From Hope to Healing


During Marc's time at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre in Toronto, Ontario, following a massive stroke and brain bleed, a friend suggested I start a blog. I'd been making notes each day and updating his progress on Facebook but after some thought, I realized that this could be something that Marc could later read to follow his journey back to health.

I thought it might also serve to help someone else. If it can help even one other person to recognize the signs of a stroke or to help a family member understand what happens during this battle, then it was worth recording.

This is Marc's story. It begins with our hope for his survival and follows his healing journey.

For those of you new to blogs, you can find previous posts in the Blog Archive on the right side of the page. Each post has the date so you can easily follow along day by day. Just click the one you want to read. This story starts on Saturday, December 8, 2012.

(To see the earlier blog posts, click on "2012" in the Blog Archive section and it will open the posts from December)

Wednesday, December 26, 2012

Friday, December 21, 2012 - The Wait for a Transfer Begins

Just after midnight tonight will mark the two week anniversary of Marc's stroke. He has come so far in that short time and for that I am forever grateful.

He had a good day today and was up in a wheelchair once again. I think his left hand had even more movement today than yesterday.  He didn’t want to stay up too long but we did visit the patient lounge again for a while. 

We find ourselves sorting out his memory most days as he struggles with things that just happened. I had to convince him he didn't sleep through my visit yesterday and miss it and that he didn't have brain surgery yesterday. He did know that it was the 21st today but thought it was Sunday. Baby steps.

The best news today came from his neurosurgeon. He is happy with the swelling and that the leaking has stopped and has given the go ahead for him to be transferred back to Royal Victoria Hospital in Barrie.  The wheels are in motion and once they have a bed, off he goes. I've been warned it can take a few days, but I'm hoping that Santa can give him a lift in his sleigh and have him there for Christmas. That's the next best thing to having him actually home.

I was going to see if I could bring our Golden Retriever, Ceilidh, in to see Marc this weekend.  I found out earlier in the week that visits from pets are allowed if their shots are up to date and they’ve had a bath.  Two days ago, I returned home to find a Vaccination Certificate on my counter.  After some digging, I found out that my friend Christine had dog-napped Ceilidh during the day and took her to our vet to update her shots for me.  I was waiting for a day when I wasn’t going to Toronto alone, in case Ceilidh was freaked out by the hospital.  Now with news of repatriation to RVH, I figured I should hold off.  I hope RVH has the same pet policy. 

I told my daughter on day two that all I wanted for Christmas this year is Marc.  At that time, I meant that I wanted him to live.  Now all I want for Christmas is for him to be in Barrie. 
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