| Personal Stories (2) | | | | Ray's Story | | | Not everyone grows up next door to a plumber who drives a motorbike with a side car which carries a coffin containing his tools. With such an entertaining neighbour, its no wonder Ray Beech developed a passion for motorbikes at a young age.
“I grew up in Birmingham and for as long as I can remember I wanted a motorbike or trike of my own. The city was also home to the most incredible transport museum which would make any young boy dream of fast machines.”
Ray, 42, and his family moved to Ireland when he was 14, and he bought his first bike four years later. “It was a blue Suzuki G5 250T – a horrendous yoke to be honest. But in those days, it was considered the coolest thing around because it was a factory custom style bike”
Without a care in the world, Ray accepted a lift one evening to join friends in town for a drink. He was 20 years old and living life to the full. He hopped onto the back of his friend’s motorbike and they drove through Whiteville. When they reached the outside lane of the junction, a car appeared from, what seemed like, nowhere and smashed into the two young men and drove off. It was a hit and run accident.
“My friend dislocated his shoulder. My injuries were far worse, however. An ambulance arrived within two or three minutes and drove me to Loughlinstown Hospital and after a few hours I was transferred to the intensive care unit at the Rehabilitation Hospital. I spent three months in the ICU and received the last rites three times during that period. I was pretty badly broken up with a broken wrist, punctured lung and I had also broken my T6 vertebrae. Looking back now it’s hard to remember a lot of the details because it’s very hazy. But, I know it was really tough for my parents and family and it was their support which helped me pull through.”
According to Ray, his mother’s home cooking was the primary factor that led him to recover sufficiently to be allowed home. “Food at the Rehab was diabolical so my mum brought me dinner every day. Incredibly, a nurse turned around to her one day and told her she was spoiling me and perhaps she should stop. As you can imagine, my mum didn’t take kindly to that suggestion and the fantastic meals continued to arrive.”
Ray’s injury has left him paralysed from the breastbone down. Thankfully, he has full feeling and movement in his arms, hands and fingers.” Having seen some of the more serious injuries in the Rehab, I am just thankful that I have full use of my head and brain.”
When Ray first left Rehab, he was self conscious of the fact that he was wheelchair bound. When he went out, he found himself constantly worrying about where the public toilets were and whether they were wheelchair accessible. “Initially, I spent a lot of time at home and friends would come over to my house. However, after a while I felt comfortable enough to go to the pub and its incredible what alcohol will do to your inhibitions. All of a sudden I couldn’t have cared less about the location of the toilet.”
In 1987, Ray joined a bike club and resumed his passion for all things on two and three wheels. “Before I bought the Suzuki, I had toyed with the idea of buying a trike but there was a serious lack of them in Ireland. In fact, there was only four. No one knew much about them but due to my childhood passion I had read lots of magazines, such as Backstreet Heroes, about them and knew that people with spinal injuries could ride them without any problem.”
In 1988, Ray decided to take matters into his own hands, literally. He bought a Volkswagen Beetle, stripped it down and built his own trike from the parts. “It was a work in progress for a while. Normally, you’d use an automated gear box but I could only get a manual one. We went through a lot of clutch cables. In the end it was a success and I went on to build another four or five refining each of them as I went along.”
In 2002, Ray built his final trike for himself and went on to sell it later to a friend for €1,000. That same year he established a shop called The Trike Company in Greystones with his brother, Declan. They built trikes from Volkswagen Beetles and sold them in the shop. The venture was a success until Ray fell ill in August 2003.
“I got a pressure sore as a result of a poorly fitted wheelchair. The wheel was rubbing against my hip and the pressure sore finally became infected. I began attending Loughlinstown hospital three times a week. The infection became so bad that I was admitted into the hospital and diagnosed with Septicaemia. My girlfriend, Tracy, was told that I had three days to live. I was later transferred to St Vincents hospital where doctors removed my hips and four inches from my leg. Then I picked up the MRSA bug and VRE. Some 11 months later I was told I could leave hospital.”
