This article is from page 4 of the 2007-10-16 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 4 JPG
that
there were two wards closed in the
unit as a result of the budget and re- cruitment freeze.
Patients who have been ready for
discharge are also confined to the
specialised rehabilitation hospital as the personnel for their follow up care or rehabilitation at homes are also af- fected by the controversial move by the HSE to tackle the projected €245 budget overspend.
As aresult the bed he left on a tem- porary basis just months ago is not available.
Ms Mc Tiernan said that her flancé is in a private bed in the neurosurg!- cal ward in Cork University Hospital that should be freed for another pa- tient “probably waiting in pain on a trolley”.
The young woman, who travels from Shannon to Cork every evening to see Gerard is in no doubt who is to blame:
“Mary Harney (the Minister for
Health) is saying that it is not affect- ing front line staff and patients but it is. Gerard paid his taxes for long enough and this is how he 1s repaid.”
Gerard suffered serious brain inju- ries as a result of a hit and run ac- cident that saw him propelled 10 feet into the air while on a golfing trip to Sy oy ube bey Eh are elon
The 44-year-old spent four months in a Malaga hospital following life Saving surgery that saw part of his skull removed.
The self-employed man then re- turned home and spent six months in the Mid Western Regional Hospi- tal Limerick, all the time awaiting a place in Dun Laoghaire.
After intensive campaigning and fighting by his fiancée he got a place
in the rehabilitation unit in late May of this year, a year after the life alter- ing accident.
Two weeks into his rehabilitation treatment he was sent to Cork Uni- versity Hospital to have a titanium plate inserted in his skull, an opera- tion that was to aid his recovery and have him away from the rehabilita- tion unit for just a week.
Further complications meant that the Shannon father of one had to stay in Cork for three months of intensive treatment including painful spinal taps.
As he was confined to bed a lot of the rehabilitation work was undone, but two months ago the doctors gave him the all clear to return for reha- eyebie-nele)eF
The recruitment freeze has meant that the Shannon man must stay put, however, losing vital time away from the unit.
‘The first 18 months are crucial for major brain surgery patients like Ger because that is when they re-learn to speak and walk again,” said Yvonne.
Gerard has just a three-month win- dow left to return to the rehabilita- tion unit for maximum impact and the young couple are aware that time is very quickly running out.
‘We can’t move on with the rest of our lives,’ said a frustrated Yvonne.
She said that while Gerard was in Cork he had access to intensive phys- iotherapy and a speech therapist – treatment not available in Limerick.
He must therefore remain miles away from his eight-year-old son Adam and his fiancée.
Gerard is very aware of what is hap- pening to him and has regained some of his walk and a little speech.
SM elemolerravsleemeeteliB MoM mRMeieE-lKere| with his situation.
‘Mary Harney – what she is doing is affecting him and us for the rest of our lives. She is stopping him getting better,” said Yvonne.
“Everything that could go wrong has gone wrong. Fighting the system is unbelievable,” she said.
“It is hard enough to deal with the changes without these obstacles in OTe Ne
“It is not just Ger. The whole coun- try is being affected by it,’ said a tired and frustrated Ms McTiernan.