"The people at GBGH have a passion for helping people. It's not just a job for them."
Theo
Grateful Patient
When I first saw Theodore (Theo) he was in the Intensive Care Unit.
He was so sick. He couldn’t move. He couldn’t swallow and he couldn’t breathe on his own. He was just 22 years old.
But let me take you back to the beginning.
Theo first arrived at the Georgian Bay General Hospital (GBGH) emergency department a month earlier with uncontrollable seizures caused by a severe infection that was attacking his liver, lungs and brain.
The infection turned out to be meningitis and Theo was immediately rushed to a Toronto trauma hospital. We didn’t know if we’d ever see Theo again, but everyone hoped he’d make it and the doctors told me if he did survive he’d need intensive physical therapy. Theo was put in an induced coma and treated with nine antibiotics before he was finally stable enough to come back to GBGH.
So many GBGH team members were involved in Theo’s care. We watched his family visit him. We saw his grandfather read to him while he was in the coma. And I later learned that Theo’s mother had recently passed away just shortly before he himself became so sick. This young man captured our hearts, and everyone came together to do everything possible to help him.
It was truly a miracle that Theo was alive, but we had no idea if he would be able to recover. And that’s where caring people like you come into this story.
Without donors like you, we couldn’t do our jobs and we wouldn’t have the specialized equipment we need to care for thousands of patients a
year. To keep up with our hospital’s growing needs, I’m asking you to please donate to the Equipment Fund today to help purchase beds, IV pumps, ceiling lifts and many other critical items on this year’s capital equipment list.
When Theo woke up, the first thing he said when he could talk was “I want a donut.” And the second thing he said was “I want to walk.”
Working with a team of physical therapists, rehab assistants, occupational therapists, speak language pathologists, PSW’s, nurses and many others, from weeks to months, Theo went from sitting up in bed, to transferring out of his bed, to a wheelchair to walking with the bars.
As a physical therapist, I’m used to working with patients when they are at their most vulnerable and I’ve had some really special patients over the years, but no one quite like Theo. From his quick wit to his dry humour and his incredible perseverance – I’ve never seen someone more determined! Despite being in so much pain, every day, he just kept working! Nothing would stop him.
During our many, hard long sessions, Theo promised me that one day he would come back to visit and bring coffee and donuts. And to my surprise and absolute delight, Theo walked into 2 North (one of our inpatient units) just a few months later carrying coffee and donuts for everyone!
I literally burst into tears. We had no idea if Theo would ever be able to walk again, and here he was walking on his own. And today, Theo has made an incredible recovery, living independently with his two cats, while pursuing his many hobbies and interests, including skateboarding!
That’s the difference your giving makes. It not only saves lives, but it also helps give people their lives back. Please support the Equipment Fund today to ensure your hospital has the equipment it needs to help make more miracle stories like Theo’s possible.
Thank you,
Logan Wood
Physical Therapist
GBGH