According to Ray, those home cooked meals came into play once again – this time courtesy of Tracy. “My poor mum was absolutely panicked and she tried bringing meals in every day but she was travelling from Meath so it wasn’t really practical.”
In the summer of 2004, Ray returned home and decided to move out of his rented flat and refurbish the home which he had bought ten years previously. His tenants moved out and by Christmas time Ray and Tracy were finally able to move into their home.
Ray decided to let business take a back seat and spend some quality time with friends and family. However, it didn’t take long before his entrepreneurial spirit raised its head. “I had bought a Ford Mustang before I got sick and I thought to myself – that’s it now. I’ll be happy to leave it at that. But, I began to get very bored. Poor Tracy – I was doing her head in with all my banal chatter. I have a friend called Neill who would call around and we’d sit down at the kitchen table with a pot of tea and chat away like two old women.
Thankfully, one day he suggested the inevitable – how about we go into business together.”
In September 2006, Neill and Ray set up Irish Custom Cruisers in Newtownmountkennedy. The shop sells custom parts and accessories as well as a range of motorbikes and trikes. “A company in China builds 125 and 250 cc motorbikes with Japanese engines called Jin Lun motorcycles. We sell these as well as German made WK Trikes. We have the sole dealership for the trikes for the UK and Ireland. We recently secured sole dealership for Side Bike, which is a French trike company which uses Peugeot 307 engines.”
Like all retailers, Irish Custom Cruises has suffered from the recession and ongoing credit freeze. “I first noticed a downturn in business three months ago. The funny thing is that I know there are plenty of people out there with healthy bank balances. The problem is that they are just too scared to spend it. They’re too worried about what the value of their house is.”
Despite his concerns about consumer sentiment, and a recent bout of cellulitis, Beech is looking forward to the future and many happy rides on his trikes. When asked if he has anything he would like to complain about – he racks his brain. This man lives life to the full and doesn’t stop for a moment to dwell on the negatives. He finally points out that the Health Service Executive needs to stop applying the one for all rule of wheelchairs. “Different people have different needs. I, like many people, am active and therefore need a wheelchair that suits my needs. I was once questioned by a man who was able bodied about why I would need more than one wheelchair every five years. I asked him did he have just one pair of shoes that he used for five years. That made him think twice?” | | | | Catherine's Story | | | Rising to the Challenge
Catherine Reilly swims twice a week, walks for 40 minutes in the countryside every day and plays golf at least once a week. This time three years ago, however, the 55 year old mother of two could barely hope for the day when she would be able to take just one step.
In January 2006, Catherine was in a serious accident that left her with all of her ribs broken, a punctured lung and a spinal root injury. Her injuries were so severe that her left leg also had to be amputated.
Catherine spent a month in the Mater Hospital and then six months at the Rehabilitation Hospital in Dun Laoighre. She was the oldest person in her ward and she found the time in Rehab very difficult. Her prognosis was not optimistic and she struggled with the fact that her lifestyle was about to dramatically change. “When I was moved to the rehab centre I was told that I would never be able to walk again and I was devastated. To say that I am a golf-aholic is an understatement and the thought of never being able to walk outside and go play golf with my friends was the worst thing I could hear,” she said.
Catherine refused to accept the negative outlook and told her physiotherapist that she wanted to walk again. “I would say to her every day – I want to walk again, I’m going to walk again. She would always give me the same reply – I’m sure you do want to walk again. But, it was obvious she doubted my ability to make this happen.”
When Catherine left Rehab in September 2006, her quad muscles were at a grade 1 level and she needed to build them up to Grade 3 if she was ever going to stand, let alone walk.
“At this stage, I could see no light at the end of the tunnel and I was very depressed. I am a widow, but thankfully I had the invaluable support of my two daughters who recommended that I seek medical advice. My GP put me on medication to help me out of the depression and this helped me come out the other side.”
Catherine, who lives in Kildare, began swimming three times a week at the pool in St John of Gods in Celbridge, Co Kildare, where she had previously worked in the community services department. With the aid of a helper and the hoist at the pool, it wasn’t long before she was building up substantial strength in her leg muscles. When Catherine returned to her physiotherapist four weeks after she began swimming, she was informed that her quads were now at a grade 3 level.
