Supporting the Ellison-Devenish Crew & Lara's Recovery

On April 8, Lara, Matty, and the kids were all out for lunch commemorating the 20th year since Lara‘s brother passed away. This is always a special time of year for the family as they celebrate and honour Kelly's memory.

Around 1:00pm, Lara started to feel off. After having complications in pregnancy with Frankie a few years ago, she knew what high blood pressure felt like. When they visited Shoppers, indeed her blood pressure was high. Lara wanted to go home but they soon decided to go to the hospital instead. By the time Matty got back to the hospital after dropping off the kids, Lara's condition had worsened, and she was losing mobility on her left side. Lara spent the night at Sechelt Hospital with stroke-like symptoms. They were taken care of very well by the hospital staff, including the Doctor who is a hockey mate of Matty’s (small town!). They did a CT scan and heart monitoring, and determined Lara had not had a stroke but could not identify the cause of her symptoms. They completed additional testing the next morning with follow-up tests scheduled throughout the week.

Lara came home and had more energy in the mornings but by the evenings had difficulty walking. On Saturday, April 12, Matty and Lara made the decision to jump on a ferry and go to Lionsgate Hospital in North Vancouver to access shorter waiting times for additional testing.

Lionsgate Hospital admitted Lara as she was still presenting stroke-like symptoms. She spent two nights in the ER before being transferred to neurology where she is being treated very well and is in a beautiful room. She has very little mobility; needs help to be fed, bathed, and requires support with basic care needs. She has not walked since April 12th and at this point, scratching her own nose is a victory.

CT scans, an MRI, and an echocardiogram all came back clear. This is good news as it most likely means there is no permanent damage. Unfortunately, it also leaves several unknowns, including what the road ahead will look like. Lara has been fitted for a wheelchair as the goal is to get her out of bed at some point soon to prevent atrophy and muscle loss.

It’s incredible to witness how much support Lara and Matty have received from their community over the past week. On the Vancouver side, there are at least 20 friends involved in a schedule of visits, helping Lara with whatever she needs, even if it's someone to sit next to while she rests. On the Sunshine Coast side, the freezer and the fridge have been fully stocked, and people continue to reach out to help with cleaning, childcare, and exercising their crazy energetic dog, Lenny.

Both Matty and Lara are self-employed as they commit themselves to supporting other folks through their therapy practices. With Lara unable to work for an unknown amount of time and Matty taking on extra roles to maintain their home, care for the kids, and make frequent trips by ferry to Vancouver, they are left with some financial precarity. This is where you come in!

They are still unsure as to what the next 3 to 6 months or even a year will look like. There is still no diagnosis, but we are expecting a long journey to recovery as Lara learns how to move and walk again. It will be a long time before she can work, and Matty will have a difficult time working while taking care of her and the family.

This is living proof of what being kind, generous, hilarious, and thoughtful gets you (Lara's quick bio). Lara and Matty have built an incredible community and to be part of that community is truly exceptional. Any form of support is extremely appreciated. Thank you for being an important part of Lara's recovery.