A New Opportunity

Gary on his birthday at West Park

It has already been a long, and at times arduous, journey for Gary but he’s a very strong and tenacious individual who has weathered this life storm in a most admirable way. If you haven’t been keeping track, he’s been at Bracebridge Hospital, Toronto’s St. Mike’s, Barrie’s Royal Victoria ICU, Toronto’s East General, back to Barrie ICU and then to West Park. Things may be changing once again for Gary. Just when we were beginning to worry about how we were going to get the renovations completed and the nursing/personal assistant staff in place by the end of his West Park program (which would have terminated at the end of November), West Park began a discussion with us about another possible option.

Within the West Park complex there is a facility called Gage House. Gage House is a place where people live with other folks in a less institutional, more natural home environment. Residents may share a room or co-pay and have their own room. There is a living/dining/kitchen area where residents eat their meals at the table together, socialize and most importantly there is a nursing station right outside of the residence if someone needs assistance. If accepted to the program Gary could be in this facility for an undetermined length of time. We all welcome this opportunity and are hoping Gary gets this chance to take yet one more step toward greater independence.

Because there is still much to do to ready Gary and Gayle’s home for his return this extra time would take the pressure off when it comes to getting everything in place. The generator has been installed thanks to a generous donation, so there will be an uninterrupted source of hydro to run his ventilator constantly. But there are still many things to be done and as usual many of them are related to money. Gayle has applied to all the agencies and she and Gary are working with the various government agencies to overcome these obstacles.

The other issues is finding the nursing/personal assistant staff we need to augment the care Gary will get from his family. If Gary lived in Toronto there would be no problem getting help but it seems there is a serious shortage of nursing staff in Muskoka. Please, if you are an interested retired nurse, or a new nurse who needs to gain some experience, consider giving Gayle a call to let her know you might be interested.

We would be remiss if we didn’t sing the praises of West Park and what they have done for Gary. This facility is absolutely amazing. Rather than a place where paralyzed people on vents sit around and feel sorry for themselves, it is a place that helps them learn how to live again. The staff are wonderful, caring folk who obviously love what they’re doing. The facility brings in clowns, drummers, speakers, Swiss Chalet, Mandarin, etc. They have already trained Gayle, Gary’s three sisters and two friends on how to suction him and drive the wheelchair if he gets tired. As if this isn’t enough West Park has generously offered to train the nurses and personal assistants who will be working with Gary when he returns home. How great is that?

Please keep your fingers crossed for us.

- Judy

MuskokaRegion.com article details challenges in Gary's quest to return home

A recent article on MuskokaRegion.com details the challenges facing Gary and his family as he works towards returning home to Muskoka. He is currently at West Park Healthcare Centre in Toronto and is halfway through the Transition to Home program. He's due to be released in time to make it home for Christmas, but a lack of available nursing care in Muskoka may make that an impossibility.



Gary's partner Gayle and his sisters have been trained at West Park and will be Gary's primary caregivers once he returns home, but they also need support from nurses and PSWs. Click the link below to read the article by our friends at Metroland Media:



Froude's dream for the holiday may not bring him home

More Progress!

If you've been watching the blog you will have noticed an absence of new information for a while. That's because Louis completed his contract at Arts in Muskoka and is now pursuing other avenues. We thank him so much for managing the blog and for being such a great addition to the team. He was truly a blessing. All the best in your new adventure Louis. We miss you.

When you last heard from us Gary had just received his wheelchair. That seems like a hundred years ago now and he's become quite the expert at driving his chair using only his right thumb. We were a little concerned about his altercation with a door casing but we're sure that by the time he gets home he'll be doing wheelies. 

Speaking of driving, he actually drove himself down to the hairdressers and is shown here with the hairdresser and his Occupational Therapist Emelda. Sporting his new haircut and shave, he later took his first trip to the cafeteria for a cappuccino.

It's not unusual to see Gary, Gayle and Rafi outside on the grounds of Westpark taking in the great outdoors. They recently attended the Westpark Fall Fair and Gary was in his element - surrounded by people to talk with. This chair has given Gary some hard-earned independence and the ability to see something more than three walls and a curtain.

