Paula Yelinek's story - Western Mass News
May 7, 2026 — Paula Yelinek, 30, is a registered nurse at Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Western Massachusetts in Ludlow. Before Yelinek was a nurse at Encompass Health, she was a patient.
“I woke up one day, and I couldn't move my legs,” Yelinek told Western Mass News. “Then from there, it kind of progressed upwards.”
At age 26, Yelinek was diagnosed with Guillain-Barré syndrome, a rare autoimmune disorder that causes muscle weakness. For a time, she was paralyzed from the chest down. Yelinek spent months recovering, including time at Encompass Health Western Massachusetts.
“They did more than just give me my meds and made sure I got to therapy,” she said. “There were nights where, because I had some inflammation in my brain, I was really confused, and I had nurses and techs that would sit with me, kind of take the place of my mom, holding my hand and just reassuring me that things were going to be OK.”
Now, four years later, Yelinek is at the same hospital, providing that same care for her patients. During National Nurses Week, she is committed to helping patients facing Guillain-Barré and other life-changing illnesses or injuries recover. She also offers words of hope.
“You don't know what each day is going to bring, but all you can do really is take it day by day,” Yelinek said. “And, you know, the little things mean a lot more than you realize — so just kind of persisting and keep going with the therapy. Keep listening to your nurses and your doctors. They're trying to work with you, and it will get better. I promise."