In the fall of 2024, Jasmine McCabe-Gossett began noticing mild neuropathy in her hands and feet. It quickly progressed to “one of the most profound cases of neuropathy” her doctor had seen, she said.
After begging the doctors to refer her to a neurologist, EMG Nerve Conduction Testing was completed, and the results were so alarming that doctors told her she needed to be admitted to the hospital immediately. That possibly saved her life.
After over a month of declining health function, McCabe-Gossett was originally diagnosed with a rare neurological condition called Guillain-Barré syndrome. By November of last year, doctors found she was facing Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy – a condition in which the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks the protective covering around the nerves, called myelin. This makes it harder for the nerves to send messages to the muscles, which can cause weakness, numbness and tingling, especially in the arms and legs.
Since then, McCabe-Gossett, professional development and internship director in the College of Business Administration, has been learning how to walk again. She has been completing physical therapy at Hendrick Health System and said the process has been frustrating.
“I’m relearning to both walk and write and use my hands,” McCabe-Gossett said. “I’m a high achiever, so not being able to simply ‘put my mind to it’ and achieve has been hard for me, but I also think it’s OK for me to be forced to slow down.”
Grateful for Support
Through this process, McCabe-Gossett has been uplifted by the support of her family.
“My husband and I have a 4-year-old so I am motivated to be able to play outside with my family again,” McCabe-Gossett said. “I want to return to the active lifestyle we had before, filled with hiking, bike riding and traveling.”
Jasmine McCabe-Gosett receives hugs and kisses from her husband, Regi, and her son, Luca.
McCabe-Gossett’s community has overflowed with support and love, she said. Her church community, family, friends and students have offered many forms of assistance, including childcare, cleaning and meals. McCabe-Gossett said she is grateful to work for an employer like ACU that has been flexible with her by allowing her to work remotely during this time.
“Students have offered to babysit my child, friends have shown up with meals or to offer helping to clean my home and I’ve received hundreds of handwritten letters from people all over the globe,” McCabe-Gossett said. “Yes, it has been challenging adjusting from a relatively independent lifestyle to one that requires assistance for virtually everything because I am wheelchair-bound and cannot drive now, but I know without my community, my life would look much different.”
An Example for Others
Even during this process, McCabe-Gossett has maintained and developed a close relationship with her students and coworkers. Soon after McCabe-Gossett was hired at ACU, she envisioned a team of professional development student workers. Each would specialize in their respective fields of study.
Laney Aguilar, junior accounting and information systems major from San Antonio, joined McCabe-Gossett’s team as a student worker in the fall of 2023.
“Jasmine has inspired me by being more than a mentor – she has been a guiding force in my life,” Aguilar said. “Through her resilience and unwavering faith, she has shown me the power of faith and perseverance in the face of challenges. Despite navigating a new normal, she continues to lead with strength and determination. Her example has not only shaped my personal and professional growth but has also changed the course of my life and many others.”
McCabe-Gossett is a wife and mother living with lupus, CIDP, rheumatoid arthritis and Raynaud’s syndrome, and she has documented her experience through a blog called Jasmine’s CaringBridge and an Instagram page named @limitlessjasmine
“Initially I was desperate to find resources, as well as other people who were living with the same condition I was,” McCabe-Gossett said. “Although I found many people who had been diagnosed years prior, I wasn’t able to find anyone who had shared their health journey from diagnosis on. I wanted to chronicle my journey so that I could look back and see my progress, but also so that I could serve as a resource for others that may walk through this in the future.”
McCabe-Gossett has remained positive through the ups and downs of this experience. She reminds those following along with her on this journey that it is not always the big milestones but the small moments that remind her all progress is something to be proud of.
“Allow the emotions to flow through you,” McCabe-Gossett said. “The Lord is present in every emotion so don’t deny yourself the opportunity to connect with them in this deep, sacred way.”
