my life
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suffering extreme pain in my left knee i attended my local emergency department. i was told i had torn ligaments go home wrap my leg in ice and take 2 paracetamol. 3 days later i was brought by ambulance to the same emergency department with stroke like symptoms. professor Paul burke was the on call vascular surgeon. He operated on my leg and after 6 hours put me into an induced coma as my organs had started to fail. He advised my family to inform my relatives and friends that i may not survive . I came out of my coma on August 28th after 11 days ( my grandfathers anniversary).
i spent 4 months in the high dependency unit in Limerick under Paul Burke and his team. The nursing and physio staff were excellent and I was not allowed feel sorry for myself. my family were also great especially mom, dad my uncle Jim and his wife flo were a great support to me and my parents. i w
as eventually transferred to st johns hospital to continue with my physiotherapy. my left leg had been amputated from just below the hip.
in st johns my physio was a wonderful person named Martina Ryan . she and her small physio department team put me through a punishing regime but eventually i was ready to go to The National Rehabilitation Hospital in Dun Laoghaire county Dublin. Again I had a great team led by Dr Jacqui Stowe. I would like to praise 3 people especially my physio Joanne Hayes , my occupational therapist Leana Colgan and her assistant the wonderful Pauline with whom I could discuss anything.
My amputation meant I had to give up my job as a security guard but the less said about the better ( I received no support from my employers at all).
Through all this my best friend was a constant support. As was his wife. They still are.
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