Gary's days at Westpark are busy. He gets out of bed and into the chair, usually has some sort of therapy, goes off the respirator (currently twice a day for two hours each time), visits with family and friends and talks with a myriad of folks who are working hard to get him prepared to go home. In addition to the chair Gary has been working hard at strengthening his body. Part of that effort is spending time on the tilt table which, although he's strapped in, allows him to put weight on his feet again. He loves doing this and it is strengthening his body.

He's also adding some communications tools to his agenda so this will allow him further independence.

Our thanks go out to all the folk who are rooting for Gary. Your questions about his health, your good wishes, your cards, your donations and your prayers are most appreciated by Gary, Gayle and family. You have been such a comfort.

Thanks also to Jen Morgan Anderson who is now managing the blog.

- Judy

45th Parallel Painters Presents New Works and Fundraiser for Gary Froude

The 45th Parallel Painters will be back at the Muskoka Place Gallery for an excellent show of new works! The exhibition will be on view from Friday, October 10, 2014 - Thursday, November 6, 2014. The gallery hours are Monday - Friday, 10 am - 5pm and Saturdays, 11 am - 3pm.

Join us for a reception on Sunday, October 19, 2014 from 2pm - 4pm at Muskoka Place Gallery, 1182 Foreman Rd., Port Carling, ON. Meet the artists, enjoy the art, indulge in some delights and have a chance to win a special prize! A portion of the sales from the exhibition will be donated to the Bring Gary Home fund, a fund dedicated to the support of Gary Froude.

The artists - Krysia Bower, Anne Clement, Betty Dawson, Gayle Dempsey, Donna McLaren, Marie St. Germain, Susan Ware and Margaret Richards - have been creating art together for several years. Five years ago they adopted their name from the geography in which they live and paint. They have a strong sense of the beauty of the natural world and enjoy sharing their works with others. 45 Parallel Painters have shown their works in galleries across Muskoka and Kitchener/Waterloo.

To see more of their story and view their works, check out www.45thparallelpainters.com

Victoria Banks Concert in Port Carling

Victoria Banks, Port Carling’s hometown country star, is playing a concert at the Port Carling Community Centre this Friday, October 10^th at 8:00 pm. Tickets are $25 and are available at The Apothocary Shop and Aunt Doodie’s Antiques in Port Carling, online here, at the door, or call Linda Dodington at 705-765-3937. She will be providing an opportunity for people to donate to the Bring Gary Home fund. 

Gary Froude is half way through the West Park Transition to Home Ventilation Program in Toronto and is scheduled to be home for Christmas!

New wheels

Gary's been making good progress at the West Park Healthcare Centre in Toronto. Earlier this week, we got a sneak peek at the wheelchair that will help bring him home:

His recovery continues at a remarkable pace. Gary even got into the summer swing of things by downing a bit of ice cream.

We're hoping to have have him back here real soon. Only one major obstacle still remains - getting a generator to power the equipment Gary will need once he's back here in Muskoka. Other than that, we're full steam ahead at bringing him home!

What's Up gives a shoutout to Gary

Our good friends at our award-winning local newspaper, What's Up Muskoka, took the time this week to share some kind words about our friend Gary.

This month, we are heading into ChautauquaFest, a new, 10-day celebration of arts and culture that runs from Aug.14-23. The festival is the culmination of nearly 20 years worth of hard work that Gary and his wife Gayle have put into Muskoka Chautauqua, its brand, its programs and its vision.

Unfortunately, while Gary is on the way home, it appears he will not be in Muskoka for this monumental occasion. This massive festival features over 20 events throughout Muskoka that encompasses the visual, literary, dramatic and musical arts - the essence of what Muskoka Chautauqua is all about.

Gary will be following along with this festival from his hospital bed. He is hoping his community will be having a great time on his behalf at this inaugural festival while he is away.

We're on track to bring Gary home, but a generator is still the major obstacle standing in the way of his return. Otherwise, the journey home continues at full speed.

Stay tuned friends!

Another encouraging step closer to home

More encouraging news this week for Gary. We've just learned that Gary has been accepted to a ventilator program at the West Park Healthcare Centre in Toronto!

What this means is that now Gayle and volunteers will receive training on the ventilation system that will ultimately allow Gary to come home. The training is expected to begin soon. We've already received some interest from some locals, which include a volunteer firefighter from our local Port Carling station. However, we're always seeking the company of more friends, and are still taking in volunteers for this role.

The biggest challenge for now still remains in getting a generator to power the equipment for Gary once he comes home. But one way or another, we're hoping to be able to bring Gary home very, very soon.

