Dylan’s Story

Site created on October 7, 2007

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On the evening of Saturday August 18th, 2007, Dylan was working at his job in our local Safeway, and Dylan's manager Doug noticed he was unable to talk, and didn't seem quite right. Doug became concerned, and called an ambulance to send him to our local hospital. I was away with my friend Lynne for the weekend at Harrison Hot Springs, and Chris had got home at 7pm from a 12 hour day shift.



The manager, Doug phoned me at 7.45pm, to let me know Dylan was going to hospital. As I was about an hour from home, Chris went to the hospital, and when he got there, Dylan had worsened, and Chris said it looked like he had had a stroke, as the right side of his body was not moving, and he didn't seem aware of who Chris was. The hospital sent him for a CT scan, and the CT scan showed Dylan had neural bleeding, and an aneurism was "suspected". They transferred him by ambulance to Royal Columbian Hospital which specialises in neural surgery.
Chris phoned me while I was on the way to the hospital to tell me Dylan needed surgery, and that the doctors' had
said there was a chance he may not live. At Royal Columbian, the neurosurgeon said there was alot of bleeding on the left hand side of Dylan's brain, and that it was putting alot of pressure on his brain. He was concerned he may not be able to stop the bleeding, and the pressure may have caused alot of damage to Dylan's brain. Also, his pupils were not responding, which caused concern.





Dylan had neural surgery on Sunday morning for approx 3 to 3 and half hours. Chris, Andrew, Sammy and me had to say goodbye to Dylan before the surgery, as we were told there was a chance he may not live. It was a heartbreaking experience. Chris and I stayed at the hospital, in a family room, and at about 5.30am, the surgeon let us know that the surgery had gone better than expected, but that the next 48 - 72 hours were still very critical. He had stopped the bleeding, but Dylan wasn't out of the woods yet.





After the surgery, the neurosurgeon told us that Dylan had NOT had an aneurism, but it was an AVM (Arterio Vascular Malformation). It is something he has had since birth, but we did not know he had this. Chris now realises this is possibly what his mother died of, and as it may be genetic, we want to have Chris, Andrew and Sammy tested to check they don't have an AVM.


Dylan was put in Intensive Care, and was completely sedated, and put on a respirator. Part of his skull was removed during the surgery to allow for swelling of his brain.






On Tueday, August 21st, Dylan had an angiogram. This is a procedure where they put dye in his arteries to check on the AVM. The angiogram came back to show that the AVM had been completely removed, and there were no more AVM's.




On Wednesday, August 22nd, Dylan's brain was swelling more than the doctors were comfortable with, and after trying to treat the swelling with a drug, they told us that he would need to have another small piece of his skull removed to allow for this extra swelling. Otherwise there was a possibility that the brain would swell into the brain stem, which was dangerous and life threatening. This was the 2nd time we were told we could possibly lose Dylan. It was very traumatic.

He came through the surgery well, and the doctor said the next few days were very critical to see if this surgery was enough for the swelling. They continued to keep him fully sedated and breathing through a respirator as this was best for his brain to heal.



The following day, Thursday, August 23rd, they flew in some special equipment from Toronto. It had 2 probes which were put directly into his brain, and took accurate readings on the amount of oxygen in his brain, and the temperature in his brain. It was the first time this equipment had been used in Canada.


It was Dylan's 18th birthday on Saturday August 25th, and 2 friends of Dylans, Ashley and Nicole made birthday cakes, and homemade birthday cards, We couldn't take the cakes into the room, but the nurse let us all go in to see him(Chris, me, Andrew, Sammy, Ashley, Nicole, and Kathy, a friend of mine) and we sang happy birthday to Dylan. It was very emotional. We had all his birthday cards and get well cards in his room, as well as some photo's of Dylan and the boys when they were younger, and a more recent photo of Dylan, so the nurses
could see how handsome he really is...




On Tuesday, September 4th, they removed the probes from his brain (the special monitor), and we were told that Dylan had got an infection from one of the probes. He was put on antibiotics for it. His sedation level was gradually reduced as well.

