Update
This is soon after Angelo woke up from his coma, something he was not suppose to do according to the doctors, he was ready to fight and has not stopped since.
Update
Angelo thanking his niece Dimitra for introducing him to
the Karya Society Olympou
Update
Angelo staying strong
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Angelo thanking everyone for their support. It means a lot to him.
Update
Angelo is working hard in preparation for his Etanercept treatment.
Angelo's Story
Hello, our names are Natalie, Thomas (Angelo's children) and Gloria (Angelo's wife). We are fundraising to pay for treatment for our father/husband Angelo, to help him walk and talk again after his stroke that occurred over 2 years ago.
Angelo suffered a devastating stroke while working at our family-owned restaurant. His right arm and leg are paralyzed. As well as this, he cannot easily communicate his thoughts, through speech or text. He is only capable of basic speech like counting, ABCs, and certain songs from his childhood. He was once the main provider of our family but now he is completely reliant on us for his everyday needs.
However, Angelo is determined to recover! He exercises his left side at the gym 5 days a week. He stays sharp by playing checkers and cards with his family. Even though he cannot speak, he laughs at the same jokes as he did before the stroke. He still has the same sense of humor. He has not given up on life and we are certainly not giving up on him.
(Angelo at the gym)
Angelo’s stroke occurred on the morning of September 4th 2021 while he was working at the family-owned business. He was found on the floor of the business a few hours later by his son, conscious but unable to move, and was brought to the North Bay General hospital. He was transported by helicopter to Toronto’s Sunnybrook Hospital to get the blood clot removed, approximately 7 hours after the stroke. However, around 6 to 8 hours later, he suffered a brain bleed, a common unfortunate side-effect of the procedure. The staff neglected to monitor him overnight and therefore were unaware of the hemorrhage occurring in his brain. By the next morning the aneurysm caused enough damage to send him into a coma.
Once this happened, the doctors and nurses told us he would never wake up. They encouraged us to take him off life support and let him die. Eleven days later he woke up, but was unable to speak or control his movements.
(Angelo after waking up)
In the weeks after waking up, he slowly regained awareness as well as control of his left side, one finger at a time. Although, the medical staff denied that he had any awareness at all. When he reached out to hug his wife and children, the doctors wrote if off as a “reflex.”
(Angelo grabs his wife's hand)
(Anglo trying to talk)
During his stay, he was always covered in blisters and bed sores due to not being moved in bed. He was given sugary non-diabetic food despite his diabetes, a condition which the hospital was aware of. He was even refused physical therapy and speech therapy. We begged management repeatedly to provide Angelo the same therapy every other stroke patient was receiving, but were refused every time. Hospital management stated it would be pointless because Angelo would never improve.
They gave up on him, but we did not. He has since stabilized and is now living with us at home.
(Angelo with his sister Angie)
Even though his right leg is paralyzed, his exercises help him maintain his strength. With a cane, he can even stand on his own two feet! To finally be able to walk, he would need intense physical therapy which is not covered under the Ontario Health Plan and we cannot provide it for him at the level he needs. We do our best at the gym with him.
At the moment, we push him around in a wheelchair. An electric wheelchair will give him some independence.
Currently, his ability to speak is very limited. When we speak to him, it is obvious that he wants to reply but he is unable to do so because of his brain injury. With consistent speech therapy, he will finally be able to speak again.
There is also a post stroke treatment called perispinal etanercept that would help Angelo regain his ability to speak, increase his affected limb’s range of motion and decrease his pain. This treatment cost between $5,000 to $8,000 per injection, depending on the dosage.
The attached links below demonstrate the effectiveness of this treatment along with a video link that demonstrates the amazing results post stroke casualties are experiencing as a result of this procedure.
(Etanercept procedure)
Angelo is a wonderful father and husband. Prior to his stroke, he worked 7 days a week to provide for his family. He helped pay the education for both his children. He coached his wife to an international win and multiple national wins in competitive weightlifting and he coached his son to a spot on the world junior weightlifting team. He deserves so much more than what we can currently provide. The help he needs is out there, we just can’t afford the costs. With your help, we can finally give him the rehabilitation he deserves and Angelo can enjoy his life again!
