Paula's West Nile Virus Recovery

A few weeks ago I received a phone call that my mom Paula LeBlanc, went to the hospital. It wasn’t clear what was wrong with her, but she was getting worse as time went on. Doctors were puzzled by her symptoms, and at this point she was unable to walk, in a great deal of pain, and not entirely coherent. On top of this, her test results and MRI came back negative for everything. At the time I was flying out to take care of her, doctors decided to test her for West Nile Virus. A few days ago the results came back positive.

Apparently 75% of people infected with West Nile don’t experience any symptoms. She happens to be part of the 1% who develops a neurological illness causing headaches, high fever, neck stiffness, disorientation, and paralysis. Currently, she cannot walk, and can barely sit up. Her recovery may take several weeks, months, or even up to a year to feel normal again, and some of the neurologic effects may be permanent.

As if this wasn’t enough for her to have to do deal with, she was also laid off just a few weeks prior to getting sick. Fortunately, her insurance continued through August and has helped her get through the first part of her recovery, but she still has a long road ahead of her. She will need physical therapy for a while to help her recover mobility. It’s uncertain what her recovery will be like, or how intensive her medical needs will be.

For those of you who know Paula, you know her as a kind, thoughtful, loving, and generous person. I’m hoping together we can provide her with the support she needs to take care of herself both physically and mentally.

Your support and love is greatly appreciated, and with the help of family and friends, she will get through this.