Chuck’s Story

Site created on February 12, 2020

Hi Everyone.  

My name is Becky Bruney  and I am one of four siblings of Chuck's and his youngest sister (that means he is my hero!)   Our families wanted to set up a Caring Bridge site for Chuck as a result of so many requests from our families and friends that do not spend much time on Facebook and their desire to stay informed on Chuck's progress as well as ways to help.  

Some background:
On October 6, 2019 Chuck and John's lives changed drastically. Chuck woke at 4am with slurred speech and his face drooping.  Believing he was having a stroke, Chuck and John hurried to the ER. Within 12 hours, Chuck went from talking, walking and moving on his own to being completely paralyzed, outside of being able to move his eyes and feet.  Having lost his ability to control his breathing, Chuck was intubated and put on a ventilator to save his life.

After extensive tests, Chuck was diagnosed with Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS). This is a rare (1 in 100,000 people are diagnosed in the U.S. each year) neurological disorder in which the body's immune system mistakenly attacks part of its peripheral nervous system—the network of nerves located outside of the brain and spinal cord. Although most cases have connection to viral or bacterial infections, a confirmed cause is not known nor is there a cure.  A typical case of GBS resolves itself in about four months and is MUCH less severe than what Chuck is experiencing - which, we have been told, could take up to 2 years to see progress. In addition to the severity of his GBS, Chuck has also faced multiple renal, pulmonary and respiratory complications that have made a tough journey even more challenging.

The outpouring of love and support from family and friends has made a tremendous impact on Chuck’s slow and steady recovery. On “good” days, he still gets that sparkle in his eyes when we read him cards and show him pictures sent by friends!

Many have requested that I share the Go Fund Me Link that has been set up for "Chuckie" by our dear friends, Penny Gillhaus and Allison Branen.
https://www.gofundme.com/f/fundraiser-for-chuck-bruney039s-gbs-fight

Our Family will update this site as often as possible - again, thank you for the love and support -  stay tuned and "Turtle On!" 

Thank you,
Becky






Newest Update

Journal entry by Becky Dellin

From John

This week was the sisters turn to whip MY butt into shape. Chuck’s sister Sue is here (leaving this morning), soon to be replaced by my sisters this afternoon. Chuck and I both had a great visit with Sue and she made sure I got some of the many things done that I have let slide for the past five months. 
Judy and Jill are looking forward to seeing a much better version of Chuck than they saw just 3-4 weeks ago. They also are on a mission to help me accomplish some things that I have been ignoring the past few months. 

Earlier in the week Chuck was doing up-to 14 hours off the ventilator, then a few days ago he crashed and couldn’t tolerate much time at all. He had a lot of gunk in his lungs so they sucked all that crap out yesterday. 🦠🦠🦠🦠 Hopefully he can continue with the weening off the vent today and get back on track. He hasn't had dialysis in over 2 weeks but they are still keeping a very close eye on the kidneys. 🙏🙏🙏💦💦💦💦All in all he is doing pretty good! 😀😀😀

He had some very good, encouraging physical therapy and occupational therapy sessions the past few days. 🏋🏼🏋🏼🏋🏼🏋🏼 We are seeing slight movement in the arms when they are supported 💪🏼💪🏼💪🏼💪🏼 and he can sit up and fully support the weight of his head and nod and turn his head really well. 

Today we hope and pray 🙏🙏🙏🙏 for continued healing of the kidneys and strong clear lungs. 

We are so thankful for the incredible staff at Piedmont and everyone that continues to lend their support in so many ways.❤️❤️❤️🏥🏥🏥
Turtle on!
🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢
Patients and caregivers love hearing from you; add a comment to show your support.
Help Chuck Stay Connected to Family and Friends

A $25 donation to CaringBridge powers a site like Chuck's for two weeks. Will you make a gift to help ensure that this site stays online for them and for you?

Comments Hide comments

Show Your Support

See the Ways to Help page to get even more involved.

SVG_Icons_Back_To_Top
Top