New Ross Woman's Fight for Her Husband’s Care

Pauline O Reilly from New Ross has shared her emotional and deeply personal journey regarding the struggle to secure proper care for her husband, John, after he suffered a life-changing stroke in September. John, at just 61 years old, had been managing a tear in his aorta for several years and despite being on medication his blood pressure remained uncontrollable. In August 2023, after a routine visit to his GP his blood pressure was dangerously high and he was urgently admitted to St. James’s Hospital. For two weeks doctors monitored his condition before scheduling a major operation on September 4th to replace the trunk of his aorta. While the surgery itself was a success, John’s blood pressure continued to fluctuate and during a subsequent procedure on September 23rd, they discovered he had suffered a stroke. The stroke left John with severe left-side impairment and vision loss. The long road ahead for John became even more difficult when the family faced the harsh reality of Ireland’s overwhelmed healthcare system. While John’s surgery and recovery from the stroke were physically demanding, it was the lack of available rehabilitation that presented the next, equally challenging hurdle. Despite a referral to St. John’s Hospital in Enniscorthy for rehab and months of back-and-forth with the National Rehabilitation Hospital, there were simply no spaces available. Pauline had no choice but to bring John home after seven weeks in the hospital. With a six-month waitlist for rehabilitation services in the public system, it became clear that the support John needed was unavailable and the weight of caregiving fell entirely on Pauline’s shoulders. Without a designated hospital bed or any clear path for rehabilitation, Pauline transformed their home into a makeshift care space. She and their children moved furniture around to accommodate a hospital-style bed downstairs, allowing John to navigate his way through their home, though his mobility remains limited. “John’s a big man, and even just to get him comfortable, we had to make these adjustments,” Pauline shared. "It's not ideal, but it's what we had to do to get him home." Pauline has since become John’s full-time caregiver, a role she never imagined taking on so soon after her retirement. She spent 44 years working at AIB and while she’s proud of her career, the shift to being a full-time caregiver has been a stark change. But despite the emotional and physical toll, Pauline is determined to do everything she can for John. “You just have to do what you have to do. You deal with it, even if it’s not easy.” Her experience has made Pauline feel a deep sense of injustice, not just for her own family but for the many others in similar situations. She knows that her family is managing, but what about the 55 other people in the Wexford area who are also waiting for hospital beds or care at home? “There are so many others out there who don't have the support we have,” she said. “What happens to them?” Pauline believes that the Irish government and health authorities need to reassess how they manage care for vulnerable people. "We can’t keep pretending that this system works,” she said. “We need to do better for the people who’ve given their lives to this country and now need help in their time of need.” Listen back to the full story here: