Chris Taylor shares how the nursing staff at Kensington Health provided comfortable care during his retina surgery and recovery.
Chris Taylor has always been a visually artistic person. He teaches art, film and media at high school and spends his summer building boats at his family’s cottage in Muskoka. Every two years, together with his brother and cousin, they organize the Muskoka SeaFlea Fleafest, a gathering of small racing boats at Kahshe Lake. Last year there were 50 boats, with visitors travelling from all over Ontario, and all the way from British Colombia and even New York.
Chris created the Muskoka Seaflea website and YouTube channel where he shares boating tips and clips from boat shows.
“My family and I have been building SeaFleas for years now, they’ve become my passion. Having a SeaFlea is a family venture. Anyone can build one.”
(Left to right) Chris Taylor and his nephew, Matt, at Fleafest 2017
A series of unfortunate events
Chris and his two sons were at the Toronto International Boat show for the “Indoor SeaFlea Races” when he suffered an unpleasant experience. His retina, the layer at the back of the eye, suddenly detached in two places. Thankfully, a witness at the scene had a medical background, and three hours later Chris found himself in an optometrist’s office.
Since that day, Chris has dealt with complications involving his retina. After shuffling between specialists in different cities, he was referred to Dr. Peter Kertes, a vitreo-retinal surgeon in Toronto. In March, Chris was scheduled for a retina procedure at Kensington Eye Institute, where Dr. Kertes operates. Amidst his appointments, Chris was also dealing with the distress of losing his wife to cancer, in January earlier that year, while managing to care for his two sons, who are 9 and 15 years-old.
The right place at the right time
After his previous experiences and whirlwind of appointments, coming to Kensington on March 26 gave Chris a sense of relief. The view of the CN Tower and the Toronto skyline from the waiting room was comforting and relaxing. And the tone, colour and atmosphere of the clinic made him feel comfortable. That day, he underwent a successful retina procedure.
“I was pleasantly overwhelmed with the care, comfort and professionalism that I received at the Kensington Eye Institute,” said Chris. “From the moment I stepped up to the reception until I was on my way home, the attention I was given was by far the best I have received compared to other medical practitioners.”
His experience was exactly as it was portrayed in the video he was advised to watch regarding the preparation of his surgery. In the video, the Kensington staff were comforting while providing a relaxing environment. Chris was overwhelmed when he found this to be true as the staff were reassuring and caring throughout his day, with multiple staff members constantly checking in on him.
“Feeling comfort plays a big part in the recovery process,” said Chris. “I felt like I was at the right place, at the right time.”
Currently, Chris is recovering from his procedure, dreaming about Kahshe Lake, and preparing for the next Muskoka Seaflea Fleafest, summer of 2019. For Chris, losing his sight would have been a devastating blow to his life as a father, a high school teacher and a boat enthusiast.