Carol has Guillain Barre syndrome (GBS). From one day to the next she found herself completely paralyzed from the neck down. Before getting GBS she was fit, healthy and active. When she suddenly became paralyzed she was taken by ambulance to the emergency room and admitted straight to the intensive care unit. Very fast she was in respiratory failure, was intubated (on a ventilator) and was critically ill with a massive pulmonary embolism. She is still in intensive care 2.5 weeks later. The good news is that Carol has made unexpected progress already and she *will* recover. The bad news is that she is paralyzed from the neck down and recovery requires months of intensive physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech and swallowing therapy, and other therapies. In addition to intensive rehab, Carol also needs help to obtain adaptive/disability equipment and meet other medical needs to get her through recovery from this brutal disease.

Carol has been a giver her entire life as well as a carer for multiple family members who became terminally ill and/or disabled. At 73 years old, she has been astonishingly fit and healthy her entire life. Just two days before this nightmare happened she was sat on a New York beach with her disabled grandson loving watching him do adaptive surfing. She had come to the USA on holiday to help with Luke's intensive therapy course in Boston to help him with his cerebral palsy. The next thing she knows she was hit - very suddenly and very fast - with GBS and ended up in a US hospital in intensive care.

Carol has touched so many people's lives and her close friends and family are hoping that together we can raise the money to give her the intensive rehab she needs to get back on her feet, literally. Every penny raised will go directly towards Carol's medical and rehab costs, which are going to be extensive given that she is paralyzed from the neck down and recovery from GBS takes a long time. People with GBS *do* recover and, from her intensive care bed, Carol has already defied medical expectations, especially given the multiple “rare” medical emergencies that have been thrown her way these last two weeks. Despite that, she has managed to pull through.

Carol is adored by so many, including her 11-year old grandson. He is Carol's world and she is his, and she wants to be back doing all the things she was able to do with him just two weeks ago. Life can change on a dime. Right now, she is unable to even lift a hand to touch him. GBS is rare but horrific.

Thank you for reading and for contributing to her rehab costs if you are able to and would like to. To end, here are some quotes from some of Carol's enormous "village". She is really missing all of her friends, family and "close friends who are like family" back in England. The daily video messages and WhatsApp messages have helped her enormously these last two weeks and continue to help her. She has been incredibly brave and strong and thanks to the support from her "village" she will remain strong. She misses you all.

Quote from Carol's favorite niece (*spoiler: she has only one niece):

"Carol's love has reached every child she has taught for the past 30 years. She is an amazing aunt, sister, mother and granny. We just want to do everything we can to get her the fastest recovery."

From Sabah (like a daughter to Carol):

"I don't know anyone who doesn't care for Carol. She is impossible not to love."

If you'd like to add a quote, just send it to Jake! Carol will love reading these to help her remain strong as she recovers.