The tender touch
Wife’s unwavering devotion to sick husband one of many powerful highlights in series on Irish health system
THE extraordinary love and care that a wife shows for her severely ill husband is one of many powerful highlights of RTÉ’s new documentary series on the health service.
Keeping Ireland Alive: The Health Service In A Day explores everything from life and death surgery to community services. The five-part series was filmed over a 24-hour period on May 21, and used 75 camera crews in locations all around the country.
One of the most poignant stories is that of Jackie O’Flynn who sits by husband Micheál’s bed every day, willing him to get better. The Co. Limerick man from Ballingarry has been in the Mater Hospital’s ICU for 70 days after contracting swine flu, which rapidly developed into severe viral pneumonia.
Micheál, 43, was put on life support and still needs a mechanical ventilator to keep him alive. His entire muscle system has collapsed and he needs regular physiotherapy to help his recovery.
Wife Jackie says: ‘He got sick very quickly. Part of the time they thought he might not make it because he was so sick but he is a strong man and he is fighting. On May 21, we were married 15 years, so we celebrated our anniversary here in the ICU. I more or less celebrated it on my own but I was celebrating the fact he was still here. There is hope and while there is hope you have to hold on to it.
‘I just want to get back to my normal everyday life at home with the children and I can’t because my beautiful husband is in a bed very sick.
‘He probably won’t be the same man he was for at least a year and it will take him that length of time to recover but he has got us. He’s got me and I’m not going anywhere.’
With her voice wavering she says: ‘I’ve told him I’m not going anywhere until I go home with him.’
During one visit, when he appears upset, she gently caresses his face and whispers that everything will be alright.
In a deeply moving scene she calms him by lovingly stroking his face and whispering: ‘You are doing great. You are entitled to be upset, you are going to be alright.’
‘I’m not going home without my husband’
Jackie allowed the cameras to record the most intimate moments of her daily struggle to get back the man she loves.
Produced by Independent Pictures for RTÉ, the documentary crews were given access to all aspects of the health service.
RTÉ One channel controller Adrian Lynch said: ‘The result is incredibly moving but also gives an unparalleled insight into the workings of Ireland’s health service. This is a warts-and-all series that recognises the great work being carried out by frontline staff but which is unflinchingly honest in acknowledging that the system isn’t perfect.’
Keeping Ireland Alive: The Health Service In A Day is on RTÉ One tomorrow at 9.35pm