Young Uxbridge mother grateful for lifesaving experience at Uxbridge Hospital
A sore throat isn’t often the reason for a visit to the emergency department. But for Karena Blowing, a healthy 31-year-old mother of four from Uxbridge, the one she experienced this past July felt slightly different.
“I only had the sore throat for one day and, having lived through plenty in my life, I figured it could have been anything – a cold, the flu, maybe even COVID-19,” says Karena. “But once I noticed some tenderness and white spots at the back of my throat, and after a particularly tough night spent struggling to breathe, I knew I had to get it looked at.”
Karena made her way to our Emergency Department (ED) at Uxbridge Hospital in the early morning hours, and, at first glance, her situation seemed perfectly fine. Her vitals were normal, her medical history showed no cause for concern, and, besides her sore throat, even her symptoms didn’t give away anything problematic.
Still, with Karena’s strained, whispery voice, the team had a gut feeling that more was lying beneath the surface.
Moving quickly, an off-hours CT scan was ordered by Dr. Jennifer Wilson, the attending emergency physician caring for Karena. It identified swelling of the upper airways caused by an infection known as epiglottitis, which can lead to asphyxia and respiratory arrest if left untreated.
And as the next steps were being determined, the situation changed drastically – Karena’s throat became excessively swollen, and she could no longer breathe.
Then, everything went dark …
“You never think you’ll need the ED … until you do.”
Karena Blowing
Karena regained consciousness four days later in our Intensive Care Unit at Markham Stouffville Hospital (MSH). She was told that after a network of support was mobilized – including anaesthesiologists and emergency physicians who lived near Uxbridge Hospital and who jumped into action to assist with her case – Karena had been transferred to the larger MSH to continue her care.
“Though the experience was a scary one for me and my family, the doctors and nurses across both hospitals helped me through it with remarkable care and compassion,” says Karena. “They answered all my questions, took the time to carefully explain what was happening, and even kept my family physician up-to-date with my care journey every step of the way.”
Nine days after her ordeal first began, Karena was finally on her way home.
She was happy to be back with her family and grateful to the team that saved her life and did all they could to keep her comfortable, healthy, and safe on the road to recovery.
“If Uxbridge Hospital wasn’t right here, my situation could’ve been very different.”
Karena Blowing
“You never think you’ll need the ED … until you do,” says Karena. “Like so many other families raising our children in this community, it’s important that we have a hospital like this one nearby when the situation is dire.
“If Uxbridge Hospital wasn’t right here, my situation could’ve been very different. But instead, by coming here first, they were able to act quickly and stabilize me before it could get any worse.”
Today, as Karena returns to her normal day-to-day life, she reflects on her experience with Uxbridge Hospital, recognizing the importance of giving back for the sake of her own family and all the other families in Uxbridge.
“Supporting our hospital means supporting our own health and well-being,” says Karena. “It means having the best equipment, the latest techniques, and the top experts available to us right here in our backyard.
“Without this hospital, where would patients find themselves – where would I be today?”
A version of this story appeared in Uxbridge Hospital Foundation’s holiday 2023 newsletter Our Community. Your Impact.