Zika Patients Are Coming Down With a Rare and Paralyzing Disorder. I Had it 13 Years Ago.

The medical community is alarmed by a surge in cases of the debilitating Guillain-Barré Syndrome. Back when I got it, no one had any idea what was wrong with me.

Illustrations by Andrew North

Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) is a rare autoimmune disorder that causes temporary paralysis. It’s now in the news because of Zika, but I experienced it myself back in 2003, after reporting from Iraq on the U.S. invasion. When it started, I was not even sure anything was wrong with me.