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Just a few years ago, Sarah B. was leading an active, purposeful life in Chicago ¡ª working in the field of marketing and exploring all the city has to offer with her husband, Brandon. At the same time, she pursued her passions and interests, from being an active yogini to hiking, running and gardening.

However, at the age of 29, Sarah¡¯s life took an unexpected turn. Out of nowhere, she started experiencing shoulder pain and body aches that left her lethargic and extremely weak.

In a few weeks¡¯ time, she became weaker and weaker. She started to walk with more difficulty, experiencing moments where she would collapse, often falling without warning, and at times hitting her head on the ground. These sudden collapses were due to weakness in her legs, making it harder to maintain balance. Sarah also had issues getting up and down. She was unable to control her upper body, and she could not move her mouth to eat.

Sarah spent more than three months in an acute-care hospital to determine what was going on. During that time, she also spent several weeks in intensive care due to pneumonia.

At long last, after a spinal tap, Sarah was diagnosed with lupus, a disease that occurs when the immune system attacks the body¡¯s tissues and organs. To complicate matters further, the lupus triggered Guillain-Barr¨¦ syndrome (GBS), a rare neurologic condition in which a person¡¯s immune system attacks their own nerves ¡ª causing muscle weakness and, sometimes, severe mobility, breathing and swallowing issues.

Read more: Guillain-Barr¨¦ Syndrome: Treatment & Rehabilitation

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Sarah came to Shirley Ryan ³Ô¹ÏÌìÌÃ91 to regain her function, mobility and independence, starting in inpatient care for intensive physical, occupational and speech therapy.

¡°I was unable to do anything when I first came to Shirley Ryan ³Ô¹ÏÌìÌÃ91,¡± said Sarah. ¡°I couldn¡¯t turn myself, I couldn¡¯t control my neck, I couldn¡¯t talk, and I couldn¡¯t swallow because I was on a feeding tube.¡±

While most of Sarah¡¯s body was paralyzed, she still was able to use her feet. Oftentimes, patients with GBS first develop weakness, numbness and tingling in the lower limbs, but Sarah was fortunate that she retained feeling in her feet ¡ª and her physical therapists took advantage of this to get her moving.

¡°The first thing was to get me walking,¡± said Sarah. ¡°Therapists got me in the harness and helped me move my legs on a treadmill because they knew my legs were going to come back first.¡±

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Sarah made tremendous strides in her mobility, and after approximately six weeks in inpatient care, she transitioned to Shirley Ryan ³Ô¹ÏÌìÌÃ91¡¯s DayRehab Center in the Streeterville neighborhood.

In DayRehab, Sarah focused on regaining control and movement in her arms and fingers, as her upper limbs were particularly affected by GBS. For example, she participated in art therapy, which she said helped with arm control, but also allowed her to enjoy crafts and painting as part of her healing.

Sarah also participated in aquatic therapy, in which her physical and occupational therapists identified different exercises and tasks for her to try in the pool. She enjoyed the lightness and freedom of moving in the water, and built up to more coordinated, complicated tasks like diving to pick up and grasp items under water.

¡°The pool changed the game in the fast progression of regaining my arm movement,¡± said Sarah. ¡°My body had lost its muscle memory, but in the water, I could move my arms again and it felt freeing. My body remembered what it felt like to move.¡±

Sarah describes herself as a mindful, spiritual person. In reflecting on her 13 weeks in DayRehab, she said she was determined to show up and keep moving forward.

¡°You¡¯re given a choice in these situations. You can either give up or you can try,¡± said Sarah. ¡°I had support around me from my nurses, therapists and family, but I had to choose this for me. I kept the mindset of, ¡®Let¡¯s do this. Let¡¯s do one more lap.¡¯¡±

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In addition to making gains in her mobility, Sarah had an additional challenge to overcome during her recovery from GBS. Due to having had pneumonia, a feeding tube and paralysis from GBS, Sarah developed significant anxiety related to swallowing.

She feared swallowing saliva or taking small sips of liquid, but knew that she had to learn how to eat and drink on her own again ¡ª without the use of a feeding tube.

To help her meet this goal, Sarah worked closely with a speech-language pathologist at Shirley Ryan ³Ô¹ÏÌìÌÃ91 who specializes in swallow therapy. Through swallow therapy, patients learn exercises and strategies to improve safety, efficiency and comfort with swallowing.

Read more: Treating Swallowing Disorders through Swallow Therapy, an interview with Shirley Ryan ³Ô¹ÏÌìÌÃ91 speech-language pathologist Kelly Rogers, MA, CCC-SLP.

¡°I went from not eating food for months to starting on yogurt and reintroducing vegan foods within a couple weeks of swallow therapy,¡± said Sarah.

Sarah¡¯s care team asked her what she was most excited to start consuming again.

¡°I just wanted an ice-cold glass of water. It sounded so exciting to be able to drink my own water,¡± said Sarah. ¡°Now I always have a glass of water as a ritual in the morning, and I feel pure gratitude.¡±

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After leaving Shirley Ryan ³Ô¹ÏÌìÌÃ91 ¡ª and now that Sarah is healed ¡ª she and Brandon moved to the mountains of Colorado to restart their life together. She is grateful for now being ¡°100% independent.¡±

Sarah is back to being active and seeking new adventures ¡ª climbing mountains, practicing yoga, hiking trails and soaking up the region¡¯s natural beauty. Recently, she hiked for more than five hours, climbed approximately 1,400 feet in elevation and summited the First and Second Flatirons in Chautauqua Park in Boulder.

¡°From navigating rocky trails to climbing sections that required careful footing, I relished in the strength I¡¯ve rebuilt," she said.

She still processes trauma related to her illnesses and hospitalizations. Though she is recovered from GBS, she is learning to manage lupus flare-ups and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) through a low-stress lifestyle and therapy.

Overall, however, Sarah says her journey of recovery profoundly reshaped her perspective on life, and the support, expertise and compassion from her care team at Shirley Ryan ³Ô¹ÏÌìÌÃ91 were pivotal in her healing journey.

¡°Navigating this journey has taught me the true value of patience, perseverance and community, as well as the true meaning of strength,¡± she said.