“It was at this stage that I was advised to get a weight bearing prosthesis limb to help me learn how to stand. I asked if I will be able to walk and was told that I will crawl before I walk.”
In March 2007, Catherine was ready to learn how to walk. She arrived at the Rehab centre where she would stay for the next four months learning how to walk. Finally, she was going to fulfil her dream. “It was bittersweet as I entered exactly one year from the day of the accident. However, this time it was under such different circumstances. I was excited because I was going to reach my goal.”
Catherine is now able to walk with the aid of two crutches but she has no standing balance as she lost all feeling in the toes of her right foot. Despite this setback, she remains very active and on occasion will walk for up to two hours. Every day, Catherine walks a half a mile up and down a country laneway and the journey takes her between 30 and 40 minutes.
“My upper body strength has always been good and this is largely due to the amount of golf I play. However, after the accident this strength evaporated and I had to start building it back up bit by bit.”
Catherine had one other goal that she wanted to meet and that was to get back out on the golf course. For years, she had been a member at Knockanally Golf Course and enjoyed a handicap of just 26. She asked for information on specialised sports wheelchairs at the Rehab centre but there was little information available. The only sports buggy available in Ireland for people with spinal injuries was a three wheeler that required you to hold on to the buggy with one hand while the person would swing the golf club with the other hand.
“This wasn’t suitable for me at all and I knew it would severely limit my ability to play with any real ability. Then, all my prayers were answered when I joined an archery and shooting team at the Rehab centre and we travelled to Stoke Mandeville Rehabilitation Hospital in the UK for a sporting event. I saw a man in a special sports buggy that enabled his body to move in such a way that the buggy could support him while was he used a golf club with both hands. It supported his body in an upright position so that his legs would not get in the way of the golf club.”
Catherine was overjoyed and contacted a local Irish wheelchair supplier who told her he could import the specialised wheelchair, the Paramobile. Made by Parabasetec, it costs over €20,000 but is worth every cent as it can be used for all purposes and sports on rough terrain.
“Unfortunately, I had a bad experience with the supplier as he kept promising me for weeks that it was arriving but it never materialised. Finally, I heard about www.anthonynetto.de, a German supplier. I contacted Anthony and he flew over 10 days later with the buggy. He even stayed the night in my house so he could spend time teaching me how to use it correctly.”
Catherine has found a new lease of life thanks to the Paramobile and in March 2009 she bought an adapted van from the UK which enables her to bring the Paramobile wherever and whenever she wants. “It has helped me get back out with my friends. For a long time I dreamt of being able to play golf again and now I’m in a position where I enter the weekly ladies competition. It’s more than just about the golf; what’s really important is the whole social aspect of meeting friends for the day and getting out in the fresh air. My handicap is now back up at 36, which isn’t bad but I aim to bring it back down over time. Due to my prosthesis, balance is a bit of a problem. But, my game is improving and I’m finding different techniques all the time.”
Catherine is also making plans to return to work at St John of Gods later this year on a voluntary basis. “I can’t go back to work in community services, but please God I’ll be able to work voluntarily in another role. I’m also a member of an art group and get great satisfaction out of that part of my life.
Apart from golf, art, swimming and the prospect of voluntary work, Catherine is also focused on highlighting the benefits of paramobile. “I am the sole owner of a paramobile in Ireland and I think that’s largely due the fact that few people are aware that it exists. There was a time when I thought that I would never be able to get out and enjoy a full active life. I hate to think of other people with similar injuries in the same boat. The beauty of this machine is that it can be used for sports other than just golf, such as archery, fishing and shooting. It’s ideal for use on rough terrain so even if you just want to go for a forest walk, it means that there is no hassle.”
