June 2nd is a day that the Bishops will never forget.   Clayton hadn't been feeling his best for a few days, but continued to go to work because he couldn't pinpoint what was going on and why he wasn't feeling like himself.  Shortly after he got home from work that evening, he suddenly lost all feeling in his legs and feet as he walked across the kitchen, collapsing on the floor, unable to move from that point on.  Over the next few hours he went from being rushed to an urgent care facility and then being transported to the hospital, as the paralysis travelled up his body and began to affect everything -  breathing, swallowing, heart rate and blood pressure, and the ability to move his arms and legs.  Thankfully, as a result of God’s provision for quick intervention by skilled specialists and a lot of testing, Clayton was diagnosed with Guillain-Barré Syndrome and immediately began treatment.

Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) is a rare neurological disorder in which the body's immune system mistakenly attacks the peripheral nervous system—the network of nerves located outside of the brain and spinal cord that relay information from the brain to the rest of the body.  GBS can range from a very mild case with brief weakness to nearly devastating paralysis, leaving the person unable to breathe independently until the nerves have recovered.

The exact cause of GBS is not known. Researchers don’t know why it strikes some people and not others, but the thought is that in an effort to fight an infection, even a slight one that could have occurred weeks prior, the body begins this autoimmune response, mistakenly attacking healthy nerves.  The great news is that Guillain-Barré has an almost 100% rate of complete recovery over time, usually taking about a year for most things to return to "normal."

In the four months since his diagnosis, with the blessing of some amazing health professionals and therapists, and most of all, God’s continued healing and protection, Clayton has made huge strides in recovery!  Serious issues like breathing and swallowing difficulty, heart rate and elevated blood pressure, severe pain, etc have improved or even resolved! He has gone from absolutely NO mobility in a wheelchair with limited use of his hands, to now using a walker, and even walking unassisted for short distances! He is improving every day and is so committed to his therapy.  Even on the hardest days, he is inspiring everyone around him - absolutely determined to regain 100% movement, strength, and overall health!  His wife Sarah has also been an amazing partner through all of this - a true warrior - full of faith in God and a constant encouragement and help to Clayton as they face each challenge together.

As you can imagine, the medical bills for countless numbers of tests, hospital stays, extensive treatment and therapies are enormous, and we are asking for help in covering those expenses as Clayton has been out of work since this happened.  He’s looking forward to the time when that changes, but for now, all of his efforts go toward regaining full movement and strength!

Please consider giving what you can,  and most importantly, keeping Clayton and Sarah in your prayers as they continue this journey to complete healing!

Let's WALK WITH CLAYTON!