Plucky young patient wins courage award
Plucky young patient wins courage award
By RICHARD LIEBRECHT, QMI Agency
EDMONTON - Struck by a brain-wasting disease that targets children, her mother was unsure Morgan Fischer would even be able to recognize her own family.
"Life was hard. She could do nothing," said Darla, describing her daughter's condition after a surgery that severed Morgan's afflicted left brain from her right. "She had to learn how to sit up, walk, eat, swallow."
"Go to the bathroom," added Morgan, sitting straight up beside her mother.
"Right at the start again," replied Darla.
That Morgan can walk to an interview, toss a balloon back and forth with her older siblings, and revisit the Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital is a credit to both Morgan and the hospital.
The Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital Foundation recognized Morgan's stunning recovery Thursday with a Courage Award.
John Koss of Jasper and Pat Jones of Tofield were recognized alongside Morgan.
"She's a worthy candidate," said Darla, looking over at Morgan.
The awards, presented for the fifth time this year, recognized three people whose steadfastness in recovery the foundation describes as "motivating" and triumphant over "tremendous obstacles."
Morgan, 12, has suffered four years of obstacles.
"Everything was very normal until she was eight," said Darla.
Morgan studied taekwondo, swam, played with her many friends. Then in 2006, "we noticed a tremor in her right arm."
When the tremors spread to her leg in October, her family took Morgan to hospital.
By April, she was diagnosed with Rasmussen's encephalitis, a rare disease that leaves half the brain to waste, said Darla.
That was followed by the surgery and Morgan's arrival at the Glenrose in March 2009. She stayed until July so therapists could get her out of her wheelchair to swim, among other restorative activities.
"Right at the beginning, we saw big gains," said Darla.
Morgan remembers staff as friends.
"Yeah, it was good," she said.
She now cooks and paints for fun.
Pat Jones drove a school bus for 27 years and lived independently when one day she collapsed in her kitchen.
Taken to hospital, she slipped into a coma for a week with a staph infection that followed chemotherapy.
She bounced between seven hospitals in seven months before landing in the Glenrose.
"I had to learn to walk and talk again," she said.
Now, she's back living on her own and enjoying her independence. She fears she would have landed in a nursing home without rehab.
"I want more, so I have to keep trying," she said.
richard.liebrecht@sunmedia.ca