Catherine says her daughters are delighted to see the positive changes that have taken place in their mother’s life. There is no doubt about it, the past three years have seen a dramatic transformation take place that is wholly due to the drive and determination of Catherine herself. When faced with the prospect of never being able to walk or play golf again, she met the challenge head on and succeeded spectacularly. | | | | John's Story | | | Have you ever wondered what that fan thing is for on the front of small aircraft, and some larger ones? Surely nothing that size can have anything to do with keeping the aircraft in the air. Well I can tell you what it is really for. It is to keep the pilot cool. I know because when it stops turning you really do start to sweat!!
I was born and brought up in a house under one of the flight paths of Heathrow Airport. Planes have always held a fascination for me. As they passed over head, where were they going? How did all that metal stay up in the air? If I threw a metal can up in the air it always obeyed Isaac Newton and fell to earth. When I was asked “What do you want to be when you grow up?” My answer would always be, “An airline pilot” Looking back it may have been that if I had worked harder at school I may have got the higher qualifications necessary to fulfil that ambition. I went on to pursue another profession, got married and raised a family. Never the spare money now to learn to fly. As time went by it seemed that I would never get to be a pilot. I made the promise that if I was going to do it at all I would have to do it before I was 60.
In November 2005, with less than two years to the big six 0, I went to Florida and did a residential course, at the end of which I qualified for my Private Pilot’s Licence. I went back to Florida a year later and did a further fifty hours solo flying; with lots of take offs and landing at a variety of airports, including some night flying. I then felt confident enough to go and get my own plane and continue my flying here in Ireland.
In 2007 I bought a small 2 seater called a Kolb Twinstar which is fitted with a Rotax 582, two stroke engine and a nice big three bladed fan to keep me cool in the hot Irish summer. I went over to Scotland for a few days and had a few hours training with the seller. I brought it back to Ireland on a trailer and hangered it at our local club. Although to all eyes it is a microlight it was actually a plane in which I could do the flying hours necessary to retain my licence very cheaply.
On 4th June 2007 we had a “fly-in” at our club and I spent the afternoon on “meet and greet”, dishing out coffees and buns to the pilots who had flown in from all over Ireland. Midway through the afternoon someone asked me to bring the plane down from the hanger as it was the only one in Ireland and most had never seen one. I left it in front of the clubhouse, with no real intention of flying but as everyone was leaving I decided to do a few circuits, just for the practice.
When I got to about 800 ft the view was amazing. It was a really clear day and I could see for miles so I decided to fly over to our house, about 25 minutes flying time away, and take a few photos. I knew that I had one full tank (5 gals) and about a gallon in the second tank. That was more than enough to get me home and back a couple of times. After about 20 minutes, flying at 1000 ft the engine cut out. I knew that I had selected the full tank so gave it a couple of tries, without success before changing to the second tank. Another couple of tries at restarting and I was getting dangerously close to the ground. The buildings were definitely getting larger in the windscreen and I had to find somewhere to land. I didn’t want a field full of cattle, sheep would be preferable as they had all that fleece to cushion any blow. A nice clear field would be preferable but I did find one full of a green crop so I aimed for that. I went into forced landing mode and tried to remember everything my instructor had told me. Everything secured, fuel and electrics turned off, prayers started. As I came into land I could not get the plane to flare, a technique which brings up the nose of the aircraft and creates a cushion of air to ride in on and gently land, and so I landed heavily. I had selected a field where I had seen someone working so help was quickly on hand. I realised straight away that I could not feel my legs but hoped this was just a temporary thing. I can remember more and more help arriving and eventually being put in an ambulance. The journey to Wexford Hospital seemed to take ages and I can remember arriving there and then nothing else until I woke up in a hospital a few days later. Apparently I was able to tell the doctors and the Garda exactly what had happened but I cannot remember any of that.
