Urgent lifesaving care needed for Tad Dad
Donation protected
This is my Dad. I know we all have one, but my Dad is in urgent need.
Right now, Dad is fighting for his life in critical care (ICU) in Canada
Dad has diabetes. And, after a long two and half years of being alone in Australia (pandemic), he was to be reunited at Christmas with my brother and his family in Toronto. Then bring in the new year with myself and my girls in London. We haven't been able to travel to Qld due to the pandemic. And with Dad being allowed to leave Australia to visit - this has been for over a year - the dream.
After seeing his Doctor in Australia and getting the all-clear to travel, he set off on the long journey from Brisbane to Toronto. This was when our nightmare began.
Dad got as far as Montreal, where he collapsed and was admitted to ICU before taking off on the final 90 min leg to Toronto.
Devastatingly the cellulitis Dad had been treated earlier in the year for, and given the all-clear for - had returned. Mid-flight, it exploded in his body, pushing the infection into his bloodstream, poisoning him and morphing into Fournier's gangrene.
Fournier's gangrene takes only between 6-48 hours to develop and moves at a rate 3-5cms per hour. It eats the tissue and destroys the organs.
Within 6 hours of being admitted to hospital, he had two lots of surgery. His survival rate to make it through that was 20%. To be clear - fists full of flesh were removed from his inner thighs, groin region and lower abdomen to get rid of the tissue.
He cannot move, walk or feed himself and needs intensive care around the clock. Both surgeons have said they are surprised he is still with us. His vitals are now stable, showing he is a fighter.
Right now, my Dad needs to recover. He is still in intensive care in Montreal, in a country that is not his own, and 500km away from the only people he knows in Canada - my brother and his family.
We are fighting the insurance company to cover his bills. The bills as it stands right now are at £45k GBP or $90k Canadian / Australian dollars.
The Montreal hospital is reluctant to move him to another hospital closer to my brother without payment. Another hospital won't take him without payment upfront. Payment is crucial for ongoing recovery to save Dads life. Meanwhile, insurance are trying to worm their way out of their duty. Time is something we don't have to give away. I have drained my funds, and we just can't cover it.
Unlike the Australian and UK healthcare system ❤️ - this situation on the other side of the world, in the middle of the pandemic is proving to be beyond anything I've have handled before.
We are doing all we can, but one thing we don't have is time. His wounds need tending and will do for the next 4 months. He needs care and he is responding. I can't stand by and lose him due to a lack of funds or paperwork. The sepsis threat is a daily risk without the immediate care he needs now. I have had to come back to the UK due to the lockdown of hospitals in Quebec.
I'm not great at asking for help for those who know me. I go to the ground when things get tough and wade through them. But this - I can't do this by myself. My amazing brother is doing absolutely everything in his power, but we urgently need your help, please.
I know it's Christmas. I know we are all feeling the pinch, particularly after the last two years, and I know it's damn hard. However, I humbly ask if you could please help us; we would be eternally grateful. Any amount will help contribute to getting the ongoing care. Simple things like renting the machines to flush is open his wounds all help).
Please help us get the care my Dad and a much-loved grandpa urgently needs to recover. It would be a Christmas wish come true.
With gratitude
Shelley, Liana and Maia xx
Right now, Dad is fighting for his life in critical care (ICU) in Canada
Dad has diabetes. And, after a long two and half years of being alone in Australia (pandemic), he was to be reunited at Christmas with my brother and his family in Toronto. Then bring in the new year with myself and my girls in London. We haven't been able to travel to Qld due to the pandemic. And with Dad being allowed to leave Australia to visit - this has been for over a year - the dream.
After seeing his Doctor in Australia and getting the all-clear to travel, he set off on the long journey from Brisbane to Toronto. This was when our nightmare began.
Dad got as far as Montreal, where he collapsed and was admitted to ICU before taking off on the final 90 min leg to Toronto.
Devastatingly the cellulitis Dad had been treated earlier in the year for, and given the all-clear for - had returned. Mid-flight, it exploded in his body, pushing the infection into his bloodstream, poisoning him and morphing into Fournier's gangrene.
Fournier's gangrene takes only between 6-48 hours to develop and moves at a rate 3-5cms per hour. It eats the tissue and destroys the organs.
Within 6 hours of being admitted to hospital, he had two lots of surgery. His survival rate to make it through that was 20%. To be clear - fists full of flesh were removed from his inner thighs, groin region and lower abdomen to get rid of the tissue.
He cannot move, walk or feed himself and needs intensive care around the clock. Both surgeons have said they are surprised he is still with us. His vitals are now stable, showing he is a fighter.
Right now, my Dad needs to recover. He is still in intensive care in Montreal, in a country that is not his own, and 500km away from the only people he knows in Canada - my brother and his family.
We are fighting the insurance company to cover his bills. The bills as it stands right now are at £45k GBP or $90k Canadian / Australian dollars.
The Montreal hospital is reluctant to move him to another hospital closer to my brother without payment. Another hospital won't take him without payment upfront. Payment is crucial for ongoing recovery to save Dads life. Meanwhile, insurance are trying to worm their way out of their duty. Time is something we don't have to give away. I have drained my funds, and we just can't cover it.
Unlike the Australian and UK healthcare system ❤️ - this situation on the other side of the world, in the middle of the pandemic is proving to be beyond anything I've have handled before.
We are doing all we can, but one thing we don't have is time. His wounds need tending and will do for the next 4 months. He needs care and he is responding. I can't stand by and lose him due to a lack of funds or paperwork. The sepsis threat is a daily risk without the immediate care he needs now. I have had to come back to the UK due to the lockdown of hospitals in Quebec.
I'm not great at asking for help for those who know me. I go to the ground when things get tough and wade through them. But this - I can't do this by myself. My amazing brother is doing absolutely everything in his power, but we urgently need your help, please.
I know it's Christmas. I know we are all feeling the pinch, particularly after the last two years, and I know it's damn hard. However, I humbly ask if you could please help us; we would be eternally grateful. Any amount will help contribute to getting the ongoing care. Simple things like renting the machines to flush is open his wounds all help).
Please help us get the care my Dad and a much-loved grandpa urgently needs to recover. It would be a Christmas wish come true.
With gratitude
Shelley, Liana and Maia xx
Organizer
Shells Bells
Organizer
England
