“It was scary.”
Ed Mury is reflecting back three years, to May of 2023, when his life changed. He doesn’t remember much about that night, but images come to him in snapshots. A wave of sickness. Vomiting blood. Paramedics. An ambulance. An operating room.
Ed’s liver had been backing up with blood which ultimately led to the rupture of a vein.
“My wife Maureen went downstairs, was making coffee, and she found blood on the floor,” recalls Ed. “She got on the phone and called 911. From there I remember the paramedics picking me up, but I don’t remember from there to Dartmouth General.”
Ed was taken to the DGH Emergency Department where he was immediately treated and given an IV, medication and X-ray, followed by a scope and temporary patch for the portal vein.
The next morning, Ed was taken to the Halifax Infirmary for an emergency procedure called a BRTO (Balloon-Occluded Retrograde Transvenous Obliteration) where the portal vein was clotted. Then he returned to Dartmouth General where he spent four nights in the Intensive Care Unit. He’s grateful to the DGH medical team for clearly explaining his situation and assuring him he was on the path to healing.
“My senses started eventually coming back, my family was there and I knew this was serious, that I could have died,” remembers Ed. “The nursing staff, the doctors, the cleaning staff, the dieticians, everyone was so attentive to me. I was really appreciative.”
After Ed was allowed to go home, he knew he wanted to do something to support Dartmouth General Hospital and its staff.
“My wife Maureen saved my life, but they cared for me and brought me back,” he says. “I said thank you a hundred times, but it didn’t feel like enough.”
About a month after being released from Dartmouth General, Ed returned with some coffee and treats for the staff. Then he started taking part in fundraising events.
“I did the golf tournament last year and had a great time, a lot of fun seeing all the people participate and donate,” he says, adding that he’s already signed up for this year’s Golf Classic happening on September 14th at Brightwood Golf and Country Club.
Ed grew up close to Dartmouth General Hospital, in the Woodside area. He trained as a welder, taught as a vocational instructor and travelled for work projects. His experience in welding enabled him to start his own plastics company, which he sold after several successful years. He eventually ended up in car sales back home in the Dartmouth area.
Since his health incident in 2023, Ed has had to make some changes to his diet, but the biggest change is in his attitude to life.
“You really just come to appreciate things more,” Ed says. “Life’s too short, you know?”
Ed feels grateful that he and his wife Maureen are able to plan for an upcoming vacation in Europe. They also plan to continue contributing financially to the Hospital and soon they will also be giving the gift of their time. Ed and Maureen are scheduled to begin volunteering at Dartmouth General in the fall.
“Maureen was a music teacher for 32 years, so she’s going to play piano there and is very much into music therapy,” Ed says. “I just want to give back and support in any way I can. I received great care. And I will continue as long as I can to help the hospital here.”
