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Kansas woman relies on resilience during recovery at Madonna

In the News, Patient Stories

What started as pneumonia turned into a months-long recovery for Zena Schmelzle. About a week into her illness, Zena realized her tongue had gone numb, and she started to feel weak. A visit to the ER and several diagnostic tests later revealed she had Guillain-Barré syndrome, a rare neurological disorder in which the immune system damages nerves. The 51-year-old arrived at Madonna unable to walk or eat solid food, but she came armed with two secret weapons: a supportive family and a resilient spirit. You can learn more about her recovery here.

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Prayer, Praise propel Kansas woman in GBS and COVID-19 recovery

A nurse for more than 35 years, Sheila was working at a clinic in her hometown of Troy, Kansas in late fall of 2020 when she contracted COVID-19. Her symptoms were mild, and after a few days she was ready to return to work. The night before she returned to work, she noticed all of her fingertips felt numb. When she took her shoes off after work the next day she noticed her toes were numb.

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