Carlo’s Journey

To many people the name Carlo Onorato relates to a young man that is a talented barber, an active soccer player with a love for the game, a kind hearted, loving individual that infects everyone with joyful and quirky ways, someone who has a bright future ahead of him.

November 14th 2018 was the day that altered the course of his life forever. His nightmare began that Wednesday morning, waking from what he felt was a relatively normal sleep, only to realise he was unable to move from his chest down. At first, Carlo assumed that he might have just pinched a nerve, or slept a funny way resulting in this weird sensation, but as the minutes passed and with no improvement the realisation set in.

Upon his arrival to the R.A.H Carlo was immediately seen by doctors, conducted tests including an MRI, CT scan, as well as numerous blood tests and so on. As the hours passed and with Carlo still paralysed from the chest down test results starting to filter through revealing Acute Transverse Myelitis, an inflammation of both sides of one section of the spinal cord.

That was the very first time Carlo or anyone in his life had heard of Transverse myelitis, this neurological disorder often damages the insulating material covering nerve cell fibres (myelin). Transverse myelitis interrupts the messages that the spinal cord nerves send throughout the body. In Carlo’s case, this has resulted in a C6 level SCI injury that effects normal function from his chest down including arms, legs, respiratory function etc.

Unfortunately, for Carlo this was not the only curve ball he faced, 2 days after being admitted into the RAH, and whilst undergoing intense steroid treatment and sessions of plasma exchange in an attempt to help reduce the inflammation around his spine, hopefully to restore some functionally back into his lower torso, Carlo was struggling to breathe. Doctors made the decision to place him in an induced coma, to provide him with breathing support.

Less then 12 hours into a medically induced coma, a high fever due to a perforated bowel which was leaking infectious toxins into Carlo’s body, a potentially life threatening situation that required emergency surgery was the next battle he was faced with. 

As time went on Carlo was required to undergo five more surgeries on his stomach due to leaking and a serious infections, all performed whilst he was sedated and without his knowledge of the life threatening situation he was faced with.  

Carlo was in the induced coma for two weeks and after a 108 days stint in the RAH, Carlo was finally cleared of all stomach infections, which meant doctors could finally turn their attention to Carlos original issue, his paralysis.

On the 1st of March 2019 (and with no real improvement to his paralysis) Carlo was admitted to the Hampstead Rehabilitation Centre to begin his long rehab journey.

Throughout the past 100 days (confined to a wheelchair) Carlo has pushed himself thru some very challenging and tiring days, undergoing rehab in the hope that one day he will be able to walk, as well as gain function of his hands.

Faced with new challenges everyday such as becoming independent with everyday life skills, learning new ways to live with a SCI, as well as trying to understand his body now, he hopes to eventually join his community once again.
 
So how did Carlo go from being an active full of life individual, to someone with so many health issues literally overnight?

Doctor are still unsure why he developed this crippling condition, along with the perforated bowl, trying to make sense of how he obtained all of these health issues, but unfortunately he along with his loved ones have been left with unanswered questions.

But to his credit Carlo still managers to soldier on, with a positive outlook on life, focused on his future ahead and what life has install for him. Goals he wishes to achieve, all this without ever once complaining or lashing out in anger as one would expect someone who has endured as much as he has to do, a credit to the man he is.

There are still many more challenges Carlo must face in the near future such as Nerve and Tendon Transplant in an attempt to restore functionality to his fingers (grip), along with needs such as new housing suitable to accommodate his now disabled lifestyle, as well aids required to assist him in his everyday activities.

We have created this page for those who wish to help Carlo and donate to his journey in anyway; all proceeds will support Carlo in his search for a new home that is wheelchair accessible, costs of medical treatments, specialised aids and equipment to make his adaption back into his community as smooth as possible. We thank you all for taking the time to read Carlo’s story and hope that it can bring awareness to this SCI and most importantly thank you to everyone that has shown endless support and love to Carlo in this difficult time, we are forever grateful.