Apparently I was transferred to the Mater Hospital in Dublin and had an operation on my spine at about 5 a.m. (12 hours after the accident) I was kept on a life support machine for three days as I had broken every rib, collapsed both lungs and broken three vertebrae, crushing but not snapping my spinal cord. It seems that I had tubes and probes in some very strange places. Some that even my G.P. has never seen. I had rods and screws inserted along my spine (T12, L1 and L2). My wife Carol and my sister were coming to the hospital every day, even though they were sometimes only allowed to see me for a few minutes. They fed me with some pretty powerful drugs and kept me in a coma for a week. Boy if I could bottle those and sell them legally I could make a fortune. I had some of the weirdest dreams and maybe even nightmares. Even now I am not sure which of these visions were real and which were dreams. I do remember seeing “the bright white lights” and being “invited” through. I remember refusing that offer. I wanted to stay where I was. I was then kept in a spinal injuries ward for another two weeks and then transferred to the National Rehabilitation Hospital. I was told straight away that I would never walk again and I was destined for a life in a wheelchair. I was officially T12, Complete. I was in Our Lady’s Ward under the watchful eyes of Sister Ann Casey and her staff. The first weeks were spent on bed rest and then my first trip in the hoist. Perhaps it was just that I had been in the horizontal position for so long but I felt safer in my plane than in that thing being driven by Tommy.
I set myself targets and ticked them off when I had achieved them. Putting my socks on for myself, getting out of bed with the aid of a transfer board. Each one was a milestone.
Physiotherapy was a nightmare. Ronan was most patient with me but every move seemed to hurt. I had various scans and tests but no one seemed to know why I had so much pain. One of the biggest boxes ticked was when I was able to move my right leg slightly. Perhaps there was hope for the future. Anyway I was kept there until November. I think everyone was glad to be rid of me but I do know that I couldn’t have had better treatment anywhere. O.K., so Sister Anne frightened the life out of me but I will be forever grateful to her for showing me why so many parts of my treatment were important, making sure that I did as I was told if I wanted to make any improvement.
I stayed in N.R.H until November and with Ronan’s perseverance, help and guidance I could stand between the parallel bars for up to 30 minutes and take one step forward, with the aid of splints. Since I came home I have built a gym in a spare bedroom and workout every day. I can walk quite well between the bars and take a few paces with a walking frame. I am determined to prove the doctors wrong. I have been back into hospital a number of times and am currently at home. Unfortunately the plane is damaged beyond economic repair but I am determined to get back in the air. I just need to find a plane that I can get into!! Pilots all try to keep their log books nice and neat. The numbers in the take off column should match the number in the landings column. Unfortunately mine now seems to have an odd number.
A heartfelt thank you to everyone at the N.R.H. for giving me the help and encouragement to improve. O.K. so my quality of life may not be all that it was before but without your help it would be a darn site worse than it is. Thank you to everyone at Spinal Injuries Ireland for the support and practical help that you give to all of the “spinals”. There are too many to mention individually, including those on the nursing staff. And those in O.T., sports and the Hydro pool. You know who you are. Just think back to the Englishman who would never stop talking!!
Why did the engine on the plane cut out? Well it seems that the changeover valve had been turned through 180 degrees, past a stop collar. When I thought that I had selected the full tank I had actually selected the second tank. Unfortunately there just wasn’t time to switch to the other tank, turn the engine over a few times to draw the fuel through to the carburettor and get the engine restarted before I had to concentrate on the landing. so at the end of the day it went down as pilot error by the Air Accident Investigation Board. Why wouldn’t it flare out at the end? It seems that in my efforts to come in on a nice slow landing I had got the aircraft below stall speed so it dropped out of the sky for the last few feet and jolted straight up my spine. Again, pilot error, but I know that I am very lucky to be alive.
I am getting used to the wheelchair and we have had a lift installed so I can get to most of the house. It is no good feeling sorry for myself and I don’t ask anyone to feel sorry for me. I have just got to get on with life. Every journey starts with a single step. Some of our journeys in the future may be a little shorter than we had planned.
The biggest “thank you” must go to my wife Carol who has been an absolute tower of strength for me. All the plans that we had made, all the travelling we were going to do have all gone out of the window, yet I have never heard her complain. She probably does it behind my back !! Thank you love. | | | | Top of Page | | | | Frank's Story | | | Frank Joyce has been farming successfully for 20 years following an incomplete spinal injury in 1989. Frank can mobilise with a walking frame but needs his wheelchair for long distances. Frank was farming prior to his injury and once he left the NRH, he knew that the only way to get back to his work was to adapt a tractor.
