A spinal tap showing a high protein level confirmed doctors' worst fears. Berezin's spreading paralysis was caused by a mysterious and potentially fatal illness called Guillain-Barré (ghee-yan bah-ray) Syndrome, an inflammatory disorder in which the immune system suddenly attacks the nerves. Better known as GBS, the illness damages peripheral nerves - those outside the brain and spinal cord - causing rapid loss of feeling and paralysis of limbs, upper body and face.

GBS affects an estimated one to four in every 100,000 persons annually in the United States. It can strike at any age and is fatal in up to 15 percent of cases, usually in older adults with other medical problems. Because the cause is unknown, there's no way to prevent it.

"I have very little memory of that first month, so I can't say I was afraid," says Berezin in a booming voice that carries a musical Russian accent. Totally paralyzed and on a respirator, he was heavily sedated as doctors struggled to stabilize his condition. His wife Tamara and son were by his side while doctors gave him high doses of steroids to counter the run-away immune attack.

As the third week began, Berezin received a blood cleansing procedure called plasmapheresis, which helped reduce the number of overactive immune cells circulating in his body. His condition remained critical, complicated by pneumonia.

"A doctor who had recovered from GBS at Bryn Mawr Rehab Hospital came to visit me and gave me a lot of encouragement," Berezin recalls. "He told me to take heart: Most people recover from even the most severe cases of GBS, although some people continue to have some weakness."

The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke reports that 20 percent of those who survive GBS have varying amounts of permanent disability, and about two-thirds have ongoing fatigue. But the vast majority of survivors are able to return to work and active lives.

Rapid Progress
Berezin's progress at BMRH was dramatic, thanks to the support of a team of therapists, nurses, doctors and psychologists, and the involvement of family and friends. Within a month of his arrival, he was up and walking with a walker and a brace on his right leg. With the removal of his tracheotomy tube, he resumed talking with gusto.

Berezin is accustomed to overcoming obstacles. With a Ph.D. degree in mechanical engineering, he worked for the Scientist Institute in Moscow designing machinery for coal extraction. His visit with an aunt living in the United States coincided with the November 1991 collapse of the USSR. After much soul searching, he applied for political asylum and entered a U.S. green card lottery.

"Only 50,000 immigrants were selected worldwide, and I felt like the richest man in the world to be among them," says Berezin, whose wife soon joined him. They became American citizens in 2000 and together started Paramount Realty Inc. in Philadelphia in 2002. "Now I have a second chance to pursue my dreams."