Game More, Pay Less
Kindle Unlimited
Unlimited reading. Millions of titles. Learn more
OR
£3.04

These promotions will be applied to this item:

Some promotions may be combined; others are not eligible to be combined with other offers. For details, please see the Terms & Conditions associated with these promotions.

You've subscribed to ! We will pre-order your items within 24 hours of when they become available. When new books are released, we'll charge your default payment method for the lowest price available during the pre-order period.
Update your device or payment method, cancel individual pre-orders or your subscription at
Your Memberships and Subscriptions
Kindle app logo image

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet or computer – no Kindle device required.

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

QR code to download the Kindle App

Follow the author

Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.

What the..? What Guillain-Barré Syndrome Did to Me Kindle Edition

4.3 out of 5 stars 25 ratings

At 42 you think you know everything. You might bemoan the fact that your life is too routine, and very little ever changes. But that’s the thing with the unexpected; it’s not expected.

It seemed one minute I knew myself, the next...I was in hospital; my body painfully and rapidly shutting down. And there were things like partying nurses, a crowd of New Romantics, visitors in gorilla costumes, and a grumpy Volkswagen designer in the intensive care ward to get my head around.

The unexpected can be a very big surprise. Like coming down with Guillain-Barré Syndrome.

A bizarre syndrome I had never heard of, came from nowhere, and started its work on me. What would it do to me? Or to life as I knew it?

It’s hard to describe what happens when you get Guillain-Barré Syndrome. I have tried to, and this is it.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00B9IUOD0
  • Accessibility ‏ : ‎ Learn more
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ 31 Jan. 2013
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 532 KB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 185 pages
  • Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Customer reviews:
    4.3 out of 5 stars 25 ratings

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Simon N. Smith
Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Discover more of the author’s books, see similar authors, read book recommendations and more.

Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
25 global ratings

Review this product

Share your thoughts with other customers

Customers say

Customers find the book to be a brilliant read, with one mentioning it provides an insightful journey through a terrible illness. The writing quality receives positive feedback, with one customer noting the author's beautiful prose.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

4 customers mention ‘Insight’4 positive0 negative

Customers find the book insightful, with one mentioning it provides a fantastic memory of time spent in hospital, while another describes it as a journey through a terrible illness.

"...A brilliantly written piece, written truthfully and from the heart...." Read more

"...You have been very truthful and insightful and Broomfield Hospital should read this book too! I've a good mind to send them a copy!..." Read more

"Simon has a fantastic memory of his time in hospital I can relate to his experiences we should all get together to ride our hospitals of those so..." Read more

"An insightful journey through a terrible illness...." Read more

4 customers mention ‘Readability’4 positive0 negative

Customers find the book to be a brilliant read.

"...Excellent read for anyone with GBS and especially for their families to understand our GBS journey." Read more

"...I couldn't put the book(iphone)down. It's brilliant and I can't recommend it highly enough. A very entertaining & interesting read...." Read more

"Simon, this was an excellent book, how you got through all of this I don't know...." Read more

"...Regardless of that, it is just a really good read that I couldn't put down." Read more

3 customers mention ‘Writing quality’3 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the writing style of the book.

"...A brilliantly written piece, written truthfully and from the heart...." Read more

"...You have been very truthful and insightful and Broomfield Hospital should read this book too! I've a good mind to send them a copy!..." Read more

"...Simon writes beautifully...." Read more

Top reviews from United Kingdom

  • Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 9 July 2022
    I rarely leave reviews on here but it would be positively rude not to in this case. Having been diagnosed with GBS I was intrigued to know if Simon's journey was anything like mine. I can whole heartedly agree with many of Simon's observations and experiences about his care and the struggles and doubts he had about his recovery and the impact they have on those around us. A brilliantly written piece, written truthfully and from the heart. Excellent read for anyone with GBS and especially for their families to understand our GBS journey.
  • Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 15 June 2022
    I read this book after seeing it recommended on a Gbs fb group.As my husband has a variant of Gbs this book have me hope .Cried so many tears .This book needs sharing so more people are aware of this horrible syndrome . A lot of my friends have not heard of Gbs.Highly recommended to read .
  • Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 11 April 2013
    Simon went to hell and back and lived to tell the tale. Don't be fooled into thinking this is all doom and gloom, it's not, at points I was laughing out loud and sending 'snapshots' of pages to my daughter to read.

