Medical Help for Renee

  • Home
  • Medical Help for Renee

Medical Help for Renee Renee Saltmarsh is falling through the cracks in Ontario ! Please help us get her the medical care s

03/05/2021

Hi Everyone,

It's been a hectic few weeks as we've shifted to online learning here in Ontario, and I definitely have not been keeping up on updates.

Renee is home in Toronto again, and has been for a few weeks. She still has her feeding tube that provides her with both hydration and nutrition. She's stable but further testing is required for a diagnosis and a treatment plan. In the meantime, she has a new family doctor who is providing the support he can. We are still looking for a local specialist.

I wish I had more answers to provide you. But stable is a great place to be after Renee being in such a dire state not too long ago.

As always, we are so grateful for the check-ins, well wishes and support.

Please take care, stay healthy, and be safe.

Alexis

18/03/2021

Hi Everyone, I hope you're all doing really well. My apologies for not providing an update in a bit. Focus on getting Renee stable, all while continuing to work and parent has proven to be tiring, though absolutely worth it.

Renee has been in Cleveland for a little over a week now. She has a feeding tube in, which she is tolerating well, and a midline catheter which is used to administer medication, but also to take blood for testing. Her pain is also being managed! This is all wonderful news.

There are a few tests the doctors would like to do to support a diagnosis for Renee. In order to do these tests, Renee's digestive system needs to have been working for several weeks. They are hoping to find a Toronto doctor who can take on Renee's care and complete these tests as she is stable enough to be released, but not ready for these tests yet. The hospital is working hard at finding a doctor to take Renee on as a patient so she can continue her care closer to home. To support this, Renee and our mum have learned how to administer the feeding tube nutrition solution.

Renee has started to smile again, and was even playing checkers. She's still extremely tired but she's slowly feeling a bit better, though still not well. Our mum, Janet, is spending a lot of her time at the hospital with Renee, while staying at a hotel close by on the hospital campus. Mum has met a lot of wonderful people whose loved ones are also receiving life changing care.

We hope to have Renee home soon, under the care of an Ontario doctor who can continue the support that Cleveland started. I will do my best to provide more updates as they come.

Thank you to everyone who has supported in whichever way they can. It all means so much!

-Alexis

This is Renee yesterday. This is why we’re fighting for her. This is the state she was left to deteriorate to. This is w...
12/03/2021

This is Renee yesterday. This is why we’re fighting for her. This is the state she was left to deteriorate to. This is why I’m upset. I pray no one else experiences this ever. It could have been prevented. She could be closer to home.

But this is progress and hope. This is treatment and answers in the making.

12/03/2021

An update from Renee’s Mum who is in Cleveland with Renee - March 11:

Rough day for Renee. Had endoscopy and feeding tube is in. Has IV's for potassium, sodium, dextrose, normal saline and magnesium. Can only give her one electrolyte at a time so they don't overload her system. Started feedings this evening via tube. 10ml an hour for 12 hours, then 20ml for 12 hours and so on until she reaches 60ml an hour. Plus she gets 90ml of water an hour with feeding (which looks like iced coffee). Potassium is rough because it burns as it goes in so had to slow it down and add yet another IV. Renee is hooked up to a heart monitor and has special cuffs on her legs that inflate and deflate to keep circulation going until she can get up and around. Pain is pretty bad but they are good in giving her meds for it, including paging doctor when she wasn't due for a dose but was in horrible pain. Renee also had a whole bunch of blood tests, 2 EKG's and a chest x-ray. Luckily they bring equipment to her. Tomorrow she meets with psychiatrist to assess whether she has depression or PTSD from being so sick for so long and pain management team. Social worker is arranging for Renee to continue being fed through feeding tube when she comes back to Toronto. The nurses and other staff are excellent and Renee couldn't be in better hands. I asked Renee if she was scared being in a hospital outside of Canada and she says she feels safe. Cleveland Clinic is huge. They need a shuttle service just to get from Renee's room to Starbuck's and other places to eat, and back again. How staff and visitors ever find their way around is a mystery. Everybody is super nice and helpful with directions and answering questions. Hopefully Renee will start to feel better tomorrow now she is getting some nutrition. Thank you to each and everyone that has sent good wishes and prayers to Renee. Thank you just doesn't seem adequate.

11/03/2021

Update: March 11
Renee has been at the Cleveland Clinic for about 24 hours. Today she had an endoscopy done, and a feeding tube put in. Unfortunately to do some of the required tests Renee’s digestive system needs to be working more effectively than it is now. The feeding tube and nutrition will support this over the next week or two after the lengthy period she was left unable to eat.

A social worker is arranging for feeding tube support when Renee returns home in the future.

I’m personally very impressed so far. The fear that basic needs aren’t being met is gone. Let’s keep the positivity rolling.

To say that I’m not angry would be a lie. I am angry that Renee was left for 100+ days in pain and without nutrition, and quite frankly left to suffer. Obviously these are matters that could have been addressed in Toronto. But angry or not there is relief and hope.

Let’s focus on the positive! Thank you all for your ongoing support.
-Alexis

Wondering where Renee is right now ? She's at one of America's top medical facilities. The Cleveland clinic is celebrati...
11/03/2021

Wondering where Renee is right now ? She's at one of America's top medical facilities. The Cleveland clinic is celebrating 100 years of care this year. Their main campus is 173 acres ! Take a look... it's like a small city.

As we wait for updates later this week from Renee and her new health team please keep the entire family in your thoughts, being separated at such a difficult and important time is tough.

10/03/2021

Renee and our mum are safely in Cleveland. She is settling into her hospital room. It was a tough drive, but they made it.

10/03/2021

They’re across the border and about half way there.

10/03/2021

Quick update: they’re on their way!! It’s about a six hour drive plus needed breaks!

10/03/2021

Tomorrow is the big day when Renee goes to Cleveland!!! So relieved and excited!!! We love you Renee!!

04/03/2021

Renee Moore goes to Cleveland Clinic on Wednesday!!!!!! We got her there!!!

We will continue fundraising because we anticipate additional costs that will arise from medical procedures and tests that are deemed necessary only after seeing Renee in person.

Thank you all for your support, your prayers, your positive vibes, words of encouragement and love!!!

We’ve got 6 days to go before she’s treated. Keep the good vibes coming 💕

Address


Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Medical Help for Renee posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

  • Want your practice to be the top-listed Clinic?

Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on LinkedIn
Share on Pinterest Share on Reddit Share via Email
Share on WhatsApp Share on Instagram Share on Telegram