Brandon Genaille & McCallum Family
Donation protected
As most of you know our friend Lisa McCallum and her family have been going through a pretty tough time for the last few weeks.
Lisa & Terrance received custody of Brandon (Terrance's youngest brother) in December 2011. They've raised him like their own son. He is now 20 and works at an awesome job doing interior metal framing with a great, supportive company and volunteers to help coach the seniors volleyball team. He has been trying to make his life better for himself, it’s been a struggle but he has made it.
Right now Brandon is going through the biggest, scariest time of his life. A month ago he had pain in his shoulder and arm, knowing he works overhead he thought he pulled a muscle. He went to emerge, was given pain killers and sent home. He tried to go to work but the pain got really bad. A few days later, he went back to emerge almost crying in pain, begging that for an X-ray or figure something out. So they did, but the results showed nothing and sent him home again.
That week he was in excruciating pain. Brandon couldn’t eat, couldn’t sleep, nothing would numb the pain and he couldn’t lift his arm past his chest. He started having a hard time breathing and started spitting up blood, was extremely pale and had lost about 10 pounds. He didn’t want to go back to the hospital, because was afraid to be sent home.
Finally after he couldn’t take it anymore, Brandon spoke to the First Nation Liaison Worker at the hospital and told them he doesn’t know what to do. They backed him up and got him admitted into the hospital right away.
Finally, they took blood work and realized his blood cell count was out of whack and were shocked he was even still standing. He had full blown pneumonia and a huge bacterial infection in his blood and heart.
They have done CT scans and ultrasounds on his heart and body and still can’t figure out why his body is doing this.
They ended up calling it Endocarditis, and after another week eventually medevaced him to Vancouver to get a more thorough ultrasound on his heart and to test his blood with blood specialists. They ended up medevacing him and Terrance to the wrong hospital. He got one ultrasound done and they are saying he still has pneumonia, spots on his spleen and bacteria in his blood. They don’t know why the antibiotics are not working and are worried about his heart. The doctors want to confirm it actually is Endocarditis and that answer should come this week. If it is, then Brandon and Terrance will be staying for at least a month to try and treat what’s going on with heart surgery as a possibility.
On top of this horrible event: Terrance is walking around in a cast because of horrible arthritis in his ankle. Lisa is in the process of opening a cake shop in town (which has been put on hold for the time being) and also just found out she is 2.5 months pregnant with 2 other children at home.
Lisa and Terrance feel awkward asking for help, yet they would be there to help anyone of us. I feel like it’s time to give back in anyway we can.
Please if you can donate, anything is appreciated! Shares are definitely welcome.
Lisa & Terrance received custody of Brandon (Terrance's youngest brother) in December 2011. They've raised him like their own son. He is now 20 and works at an awesome job doing interior metal framing with a great, supportive company and volunteers to help coach the seniors volleyball team. He has been trying to make his life better for himself, it’s been a struggle but he has made it.
Right now Brandon is going through the biggest, scariest time of his life. A month ago he had pain in his shoulder and arm, knowing he works overhead he thought he pulled a muscle. He went to emerge, was given pain killers and sent home. He tried to go to work but the pain got really bad. A few days later, he went back to emerge almost crying in pain, begging that for an X-ray or figure something out. So they did, but the results showed nothing and sent him home again.
That week he was in excruciating pain. Brandon couldn’t eat, couldn’t sleep, nothing would numb the pain and he couldn’t lift his arm past his chest. He started having a hard time breathing and started spitting up blood, was extremely pale and had lost about 10 pounds. He didn’t want to go back to the hospital, because was afraid to be sent home.
Finally after he couldn’t take it anymore, Brandon spoke to the First Nation Liaison Worker at the hospital and told them he doesn’t know what to do. They backed him up and got him admitted into the hospital right away.
Finally, they took blood work and realized his blood cell count was out of whack and were shocked he was even still standing. He had full blown pneumonia and a huge bacterial infection in his blood and heart.
They have done CT scans and ultrasounds on his heart and body and still can’t figure out why his body is doing this.
They ended up calling it Endocarditis, and after another week eventually medevaced him to Vancouver to get a more thorough ultrasound on his heart and to test his blood with blood specialists. They ended up medevacing him and Terrance to the wrong hospital. He got one ultrasound done and they are saying he still has pneumonia, spots on his spleen and bacteria in his blood. They don’t know why the antibiotics are not working and are worried about his heart. The doctors want to confirm it actually is Endocarditis and that answer should come this week. If it is, then Brandon and Terrance will be staying for at least a month to try and treat what’s going on with heart surgery as a possibility.
On top of this horrible event: Terrance is walking around in a cast because of horrible arthritis in his ankle. Lisa is in the process of opening a cake shop in town (which has been put on hold for the time being) and also just found out she is 2.5 months pregnant with 2 other children at home.
Lisa and Terrance feel awkward asking for help, yet they would be there to help anyone of us. I feel like it’s time to give back in anyway we can.
Please if you can donate, anything is appreciated! Shares are definitely welcome.
Organizer and beneficiary
Gayle Ball
Organizer
Whitehorse, YT
Lisa McCallum
Beneficiary