Sunshine Coast’s healing hospital ‘homestay’ close to the heart of Noosa family

A woman says her husband felt drugged, unsteady and foggy so she just had to be close by his side to help him recover.

Bryan Carvill is visited in hospital by his wife Maxeen.

Life for Tewantin 75-year-old Bryan Carvill went from peddling around on his bike to having terrifying visions of snakes and ants crawling up his walls in just 12 months.

In July last year Mr Carvill underwent open-heart surgery in Brisbane to have one of his valves replaced.

Doctors said the operation was successful.

But his health took a grim turn back at home when excruciating migraines led to hallucinations for no apparent reason.

His worried wife Maxeen said Mr Carvill started becoming confused.

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"On the fifth day out of hospital, Bryan told me he felt drugged, unsteady, and foggy, but I just thought this was a common side effect after surgery," Mrs Carvill said.

Bryan and Maxeen Carvill take in the AFL action last year before his health worries turned his life upside down.

"Bryan started suffering from severe migraines after the procedure and he described them as being the worst pain he's ever been in," she said.

Mr Carvill was admitted to Sunshine Coast University Hospital between August last year and April this year with doctors struggling to diagnose his condition as his wife became stressed by constant trips to support him in hospital.

"Bryan started seeing ants, snakes and things crawling up walls," she said.

"We were told the open-heart surgery had nothing to do with his violent seizures and hallucinations."

Fortunately hospital support staff noticed Mrs Carvill's distress and a social worker arranged for her to stay at Birtinya's Wishlist House, a nearby affordable accommodation centre.

"There was one night he wouldn't settle and take his medication, so I walked over at 9pm and didn't leave the hospital until 2.30am," she said.

"I felt completely safe walking back to Wishlist House.

"I loved having a quiet place to get a couple of hours sleep and be only 10 minutes away from my husband."

Wishlist CEO Lisa Rowe said the charity's affordable accommodation facilities - Wishlist House and Reed House - were increasingly busy with patients and carers from Tewantin, Kingaroy, Gympie, Cooloola, Maryborough and surrounds.

Wishlist House was a godsend for Maxeen Carvill who needed somewhere to stay while supporting her ill husband Bryan.

The increasing demand has also led to the charity obtaining a $12 million grant Federal Government grant to build Wishlist Centre, with construction expected to start in July.

The four-level purpose-built facility will offer accommodation for patients receiving ongoing treatment and those transitioning to and from hospital.

"A further $2 million is needed by 2022 to ensure Wishlist Centre is a comfortable and supportive environment for patients and their families during an ongoing health crisis," Ms Rowe said.

Meanwhile, Mr Carvill is undergoing investigations to see whether he has auto-immune encephalitis - a type of brain inflammation where the body's immune system attacks healthy cells and tissues in the brain or spinal cord.

"The worst part of it is we don't know when he'll be better," Mrs Carvill said.

Originally published as Hospital homestay helps wife calm husband's hallucinations