Chris’ story with the University of Alberta Hospital started with a routine checkup with his family physician. He was feeling a little off, with a cough and constipation, but he thought both would go away soon. When they didn’t, he followed up with his doctor, and on September 1, during another visit, his doctor became concerned when he noticed Chris’ feet were very swollen. He told him to go to the University of Alberta Hospital to get checked out.

Chris listened and went right away. At the U of A Hospital, doctors found a 14 cm long mass in Chris’ abdomen which was impinging on his colon. Fluid was building up in his body, pushing against his lungs causing his cough. He had a kidney infection, and a bacterial infection in his blood. He had had no idea how sick he was.

His care teams got to work right away. Chris underwent more than 60 blood tests, he had 1.5 L of fluid drained, an MRI, a CT scan and a colonoscopy. Chris is also diabetic and needed insulin and glucose to keep his condition under control. He was in a delirious state the first few days he was admitted to the hospital. He credits his care team for making him feel at peace. “I don’t know if I’d have made it through without them,” Chris says. “They think first about what they can do to make people’s lives easier and better. I’m so happy there are people like them in Edmonton doing this work.”

Chris stayed in the hospital for two weeks. When he was released he continued on antibiotics for another month. Eventually the mass and his infections cleared up.