was this news when it happened? they started a
gofundme couple of days ago
Battlestar Galactica Star Michael Hogan Suffered Massive Brain Injury
On Feb. 17, 2020, everything changed drastically in our world. Michael was in Vancouver participating in a Battlestar Galactica convention, and at dinner following his day’s work, he fell and hit his head. Hard. He went to bed that night not realizing that the impact had caused a massive brain bleed. He was unable to be woken the next morning and was taken to Vancouver General Hospital and emergency surgery performed. It took 57 staples to close the part of his scull they had to remove in order to reach the damage.
The accident left him with complete paralysis on his left side, memory loss, cogntivie impairment and an inability to swallow.
Then things became incredibly more difficult during the COVID pandemic with visits by family being restricted then denied and no care team (physiotherapist,
OT, speech therapist, etc. ) allowed in.
Needless to say, this life changing injury has sent a tsunami of heartbreak through the family. And with recovery relying heavily on contact with family as critical members of the health care team, the agony of separation is indescribable.
Susan has been exhaustingly researching Michael’s frequently changing medical conditions, and is in daily contact with his doctors, nurses, specialists, and social workers.
On June 18th Michael was moved into The Berkley Care Centre in North Vancouver. Susan is allowed limited supervised visits - socially distanced, no contact, no touching, not even a smile can be exchanged given the mandatory face masks. For someone with a brain injury that face, that smile, that contact with a family member is critical grounding for them. To be denied that is torturous.
Susan has finally been able to find and get permission for a physiotherapist to go into the facility 2 or 3 times a week. Michael still cannot stand and needs an overhead lift to be moved from the bed to the wheelchair. He still requires a feeding tube into his stomach. He has regained his speech and is largely coherent and cognizant but there is a long long road ahead.
Though it is hard to imagine, I think it’s fair to say it is unlikely Michael will be able to work again but he is ONE TOUGH guy, so it also wouldn't surprise me if he found a way! But for these past seven months, Susan has also been unable to work, given the circumstances . She is facing an uncertain future to navigate other than knowing that the financial demands will continue to be great. There are the known costs of the Long Term Care facility, a customized wheelchair, a private physiotherapist to tend to him there, and ongoing costs of medications, foot care, adaptive clothing etc. And if he’s able to come home which would be far preferred - an overhead lift to move him from bed to wheelchair, a hospital bed, ramps, one to two live-in care-aids, renovations to accommodate the wheelchair including doorways and bathrooms, and a vehicle to accommodate the wheelchair.
deadline.com