Stay tuned!

The journey home begins

Plans are afoot for finally getting Gary home.

Gayle and Gary have applied to a ventilator training program at the West Park Healthcare Centre in Toronto, and are now in the process of looking for a generator. The hope is that once a power source is secured, it can be installed at Gary's home in Port Carling. Friends and family will then be able to help care for Gary as he continues his recovery here in Muskoka.

Though this game plan has been struck, Gary's exact path home remains unclear at the moment. Gayle and Gary are looking for anyone in the community who is interested in taking the ventilator training, and for anyone who can assist in the process of acquiring a generator. If you think you can help, give us a call at 705-765-1048.

18 years and still going strong

Gary had good reason to be happy yesterday - he celebrated 18 years with Gayle at his side! Our thoughts and prayers are with Gary as he continues to recover. We're hoping that by the time he celebrates 19 years, he'll be right back here in Muskoka where he belongs.

Gary switches gears in recovery

Gary continues to pick up speed in his recovery, switching gears into the next phase of his rehab this past weekend.

A few days ago, Gary started using a new arm attachment for his cycling apparatus. It was only about half a year ago that he started using the same cycling machine with his legs. He continues to regain more and more of his fine motor skills each month, and his recovery overall is continuing at a steady pace. Staff here at Muskoka Chautauqua continue to be amazed at the volume of well wishes for Gary that flood through the phone lines every day. Though Gary's been away from Muskoka for well over a year now, Muskoka certainly has not forgotten him!

Flavours moves forward key ingredient in spirit

Though he's not physically in the mix this year, Gary continues to shape the taste of our annual culinary event - Flavours of Muskoka Chatuauqua - from areas afar.

It was around this time last year that Gary first fell ill, and though his recovery has taken him into southern Ontario, he continues to work with our staff and organizing committee to pin down every last detail of the gourmet food event from his hospital bed.

Flavours has always been a very special event for Gary, and though he's unable to attend this year, he's hoping the event will continue to bring rich flavour to the region for years to come.

A big Muskoka Chautauqua thank you goes out this week from us to the wonderful staff at our local newspaper What's Up Muskoka. This week's edition features an article detailing Gary's extensive involvement with Flavours over the years. Their talented staff covered the progress of Gary's recovery from the get go, and we're all deeply grateful for their ongoing support.

For tickets to Flavours, please visit www.muskokachautauqua.ca, or call 705-765-1048. This year, the event takes place on Sunday, June 15, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., at the JW Marriott The Rosseau Resort and Spa in Minett.

Barrie's newest bookworm

Gary's adventurous spirit took off today with a short visit to Royal Victoria Hospital's library.

Sporting a bright smile and looking highly rejuvenated, Gary took out a copy of The Lonesome Gods by Louis D'Amour. The New York Times bestseller involves a young adventurer stranded in the desert, who is eventually rescued from his fate by outlaws, and is then cared for by a native group.

All dressed up for a walk in the sunshine

Gary's been just as excited as the rest of us are to breathe in some of that warm spring air. With some help from the wonderful staff at Royal Victoria Hospital in Barrie, he got all suited up and took a quick spin around the block last week. 

Gary moves back to Barrie

It's one small step closer to home for Gary.

With Gayle at his side, Gary made the move back to Barrie's Royal Victoria Hospital yesterday after a 12-week stint on a respiratory program at Toronto East General Hospital. The staff in Barrie missed him dearly since he left for Toronto in January, and have been following along with his progress all this time. 

When he came back, they took great efforts to make sure his return to Barrie was memorable. Gary was over the moon when he saw what awaited him:

Gary's still not completely off the ventilator yet. He has, however, been able to breathe on his own for up to six hours - a full quarter of a day - without the machine. As seen below, the eating test he recently passed allowed him enjoy a hearty meal that included chocolate milk, beef brisket and chocolate cake.

The move to Barrie brings him much closer to his friends in Muskoka, and to Gayle and the Muskoka Chautauqua staff. Everyone at Muskoka Chautauqua is hopeful his next stop will be right back here in Muskoka, where he belongs. 

One step closer to home

Gary's preparing for his next big move, which will bring him one hour closer to home.

