A Texas father-of-two who was once left paralyzed by a rare autoimmune disorder has overcome the odds to complete a half Ironman triathlon.
Trent Fielder, 44, from Burleson, was getting ready to drive home from work in 2011 when his feet couldn't work the gas pedals anymore.
Just hours later, he was left paralyzed from the waist down.
Doctors at a hospital performed a CT scan and a spinal tap and discovered he had Guillain-Barré syndrome, a disorder in which the immune system attacks the peripheral nervous system, paralyzing parts of or - in some cases - the whole body.
Fielder spent years in physical therapy, training to gain back mobility in his upper back, core and legs.
In October 2018, nearly seven years after he was first left wheelchair-bound, Fielder finished the grueling half Ironman, a 70.3-mile race of swimming, bicycling and running.
He says he hopes to inspire others in a similar situation and to show that there is life after paralysis.
Trent Fielder, 44 (pictured before the half Ironman triathlon), from Burleson, Texas, was getting ready to drive home from work in December 2011 when his feet couldn't work the gas pedals anymore
He was diagnosed with Guillain-Barré syndrome. This is a rare autoimmune disorder in which the body's immune system attack its peripheral nervous system. Pictured, left and right: Fielder completes the last leg of the half Ironman
When the incident occurred in December 2011, Fielder said he felt especially tired that day, reported the Star-Telegram.
It had been just seven months after his wife gave birth to twins - a boy and a girl - so he assumed it was just the combined stress of his job and being a first-time father.
However, when he got in his car to drive to his house, he couldn't make his feet press down on the gas or brake pedals.
At the hospitals, after doctors ran tests, he couldn't get up from the exam table.
Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) is a disorder in which your body's immune system attacks your peripheral nervous system.
Weakness and tingling in the extremities are the first symptoms. These sensations can quickly spread, eventually paralyzing your whole body.
The exact cause of GBS is unknown. The disorder usually appears days or weeks after a respiratory or digestive tract infection.
GBS is rare with between 3,000 and 6,000 developing the disease every year in the US, according to the CDC.
Signs and symptoms:
Prickling or tingling sensations in your fingers, toes, ankles or wrists Weakness in your legs that spreads to your upper body Unsteady walking or inability to walk or climb stairs Difficulty with eye or facial movements, including speaking, chewing or swallowing Difficulty breathing Rapid heart rate Low or high blood pressureTreatment:
There is no cure for GBS but treatment can reduce the disease's severity and speed recovery.
1) Plasma exchange: Plasma, part of your blood, is separated from the red blood cells. The red blood cells are then put back into your body to rid the plasma of harmful antibodies
2) Intravenous Immunoglobulin Therapy: Immunoglobulin containing healthy antibodies from blood donors is given through a vein and blocks harmful antibodies from contributing to damage
Recovery:
Recovery can take months or even years but sufferers generally experience this timeline:
After the first signs and symptoms, the condition progressively worsens for about two weeks Symptoms reach a plateau within four weeks Recovery usually lasts between six to 12 months, though it can take longerSource: Mayo Clinic
'When the first doctor said: "Have you ever heard of Guillain-Barré?" I wasn't trying to be sarcastic,' Fielder told WFAA. 'I asked him if that was another doctor in the hospital.'
Guillain-Barré syndrome is often preceded by an infectious illness such as a respiratory infection or the stomach flu.
It is rare, affecting about one in 100,000 people worldwide and fewer
