Grateful Patient: Bill & Marilyn Wright – Integrated Stroke
At 56 years old, Bill has to learn to walk again, but he’s got the personal determination, the family support and the medical expertise of the staff
on the Integrated Stroke Unit at the Brant Community Healthcare System (BCHS) to help him get up and moving again.
Bill, a truck driver, had stopped in Illinois to get a coffee and do some paperwork. He noticed a ringing in his ear, when he suddenly lost his balance and fell. He called 9-1-1 himself, but no one on the other end of the phone could understand him. Thankfully, another driver was able to let emergency workers know what was happening and they safely got Bill to an Illinois hospital where he had a second stroke – this time on the opposite side of his brain.
Bill was stabilized before being flown back to Brantford, where his wife of 34 years, Marilyn, was waiting. He was admitted to the 21-bed Integrated Stroke Unit (ISU) at the BCHS which brings together both acute treatment and rehabilitation care to support stroke recovery. As a patient of the ISU for four months, he received a personalized stroke recovery plan and was able to work with a medical team specially trained in stroke care management.
This is where he met Laurie-Anne, an ISU nurse that helped support his recovery plan.
Putting Patients First
Having a stroke on each side of the brain isn’t something that happens very often, according to Laurie-Anne, who said Bill has to work that much harder to recover from his stroke.
“He has a remarkable inner determination,” she said. “He wants to do it.”
This year more than 50,000 Canadians will have a stroke. As the District Stroke Centre for Brant, Haldimand and Norfolk, this is a statistic that staff at the BCHS are all too familiar with. A stroke is defined as any interruption in blood flow to the brain. This includes blockages caused by clots in a blood vessel or when a vessel bursts and blood leaks into the brain tissue causing damage. Without quick restoration of blood flow, brain cells may die and
permanent damage may occur.
Receiving care quickly is essential to restoring proper blood flow to the brain. Considering a stroke can destroy up to two million brain cells per minute, time to treatment is critical. If you, or someone you know, experience stroke
symptoms, call 9-1-1 immediately!
Bill is a BCHS Grateful Patient …
“My family and I are thankful for the care I received at the BCHS. I am forever grateful for the dedicated medical professionals who treated me with kindness and the utmost respect”.
Bill comments that having spent so much time on the BCHS ISU, he got to know the staff and other patients really well. He has made a new friend of a fellow patient and when Marilyn brings Bill in for a visit, everyone wants to say hello.
Since his release in June, Bill continues with his therapy ‘homework,’ which includes exercises for his speech, walking, and movement of his right arm and leg, which were severely affected by the stroke. Three times a week he receives out-patient speech, physical and occupational therapy at the BCHS.
The Brant Community Healthcare System Foundation is committed to raising critical funds to support the top priority needs for The Brantford General and The Willett, Paris. Your meaningful donation helps us to purchase patientequipment not funded by the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, provide essential resources to maintain the exceptional level of compassionate patient care, and invest in new and innovative technology.
Please help us continue to build a strong healthcare system for our community. Your involvement, through a donation of any size, allows us to support our dedicated staff at the BCHS with the patient equipment and resources they need to provide excellent care.
Please make a difference TODAY!
The equipment supported by donor dollars isn’t all ‘nice to have’ — it is critical, much-needed medical equipment required to perform daily diagnostics and care for our patients.
As Bill and Marilyn now know, when crisis or illness impacts you or a loved one, the Brant Community Healthcare System is here to offer you exceptional healthcare in your time of need. Now is the time to make a difference, please consider making a gift TODAY that is meaningful to you.
To make your donation, please click here, call our office at (519) 751-5510.