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How many times have you ever said "I hate you" to your brother or sister? How many times have you thought you meant it? We all have those days where we're convinced we hate those pesky other kids Mom and Dad felt the need to have. You hate them, they're pure evil, nothing good can come of them, and you wouldn't care not for a minute if they were gone. And then it really happens.

Guillian-Barre syndrome probably sounds like something from "House" or "Mystery Diagnosis." According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorder and Stroke, Guillian-Barre is a "disorder in which the body's immune system attacks its own peripheral nerve system." It can be caused by a respiratory virus and symptoms include tingling and weakness in the limbs, often resulting in the inability to walk.

It may sound like a mystery for Dr. House to solve but it's frightening when you witness these symptoms occurring firsthand. My little brother Andrew had been sick all week and no one knew what to think when these symptoms appeared. My mom took him to the doctor, who said take him to the hospital. When Andrew left I never imagined it'd be the last time I'd be seeing him home for eight days.

When I first heard the diagnosis and found out what Guillian-Barre was, I was fine. So Andrew will be in the hospital for a few days? So it may take a few weeks? So it'll just be me and my little sister Laura for a few days? I thought I'd be fine. It wasn't until my best friend, Renee, called me and asked me how I was doing that it all hit me and I broke down.

I was crying all that weekend and it's hard to explain why. Knowing that my little brother was incredibly weak and couldn't walk is indescribably difficult. I realized how much Andrew and I had been through together. Sure we fight, but we also have our moments. Between vacations, family events, and even the everyday activities, we've created memories that no one else could understand. I finally understood what my mom had always told me about my brother and sister always being there for me. Andrew's week in the hospital made me realize that I really do need my siblings. Andrew's home now and doing fine. He needs a walker and is attending physical and occupational therapy. But, I'd rather have him home with us than anything else. It took a terrifying illness, but I finally realize that despite everything I need Andrew and Laura. So the next time you're about to scream "I hate you" to a sibling, older or younger, imagine what life would be like without them because, in reality, you really do need your siblings in life to get you through everything.