The timing of the move has yet to be determined, but staff at the Toronto East General Hospital are already getting ready to move Gary back to Royal Victoria Hospital in Barrie. In the 12 weeks he's been in a respiratory program down in Toronto, Gary's show remarkable improvement, doing up to six hours at a time off the breathing apparatus. His recovery is now slated to continue in Barrie.

In the past few days, things continued to look good for Gary as he passed yet another swallowing test, and was healthy enough to take more trips outside to take in the warm spring weather. We're told that the hospital staff at Barrie, who have been following his progress steadily even after he initially left, are excited to see him return.

Stay tuned as we follow the next step of Gary's journey back home to Muskoka.

A sunny afternoon outside

The snow continues to melt... and Gary continues to get stronger. We're hoping there will more trips outdoors like this one in the days to come. 

Basking in the sunlight with a special birthday celebration

Basking in the sun and celebrating a very important birthday, this past week was full of big milestones for Gary.

On Friday, Gary celebrated Gayle's birthday down in Toronto, joined by family and some new friends at the Toronto East General Hospital. The warmth inside the hospital soon spread outdoors, with hospital staff taking Gary outside to bask in the warm spring weather. It was the first time Gary has been able to take in fresh air since he was moved from Barrie in December.

Meanwhile, staff at the hospital are continuing to work hard at getting Gary off the ventilator for good. Gary is nearing the end of the respiratory therapy program there, though where he goes next has yet to be definitively decided. Since arriving in Toronto, he's made great progress in recovery, and has worked up enough strength to breathe without a ventilator for beyond five hours.

Back in Muskoka, hardly a day goes by when staff at Muskoka Chautauqua don't get a call from Gary's friends and associates, all seeking to extend their kind wishes for his recovery. Despite being gone for almost a year, his hand and presence continues to be felt up north. Gary continues to review important documents for Muskoka Chautauqua, and continues to provide key guidance for staff and standing committees with Gayle at his bedside.

Gary also got a pleasant visit from Linda Albright, executive director of the Arts Network for Children and Youth. Gayle, Linda and Gary got a bit of work done during the visit - holding a conference call with the ArtsSmarts - an organization devoted to bringing arts education into classrooms. 

Back on the bike

Rounding off this week with an image of Gary working away at his exercise bike in Toronto. A fitting way to capture his determination in returning home.

Halfway there

Gary's all smiles this week as he marks the halfway point in his 12-week program at Toronto East General. As we near the one-year mark since Gary first fell ill, it's worth noting some of the remarkable progress he has made in his ongoing recovery.

He's regained the ability to consume small amounts of food and drink, has been able to pedal an exercise bike, given a video shout-out to his friends, and is spending more and more time each day off the ventilator. Each day, he grows stronger and stronger and moves one step closer towards coming home.

All the while, he's still been providing Muskoka Chautauqua staff with key direction and guidance, reviewing Chautauqua matters with Gayle at his side, and is constantly thinking of what's next for Chautauqua.

New time record!

This just in - Gary's cracked the five-hour mark off the ventilator! He's also celebrating the halfway point in his 12-week program at Toronto East General this week. Keep up the good work Gary. We're all rooting for you.

Making good time

Gary's set a new record for time off the ventilator! When Gayle went down to Toronto last week, Gary was breathing on his own for a straight one hour and 20 minutes. His endurance off the breathing apparatus has grown by leaps and bounds since his move from Barrie awhile ago. Starting off with a time of 30 minutes breathing on his own, he went on to pull an hour and five minutes, then one hour and 15 minutes in the days leading up to Gayle's visit last week.

Move further south brings Gary closer to returning north

A move further away from Muskoka is bringing Gary one step closer to coming home.

Earlier this week, Gary was moved from his bed at Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre in Barrie to his new home at Toronto East General, where a special program exists to hopefully help Gary ditch the ventilator for good. Though the shuffle has put an extra hour's worth of driving between Gary and his good friends in Muskoka, the transition to this special program been an encouraging and major step forward in his ongoing recovery.

Gayle made a trip down to Toronto mid-week in anticipation for the big move, and after some delays, Gary got settled in nicely in his new home in the city.

 

He not only gets a wonderful view of the CN Tower in the distance, but also appears to have a lot less snow to look at than his dear friends currently do in Muskoka.

Shout outs from Muskoka

As Gary continues to recover, his friends and neighbours in cottage country are still eagerly awaiting his return. During a benefit concert earlier this month in his honour, dozens of Muskokans lent their faces and voices to a series of video shout-outs to wish Gary good health and a speedy recovery. Gary was overwhelmed with emotion when he saw the video of his good friends in the north. Both Gayle and Gary want to say a big thank you to all who came out that night to show their support.