In 1992 Frank adapted a Zetor 5211. A local mechanic, John Waldron completed all the adaptations and they are still working like a charm 17 years later! The modifications were custom designed and consist of a metal platform fitted with a swivel seat. The platform is operated hydraulically by pushing an up/down button on an extension cable. Frank transfers onto the swivel seat and operates the hydraulics to raise the platform up to the level of the cab floor. The seat then swivels in beside the tractor seat and Frank transfers across. The swivel seat is then lifted up and stored in the cab and the platform is folded neatly along the side of the tractor. The tractor has hand controls for the brakes and for the wheel lock. Although Frank uses a walking frame the platform could be easily modified to take a wheelchair. The reason Frank chose the Zetor 5211 was that it had a large cab and he could store his spare walking frame in it.
Last year in 2008, Frank realised that a quad bike would benefit him greatly on the farm. As Frank is a full time sheep farmer a quad bike would make dosing, herding and feeding of his flock much easier. With the help of his community Occupational Therapist, Frank applied for the FAS Workplace Equipment Adaptation Grant (WEAG). The WEAG is a FAS grant to assist a person with a disability to access work – a maximum grant of €6348.70 is available towards the cost of adaptations to a work premises or towards specialised equipment to assist with working. Individuals working in the private sector and self employed like Frank are eligible to apply for this grant. Frank’s quad bike was deemed an appropriate piece of specialised equipment to access his work place and he was approved for this grant.
Frank then adapted his quad bike to allow him to carry his walking frame and he also carries around a seat which is a ‘bottle crate with padding’, that he uses to sit on when working with the sheep in the fields (as he is unable to stand for long periods).
Without the adapted tractor and quad bike Frank would be unable to access his farm and would not be ‘out and about’. In the last 20 years Frank has faced many obstacles but he has always found a solution. Frank would be happy to talk / give advice to any farmers out there as he appreciates that farming with a disability can be difficult and presents many challenges. Please contact Spinal Injuries Ireland for his phone number. | | | | Top of Page | | | | Dominic's Story | | | Dominic McCarthy was unaware that he was suffering from Spina Bifida until it was diagnosed at the age of 40. “When I was young the symptoms were quite mild but as I grew older they became far more severe. As a child my balance was never good. I was the last out of my peer group to ride a bike and I couldn’t tell you the number of time I came crashing off it. In fact, it took me until I was 14 years old to cycle well. I played sports but dragged my left foot. While most children were bought a new pair of shoes once or twice a year, my poor mother had to buy me a new pair every six or eight weeks because the shoe that would go on the left foot would be so worn down from being dragged along the ground.”
Dominic was able to walk unaided and without pain until he began suffering from increasingly severe back pain in 1998. He was 39 years old and his loss of balance was also becoming more and more problematic. When he met with his doctor, he was finally diagnosed as suffering from Spina Bifida. He was told that his spinal cord was tied to his spine and much of the pain he was suffering was due to a small piece of bone which was piercing the cord. In 1999, Dominic spent four weeks in Beaumont Hospital following an operation to remove the bone that was affecting his spinal cord. The surgeons warned him of the risks associated with such an operation. The greatest risk being that he might never be able to walk again.
According to the Irish Association of Spina Bifida, Spina Bifida is a relatively common condition, which affects about one in every 1000 children born each year in Ireland. This country has one of the highest incidences of Spina Bifida births in the world. The condition is the most common neural tube defect (NTD) and causes incomplete development of the spinal cord. Translated, it literally means “split spine”.
The spine is made up of separate bones called vertebrae, which normally cover and protect the spinal cord. Spina Bifida causes some of these vertebrae to form incompletely. Instead, they are split and the spinal cord and its coverings usually protrude through a sac-like bulge on the back, covered with a thin membrane.
