guillain-Barre syndrome – a rare neurological disease in which the immune system attacks the nerves. “It was during the war, I had stomach pains and swelling, but I continued to work as usual,” she says. “In retrospect, I realized that I was under pressure and that my body was not strong enough as I thought. According to her, one morning she woke up with a feeling of circumcision in her hands. “At a certain point, I couldn’t stand it anymore. The family doctor estimated that this is a transient phenomenon and recommended that I perform blood tests, and at the same time place a towel with cold water on my hands, hoping that this will ease the feeling of circumcision.”

But during that day her condition deteriorated. “In the evening I started eating, and the food just ran out of my mouth. I also felt circumcisions in my mouth.” She consulted an online doctor, and he recommended that she contact the center.

Salam decided to wait for the morning but at night she could no longer sleep. “I got up and felt that something in my body was really wrong.” In the morning she went to one of the hospitals in the north. “They did tests on me and said I had to be hospitalized because something in the nervous system was not right.” A day later she underwent an examination in which fluid was taken from her back, and at the end she was diagnosed with Guillain-Barre syndrome. She immediately began receiving treatment through an infusion.

“I couldn’t breathe on my own”

But even the treatment did not stop the deterioration of the disease. “Suddenly I couldn’t feel my legs. I fell and was unable to get up on my own, take a shower or go to the bathroom.” The next day, the disease already affected my lungs. “I couldn’t breathe on my own. They told me I had turned blue, I had no oxygen. They transferred me to intensive care, they breathed and sedated me for eight days.”

After waking up, Salam started breathing on her own, and was later transferred to the rehabilitation department at the Emek Medical Center. She arrived bedridden, suffering from severe weakness in all four limbs, dependent on a tube for feeding and in need of full assistance in every day-to-day activity. “I only got out of bed using a lever and ate through a probe. But I decided that I’m going back to my life, even if the road will be difficult.”

For 50 days she underwent intensive rehabilitation, and at the end of it she was able to walk again, eat on her own and regain her independence. About two weeks ago she was released to her home, but according to her the road to recovery is not over yet. “I thought it would be easier at home, but it’s actually harder for me there. In the hospital everyone knows you are sick and cares about you, and at home you have to start dealing with life. I even still find it hard to eat because of swallowing problems. I’m not me yet.”

The neurologists explained to her that the recovery process from the disease may take many months. “I woke up with circumcisions in my hand, and within a few days I was paralyzed. I was told that the symptoms can last for about six months, and the body can take even a year to recover.”

A serious and rare disease

“Guillain-Barre syndrome is a rare disease in which the immune system attacks the peripheral nervous system, which can cause severe weakness and even paralysis,” explains Dr. Afif Sa’ida, director of the rehabilitation department at the medical center. According to him, the frequency of the disease is about one to two cases per hundred thousand, but the symptoms can vary. Rowan’s situation at the beginning was one of the most complex we have seen. She arrived with significant weakness in her four limbs, severely impaired ability to swallow and complete dependence on the tube and the care team. From the very first day we built an intensive and multidisciplinary rehabilitation program for her, and to our delight we saw a gradual and impressive progress until an almost complete return to function and independence.”

Rowan went through the rehabilitation accompanied by a multidisciplinary team that included physical therapy, occupational therapy, communication clinics, psychology, nursing and social work. During the hospitalization, she had to relearn how to swallow and eat after suffering from a swallowing disorder, and at the same time she worked on strengthening her muscles, balance and the ability to re-do basic daily activities such as sitting, standing, walking, dressing and eating. Along with the physical rehabilitation, the team also accompanied the mental coping with the sharp transition from a young, independent and healthy woman to almost total dependence on those around her.

“Rowan arrived after a period of prolonged depression, with very severe weakness, but from the first moment her determination and desire to recover stood out,” says Mor Aguzi, the physical therapist who accompanied her throughout the process. “We started with exercises in bed, moved to sitting, standing and walking, and also combined hydrotherapy and an advanced anti-gravity system. Her improvement was extraordinary, far beyond what could have been expected.”

Dr. Saaida emphasizes in conclusion that “Gillian Barre syndrome is generally considered a one-time disease and most patients will not experience it again. In rare cases, the disease can recur months or even years after recovery. That is why any patient who has previously experienced Guillain-Barre and re-develops progressive weakness, circumcision, difficulty walking and other symptoms should seek medical evaluation as soon as possible.”