"I wasn't sure if I was ever going to play baseball again" - Trevor Bauer details scary bout with Guillain-Barré Syndrome and partial paralysis
It was quite the memorable season, both good and bad, for Trevor Bauer with the Diablos Rojos del México of the Mexican League. The former Cy Young Award winner enjoyed tremendous success; however, none of this occurred without Bauer having to overcome a significant health scare.
During the season, Bauer experienced problems with his legs and feet. After some further testing, the veteran pitcher was diagnosed with Guillain-Barré Syndrome. GBS is an auto-immune disorder that can lead to the loss of muscular control and, in some severe cases, paralysis.
This is something that Bauer discussed in a video that he shared on his YouTube channel. The former Cincinnati Reds ace explained that not only had he been diagnosed with ulcerous colitis, but after using the medication to treat it, he started losing feeling in his feet.
This numbness in his feet left him concerned about his future and health despite celebrating a playoff berth.
"For as fun as the celebration was, it was also a bit sad for me because my legs were partially a bit paralyzed, I basically had no strength below my knees and I wasn't sure if I was ever going to play baseball again [3:57]," Bauer said in the video.
The former Los Angeles Dodgers star explained that part of his treatment included four days of blood transfusions. Soon after the transfusions, he started to feel like himself again but this was because they were able to catch his Guillain-Barré syndrome early.
"Everything below my knees on both sides was basically in partial paralysis which means I couldn't really run and couldn't do any conditioning for like two weeks, [4:45]," Bauer explained.
Thanks to catching the symptoms early, Trevor Bauer was able to undergo a series of intravenous immunoglobulin injections, which allowed him to get back on the field sooner rather than later. After the treatment, Bauer was able to return to the team and help them through their playoff run and eventual title.
Trevor Bauer was not the only baseball star affected by Guillain-Barré Syndrome this year
Although Bauer's bout with GBS was relatively easy to treat, the same could not be said about Freddie Freeman's son Max. The Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman child, who is only 3 years old, was admitted into the hospital as his body quickly deteriorated and was left fully paralyzed.
It was a terrifying moment for Freddie Freeman and his wife Chelsea, who were both by his side in the hospital this August. Thankfully for everyone involved, Max has continued to improve and, according to Chelsea Freeman, has steadily been regaining his movement back.
Given the nature of Guillain-Barré Syndrome, it is a major relief to see that both Max Freeman and Trevor Bauer have either fully recovered or made progress in their recovery.