Document Type
Narrative Essay
Publication Date
1989
Excerpt
As a sophomore in high school, I contracted a viral infection causing an extremely rare disorder: Guillian-Barre syndrome. This is a devastating sickness which afflicts only one in hundreds of thousands and leaves its victims utterly helpless. At fifteen years of age, my life was completely at the mercy of the Guillian-Barre syndrome, and only machines kept me alive. I was robbed of enjoying the daily flurry of high school activity and was forced to discover sources of strength within myself which would prove vital to my survival. Guillian-Barre syndrome struck fast and struck hard. For two months I was silent and bed-ridden. This rare disease brought an even rarer experience--an experience of a lifetime. In a way beyond ordinary platitudes, ordinary experiences, I was forced to appreciate life and fight for its return. I learned about pain, learned about fear, and discovered that I too could learn real courage in a desperate battle for living.
Recommended Citation
Merrill, Gretchen, "The Experience of a Lifetime (1989)" (1989). The Valpo Core Reader. 422.
http://scholar.valpo.edu/core_reader/422