Excellent care was a family affair for Denise Haggart.

Eight weeks after undergoing knee replacement surgery, Denise Haggart was still singing the praises of physicians, nurses and staff of the Brant Community Healthcare System.

“It makes you feel confident, comfortable and not-at-all nervous when everybody is so professional and so friendly,” she said of her experience.

“From the time before the surgery, when I came in for my pre-op, those coloured steps on the floor that you follow to each designated area made it so much easier to get where I needed to be. That was ingenious!”

Denise required a complete replacement of her left knee, but all of the questions she had regarding the surgery would soon be answered; by registration staff to x-ray technicians and the anesthesiologist.

“I really could not be happier with the care I received,” she said.

On the day of her surgery Denise followed green footprints to the Operating Room (OR). There she was put completely at ease by the friendly OR nurses and Dr. James Dill, her orthopedic surgeon.

“Then I was off to surgery where a group of about eight BCHS staff were waiting for me and explained the steps that would be taking place.”

“Dr. Dass – the anesthesiologist, administered the anesthetic and the next thing I knew, my surgery was done and I was in my room recovering,” Denise recalls. “From there I was taken care of by Bridget Monkman and Michelle Lobbezoo, two of the sweetest, caring nurses you could ever meet for my short, two-day stay. When Dr. Dill came to see me the next morning I told him ‘I’m so happy with all of you.’”

Denise described Dr. Dill as “very patient with a great sense of humour,” which she discovered after presenting him with two carefully prepared pages of questions before her surgical date.

“They were small pages,” she said with a laugh. “But he answered all of my questions in detail, and I felt great that he was taking care of me.”

Prior to surgery Denise had been receiving annual Monovisc gel injections in her knee to help her mobility.

“Before the surgery I was having to go down stairs sideways, but I can go down them normally now,” she said. “It’s no wonder; Dr. Dill said he discovered a lot of arthritis and bone-on-bone damage in my knee.”

Since removing the obstructions and replacing the joint, Denise now enjoys a pain-free life and a much greater range of flexibility.

However, this was Denise’s second grateful patient experience at the Brantford General after her husband Roy suffered a stroke in November 2017.

“Roy had a headache for a couple of days, but he often gets migraines,” Denise recalled.

However, Denise said a ‘little voice’ told her something was wrong that morning.

“He didn’t show any of the classic symptoms that you normally think of for someone having a stroke,” Denise said. “He was talking normally, he even walked to the stretcher after I called the ambulance, so to this day I can’t quite understand how I came to that conclusion.”

After being evaluated by doctors, nurses, physiotherapists and speech therapists in the Integrated Stroke Unit (ISU) at the Brantford General, it was confirmed that Roy had indeed suffered a stroke, and Diagnostic Imaging confirmed that the cause was a blocked carotid artery in his neck.

Roy was transferred to Hamilton for vascular surgery, and two days later was returned to the Brantford General for a full assessment prior to being released.

Roy’s mission to re-learn how to walk and talk lasted just seven days with regular physiotherapy sessions organized by the ISU team at the Brantford General, and now he no longer has any lasting effects.

“Everybody was just fantastic,” Denise said. “The Integrated Stroke Unit runs like a well-oiled machine. His speech; every day you could see it coming back,” said Denise. “He didn’t know how to use a comb, fork, or a toothbrush when he first arrived at the hospital, but relearned it all within a few days.”

“He kept telling everybody how pleased he was with his care. We are both very thankful to the Brantford General and the staff; we’re lucky to have care like this so close.”

Roy and Denise Haggart are grateful for the care their family received at the Brant Community Healthcare System. For them, like so many other area residents, their grateful patient stories are a true family affair.

As the Haggart family knows first-hand, when a health crisis or emergency affects you or a loved one, Brant Community Healthcare System is here to provide exceptional, professional and compassionate care in your time of need.

Behind each success of the Brant Community Healthcare System (BCHS) Foundation is the generosity of our community, our donors and volunteers. This continued commitment has enabled us to put our patients first by helping us to provide the right equipment, at the right time, when it matters most.

Now is the time to make a difference, please consider making a gift today that is meaningful to you, and support a strong healthcare system for our community.

Your continued support plays an important part in allowing us to provide quality patient care. Thank you!

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