Let's get Goose back on his feet!

06/24/2022 - Update from Dan and Kristin:
Garrett’s lung  infection continued to progress this week so the decision to bring him into surgery was made. He went in yesterday and had a right sided thoracotomy and decortication. What that means is the surgeon took out the lower lobe, or bottom half, of his right lung. He has a large incision at the surgical site and two chest tubes in.  They plan to remove these when they can.  Due to the nature of the necrotizing pneumonia, the infection “walled” itself off in his lung and pleural space and he would not have gotten better without this surgery. He also has been battling sepsis. Because of that, he has been in the ICU this week and on vasopresors and various other meds to keep his blood pressure up.  He has stabilized now, is off the breathing tube and talking. They believe this plan will help to resolve the infection (and thus the sepsis) so he can start healing again.  


We truly appreciate everyone’s thoughts and prayers for Garrett and his loved ones.   We will update as we can. 

06/17/2022 - Update from Dan and Kristin: Garrett successfully made it to Shepard Center in GA. He started extensive rehab but has suffered some set backs. Last weekend he experienced some respiratory distress and was transferred to the ICU department, they did a bronchoscopy and wash out for suspected pneumonia. He tolerated that and went back to rehab, only to transfer back today to ICU. Thoracic surgery has been consulted and they will go in today and place a drain in his chest for a right sided pleural effusion. He also has pneumonia that has worsened from last weekend in the right mid and lower lobes. Please continue to pray for Garrett as he fights the good fight. Thank you so much for the generosity of time, texts, calls, prayers, cards and money. The support everyone has shown for Garrett and his loved ones has been such a treasured gift. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.


Original Post: Goose needs your help for equipment, recovery, medical costs, and transportation after suffering a catastrophic injury to his brain and spinal cord.

 

Our close friend, Garrett Doucette (“Goose”) graduated from Brainerd High School in 2016. He enjoyed living, working, and spending time with his family in the Brainerd Lakes Area. He was working at Camping World in Baxter. About two months ago, he decided he was going to write a new chapter of his life and was able to transfer to Tampa, Florida for new adventures. He moved there in hopes of working and living near the sandy beaches and sunshine. Garrett was in Florida for less than two months when the massive headache and body aches he was experiencing drove him to seek medical attention. At first, the headaches were thought to be attributed to a sinus infection. After a couple of visits to Urgent Care and some antibiotics, he then went to the Emergency Room on Friday, April 29th. This time, they ordered a head CT where they found an “intracranial mass”. He was then transferred to Advent Health in Tampa, Florida via ambulance to the neuro ICU. He had his first craniotomy (brain) surgery that Sunday. When waking Goose up from that first surgery, personnel noted a progression to his symptoms. Garrett had weakness in all four limbs, so a spinal MRI was ordered. No one could have guessed, but Garrett had eight brain abscesses strewn throughout his brain. Shockingly, Garrett had abscesses that were not only inside the spinal cord itself but ran up and down intermittently throughout the length of his spinal cord. Some of the abscesses were in critical positions, next to his brain stem, as well as the high cervical spine (C2-C6) which controls motor function in all limbs. He was then emergently brought back to the operating room for a second surgery that day, this time on his spine, to drain and biopsy some of the abscesses that surrounded the cervical spine. He later went for another brain surgery a week later. We have come to learn this is from an extremely rare bacterial infection from the streptococcal family, that could have been in Garrett’s body for six to twelve months, though they have not locked down the originating source of this infection.

 

Goose has been hospitalized in Florida since April. He has been in the ICU for three weeks and then the progressive care unit for over a week. Family has traveled from Minnesota to Florida multiple times. Garrett’s dad, Dan and grandfather, Denny drove down to Florida this last week to pack up Garrett’s belongings and apartment. Never would Garrett have thought he would not be walking into his apartment with his roommate again or be able to drive his car home to Minnesota. We hope that one day he will be able to do all of that, and more.

 

The goal this week is to get Garrett to the Shepherd Center in Atlanta, Georgia. This facility can offer the care, support, and treatment he needs to hopefully reach the goal of successful long-term recovery. Due to the swelling and damage he has sustained to both the brain and spinal cord, he will now undergo intensive inpatient rehabilitation at in Georgia for roughly six weeks. Depending on his progress, he will then transfer to outpatient status there to continue his physical therapy for a minimum of 4 more weeks. The facility requires a family member to be with him 24 hours a day for the last 4 weeks to learn how to take care and support Garrett, depending on his progress. It is difficult to estimate what recovery and the financial cost of this catastrophic injury will look like.

 

It is also difficult for this proud family to ask for help, even though they need it. Garrett’s dad, Dan has spent the most time at Garrett’s bedside. Dan travels to Florida while his wife Kristin and stepchildren are in Minnesota. The family needs help with finances for not only travel, but for Garrett’s living accommodations and potential adaptive equipment needs after hospitalization. Any support would be greatly appreciated and allow Garrett to get the care he needs, surrounded, and supported by the people that love him. Many have asked how they can help. Right now, financial support is a real need that would allow this family to continue to be near him while Garrett works through recovery and therapy.

 

It’s been a life changing month for the Doucette’s. We are all hopeful for Garrett to re-learn to walk and ideally live in Minnesota again soon. Thank you so much for taking the time to read this and for considering helping financially. We will continue to keep you updated throughout Garrett’s recovery!