Paralyzed from rare disease, Caroline returns home from Thailand
Original report by Karina Bolster and David Hylton. PHOTOS: Facebook/Jim Brader
A 22 year old woman from Virginia, US, who was paralyzed after her diagnosis of a rare auto-immune disease while teaching in Thailand, has arrived back home in the US.
Caroline Bradner was hospitalised in Thailand ever since.
A travel insurance company had agreed earlier this month to help Bradner get home. Caroline had originally travelled to Surat Thani in southern Thailand for a marketing internship but soon fell in love with teaching English to young children.
“She thought that would help broaden herself and also give back to other people,” said her father Jim Bradner.
But two months in to her six month stay the unexpected happened.
On December 22 Caroline woke up in her apartment in Thailand unable to move, according to her sister.
“It’s a punch in the gut,” Bradner said.
Read more about Caroline’s condition and the challenge to get her home HERE.
A friend, also from Virginia, took Caroline to the hospital after she started exhibiting symptoms of weakness, abdominal pain and paralysis.
Doctors in Thailand diagnosed her with Guillain Barre Syndrome, a rare auto-immune disease that causes your body’s immune system to attack your nerves.
The family found out about Caroline’s situation when they were picking her sister up at the airport.
Caroline’s mother flew out Christmas Eve to help with her daughter’s recovery while the rest of the family focused on finding a way to get her home.
Last night (Saturday), her father posted photos to Facebook as Caroline arrived home.
Friends, family and strangers donated to a GoFundMe page, originally created to help pay for transportation.
“Any additional funds will be donated to GBS/CIDP Foundation International,” the fundraising page said.
Original article HERE
