Age: 79.0
Sex: M
Vaccine: FLU3
Symptoms: Abasia, Abnormal loss of weight, Activities of daily living impaired, Balance disorder, Cardiac enzymes increased
Clinical narrative: Guillain Barre syndrome.  Received flu injection on 11-09-07 at health department about mid morning.  No symptoms during the day, but about 9:30pm on 11-11-07, became nauseated; went to bed.  By 4:00a.m. Sunday, 11-18-07, began having pain in legs (felt like needles pricking) and unable to stand.  Transported by ambulance to hospital.  Treated until Monday, 11-19-07, around 1:00pm, transferred to another hospital.  Admitted to ICU.  Dr. was admitting physician.  Remained in hospital until January 11, 2008.  Most of this time was in ICU, spent about a week in room before transferred.  Hospital admitted on January 11th, but later recommended transferring to rehabilitation center on January 14, 2008.  The plan is for the patient to have rehab locally until strong enough to go to another rehab for more aggressive rehab therapy.  Patient currently is taking therapy at rehab center.  At this time, he is currently unable to sit up, turn over, or walk.  4/11/08 Reviewed hospital medical records of 11/18-11/19/2007 & 11/19-1/11/2008. FINAL DX: Guillain-Barre, axonal type, slow progressive improvement; respiratory failure w/vent & tracheostomy; acute megacolon secondary to denervation requiring partial colectomy w/ileostomy & mucous fistula on 12/11/07; PEG feeding tube;  Records reveal patient experienced dizziness, nausea, numbness/tingling of hands & feet, acute bilateral weakness of LEs & balance disturbance which ascended progressively to include UEs w/n 24 hrs. Developed respiratory distress, heme occult (+) emesis, cardiac enzymes mildly elevated w/EKG WNL.  IVIG started & transferred to higher level of care ICU.  LP done.  Progressive ascending paralysis.  Tx w/plasmapheresis.  Extensive, complicated, lengthy stay in hospital & then transferred to swing bed prior to inpatient rehabilitation. Patient is at home having Home Health Services plus we have hired a personal CNA to care for him daily. He cannot sit up, turn over or walk. Has developed a severe tremor of right hand and some in left hand. This has interfered with his feeding himself. MD plans to add new med that will hopefully help with this new problem. We still do not know if he will progress to be able to walk again. I tried to obtain the lot number of injection, but was unable to get this info. from local Health Dept. Said they only used two lot numbers that day, but sent all records.  Follow-up: Can walk short distance with walker. Falls easily - balance problems. Can no longer drive automobile. Cannot dress himself - Needs daily caretaker to prepare meals. Assist bathing and dressing. Cannot walk up/down steps unless has a rail to hold to and someone to assist him. Uses wheel chair for long distance. Wright before GUILLAIN BARRE 207 - now 130 lbs. Requires depends-guards. Quality of life is gone. Husband was muscular - mowed grounds/trimmed shrubbery of chrines and our large home grounds. Has difficulty walking on grass even with a walker now. He carved duck decoys from wooden blocks and painted them. Jord and gave as gifts. No longer has enough control of hands and arms to do this. It is our feeling that he should be compensated for the Quality of life he lost and the expense of a daily caretaker and supplies used. If you need more information - please let us know.