On Friday, September 7th, Dylan was considered stable enough to be transferred from Intensive Care to the Neurosciences ward at Royal Columbian Hospital. That same day, they put a tracheostamy tube into his throat just below his vocal chords, and removed the tube from his mouth that he had been breathing through. He still had a feeding tube through his mouth, but they did a surgical procedure a few days later to put a tube directly into his stomach, so his mouth will be free of all tubes.
He still had a huge amount of swelling on the left hand side of his brain, and we have been told his recovery will probably be very slow, taking months to years.


Newest Update

Dylan in Surrey Hospital - March 2024

Journal entry by Lydia Hale —

Monday March 11, 2024.                                                            
Dylan vomited around 10:30pm on Sunday March 10.  Around 4am the next morning, he had a low grade fever and they were concerned about aspiration pneumonia. The night nurse at Evergreen called the doctor on call, who recommended sending Dylan to hospital.  They called us at home but we didn’t hear the phone ring.  The day nurse called at 07:30am to let us know Dylan was in hospital (incase we didn’t know), and we arrived at the hospital around 9am.  
Dylan was OK when we arrived in his room. He was on oxygen prongs and his vitals were a little elevated.  Not long after we arrived a doctor spoke with us. Dylan’s chest x-ray didn’t show aspiration pneumonia but he had started Dylan on an antibiotic called Merapenem. He’d also earlier given Dylan Ativan, as he’d been agitated after arriving at the hospital, plus given anti vomiting meds.   
Dylan was definitely phlegmy and rattle in his chest. Fortunately the doc and nurse were really good and by mid afternoon, they had his meds and food organized.  However, as Dylan had vomited earlier, they are giving his food at a significantly lower rate than what he usually has.
Chris went home around 2pm, then came back around 6pm and stayed with Dylan til about 10pm, when I picked him up.  Dylan isn’t having seizures so we didn’t sleep at the hospital as it’s difficult to get any sleep.  
Dylan’s Dilantin level is low though. It was only 36 last week and is supposed to be between 40 and 60.  We told the nurse what to look out for re seizures and call us if anything happens.

 

Tuesday March 12, 2024       
Chris went back to the hospital around 7am. Dylan had coughed a bit during the night, but then slept well for a few hours.  He wasn’t coughing as much and seemed less phlegmy.  A doctor came and spoke to Chris and told him that Dylan had an infection in his blood and they are putting him on a second antibiotic called Ciprofloxin. We were told Dylan’s Dilantin level was now 28, so they have increased the dose of his night Dilantin.  Dylan was a little agitated early in the afternoon and was given Ativan; it didn’t develop into a seizure.  
I relieved Chris around 2pm.  They took Dylan off the oxygen prongs and his oxygen stayed between 93 and 96.  Dylan definitely sounded better than yesterday with his breathing.   A doctor came to speak to me in the afternoon and told me about the infection in Dylan’s blood.  It’s called Pseudomonas - it is usually found in urine. We aren’t sure how he got it, as it’s usually from wearing a condom catheter. Dylan wears a pad at Evergreen though.  Im not happy he has this infection but they are on top of it. 
Dylan was doing ok, but I felt sad leaving him.  Chris picked me up around 09:30pm and we slept at home.


Wednesday March 13, 2024   
Chris went back to the hospital around 7am.  Dylan had been ok overnight.  Dylan was moved from Emerg room 213 to Emerg room 320.  He had a very nice nurse looking after him.  In the morning an Infectious Disease doctor spoke to Chris and said Dylan was very sick when he was admitted on Monday.  They may be changing the antibiotic. 
I relieved Chris around 2pm. Later in the afternoon, another Infectious Disease doctor came to speak to me.  Dylan has 2 bacterial infections in his blood - Pseudomonas and Proteus. They are taking him off the Ciprofloxin as the Merapenem will work on both infections. The don’t want to give Dylan any unnecessary antibiotics. 
Dylan was doing OK, so Chris picked me up around 9pm and we slept at home.

 

Thursday, March 14, 2024    
Chris went back to the hospital around 7am. Dylan had just been moved up to the Neurology ward on floor 8 of the new Critical Care Tower.  There was one other person in his room, but they moved him out as he was being too noisy.  
Dylan definitely seems better today, coughing less.  
I relieved Chris around 2pm. Later in the afternoon, a doctor (with a South African accent) came to speak to me.  He said that the last chest x-ray was clear and that they are watching his blood cultures. Dylan will stay on the Merapenem and will probably need to be on antibiotics for 2 weeks.  There’s a possibility it could change to tablet form and be given to him at Evergreen, but he will definitely be in the hospital til early next week. Chris picked me up around 9pm, as Dylan was settled.

