FAMILY’S DELIGHT AS RORY COMES HOME FOR CHRISTMAS
RORY WHELAN’S family’s Christmas wish came true when he arrived home on Wednesday for Christmas, having spent nine months battling a rare illness in hospital.
Rory, 14, from Tintern, suffers from Guillain-Barré Syndrome, a condition where the immune system attacks the body’s nervous system and muscles.
His aunt Ann Marie Bates said: ‘Rory is home. We are just happy to have him back. It’s a special time for the family and it just makes everything easier having him here over Christmas. He is home now and is catching up with everyone.’
Rory’s parents Helen and Paul and sister Kelsey are thrilled to have him home and looking so well, as are the community.
RORY WHELAN’S family’s Christmas wish came through when he arrived home on Wednesday for Christmas time, having spent nine months in hospital.
Rory (14) from Tintern suffers from Guillain-Barré Syndrome, a condition where the immune system attacks the body’s nervous system and muscles.
Rory was in perfect health up until early April, when he was taken to CareDoc on the Easter bank holiday weekend – where he was diagnosed a chest infection.
His aunt Ann Marie Bates said: ‘Rory is home. We are just happy to have him back. It’s a special time for the family and it just makes everything easier having him down here with us over Christmas.’
Guillain-Barré syndrome is an acute disease of the peripheral nervous system which causes damage to the myelin sheath around the nerves, causing them to stop working, resulting in loss of sensation and limb paralysis, sometimes accompanied by pain. It is usually triggered by an infection and affects around 120 Irish people a year.
The family had no warning signs. Rory was feeling a little unwell and his parents brought him to CareDoc where he was diagnosed with a chest infection and given antibiotics.
‘No one thought anymore of it, but on the Monday morning he took a turn,’ Ann Marie said.
Rory couldn’t move his arms or legs and was brought to Wexford General Hospital, from where he was transferred to Temple Street Hospital, where he was diagnosed with Guillain-Barré Syndrome. ‘It completely knocked him. He had no use of any part of his body. He was ventilated and couldn’t breathe on his own or do anything for himself,’ Ann Marie said.
‘Now he can breathe on his own again. He is able to eat by himself and has use in both of his arms. His speech is a little slurred and is slow to come back and he has no movement in his legs and is in a wheelchair.’
Rory is able to sit up aided. He was moved from Temple Street to the National Rehabilitation Hospital in Dun Laoghaire in mid-December for rehabilitation.
Rory, who attended Poulfur NS, has been keeping in touch with his studies in school in Temple Street and in Dun Laoghaire.
His parents Helen Curran and Paul Whelan have been by his bedside all the time and have been trained in how to help him with his rehabilitation at home where he is staying at his home in Tintern until January 8.
Rory had several memorable visits during the year including a few from Wexford hurling manager Davy Fitzgerald, from Tadhg Furlong and some of his fellow Lions, from Lee Chin and members of the Dublin mens and ladies football teams.
‘He enjoyed their visists and was joking and laughing with them.’
He followed his beloved St Mogue’s teams success in 2017 and loved when the St Mogues players Facetimed him after their win in Wexford Park, himself being goalkeeper for the U14 team – up until his illness.
Like most children, Rory loves his iPad and keeps up to speed with sport and friends through it.
Ann Marie said Rory – like all of Fethard – can’t wait for the St Mogue’s crunch semi-final clash in Dublin on January 20 against Sylane GAA club from Galway.
‘He will be OK to go to the semi-final and the final. He’s the teams number one supporter.’
She set up the GoFundMe page to help Helen and Paul meet the costs of caring for Rory.
To date between €25,000 and €30,000 has been raised and it is all being used as Helen and Paul had to but a wheelchair accessible vehicle, a special bed, hoist and they also had to install a ramp at home, along with meeting all the other travel costs etc.
Numerous fundraising events were held in the Fethard are in the summer which raised around €15,000 for Rory and his family. €9,850 has been raised on the GoFundMe page.
‘People have been brilliant. We can’t thank them enough,’ Ann Marie said. Describing Rory as being a bubbly, big strong chap who is also still very much a child at heart, she said: ‘He is very smiley and chatty and could out with anything. He would do anything anyone could ask of him and is always willing to lend a hand. ‘ He is home now and is catching up with everyone. He’s coming to my house for Christmas dinner along with his Mam and Dad and sister Kelsey (6).’
See https://www.gofundme. com/rorys-road-to-recovery to donate to the Whelan’s.