A long-time Tsawwassen family is reaching out for help as it deals with a difficult situation.
On Feb. 13, John Filthuth woke up paralyzed from the waist down. He was initially taken to Delta Hospital and transferred to Vancouver General Hospital a few days later.
He underwent a battery of tests and was examined by the best neuroscience team in Canada, but the doctors could not find anything significant, said daughter Jessica Filthuth.
He was diagnosed with idiopathic transverse myelitis - an unexplained inflammation of the spinal cord.
The doctors could tell the family that John had suffered a series of mini strokes, and possibly a heart attack; he had multiple lesions on his spinal cord and his kidneys were failing.
People who have suffered a neurological injury, can often have difficulty swallowing. After about two weeks in the hospital, John choked, vomited and stopped breathing.
"It is a miracle he survived," Jessica said. "No one knows truly how long he was without oxygen before the nurses found him."
He spent the next seven days in a coma on life support.
When he woke up, his lungs were so damaged he was unable to breath on his own and had to undergo an emergency tracheotomy. John spent the next four months in intensive care, overcoming many setbacks, including bleeding ulcers, an abdominal aortic aneurysm, multiple bouts of pneumonia and infections.
After six months he was strong enough to be transferred to G.F. Strong Rehabilitation Centre where the 67-year-old has spent the last several weeks learning a whole new way of life.
"He remains positive most days, still tying flies for fly fishing and dreaming of coming home," Jessica said.
That dream is about to come true, but the family is now facing a whole new set of challenges.
Jessica said she and her mother, Maria McWhinnie, recently met with a team of specialists and were told they would need to make a host of renovations to their rental home, including
a ceiling lift, stair chair lift, wheelchair accessible vehicle, a hospital bed and air mattress, a wheelchair accessible shower and other bathroom equipment.
"We are a low-income family with what feels like very few options available to us," Jessica said, adding that neighbours kindly donated a hospital bed.
John was initially scheduled to be released this week but his stay at G.F. Strong has been extended to Oct. 2 when he will be transferred to Delta Hospital, allowing the family to make the changes and repairs at home, or find a new home that would allow for the modifications.
In an effort to raise the money needed for the modifications, the family started an online fundraiser at www.gofundme.com/mj2khwzw, which has so far raised more than $6,600.
"After this seven-month journey, I honestly have no idea what the future will bring, but I certainly remain hopeful," Jessica said.