“I was told by my doctors that there would be a possibility that I would lose the use of my legs as a result of the operation. I chose to go ahead with the operation as I didn’t feel things could continue the way they were going. My balance was all but gone and I was stumbling and tripping more and more. I spent four weeks in Beaumont Hospital and I can’t speak highly enough about all of the staff there. I think they do an incredible job. The operation was a success but a month or two later I lost the feeling in my legs. I have no regrets, however, because the fact is I was going to end up in a wheelchair anyway.”
In January 2000, Dominic was admitted to the National Rehabilitation Centre where he spent four months. “The time I spent there was incredibly beneficial. I found it very difficult to accept my disability and the staff there helped me enormously. I met a wonderful nurse called Eva Wallace and she was very supportive of my art work. She has even hung some of my pieces on the walls of the centre.”
Dominic discovered that his interest in art was very therapeutic and aided his healing significantly. “It’s very hard to keep yourself occupied when you’re in hospital so I painted a lot while I was in the Rehab Centre and in Beaumont Hospital. Mentally, it was what kept me going all the time I was in there. My passion for art began at a young age and my mother, who also loves it, went on to encourage that side in me. I went to art college in Cork and studied it for five years. I then worked as an art teacher in Kilkenney for two years and at Grange Community College for 25 years.”
By the time Dominic left the NRH he had learned how to use a rollator. “I like to use it for short distances. “I often use it for short walks and it makes a big difference to me mentally. It’s good to know that you’re not always dependent on the wheelchair.” During the four months at the centre Dominic also learned how to drive an adapted car and he continued these lessons after he left at the Irish Wheelchair Association in Clontarf. Again, he believes strongly that the level of independence that comes with being able to drive yourself from point A to B is paramount to your confidence and mental health.”
“After I came out of the Rehabilitation Centre, I returned to teaching art in Grange Community College in Donaghmede. Going back to work was a big challenge and a giant step for me. However, I was delighted to find that the students and my colleagues were very supportive. Unfortunately, to be a good teacher you need to be in the full of your health and I wasn’t. So, last year I retired. I can’t speak highly enough about the way the VEC treated me. They were extremely kind and helpful.”
Dominic usually works with watercolours and his second interest is lino prints. With the latter he cuts out designs in the lino, inks them and then makes prints. He recently sold two 3ft by 2.5ft prints and was commissioned to make another one.
“I’m in an art group called The Artworks Gallery which sells out of the Pavillions Shopping Centre in Swords.” The gallery is now entering its 10th year of exhibitions and has proved popular with both Irish and international art enthusiasts. The group exhibits at the Pavillions Shopping Centre in Swords the first and last Sunday of each month. The gallery is located just past the Information Desk on the Ground floor. “Being part of a group like that is brilliant from an artistic and social point of view. In Summer we also exhibit in Malahide.”
Dominic’s mother began painting in recent years, a move that encouraged him to further his own artistic pursuits. “It’s great to be able to chat to her about art and know that she has this similar interest. “I have strong family support from my wife and children which is a huge help. To be honest, the four most positive influences on me have been the Rehabilitation Centre, my art group, the staff at Beaumont Hospital and my family, particularly my mother. ”
| | | | Top of Page | | | | Michael's Story | | | Hopping on a plane and going abroad for annual holidays wasn’t something Michael O’Connor ever thought twice about. This year, however, Michael’s holiday is a landmark one. It is his first trip abroad since he suffered an incomplete C6 injury following a car crash 19 years ago.
Michael, 44, is paralysed from the chest down and spent 14 months in the National Rehabilitation Hospital in Dun Laoghaire receiving therapy after his accident. “When I left the hospital I was very weak and I could just about wheel around my home town, Nenagh. I was living at the bottom of a hill so you can imagine how much strength it required to go out.”
When Michael returned home he moved in with his parents, but he was determined that he would regain his independence within a short period of time. “My parents were very supportive of my bid to be as independent as possible.”
Michael was fortunate that his family owned an old house in the centre of Nenagh town. About 18 months after he returned from the hospital it was agreed that Michael would move into the house.
