Could you have done to test to see if you have ever had transmissible spongiform encephalopathies, or if you do now, or how to recognizre it in someone?

Do not recover: You do not recover from spongiform encephalopathies (brains take on a "spongy" appearance) which are prion disease. While usually diagnosed post-mortem on autopsy, there are some diagnostic testing that can be done such as MRI, EEG, and CSF examination. Symptoms can include behavioral changes, myoclonus, seizures, etc. but these can mimic some other neurologic diseases.