    I'm a friend of Simons' brother and remember all too well this happening. The family despair and seemingly no light at the end of the tunnel was very frightening at the time and reading about it first hand you have to keep reminding yourself that this actually happened. I couldn't put the book(iphone)down. It's brilliant and I can't recommend it highly enough. A very entertaining & interesting read.

    Prior to G.B.S, Simon made hilarious you tube videos,look under 'Smoothfield' (my favourite is 'Fenton Electrics'!)On top of all that he's a talented painter too so life must still be terribly frustrating and I wish him and his family lots of happy times ahead. I'm now off to read his other book called 'A World of His Own':)
    One person found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 8 February 2013
    Simon writes in such a way that you almost take this journey with him, you feel every struggle as well as every positive step forward. It makes you thankful for what you have got and makes you take a long hard look at the way you live your life.
    Makes you ask the question 'am i wasting opportunities in my life?'

    It is a record of an extremely difficult time in Simon's life, but also how he managed to cope with these difficulties and how he managed to not only gain back his previous positive outlook on life, but also managed to add to that and make the most out of what he has got and what he can do.
    5 people found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 21 July 2013
    Simon, this was an excellent book, how you got through all of this I don't know. You have been very truthful and insightful and Broomfield Hospital should read this book too! I've a good mind to send them a copy! So glad you and your lovely family are all on the mend. Your creativity has also returned and you are as prolific as ever. For those new to Simon's work, have a look at Smoothfield as well :-)
  • Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 23 May 2013
    I have read all of Simon's books now (he has two fiction titles - "The Ghost in the Sunbeam" and "A World of his Own" available on Kindle too) and I wasn't disappointed. Simon writes beautifully. I would recommend this book to anyone, especially anyone who has suffered with an illness like GBS or just anyone interested in medicine and the patient's perspective. Regardless of that, it is just a really good read that I couldn't put down.
    One person found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 3 May 2015
    Simon has a fantastic memory of his time in hospital I can relate to his experiences we should all get together to ride our hospitals of those so called nurses every GBS patient has a story to tell about them.
  • Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 21 April 2015
    very good

Top reviews from other countries

  • LCVSY
    5.0 out of 5 stars Wow! That was one helluva book!
    Reviewed in the United States on 20 April 2013
    My 85 year-old Dad was diagnosed with GBS just yesterday, two days after waking up barely able to walk. He fell in the bathroom trying to pick up a tissue he had dropped. Mom could not help him stand. Luckily my wonderful brother-in-law, who works five minutes from their home, came to the rescue. My sister arrived, then all four of them made a beeline for the hospital. Yesterday, I am sure Dad felt like he was visiting some circle of hell as he endured the spinal tap and electrodiagnostic tests without pain meds in order to prevent breathing problems, and as he was transferred by ambulance to a hospital across town for his first plasmapheresis treatment. I live 1000 miles away. During the night, in between anxiously texting with my sister and brother-in-law as Dad was having trouble catching his breath (and then required a breathing tube) and the medical team was trying cope with his free falling blood pressure, I found Simon Smith's book at the Kindle store. I downloaded the free sample, read it, then purchased the entire book. I just finished it. Wow! Bibliotherapy at its finest. P.S. Dad has stabilized today, the right combination of meds has been found to ease his anxiety and pain. My sister texts that he has been winking at Mom a lot.
  • Kindle Customer
    4.0 out of 5 stars Interesting account of a little-known illness
    Reviewed in the United States on 22 June 2014
    Simon Smith has written a compelling account of his experience with Guillain-Barre Syndrome, a paralytic illness sometimes called French polio. His account of his hospitalization is quite vivid, complete with descriptions of the hallucinations that made him believe he was being moved from room to room and witnessing bizarre events. He is one of the unlucky ones with serious lasting deficits, but he has adjusted to his new life rather well. As one whose disease progressed quite differently, I am not sure how typical the course of the acute phase of his disease was, but it makes fascinating reading.

Report an issue


Does this item contain inappropriate content?
Do you believe that this item violates a copyright?
Does this item contain quality or formatting issues?