By Emily Dawson

Brent Morrison was convinced he’d quickly get back to work as a cleaner in the Chrysler plant after an above-knee amputation in 2015, until some frustrating complications set him back.

Brent came to Providence Healthcare in December 2015 following his amputation. “I had seven operations at The Scarborough Hospital as my doctor desperately tried to save my leg,” said Brent. “Finally, after yet another unsuccessful surgery, I said to my surgeon ‘I think it’s time to amputate.’ That was a hard – but necessary – realization for us both.”

After a short inpatient stay on B5 in December of that year and a second stay in February 2016 after being fitted for his prosthetic, he began outpatient treatments in our Orthopaedic and Amputee Clinic. He started to feel like his goal to return to work at the plant was within reach.

As luck would have it, though, he suffered a debilitating infection in his leg that curbed the excellent progress he’d made.

Not one to be daunted, he tapped into his natural positivity and immersed himself in therapy once again. “I was so fortunate to work with people like Dellene Sakaguchi, my physiotherapist, and Sarane Poon, the occupational therapist in the clinic. They are amazing people – just the best,” Brent shared. “They motivated me. They even brought me outside to do a little putting because they knew golf was important to me. Things like that kept me motivated.”

That admiration and respect went both ways. As Dellene said, “Brent is such a pleasure to work with. His story and positive thinking really inspired us to keep pushing him to get back to the things he loved – at both work and play!”

Brent’s dedication to his rehab therapy paid off, and he eagerly returned to work in March of this year. “My manager has been really supportive. He even offered me a golf cart to use at work, but I’m determined to walk as it helps my fitness. I still use two forearm crutches at work so my new goal is to get rid of those soon!”

A few weeks after getting back to work, Brent visited his care team. “I love walking into Providence. I feel like I know this place, and its people. These pop in visits really keep me going. When I need a little boost, I come visit Sarane and Dellene, and they give me the ‘oomph’ I need to stay motivated.”