Part 1: Brian Roche: Road to Recovery
"And, while it may have seemed like the worst was over, I knew that my long road to recovery had only just begun, and I would need more help if I was going to move more than just one big toe..."
ALBANY, Ga. – Many of you were wondering where I had been when I suddenly returned to air here at CBS 44 earlier this year, and after a long road of recovery, I’m finally ready to share that journey with all of you.
I’m Brian Roche, and join me as we take a look back over a year and a half journey. We’ll take a look at what caused it, and the people who were close by me throughout this road…
My name is Brian Roche…
And, for years, I’ve been welcomed into your homes to bring you the latest stories stories across Southwest Georgia.
However…my life was permanently altered one July night in 2021…
“We were on vacation in Hilton Head, expected to come down that Friday, the 23rd of July and we got an emergency call while out at the pool that you, Brian needed emergency surgery, and that we should get to Albany as soon as possible. We didn’t know much else, it was a very long six hour ride…” said Marci and Rob Roche, Brian’s parents.
What had happened seems simple enough, I had collapsed at home, but with one difference…
I was unable to feel anything from the chest-down.
It was only after being transported to Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital that I met Neurosurgeon, Dr. Hector Soriano, and was told the worst news…
I had suffered a spinal cord injury due to an abscess that had settled halfway down my back.
I met him in person on my own for the first time since that surgery as we look back on the images of my spine that had left me on the floor of my apartment.
“Well, spinal cord injury is one of the most devastating injuries that any human being can suffer, right. It’s fortunately not terribly common, but when it happens, it’s devastating for the patient, and the family…” said Dr. Hector Soriano, Neurosurgeon, Phoebe Putney Health System.
According to Dr. Soriano, as long as a person has a little bit of function in them following a spinal cord injury, it’s ruled incomplete…
That was not the case with my situation.
Mine was considered a complete spinal cord injury as I wasn’t able to feel, let alone move anything below my chest.
“We have what’s known as an ASIA [American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) Impairment Scale] classification. It goes from “A” the most severe to “E” being the least severe. You were ASIA “A” complete spinal cord injury at “T6″,” said Dr. Hector Soriano, Neurosurgeon, Phoebe Putney Health System.
When I finally woke up after the emergency surgery, I was greeted by my parents, with all of us being terrified at how uncertain the future now looked.
“…Like dad said, we had no idea what our next steps were going to be. We kind of took it one day at a time. You were then moved to the ICU, where you had wonderful doctors there, guiding us through to the point where you were good.” said Marci and Rob Roche, Brian’s parents.
Numerous tests were run on me in the days that followed the surgery to make sure there were no further complications.
But, just around a week after the surgery, we saw one of the best things we could have hoped for following the last week.
“…I talked with your parents and I told them, ‘this was very good news.’ but we didn’t want you to get too excited because it was just flickering. But the moment I started seeing you get some function, it was a great day for me. It’s what every spine surgeon dreams of, “said Dr. Hector Soriano, Neurosurgeon, Phoebe Putney Health System.
And, while it may have seemed like the worst was over, I knew that my long road to recovery had only just begun, and I would need more help if I was going to move more than just one big toe…
Tune in tomorrow when we continue the story of Brian Roche: Road to Recovery, only on CBS 44 News.
Brian Roche reporting.
Copyright 2023 CBS 44 South Georgia. All rights reserved.
