A man who was left fighting for his life when a night out turned to horror is back home with his family for Christmas after 16 weeks in hospital.
Dad-of-two Scott Gold, 37, suffered a fractured skull after being knocked to the ground and striking his head.
He needed six brain operations at the Institute for Neurological Sciences (INS), spent five weeks in an induced coma in intensive care (ICU), two weeks in the High Dependency Unit (HDU) and then a further nine weeks in the Neurorehabilitation Unit (NRU), learning the basics of life all over again.
And Scott’s young wife, Stephanie Gold, 34, feels nothing but gratitude for the work staff at the INS, located on the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital campus, have done to care for him.
“They’ve given me my Scott back,” said Stephanie, from Paisley.
“You read so many negative stories about the NHS, but it’s only when the worst happens that you find out how amazing these people are.
“I can’t really put into words how grateful I am.”
The incident happened in August, the day after Scott and Stephanie’s 10th wedding anniversary, and the first Stephanie knew was a phone call around midnight from one of Scott’s friends.
“All he said was that Scott had suffered a head injury and was on his way to hospital,” she said. “Then a police officer came on the phone and I really started to worry.
“I asked, ‘Is he alive?’ and all the officer would say was ‘his fingers are moving so that’s a hopeful sign’. Then I knew it was really bad, so I made sure the kids were OK with my mum and dad and drove straight to the hospital.”
Stephanie wasn’t able to see Scott at first, but a consultant came to explain that he had a bleed on the brain and that she should prepare for the worst.
“I was completely in shock,” she said, “but also really confused. How can someone go out for a normal night out and end up like this? None of this was his was fault and what if he never got to see his boys again?
“I had so many questions, but the staff were amazing – in fact, right through Scott’s treatment they always had time for me, to talk me through what was happening.”
Dr Calan Mathieson, Consultant Neurosurgeon at NHSGGC, remembers Scott’s case well, and just how serious his situation was. He said: “It really was touch and go for a few weeks, and at the beginning we feared for the worst.
“He had suffered a significant skull fracture and his brain had undergone serious trauma. He underwent six brain operations and needed a shunt inserted to ease pressure from fluid build-up on his brain.
“Telling a family that they might lose a loved one is never something we take lightly, but in this case we felt it was important they were able to prepare for the worst.”
Scott remembers nothing about that night out, or about the following few weeks when he was at his sickest, but he’ll never forget the help he received from staff at the NRU.
“The staff have been fantastic. The way they’ve helped me is something I’ll always remember.
“Everyone did so much to support me, but I have to single out the neurosurgeons and intensive care staff who dealt with many situations where I required emergency treatment. It will be hard to fully describe my appreciation.
“And then there was Jack, one of the physios – he really went above and beyond, designing exercise routines for me when he was at home at the weekend. I mean, who does that for someone they don’t know?”
Scott’s only regret is that he hadn’t been able to speak to the staff in ICU or properly express his thanks to the team in HDU, so when they left hospital for the last time on Tuesday, he and Stephanie, along with his mum, dad and brother, visited all the staff who had cared for them to personally thank them, and to give them gifts and thank-you cards.
After his ordeal, Scott just wants to have a quiet Christmas with Stephanie and his sons Oliver, 5, and Myles, 3.
“People keep asking me what I’m looking forward to most, but to me it’s simple. I just want to curl up on the settee and cuddle my family.
“I know I’ll be busy over the festive period, as my friends and family have said they’ll be round to see me, and that will be brilliant, but in here I’ve had lots of spare time to think, and I just really miss Stephanie and the boys.”
That’s a sentiment Stephanie agrees with.
“I’m excited, but at the same time apprehensive after all that’s happened. When I see Scott with the boys, I just keep thinking how close they came to losing their dad.
“When he woke up the doctors found he was suffering from post-traumatic amnesia, and he wasn’t himself for a few weeks.
“To be honest, I would have taken any version of him home, and I’d prepared myself for that, but slowly – thanks to the staff and Scott’s determination – I got my Scott back.
“The boys don’t really understand the enormity of what happened, but I’m going to cherish every moment we have together from now on.”
Before the incident, Scott played semi-professional football with Kirkintilloch Rob Roy, and both he and Stephanie think his fitness played a huge part in his recovery.
But both have another reason too – each other.
“I call her my MVP [most valuable player],” says Scott. “Stephanie was here every day. Over the last 16 weeks, she’s dealt with everything – I have no idea how she’s managed it.
“She didn’t need to be here, but she was, and I’ll always love her for that.”
“To me he’s a hero,” Stephanie added. “He’s worked so hard at getting better so he can come back to us – I’m so proud of him.
“We still need to deal with what’s in front of us, but at the core he’s still him. That’s really the only thing that matters.”
The couple also had special thanks for the support of their families. Stephanie said: “Scott’s mum Mechelle, dad Kenny and brother Ian were distraught, and spent weeks with me by Scott’s bedside. We spent a lot of time together during a very intense and agonising time and really kept each other going.
“And I wouldn’t have been able to handle the past four months the way I have without my family’s support for me and the boys.”
Now Scott’s recovery is ongoing and the couple acknowledge there’s still a long journey ahead, and a number of hurdles to get over – but Scott is focusing on the future.
He works as an accountant with Morgan Stanley in Glasgow, and is hoping to start a phased return when he is able. In the meantime he’s been left with a sight problem, which he hopes will reduce over time, and he would like to see his speech improve a little after struggling to find his voice again.
He’s not allowed to play competitive sport anymore because of his injury, so he’s also working with friends he made in the NRU, to find a different path while still being involved in sport.
But to Stephanie, none of that matters too much. She’s just happy her family is back together again.
“Scott’s injury has had a massive impact on his life and will continue to do so,” she said, “but ultimately, all I wanted was that he could feel love for us, and that he knew he was loved.
“We’ve all got that, so what more could we ever need this Christmas?”
