It’s a moment many fathers dream of — walking their “little girl” down the aisle on her wedding day. But, just hours before his own daughter’s wedding, Bryan Workman faced the stark reality he might not get the opportunity.
Workman and his family, who live in Grayson, Georgia, were in Georgetown in November 2024 for his daughter, Celeste’s, wedding. Workman had been anticipating the occasion for months. But, a day before the ceremony, he woke up and knew something wasn’t right.
“I had, like, a hunger pain that never really went away,” Workman says. “Things were kind of hectic trying to get everything ready, and the pain wasn’t enough to prevent me from helping.”
As the day went on, however, the discomfort became more intense until it was impossible to ignore.
“It became unbearable,” Workman says. “When I got to Tidelands Georgetown Memorial Hospital, they took me straight back. I don’t think we even sat in the waiting room.”
A CT scan revealed the cause of Workman’s pain: appendicitis, or inflammation of the appendix. He would need to undergo an appendectomy to remove the inflamed organ. But the question he and his family had was, “When?”
Tidelands Health surgeon Dr. Salim Ghorra and the entire care team understood what was riding on the answer to that question.
“We talked through his options – have the surgery the morning of the wedding or wait until after the wedding,” Dr. Ghorra says. “I knew how important it was for him to be there for his daughter. We wanted to get him there, but we needed to make sure it was done safely.”
Workman and Dr. Ghorra decided it was best to have surgery as soon as possible, and the procedure was scheduled about six hours before Workman was set to walk his daughter down the aisle.
Dr. Ghorra would use robotic-assisted technology to perform the surgery, increasing Workman’s chances of making it to the wedding.
As Workman was prepped for surgery, he met Rose Holt. A surgical services supervisor, Holt helps patients prepare for surgery and is there for them when they wake up in recovery.
“Rose really went above and beyond for me,” Workman says. “I spent most of my time with her, and I felt well taken care of.”
After the surgery, Holt stayed by Workman’s side so she could closely monitor his recovery.
“So, as soon as it was safe to do so, he could get to the venue,” Holt says. “It was a group effort. Everyone came together to make sure Bryan got to the wedding in time.”
As a final step, Dr. Ghorra evaluated Workman and confirmed he was recovering well and fit for discharge. Workman hit all his post-surgery milestones. He was able to get out of bed on his own and drink liquids, with his pain under control and no feelings of nausea.
“It’s so rewarding because we were able to diagnose him on time and treat him on time,” Dr. Ghorra says.
Adds Holt, “I went home that day and told my husband I felt like I made a difference in that family’s life.”
Workman was discharged at 2 p.m., making it to the wedding venue with 30 minutes to spare — just in time for a moment he couldn’t miss.
Though Dr. Ghorra gave Workman some precautions, being there was all that mattered.
“I didn’t get to enjoy any of the open bar I paid for, but at least I got to be there for Celeste. That’s what was most important,” Workman says. “My team at Tidelands Health was very helpful, and I’m thankful for everyone who went above and beyond for me so I wouldn’t miss Celeste’s big day.”
