It started as tingling in his hands and feet on Sunday, Dec. 1, 2008. By Tuesday, Guthrie Rainey was paralyzed.

“By Tuesday morning he was just helpless,” said his wife, Carole Rainey.

The 60-year-old Enterprise resident was transferred to Southeast Alabama Medical Center in Dothan in guarded condition. He had lower-body paralysis and upper-body weakness. He had problems speaking and swallowing. A spinal tap and brain scan showed he had Guillain-Barre syndrome, a rare disorder where the body’s immune system attacks the nerves.

“We didn’t know what we were dealing with, which was scary,” Carole Rainey said.

Guillain-Barre (pronounced ghee-YAN bah-RAY) syndrome is typically associated with viral or bacterial infections, although the exact cause is not known. In Rainey’s case, doctors believe a flu shot may have been the trigger. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the paralysis and muscle weakness can last for weeks or even months. Most people eventually recover, but some have permanent nerve damage. In extreme cases, Guillain-Barre syndrome can be fatal.

While the most common infection associated with Guillain-Barre is a bacterium called Campylobacter jejuni, there have been cases where swine flu vaccines, as well as seasonal flu vaccines, have preceded symptoms, according to the CDC. In 1976, swine flu vaccinations were associated with Guillain-Barre syndrome. One study since 1976 showed an association with the seasonal flu vaccine. However, the study showed that one person out of 1 million vaccinated people may be at risk, according to the CDC.

Guthrie Rainey spent 14 weeks in the hospital and in rehab at HealthSouth in Dothan. He had a procedure called plasmapheresis where blood plasma is removed, treated and then returned to the patient. It took five weeks of in-patient rehabilitation before Rainey could handle the tasks of daily living.

“I had to learn how to walk again,” he said.

This week is National Rehabilitation Week, and Rainey will share his story during a patient reunion at 3 p.m. Thursday at HealthSouth. The support he received from family, friends, fellow church members, and the therapists and staff at HealthSouth helped him through the illness, he said.

“They never did give up on me,” he said. “ ... I had just about given up on myself.”

Today, Rainey is still doing rehab at home, and he walks with a cane for balance. It’s been difficult for Rainey, who was used to being active and on the go. He still wears out easy and is trying to build up his endurance.

“He was at death’s door,” said Terry Rogers, a registered nurse who works in marketing and admissions at HealthSouth. “He really is a miracle.”

Guthrie Rainey feels lucky just to be alive.

“It got to one point I thought I saw a guardian angel outside the window,” he said. “ ... I’ve come a long way.”

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