Jessica's Story

For Jessica and her husband Mike, April 22, 2024, was one of the most magical and euphoric days of their lives. Their daughter, Dawn, was born in London, and they returned home as a new family of three.

But within days, Jessica began to notice things weren’t right. Her legs swelled, her rings became tight, and she felt unusually unwell.

Like many new moms, she assumed it was just part of recovery. Then came the cough — persistent, unexplained. On her mother’s advice, Jessica tried to go for a walk, but she couldn’t even make it to the end of her driveway.

Mike rushed her to the Emergency Department at Strathroy Middlesex General Hospital. By the time they arrived, Jessica couldn’t walk inside on her own — she was placed in a wheelchair.

“The admitting nurse took me in, and it all went downhill from there. My life was starting to flash before my eyes,” Jessica recalls. She remembers the nurse coming in and holding her hand as a respiratory therapist said, “She’s crashing.”

Jessica feared she wouldn’t live to watch her daughter grow up.

Mike describes those moments as surreal: “From walking into the Emergency Department and triage to being told she needed immediate intervention — it happened so fast. Moments later she was on life support, and the doctor, nurse, and respiratory therapist jumped in the ambulance with her to transfer her for specialized care. If it wasn’t for them acting so quickly, she wouldn’t be with us today. We owe everything to them — they saved her life.”

Behind the scenes, the team at SMGH was working against the clock. Using advanced digital imaging equipment, they were able to quickly assess Jessica’s condition and provide the immediate care she needed.

Dr. Gruska recalls how distressing it was to see someone so young in such critical condition, while Dr. Albers — who had recently received specialized training from a renowned cardiologist — was able to recognize the signs of peripartum cardiomyopathy, a rare and life-threatening condition.

Dr. Gruska, Jessica, Dawn, Mike and Dr. Albers

Thanks to the team’s expertise and quick action, Jessica was stabilized and prepared for transfer to London for specialized treatment. Her story demonstrates the vital role SMGH plays in our region — providing advanced diagnostics and lifesaving care close to home, and serving as a critical bridge in the continuum of care.

For Jessica, those words hold deep meaning.

“I keep thinking about how talented everyone in that room was, and how lucky I was because I needed every single one of them. This experience changed my life. I now understand the true value of having a community hospital like SMGH. Donors need to know their gifts are saving lives. My story is proof of that.”

She pauses, her voice breaking slightly:

“How do you say to someone, thank you for saving my life?”

Jessica’s journey is a powerful reminder of why community hospitals matter — and why every donation counts. Because of donor support, our teams have the equipment and expertise to act quickly when every second matters.

You can help make stories like Jessica’s possible by supporting the SMGH Foundation. Together, we’re saving lives — close to home.