The Bachalo-Doyle Family Needs our Help!

On August 19th, our best friends, Colin and Colley-Ann Doyle became grandparents for the first time when their daughter Bethany gave birth to the most beautiful and perfectly healthy little girl, Stevie-Ann Violet Doyle.

Bethany had the usual postpartum fallout from the delivery which took place by C-Section. Pain, discomfort, and exhaustion. All the usual things you’d expect following the birth of a child.

Bethany and Stevie expected to stay in hospital for two nights following delivery. Bethany’s elevated temperature forced her to stay an extra night in the hospital.

On Friday, August 22nd, they were finally able to go home. Nan and Granda (Colley-Ann and Colin) were happy to spend the next few days taking care of Stevie while Bethany rested. By Sunday, it was apparent that her postpartum recovery was not normal. Bethany was struggling to heal and had very little energy. She was lethargic, and unable to keep any food or water down.

Bethany ended up going to the Portage Hospital early on Monday morning where a CT scan revealed that her liver was enlarged and surrounded by fluid.

Out of an abundance of caution, Bethany was sent to HSC in Winnipeg to get some more specialized care.

In the early hours of Wednesday morning, Bethany crashed. A code was called on her and she ended up being placed in the Medical Intensive Care Unit with acute liver failure which directly caused multi organ failure, swelling in her brain, and internal bleeding.

After suffering a seizure while in the ICU, Bethany was intubated and placed on a ventilator to help her breathe to take some stress off of her body.

The doctors, nurses and staff have worked tirelessly over the last few days to figure out what was causing her illness. One doctor even referred to her as “the sickest patient at HSC”, which is a title that nobody would ever want.

After multiple tests, biopsies, countless units of blood and blood products, and another surgery, they have determined that Bethany is suffering from a viral infection in her liver, something that is so extremely rare that many physicians have only read about it, never experienced it.

Bethany remains in critical condition but they have stabilized many of her bodily functions using dialysis, a ventilator, medications and a whole lot of love from the doctors, nurses and staff.

We know that so many people are feeling helpless and want to contribute in some way, so we have decided to set up this page for those who are able to do so.

Bethany has a long road ahead of her. Many more weeks to go still in the hospital, months of rehabilitation, and the saddest part that we must not forget… a new born baby at home who misses her mom that she’s spent only a couple days with prior to being hospitalized.

Colin and Colley-Ann have been holding on as best they can. They’ve been staying in Winnipeg with us so we can help with Stevie and to be close by but with school beginning this week and their daughter Kennedy starting junior high, they will find themselves having to drive back and forth from Portage to Winnipeg daily to spend time with Bethany as she tries to recover.

They’re very lucky to have a very tight circle of family and friends who have helped them along the way.

We thank you for your consideration for this family of amazing people who would do ANYTHING for anyone, at any time.

To those who have reached out and sent gifts already, I know they appreciate it so much!

If you’re unable to give financially, I know that the family has talked about the importance of blood and blood product donations, especially given the fact that Bethany has had countless transfusions in the short time that she’s been in the hospital.

Thank you and we wish Bethany a speedy and full recovery.