High-profile Masterton barrister Ken Daniels is battling his way back from a rare and paralysing illness that almost stopped him from breathing.
Mr Daniels, speaking from his Kenepuru Hospital bed yesterday, said he is now undergoing intensive physiotherapy treatment to recover use of his hands, arms and legs and to revitalise
muscles that have wasted since he suddenly fell ill in May with Guillain-Barre syndrome.
He said the potentially fatal condition, which struck down three other people this year in Wairarapa and is suspected in a fifth case, was for him diagnosed early and a four-times-daily treatment of immunoglobulin that cost $12,000 over three days, thwarted the illness at a critical point in its progression.
"It's fortunate it was caught quickly or it could have been worse. The next set of muscles to go would have been the diaphragm but they just stopped it in time," he said.
Guillain-Barre syndrome is expected to affect three people in every 100,000 in a year but the prevalence of the illness in Wairarapa has inexplicably outstripped the national average.
The syndrome affects the peripheral nervous system and is normally triggered by infection, commonly starting with weakness, buckling and tingling in the legs.
GBS moves rapidly up the body affecting the arms and muscles in the face muscles within hours or days, often causing problems with breathing and swallowing.
Victims of the condition need to be hospitalised and although most recover unscathed, some sufferers are left with permanent disabilities.
GBS can kill, especially if there are complications with lung disease.
Mr Daniels expects to be in hospital for up to another three weeks, he said, although a full recovery will not come for another six to 12 months.
"Some people get remaining disabilities but indications are that I will make a full recovery. I'm making steady progress, albeit between the bed and a wheelchair at the moment, and all the signs are positive."
He has shed up to 20kg in weight, he said, and each week has lost more than 15 per cent of muscle bulk since falling ill.
He said the diagnosis was made the week before he was due to enter a 10km walk, which he hopes to complete upon his recovery despite not being able "to run any marathons just yet".
