David Tait's Stroke Recovery Fund
Donation protected
On Thursday March 24, after a day of doing what he loved - building with friends - beloved father and grandfather David Tait suffered a massive stroke. He was rushed by helicopter from the Sunshine Coast to the Intensive Care Unit at Lions Gate Hospital where they were able to stabilize him on life support and though the doctors didn’t think he had much of a chance, over the course of a few weeks David was able to emerge and fight his way back from the brink.
This is where his battle began. We were told during the first few days of his stroke that only 10% of people suffering this degree of brain bleed survive and recover but David has proven to us that it is possible to progress well beyond this estimation. He was put into an induced coma for two weeks while his brain began to heal. In order to breathe and eat he endured a full tracheostomy and a feeding peg operation to assist with these basic functions. At this point David was transferred to the Vancouver General Hospital stroke ward to receive the best care available. While battling severe bouts of pneumonia he was able to regain consciousness and began to open his eyes, though his communications were limited to hand squeezes and some head movement. You can imagine how hard this would be for such a talkative and loving man in such a scary situation.
Despite these challenges David has persevered and made significant steps towards recovery over the past four months. He has suffered complete paralysis of the left side of his body but thankfully his mind and spirit are still here. He continues to show us his love and sense of humor and has kept true to his Buddhist contentment with the present situation as he adjusts to a new normal. His memory is surprisingly sharp and he is constantly sharing stories about old friends and workmates. His work in the film industry has always been David’s playground, and his coworkers from IATSE local 891 and ACFC, his playmates. He has been talking about plans for future projects he wants to build (such as a new bed or a raft for his grandsons) and his passion for music and CBC radio has also really helped keep his spirits up.
Now that his health is beginning to stabilize he has been transferred from Vancouver General Hospital to the Purdy Pavilion, 4th floor room 438 (an extended care home in UBC) where the focus has shifted to improving his overall well-being through consistent rehabilitation. He is lucky to be working with Pauline Martin, a talented and generous neuro-physiotherapist and family friend, who is very optimistic and believes in David as much as we do. Over the next 12 months he will work with Pauline and her staff three times a week to help him regain his independence and mobility. Our major goals for his recovery are:
1. For David to regain his independence
2. To build up his strength so he can become more mobile and even travel in cars
3. To make enough progress so that he qualifies for the full rehabilitation program offered at the GF Strong facility
4. To attend the Vancouver Folk Festival in 2017 and be surrounded by his friends and family!
We are incredibly grateful for how far he has come and how hard he has worked. As we look ahead at the next chapter costs are starting to mount up. We don’t want these costs to be the barrier that prevent his full potential from emerging and therefore we are reaching out to our community for support. Our goal of $16,000 will cover David’s medical care costs, including physiotherapy and kinesiology sessions, and purchasing a custom wheelchair. We realize David would never ask anyone for this type of gesture, however to us it is a gesture of pure love and a chance for all those that have been touched by the light in his soul and the twinkle in his eyes to help in his recovery.
We greatly appreciate all of the support people have offered David and our family thus far. Through this experience we have felt the love people have for him and how he has touched their lives. We are hoping this is where the universe gives back to this generous and loving father, grandfather, husband and friend.
This is where his battle began. We were told during the first few days of his stroke that only 10% of people suffering this degree of brain bleed survive and recover but David has proven to us that it is possible to progress well beyond this estimation. He was put into an induced coma for two weeks while his brain began to heal. In order to breathe and eat he endured a full tracheostomy and a feeding peg operation to assist with these basic functions. At this point David was transferred to the Vancouver General Hospital stroke ward to receive the best care available. While battling severe bouts of pneumonia he was able to regain consciousness and began to open his eyes, though his communications were limited to hand squeezes and some head movement. You can imagine how hard this would be for such a talkative and loving man in such a scary situation.
Despite these challenges David has persevered and made significant steps towards recovery over the past four months. He has suffered complete paralysis of the left side of his body but thankfully his mind and spirit are still here. He continues to show us his love and sense of humor and has kept true to his Buddhist contentment with the present situation as he adjusts to a new normal. His memory is surprisingly sharp and he is constantly sharing stories about old friends and workmates. His work in the film industry has always been David’s playground, and his coworkers from IATSE local 891 and ACFC, his playmates. He has been talking about plans for future projects he wants to build (such as a new bed or a raft for his grandsons) and his passion for music and CBC radio has also really helped keep his spirits up.
Now that his health is beginning to stabilize he has been transferred from Vancouver General Hospital to the Purdy Pavilion, 4th floor room 438 (an extended care home in UBC) where the focus has shifted to improving his overall well-being through consistent rehabilitation. He is lucky to be working with Pauline Martin, a talented and generous neuro-physiotherapist and family friend, who is very optimistic and believes in David as much as we do. Over the next 12 months he will work with Pauline and her staff three times a week to help him regain his independence and mobility. Our major goals for his recovery are:
1. For David to regain his independence
2. To build up his strength so he can become more mobile and even travel in cars
3. To make enough progress so that he qualifies for the full rehabilitation program offered at the GF Strong facility
4. To attend the Vancouver Folk Festival in 2017 and be surrounded by his friends and family!
We are incredibly grateful for how far he has come and how hard he has worked. As we look ahead at the next chapter costs are starting to mount up. We don’t want these costs to be the barrier that prevent his full potential from emerging and therefore we are reaching out to our community for support. Our goal of $16,000 will cover David’s medical care costs, including physiotherapy and kinesiology sessions, and purchasing a custom wheelchair. We realize David would never ask anyone for this type of gesture, however to us it is a gesture of pure love and a chance for all those that have been touched by the light in his soul and the twinkle in his eyes to help in his recovery.
We greatly appreciate all of the support people have offered David and our family thus far. Through this experience we have felt the love people have for him and how he has touched their lives. We are hoping this is where the universe gives back to this generous and loving father, grandfather, husband and friend.
Organizer
Jordy Tait
Organizer
W Vancouver, BC