In the second video below, there are also a few clips of singer Ian Thomas performing, just shortly after Parry Sound - Muskoka MP Tony Clement showed off his own musical talents on the guitar.

Stay tuned to this blog for more great news in the coming weeks!

Massive Muskoka turnout for Bring Gary Froude Home concert

Love and generosity flowed lavishly from the hearts of about 300 Muskokans who turned up for a night of music dedicated to bringing home one of their beloved own. 

Seats were a rare commodity when Juno-winning musician Ian Thomas and Lunch at Allen's bandmate Marc Jordan took the stage at the Bring Gary Froude Home benefit concert on Saturday, Jan. 4. Gary, who was named Muskoka's 2012 Citizen of the Year for his work in promoting the arts, has been hospitalized since May after contracting a mysterious virus which left him paralyzed. 

The concert took place at the JW Marriott The Rosseau Resort and Spa. 

"People like Gary are really the spine of culture in our community," Thomas said in his pre-performance speech. 

Peering out at the sea of concert-goers, Thomas said the success of the event was profound reflection of the positive change that Gary's work has achieved in Muskoka over the years. Scores of supporters and local dignitaries also lent their faces and words of encouragement to a series of video shout-outs for Gary, which Muskoka Chautauqua staff are currently in the process of compiling and editing. 

Thomas and Jordan both jumped aboard fundraising efforts as soon as they heard of Gary's condition. Funds raised from ticket sales and a silent auction preceding the concert will be used to help Gary his wife Gayle make modifications to their Port Carling home, in order to accommodate extended apparatus once Gary is healthy enough to return. 

Citing Gary's demeanour when he was handed the Citizen of the Year Award, Thomas described the dedicated Rotarian as a man bound by a sense of humility rivaled only by his passion and love for serving the Muskoka community. 

But the large turnout on Saturday, Thomas said, was a reflection of just how much Muskoka loves Gary back. 

"You realize what a large part of the culture in his area that Gary has played in," he said. 

Though Gary was unable to attend the concert, he had reached a remarkable series of milestones in his ongoing recovery over recent months. He gained enough strength to sit up on his own in late November, and was pedaling away on an exercise bike by the end of that month. 

After a series of adjustments to his ventilator, Gary spoke clearly for the first time in early December, thanking his friends and supporters for their spiritual support in a cellphone video. By Christmas, he was taking his first sips of coffee with Gayle and eating pureed food for the first time since summer. 

Since then, Gary's also beaten a brief spell of pneumonia he contracted shortly before the concert. 

All the while, stories about Gary's condition, community contributions, and the benefit concert itself made headlines in local newspapers and radio broadcasts. 

Numerous local sponsors came together to make the fundraising event possible, including the JW Marriott The Rosseau Resort and Spa, Hammond Transportation, McLaren Press Graphics, North 45 Communications, PSAV, Muskoka Tourism and Explorers' Edge. 

Stay tuned to this blog for updates on Gary's reactions to the evening's events and video shoutouts. 

 

Homecoming tune lined up for Bring Gary Home concert

Lunch at Allen's bandmates Marc Jordan and Ian Thomas are setting the stage for Gary Froude's comeback with some homecoming music at a benefit concert in two days.

In a radio PSA ad produced last week, the singers announced they will be performing Thomas' 1978 single "Coming Home" as part of the repertoire on Saturday, Jan. 4. The fundraiser will feature a silent auction which runs from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the JW Marriott The Rosseau Resort and Spa. The concert itself begins at 8:30 p.m.

You can hear the PSA by clicking below:



Funds raised during the event will go towards helping Gary and his wife Gayle make changes to their Port Carling home in order to accommodate extended care apparatus once Gary is able to return to Muskoka.

Throughout the evening, willing guests will be able to share some kind words and thoughts with Gary by taking part in a video shout-out, which will be recorded  by Muskoka Chautauqua staff. Please find Louis or Patrick at the event if you are interested in giving a shout-out to Gary. The shout-outs will be complied after the event, and eventually uploaded to this blog to help keep Gary's spirits up in his ongoing recovery.

Information about the evening's festivities can be found by visiting www.bringgaryhome.ca,