 

Friday March 15, 2024                                                                                                                                                                            Chris went back to the hospital around 7am.  Dylan was fine overnight.  Dylan was taken for an Ultrasound to check for kidney stones, as the ER doctor wanted to check for them, incase this caused the infections in his blood.                                                                                                                                                                                       I relieved Chris around 2pm.  The same doctor from yesterday came and told me the Ultrasound showed no kidney stones.                                                                                                                                                                                                    Dylan was calm and Chris picked me up around 8:45pm.

 

Saturday March 16, 2024.
Chris woke up feeling unwell, and feels like he may have something on this chest, which is what normally happens, and if left untreated it could lead to pneumonia.  Chris went to the walk in clinic, and saw the doctor around 07:45am.  She prescribed an antibiotic.  Chris at that time felt OK to go and spend time with Dylan, so I dropped him off at the hospital around 08:30am.  
Dylan had been OK overnight.  Its a different doctor today, and we had some questions about Dylan's Dilantin dose.  In Emerg we were told they had increased his night dose, but the nurse looking after Dylan told Chris this was not reflected in the meds they had.  His level was low, hence why the does was increased.                                                                                                                                                                                                                  I relieved Chris around 2pm and Chris drove to Evergreen to pick up Dylan's wheelchair as we want to start getting Dylan up in his chair as he is going to be in hospital a bit longer.  
Dylan laughed this afternoon not long after I arrived.  This is a good sign, as he must be feeling better.  He was more himself than I've seen him all week, and was also quite vocal.                                                                          A dietician came and spoke to me about Dylan's tube feed schedule.   Dylan is still on the lower rate for his tube feed and as he has not vomited again, the dietician wants to start Dylan back on his regular schedule that he was on at Evergreen.   This will start tomorrow.                                                                    
The doctor also came to speak to me about Dylan's Dilantin.  They will take blood tomorrow, to check the Dilantin level, and if it is still low in his blood, will increase the dose.                                                                       
Dylan was doing well, so Chris picked my up around 08:45pm.

 

Sunday, March 17, 2023    
Chris arrived at the hospital around 7am.  Dylan had been fine overnight. They took some blood to check Dylan’s Dilantin level. It’s still around 38, which is too low.  The doctor told Chris that Dylan’s antibodies will finish on Tuesday so he should be able to go back to Evergreen on Wednesday.  
They got Dylan up in his wheelchair around 11am, and Chris took Dylan out to the sitting area near the elevators til noon.  
I relieved Chris around 2pm. Dylan was relaxed all afternoon. As Dylan was doing well, Chris picked me up around 08:30pm.

 

Monday March 18, 2024.  
Chris arrived at the hospital around 7am.  Dylan was doing well.  He was told by the doctor that Dylan’s antibiotics finish later tonight so unless something happens between now and tomorrow, Dylan will be discharged tomorrow.  
They changed Dylan’s IV site, as the IV had been in his left foot since last Monday (It is extremely hard to find good veins in Dylan’s hands/arms). The nurse changed it to his right foot.  Dylan got up in his chair a bit late due to this.  
I relieved Chris around 1pm, as Chris was picking Andie up from the airport later. Dylan went back to bed just before 2pm, and they started his afternoon tube feed. Dylan is back to his regular schedule now.  Dylan was doing well all afternoon and evening so Chris picked me up around 08:30pm 

Tuesday March 19, 2024.

Chris arrived at the hospital just before 7am.  Dylan is doing well and his antibiotics are finished, so he was discharged today.  
I arrived at Evergreen just before 11am. Chris went to Evergreen to fetch the wheelchair accessible van so we could take Dylan back to Evergreen.  After all the paperwork had been completed, we arrived back at Evergreen around noon. 
We stayed awhile to give the discharge papers to the nurse and that Dylan was settled.
We're very happy that he’s all better and back in his care home.

 

 

 

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