Wrestling Helps Kinzer Overcome Rare Disorder

Just over one year ago, Hazel Kinzer, then eight years old, noticed weakness and pain in her hands and feet. Over several days her symptoms progressed to tripping and falling on the soccer field during recess.

Hazel's parents, Cody and Russ Kinzer of Broadus, brought her to Miles City and then on to Billings to ascertain a diagnosis.

In Billings, Hazel was diagnosed with Guillain–Barré syndrome.

GBS, as it is commonly known, is a rapid-onset disorder characterized by muscle weakness, brought on by the immune system damaging the body's nervous system.

The outlook for GBS is often a long, drawn out recovery over months and even years, and severe cases may even be fatal.

GBS is a rare disorder affecting an estimated 3,000 to 6,000 people in the US per year according to the CDC, and is most commonly caused by the body's reaction to a recent infection, or digestive or respiratory illness. In Hazel's case, she had experienced an ear infection in the weeks prior to the onset of her symptoms.

While at the hospital, Hazel first went through a spinal tap to determine that GBS was the cause of her ailment, and she then was treated with an intravenous immunoglobulin therapy, which blocks the damaging antibodies responsible for GBS.

During this time, the Kinzer family had many challenges to overcome. Cody was serving as a gestational surrogate for a childhood friend and went into labor. Soon after Hazel returned home from the hospital, the family was set to move into a new home, and the community stepped up to help by arriving with pickups, trailers, and plenty of manual labor to move the Kinzer family of seven into their new home.

With Hazel back home, the long road to recovery began. When she first returned, Hazel couldn't stand, and showed symptoms of Bell's palsy, a form of facial paralysis.

"She needed help with everything," Cody told us as we sat down with her and Hazel in the family home during a recent interview.

Cody and Russ were helped tremendously in taking care of Hazel and her siblings by Jess Levy, Cody's long-time friend she met at grad school in Texas.

"Jess has been there for pretty much every major life event, and I can't thank her enough," Cody commented.

Other help came from older siblings Reuben and Bonita, who helped pick up the slack around the house.

Cody's cousin, Sam, and mom, Jeanne, helped to take care of the younger boys, Wesley and H. Boone.

In addition to the moving help, an anonymous member of the community brought meals by the house, St. V's provided a fuel card to help with appointments, and many others helped out in a myriad of other ways.

"This community is amazing," Cody beamed as she described the help from the local folks.

With the help of local physical therapy and occupational therapy appointments, Hazel slowly began to recover. At first, Hazel had no functional use of her hands, and slept for long stretches of time as her body recovered. These appointments with PT Kate Copelan and OT Kylie Randall helped Hazel to slowly but steadily improve.

By the third week of April, Hazel was able to make it out of the bathtub on her own, and she started going to school in a wheelchair towards the end of the school year. By fall, Hazel was back to school as usual, but her progress slowed as the months progressed.

Hazel's neurologist told the Kinzers in December that her recovery was behind that of others with GBS.

Hazel told us that she began to grow depressed, as she feared she might plateau in her recovery. With motivation from the doctor to try and push herself, Hazel fell back on a tried and true favorite pastime: wrestling.

"I love wrestling" Kinzer proclaimed, her eyes bright and a smile across her face as she described the sport she had been a part of for five years.

Hazel knew that going out for AAU wrestling and competing would be a great challenge to overcome, but she also had a goal of helping her condition to improve.

In her first day of practice, Hazel's goal was to keep up with 50% of the drills. She kept up with 80-90%.

From there, her strength and coordination improved. Hazel took second in the Miles City tournament, winning matches along the way.

"It was an emotional day for me," Cody commented on the wins in Miles City, as wrestling supporters at the tournament commented on how the girl who had been in a wheelchair just a few months prior was now having her hand raised in triumph on the wrestling mat.

Hazel went on to take 4th in her weight class at the AAU state tournament in Billings.

Fast forward to today: Hazel, now a thin but happy nine year old with a big smile on her face demonstrated her handstand skills during a visit to the family home, a day short of one year since her debilitating disorder first became apparent.

She still exhibits a few weaknesses – lifting the front portion of her foot, or barreling over the edge of the couch after running down the stairs. But those conditions would go unobserved by the casual observer, who would likely think of Hazel's activity levels as right in line with any other 4th grader – rambunctious and generally having a fun time with life.

Over the last year, Hazel went from a hospital bed to a long road of recovery, and on to the wrestling mats, where she not only competed but won matches over the course of the season. Hazel now sets her sights on the future. The aspiring marine biologist has a love for all things science, and loves to draw and paint, along with her newfound passion for roller skating at the VFW, which coincidently helps out with her GBS recovery. Her goals in the near term are to compete and win some ribbons in the upcoming Elementary Track Meet, and to win first in her division, next year at State AAU wrestling.

A determined young lady, Hazel is ready to take on the world.