Community Corner

Keith Johnstone talks about his recent death.

Bethany, Orange and Woodbridge residents know of Keith Johnstone, the Bethany firefighter who was paralyzed in a freak accident nearly three years ago.

If cats have 9 lives, then how many lives does one man have?

(Readers, take a deep breath) Last week Firefighter Keith Johnstone, of Bethany, died again…but he hasn’t lost his sense of humor.

Johnstone, who is in an extensive therapy program that is supposed to help him to walk again, was sitting on a mat with his aide nearby when he collapsed during an occupational therapy session, and died in her arms at 10:15 p.m. on Monday, May 9.

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“He had no pulse, no blood pressure, and he wasn’t breathing,” said his wife, Jo, from the hospital. “I was at home when the aide called me and told me. It was Déjà vu for me, getting the call and going to the hospital without knowing if I’d be able to see him (alive).”

Luckily Johnstone was in the hospital facility when the incident occurred.

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“He coded and they did CPR and then gave him a shot of something and he came back,” Jo said.

His second bout with death was just another roadblock on the road to a hopeful recovery.

“Once again, I was rejected,” Johnstone said with a laugh.  “I didn’t see ‘the light.’”

Johnstone was paralyzed nearly three years ago while working for the Bethany Public Works Dept., when a tree limb snapped and fell on his head and left him motionless on the ground below.

That accident took place right in front of the Hinman Station Firehouse and his fellow firefighters rushed to his side, fighting to keep him alive all the way to the hospital where, it was discovered that he had a broken neck.

The first round of real therapy was in Colorado, where he learned to operate a wheel chair with the use of a blow tube.

Once back home in Bethany, his therapy continued and he took his first steps. Everything looked hopeful, he and his wife planned to dance on their wedding anniversary, in August, but then, more roadblocks.

His therapy sessions were reduced to a few a week due to staffing cuts at the rehab facility.

Then the chance of a lifetime, the insurance company agreed to pay for an aggressive therapy program that promised to get him back on his feet and moving again.

Jo said the therapy was a disappointment with mostly stretching and massages — Keith wanted to aggressively work on regaining his balance and use of his hands and arms.

On a good day he would spend 40 minutes on a treadmill, followed by an equal amount of time using a special walker.

He spent time at home in late April and visited the Bethany firehouse on Easter weekend, before returning to the rehab program.

He was doing well on an upside down bicycle that worked his muscles and helped with his coordination.

The occupational therapist was planning to get him into a wheelchair that he would move manually instead of using the sip and puff straw.

Everything was looking up, until he “died.” When he came out of Intensive Care he was told that his therapy was going to be discontinued.

He hasn’t been in a standing frame or had any therapy whatsoever, but Jo said he is still hopeful that everything will somehow work out.

Constant battles with the insurance company continue to complicate things.

“Every bump in the road pushes him back,” Jo said. “And now they want to stop his therapy.”

Editor’s Note: Keith Johnstone walked across his kitchen floor on his birthday last year with his brother and best friend walking along side of him. He desperately needs consistency and aggressive therapy. Jo said every time he goes without therapy for a few days or weeks, he loses strength and it appears that he’s not improving, giving the insurance company a reason to say, “No more.”

 


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