It was the best thing for my recovery as the property needed a complete overhaul. So, I really got stuck onto the remodelling of the place. I am very grateful for the assistance and advice I got from NMRC with designing my house. That project took about 12 months and it was great for both my physical and mental state. The house was in bad shape when we began the refurbishment, but thankfully everything went according to plan and by the time we had finished it was transformed. I’ve been in the house ever since and I love it. It’s a three bed house, beside all of the town’s amenities and across the road from the shop where I work.”
Michael works in his family’s business which comprises a shopping centre and convenience store. “Two and a half years after the accident I felt it was important to get back to as normal a life as possible and that meant returning to work. Admittedly, it was very tough at the beginning and I found I got tired very very quickly as it’s quite a physically demanding job. But, I was determined to stick at it and slowly but surely I built my strength back up. It took a while to feel the benefits that come from working, but after a while they came.”
According to Michael, his job has made him the man he is today. “I’m so much fitter and healthier, and where before I would think about myself and my injury quite a lot, thanks to the job, that no longer happens. I was in danger of settling into a life of doing nothing, but my mother, father, six sisters and four brothers were all adamant that I get back out and live my life to the full. The encouragement and support I received from them was amazing.”
Research shows that people who are out of work are at greater risk of poor physical and mental health. They are at greater risk of suicide and feelings of social isolation and loss of self confidence. The longer someone stays off work, the less likely they are to return. Many people who have been unemployed for over two years acknowledge that if they had known the path ahead they would have been much more proactive about seeking employment.
Michael has a full and busy day at the store, which is open until 9pm and he is responsible for a range of duties including pricing, stock taking and serving the many customers. When he closes the door behind him at the end of the day, he often meets up with friends for a sociable drink in the pub.
“I struggled a bit with socialising when I first went out in a wheelchair. I felt a little self conscious but I got a lot of support from my friends. I knew the people who worked at the night club very well and the staff were always more than willing to lift me up or down the steps. In fact, within three years they had re-fitted the premises to make it wheelchair accessible. My close friends were always there at the beginning when I was feeling low and they never stopped encouraging me to go out.”
Despite the fact that Michael has not travelled abroad in the past 19 years, he has no qualms about travelling alone on his holiday. Michael has narrowed his destination down to one of two countries – France and Germany. “I’ve done quite a bit of research into travelling with a disability and these two countries seem to have the best facilities. At the moment, Germany seems to be the leading country when it comes to wheelchair accessibility.”
Michael is not anxious about travelling on a plane or getting from A to B on the ground. However, he has some concerns about bathroom facilities in his accommodation. “The most important thing to me is that I will be able to use the toilet and shower without any hassle. I deliberated over whether I should book a hotel or apartment but I was receiving quotes of about €1,000 per week from apartment owners and that seems too expensive. I’m also looking forward to being pampered in a hotel and having everything done for me.”
When Michael began carrying out research into his holiday he discovered that facilities for disabled people travelling in Europe have improved substantially over the past two decades. Websites for the Irish Wheelchair Association and Spinal Injuries Ireland (SII) have lists of travel websites for the disabled. SII also has a travel supplement which comprises first hand reviews.
“Germany definitely leads the way, particularly when it comes to hotels. Almost every hotel I rang told me that a sizeable percentage of their rooms were designated for disabled visitors. In Ireland, it’s a case of hit and miss. We still have a long way to go.”
Michael plans to go on his holiday within the next few weeks. As if working a full time job isn’t enough of a reason to jet off, he recently decided to give his home a much needed facelift. So, when he’s not serving customers in O’Connors Mini Market, he can be found sanding and painting back in his house. “I haven’t given it much attention since the big job that I initially did about 18 years ago. I’m about half way through the job and it’s something I really enjoy getting stuck into. I can do some of the lighter work and I oversee the harder projects such as the wood panelling.”
Michael is keen to point out that he realises how fortunate he has been with regard to the support he received from his family. “Returning to work was such an integral part of my recovery and I realise that in today’s economy not everybody will be able to secure a job. I had the luxury of being able to work in my family business which meant that when I was exhausted, I was able to take time off because my family understood my needs and were there to help me.”
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