Support for the McLean Family

Hi All:

My name is Jane, and I’m a very long time friend of Shannon and Geoff.

I met Shannon in nursing school many years ago.

I will be honest with you, it was not easy convincing them to let me do this for them. As a nurse, mother and friend, I know how much people want to help and don’t necessarily know how to help.

On February 26th, Geoff was home with his family. He was doing a workout and felt sudden excruciating pain in his head. He was unable to get up the stairs from the basement.

The pain was unbearable.

Thank God that Shannon was home. She called 911 and he was rushed to Royal Victoria Emergency and immediately sent to the Trauma Unit.

A CT scan would soon reveal a brain aneurysm that had ruptured and he had a bleed in the subarachnoid space in his brain.

Geoff was rushed to Toronto Western to the neurology unit.

He underwent another CT with contrast that revealed subarachnoid hemorrhage and hydrocephalus.

The only intervention possible was surgery. He had a surgical wire ( catheter ) placed through the wrist, and into the brain that essentially embolized the ruptured aneurysm.

While the surgery was successful, the next two weeks are critical in his healing. He is not out of the woods yet.

He is being monitored for any change in status, or pressure in his head, which would ultimately lead to an additional surgery to relieve the pressure on his brain from the blood.

He will be admitted for a minimum of two weeks in Toronto at Toronto Western.

Of course with this, comes a great deal of expenses. Shannon is currently staying in a hotel, so she can be close to Geoff and help him through this incredibly difficult time ( and if anyone knows Shannon, they would know that he is in good hands).

I know that they have been bombarded with questions of how to help or what people can do.

There is nothing physically that anyone can do right now but pray and send all your well wishes and thoughts.

I would like to facilitate this go fund me for them to assist with the multitude of expenses that will occur over the next few weeks.

Shannon needs to focus her energy on helping Geoff, and Geoff needs to focus his energy on healing and avoiding any complications.

If you are lucky enough to know Shannon and Geoff, you know they type of people they are. They do everything and anything for their friends and especially for their family.

They have also endured their fair share of tragedy.

Thank you so much for your well wishes, thoughts and prayers.

I will post updates as I have them.

Sincerely,

Jane Walker

Post Surgery: Tuesday February 27th