WHY ONE COUPLE HELD HOSPITAL WEDDING
City woman proposes after suffering a stroke
Married life is a bit different so far. I spent the night on the couch here and kept running across and looking after her and making sure she wasn’t too hot or cold.
— John Banbosek
SITTING up in her hospital bed, Wendy Wann looked over to her partner John Banbosek and asked if he would marry her.
Having suffered two strokes just days before, she told Mr Banbosek, “it’s about time we did something”.
Mr Banbosek was quick to say yes to his partner of 13 years’ proposal, knowing he had the perfect ring in the safe at their Toowoomba home.
In fact, the couple had bought the beautiful gold and diamond ring during a trip to Prague five years earlier, but because of life’s circumstances, had yet to get married.
“That is another story. I couldn’t get into the safe,” Mr Banbosek said.
“I couldn’t remember the combination.”
Luckily he was eventually able to get into the safe and immediately got to planning the wedding, and with the help of some close friends, was able to pull it together in just under a week.
The new Mrs Banbosek explained she had been getting terrible headaches, when one night she woke and her hand was numb.
“So I went back to the doctor and he said you better got to hospital,” she said.
Mrs Banbosek had suffered a small stroke on September 11 and was admitted to hospital. That night she suffered another.
While she was still unwell, September 17 marked their very unexpected wedding day.
“We had most of the family here, which was good, about 30 people,” Mr Banbosek said.
They were even able to include Mrs Banbosek’s sister in Ireland, via Skype.
Looking back on their wedding day, the couple, both 59, was emotional, but said it was the most beautiful day, despite the ceremony in Mrs Banbosek’s room in St Vincent’s Private Hospital.
“Oh, it was beautiful, we were so happy,” Mr Banbosek said.
“Married life is a bit different so far. I spent the night on the couch here and kept running across and looking after her and making sure she wasn’t too hot or cold.
“It is like a blessing. She wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for the doctors, nurses and staff here and her willpower.
“She is a fit woman and she wasn’t going to lose her grandchildren and me.”
Mrs Banbosek will spend at least the next few months in hospital and doing rehabilitation.
But Mr Banbosek said they were now more together than ever, since going on their first date so many years ago.
“I rang her up and we went to the movies and had ice cream and cake. That was the best decision I made in my life,” Mr Banbosek said.
The couple is looking forward to an even bigger and better wedding when Mrs Banbosek recovers.