newmark@auvm.auvm.edu (Shandon Silverlock) (04/19/91)
Index Number: 15021 I'm a newcomer to this group. I'm not sure I can really call myself handicapped anymore, but for 2 years I definitely fit within any definition of the word. And it entirely turned my life upside down. Since then I have become very interested in the areas of disability awareness, and handicap accessibility. In 1986 I was a Junior in high school and contracted Guillain-Barre Syndrome. It's a disease that attacks the myelin insulation around the nerves. Within two days I went from a fully active teenager to paralyzed from the neck down. Myelin grows back, but extremely slowly. I spent four months in a hospital close to 9 months in a wheelchair, and it was 2 years before I could say I was recovered. A couple things: 1: I am interested in getting in touch with any other people who have experienced Guillain-Barre. 2: I am interested in learning sign language, and wonder if any particular book can be recommended. (or course. I go to college in the DC area. Nearby Galluadet, but I have no idea whether students from other universities can take courses there)