Joseph Heller

The case study that we went over today was Joseph Heller. He was 58 year old writer who also loved to travel. When he was admitted to the hospital, he was admitted into the ICU but didn't understand why because he was out running, eating, and drinking with friends. Joseph was in great shape with no medical issues until the symptoms of Guillain-Barr'e Syndrome came out of nowhere and attacked his nervous system. He began by experiencing tingling and weakness in his arms and legs. His case was different than most cases because his symptoms started in his core and spread out to his limbs, instead of starting at his feet. GBS caused him to have a problem lifting his arms. The occupational therapy intervention that would be best for him would probably be working on getting his skills back for writing his book. His recovery time was about 2 years. He was able to finish writing his 4th book and get it published.