Verne and Rita were thoroughly enjoying their retirement. Both felt fortunate to be in good health, and remained healthy and active as they got older. They loved their freedom and spent a lot of time volunteering in their community. It was during one of their volunteer activities when Verne fell off a ladder onto his back. He was in such severe pain that Rita called the ambulance. Verne was brought into Groves Hospital and was quickly assessed by the ER physician. Routine x-rays could not clearly confirm the extent of his injuries, so a CT scan was indicated. A CT scan is usually one of the first tests done in determining a spinal cord injury, particularly in the emergency room. A CT can show what kind of an injury has occurred, which is vital to knowing the determining the appropriate treatment. Early access to treatment is extremely important, because the earlier the intervention, the better chance of recovery. CT scanning allows emergency room physicians to treat spinal cord injuries quickly and appropriately. Because there is no onsite CT scanner at Groves, this was not possible. Arrangements had to be made for Verne at another hospital, transportation had to be found and access to their radiologist and scanner confirmed. Follow-up would still take place at Groves, adding even more time, as Verne would have to be brought back to Groves so the health team there could review the reports and arrange transfer to a neurosurgeon. Verne is out of the hospital, and participates in rehabilitation sessions every day. He will always have some impairments but is learning to make adjustments in his daily life. He is talking about returning to some volunteer work again soon. A CT scanner at Groves has the very real potential to improve the endings of stories like these. With speedier diagnosis, Verne may have had full recovery from his back injury. That’s why we need your support. Donor gifts make a tangible difference to the care that Groves will be able to provide to their patients through the purchase of a CT scanner. We can’t do it without you and we hope that you will partner with us in this lifesaving opportunity. |
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