An August morning felt like the perfect time to do a bit of cleanup around the cottage. Bob Edwards went up on a ladder to clean off the roof while his wife, Pam, supervised. Pam went inside to make lunch while Bob was finishing up. As he reached for one last pinecone, he slipped from the ladder, fell and screamed.

“My neighbour later told me it was the most blood-curdling scream he’d ever heard,” said Bob with a shudder.“I knew from my past first-aid training that I shouldn’t try to move,“ recalls Bob. “All I could think about as I was lying there was that I’d ruined everything.” Bob and Pam had been planning a trip to Scotland. Even in his state of shock, Bob couldn’t help but feel that this fall would change their plans.

Pam called 911 and Bob remained where he’d fallen on the ground until help arrived.

Luckily the ambulance arrived within 30 minutes and took Bob to KHSC’s KGH site.

When Bob arrived at the KGH Emergency Department he was quickly taken for x-rays. It was soon discovered that when Bob fell, he had fractured his pelvis and left hip socket!

“I was shattered,” Pam said. “I thought at the worst he’s maybe broken, bruised or damaged his hip.”

A resident physician came in to give Bob some pain medication. Pam said he stayed and chatted with Bob about baseball and the prospect of the Blue Jays winning the World Series. It pleased her to see the young doctor taking an interest in Bob and helping to take his mind off the pain.

Before leaving that day, Pam was advised to return early in the morning to see Bob before he went in for surgery. When she returned at 6 a.m. the next day, she was informed that Bob was heading in for an extensive surgery that would likely take all day.

After, his surgeon Dr. Jeff Yach explained to Pam that the surgery had gone well but that it was a serious injury with an expected lengthy rehabilitation. He assured her that the goal was for Bob to be back doing all of the things he was able to do before he fell. He left Pam feeling relieved and confident that Bob was going to be just fine.

Bob and Pam are from Burlington and he was transferred to Joseph Brant Hospital where he spent two weeks before going to Wellington Park Community Centre for thirteen weeks of rehabilitation.

When Bob was able to travel again, the couple returned to their cottage in Gananoque and went to the KGH site to visit Dr. Yach to show him how well he had had recovered. He really could do everything he did before the fall.

Thrilled with the care they received from Dr. Yach and his team, Bob and Pam made a generous donation to UHKF. Every day donors are making a positive impact on the lives of patients and families in this community.