A few days into a special trip celebrating his wife Jude’s birthday, Bob Hodgson came down with a sudden fever and nausea. His legs swelled, making it clear an infection was taking hold. At the time, he and Jude were 3,000 km away, off the coast of Venezuela.
A local physician treated him as best he could. Bob also went to a hospital for tests and further care so he could travel home. The gruelling five-hour return flight felt endless as his symptoms worsened and the swelling increased.
The search for answers
On December 23, Bob went to the Stavro Emergency Department at Michael Garron Hospital. He was moved through several zones for extensive testing.
“The waits were long, but every doctor, nurse and specialist worked tirelessly to determine what was wrong and how best to treat it,” says Lindsey, Bob and Jude’s daughter-in-law. “Bob became increasingly disoriented and weak. We realized the seriousness of his condition when we learned his kidney function was dangerously impaired.”
The team diagnosed Bob with a severe case of cellulitis, a skin infection likely caused by an insect bite. It was affecting his organs and made it difficult to move. Bob’s legs were swollen and weeping from infection, and his left hand ballooned to the point he could hardly use it.
A week passed as clinicians worked to bring the infection under control. Bob was eventually transferred to our Medical Short Stay Unit, where he received care from specialists in emergency medicine, infectious diseases, wound care, geriatrics and physiotherapy.
“We met Dr. Jarred Rosenberg, a geriatrician, and felt an immediate connection,” says Lindsey. “He took the time to understand Bob as a person, not just a patient – asking about his interests, his life and speaking at length with our family, especially my mother-in-law, to address questions and concerns with compassion and clarity.”
The holidays came and went. “There was tinsel at the nursing stations and porters in Santa hats. It was the sense of community throughout the hospital that truly conveyed the spirit of the season,” Lindsey says.
A new journey begins
Bob moved to one of our medicine units, where he rebuilt his strength and underwent multiple CT scans and tests to ensure his treatment was effective. Each day brought progress: sitting independently, transferring to a chair, lifting his legs, even brushing his teeth – small milestones that once seemed impossible.
As the colour returned to his cheeks and his humour resurfaced, Bob was transferred to our Helen Aird Carswell Complex Continuing Care Unit. “We often gathered in the Garden Room, where we could step away from the clinical setting and simply be together,” says Lindsey. “We shared meals, stories and laughter, but most importantly time. In difficult moments, one silver lining is how deeply it brings a family together.”
Bob was discharged from our hospital after 44 days. In appreciation, his family made a donation honouring Dr. Rosenberg and nurse Luxmy Karunakaran. “They symbolize the extraordinary care and dedication of the many people across the hospital who supported Bob – and all of us – through this journey,” explains Lindsey.
“Michael Garron Hospital truly is the ‘heart of the east,’ and we felt that in every corner. We will be forever grateful for the care Bob received.”
Join the Hodgson family in supporting Michael Garron Hospital. Your contribution helps our team be at their best for patients who need us. Please give what you can at mghf.ca/donate