Moments after Jessie Close entered a food market in Bozeman, Mont., in 1997, she experienced the first warning sign: a wave of nausea. Even though she could have mistaken the queasiness for the flu, Jessie knew the sensation heralded something different, something much worse.
Soon after the nausea and dizziness, lethargy set in. No matter how hard she tried to force her legs to work, her movements became sluggish, her feet dragging through the aisles. Then came the clincher: near immobility. Jessie felt rooted to a spot. Even as her mind reeled, she could hardly move a muscle. ...