Gabby's Road to Recovery
Donation protected
80+ hours of sedation and intubation would seem like a lifetime for a 14 year old girl but time stood still for her parents and the rest of her family.
Gabby was fighting what she thought was just the flu but things turned from bad to worse when she collapsed and was rushed to Surrey Memorial Hospital. Doctors on site acted quick and acted aggressively. Gabby was sedated and tubes were placed in her trachea to maintain an open airway and to assist her with breathing. Her blood sugar levels were low enough to knock the average person unconscious and her heart rate was so poor that the medical team had problems finding veins to begin intravenous fluid treatment and to draw blood for testing. Shortly after her arrival to Surrey Memorial Hospital, she was transferred to BC Children’s Hospital and was immediately labeled as the ‘sickest kid in the province’.
The sickest kid in the province?
In all of British Columbia?
How could this be?
How could this spunky teenager go from being incredibly healthy and active to being identified as the sickest kid in the province? Gabby began a vigorous treatment plan which included multiple antibiotics and medications to aid her healing. She was having blood drawn for testing which resulted in negative results. She was receiving blood products such as platelets and plasma. Her organs were now being affected. Her heart was weak, her lungs were often functioning at low capacity and her kidneys were failing. The doctors determined that it would be best for her to remain sedated. They wanted her body to rest and allow the machines to do the work for her. Gabby had doctors from the Infectious Disease unit. She had blood specialists, a respiratory team and at least a dozen, if not more, doctors trying to figure out what caused this.
Fast forward to 4 days later to where Gabby was being weaned off of her sedation. Finally she was stable enough to breath on her own. Her parents have been by her side for every minute, every second leading up to this moment and now they were just waiting for her to wake up. Waiting to see those big brown eyes. Waiting to hear her sweet voice. Gabby’s brother and wife travelled with their two young children from Edmonton to be with their family. Other siblings dropped everything to rush by her side. Their world was standing still as they waited for the baby of the family, the youngest of five, to turn a corner and beat whatever illness was trying to defeat her.
It was like an early Christmas as Gabby slowly gained consciousness. With her family surrounding her as she opened her eyes, the tears of joy were flowing.
Now 7 days later and they still did not know what caused this and they were told that they may never know. Sometimes things like this just happen and the only thing they could do was be happy that things were getting better. Gabby still has weeks of recovery ahead of her. The thought of dialysis was being tossed around. Gabby’s parents are now facing the idea of long term, continuous care and treatment. What does this mean for them as full time working members of society? With mortgages and monthly bills nearing, how could these payments be made when they have ‘the sickest kid in the province’ to care for. Living at a hospital has its own costs as well. But they, like any parent, refuse to leave their child alone during this time. That means more missed days of work while she remains in the hospital which could be for several more weeks and then whatever medical treatment is required after her discharge from hospital.
This family is facing a very difficult time. Please help anyway you can. Every dollar counts. Every donation, no matter how big or small will help ensure a stable home for Gabby to return to and aid in a speedy recovery.
Thank you.
Donations will go directly to Kathy Nesdoly - Gabby's mom.
Gabby was fighting what she thought was just the flu but things turned from bad to worse when she collapsed and was rushed to Surrey Memorial Hospital. Doctors on site acted quick and acted aggressively. Gabby was sedated and tubes were placed in her trachea to maintain an open airway and to assist her with breathing. Her blood sugar levels were low enough to knock the average person unconscious and her heart rate was so poor that the medical team had problems finding veins to begin intravenous fluid treatment and to draw blood for testing. Shortly after her arrival to Surrey Memorial Hospital, she was transferred to BC Children’s Hospital and was immediately labeled as the ‘sickest kid in the province’.
The sickest kid in the province?
In all of British Columbia?
How could this be?
How could this spunky teenager go from being incredibly healthy and active to being identified as the sickest kid in the province? Gabby began a vigorous treatment plan which included multiple antibiotics and medications to aid her healing. She was having blood drawn for testing which resulted in negative results. She was receiving blood products such as platelets and plasma. Her organs were now being affected. Her heart was weak, her lungs were often functioning at low capacity and her kidneys were failing. The doctors determined that it would be best for her to remain sedated. They wanted her body to rest and allow the machines to do the work for her. Gabby had doctors from the Infectious Disease unit. She had blood specialists, a respiratory team and at least a dozen, if not more, doctors trying to figure out what caused this.
Fast forward to 4 days later to where Gabby was being weaned off of her sedation. Finally she was stable enough to breath on her own. Her parents have been by her side for every minute, every second leading up to this moment and now they were just waiting for her to wake up. Waiting to see those big brown eyes. Waiting to hear her sweet voice. Gabby’s brother and wife travelled with their two young children from Edmonton to be with their family. Other siblings dropped everything to rush by her side. Their world was standing still as they waited for the baby of the family, the youngest of five, to turn a corner and beat whatever illness was trying to defeat her.
It was like an early Christmas as Gabby slowly gained consciousness. With her family surrounding her as she opened her eyes, the tears of joy were flowing.
Now 7 days later and they still did not know what caused this and they were told that they may never know. Sometimes things like this just happen and the only thing they could do was be happy that things were getting better. Gabby still has weeks of recovery ahead of her. The thought of dialysis was being tossed around. Gabby’s parents are now facing the idea of long term, continuous care and treatment. What does this mean for them as full time working members of society? With mortgages and monthly bills nearing, how could these payments be made when they have ‘the sickest kid in the province’ to care for. Living at a hospital has its own costs as well. But they, like any parent, refuse to leave their child alone during this time. That means more missed days of work while she remains in the hospital which could be for several more weeks and then whatever medical treatment is required after her discharge from hospital.
This family is facing a very difficult time. Please help anyway you can. Every dollar counts. Every donation, no matter how big or small will help ensure a stable home for Gabby to return to and aid in a speedy recovery.
Thank you.
Donations will go directly to Kathy Nesdoly - Gabby's mom.
Organizer and beneficiary
Kristi Bounegru
Organizer
Surrey, BC
Kathy Nesdoly
Beneficiary
