Česky
Until she was twenty-five years old, Gabriela experienced the ordinary worries and joys associated with business. Before the disease manifested itself, she was active in sports, went to dance classes and generally her life was full of movement. But then everything changed.
"My parents and I had a pub and everything was normal. But one day, all of a sudden, I started spilling beer and also falling because my legs stopped listening to me. I remember that it all started twelve years ago on 15 February, because my mother told me that I walked strangely," the young woman begins her story.
Minor accidents and unpleasant car crashes were never ending, so with the support of her mother Marcela, she decided to undergo a series of examinations. "We went everywhere. It was only after a few years that it was discovered that it was a neurological problem, when genetic tests revealed a disorder in the SPG11 gene," continues the patient's mother.
From a professional point of view, Gabriela's condition is characterised as a type of hereditary spastic paraparesis, which belongs to a group of diseases that manifest themselves as progressive weakening and stiffening of the lower limbs due to disorders of the nervous system. In her case, she also has difficulty swallowing and articulation. The cause is damage to the nervous system, which affects the ability of the necessary muscles to control properly.
In addition, the relatively rapid onset of symptoms has been exacerbated by the passing of a covid in the past year. "It affected my right side in particular. Up until then I was able to move around with the help of crutches. That is no longer possible and I spend most of my day in a wheelchair," she says.
There is currently no treatment for the disease and Gabriela is undergoing intensive rehabilitation to help alleviate the symptoms. In addition to the regular outpatient visits she makes at her place of residence, in March she had her third stay at the Rehabilitation Centre of MUDr. Jan Calta. As she notes, she knew right after her first experience that she would not change.
"It's home and I love being there. But one falls into a kind of routine even with my illness and it is hard to motivate oneself. However, during my stay here in Beroun, the factor that I simply have to exercise plays a big role. I feel that the swimming pool helps me the most and also that I actually have to move somewhere all the time to stay active. This helps me a lot both physically and mentally. I always leave feeling positive and much stronger," she says.
Despite her disability, Gabriela tries to live as independently as possible and hopes to see Egypt again with her family. Thanks to regular rehabilitation and a positive attitude, her strength is returning. So she definitely doesn't want to give up on her goal.
