‘I thought he was safer in hospital... nowhere is safe now’
GRIEVING PARTNER SPEAKS ABOUT LOSING MUCH LOVED GER TO DEADLY COVID-19
LOVING PARTNER of the late Gerard Reddin who passed away at St James’ Hospital Dublin after complications related to contracting Covid-19 has called on locals to abide by social distancing restrictions this bank holiday weekend.
‘With the virus, because we can’t see it or feel it or touch it, it’s nearly like it’s not happening. If we could see, if there was a little dye put into it and we’d see the particles, we’d all stay in and we wouldn’t be trying to do anything,’ said Ger’s partner Muireann Cushe.
‘ There were four men on Ger’s ward and they all tested positive, which just goes to show how infectious this thing is’.
Father and grandfather Ger (56) passed away on April 14. A native of Coolock in Dublin, he lived in Wexford for almost 12 years with his beloved Muireann.
The pair fell in love quickly when they met over a decade ago, as Muireann explained that the cheeky Ger was much loved by everyone.
‘He loved his life, his garden, his children and grandchildren who he thought the world of. He was a maintenance electrician by trade and he worked mainly for big companies. Over the years he worked for the Financial Times in London as well as the Criminal Courts in Dublin doing electrics.
‘He was always very cheeky and he knew his own mind. It was the twinkle in his eye that I first noticed when we met, but it was just him really everything about him. We had almost identical tastes in music and concerts were a big thing in our early years. I think we’d been to see all of the big artists, like The Eagles, Prince,
Tina Turner, Elton John, that was huge for us. He lived an absolutely full life, he loved life and loved living,’ she said.
Ger’s health took a turn in 2019 when he was diagnosed with oral cancer.
‘He went through surgery last July for that and had radiotherapy but he got a recurrence shortly after Christmas. He was doing fairly well, he went into St James’ hospital on the February 23.
‘My big fear from the day that Ger went into hospital was that if he came out he would get Covid-19. I thought he was safer in there, in my ignorance. But nowhere is safe now, and that message needs to get out to people. It doesn’t matter where you are and who you are. Just because somebody hears of you having an underlying condition, it’s dismissed as that’s why they died. But Ger was doing well,’ she said.
Ger tested positive for Covid-19 on a Wednesday, and within five days he was in a critical in ICU.
Muireann was told by doctors that Covid-19 was the driving force that brought about Ger’s death.
‘ They rang me on the morning of April 14 and Ger had went into intensive care the night before. He had a fairly comfortable night but he took a turn on the Tuesday morning and was in quite a lot of pain. He was refusing morphine until they rang me, and when I arrived about an hour and a half later he was semi-conscious. He was on full ventilation and dialysis as his kidneys had failed.
‘ The nurses shouted at him saying ‘ look who has come to see you’ and he opened his eyes and he looked at me. I knew he knew I was there. I asked if he was in any pain and he shook his head. He couldn’t speak with the ventilator, but I asked him if he knew that I loved him and he nodded his head. Then he closed his eyes and I left the room’.
Muireann said that she wouldn’t wish that experience on anyone.
‘I was allowed to go in for around five minutes with him in full PPE and straight away afterwards I had to discuss with his medical team about turning off his support. The PPE was so restrictive, it was hot and uncomfortable.
‘If people could see what somebody goes through in the end, they wouldn’t want it for anybody else. I had to make the choice to turn off his life support, I wouldn’t wish it on anybody.
‘My fear is that with another bank holiday coming up, this will all crop up again as I feel we are not at the end of it in any way shape or means. I’m living here in Ardamine, I’m beside the caravan park and everything is shut down but I’m still seeing people moving around. There’s too many people, even the locals out and about walking and it annoys me.
‘I made the decision to spend some time with Ger before he died, so I’ve been in self isolation ever since. I wasn’t able to attend his cremation on the following Monday, but that’s the reality that people need to understand.
‘I’ve two elderly parents in Gorey who have been cocooning. I had been going in once a week to do their shopping but since Ger passed, I haven’t seen them when all I want is a hug from my mammy. I haven’t been able to see her let alone think about a hug from her. But I want to protect them and I’m playing my part to do that’.
Muireann said that the whole experience has been surreal as she is trying to process what has happened and grieve this loss.
‘I was sent photographs from his cremation as I couldn’t be there, I’ve dealt with everything over the phone with regard to planning the funeral. It’s almost like it isn’t real and it hasn’t happened to a degree.
‘Everybody has been wonderful with the amount of phone calls, letters and cards. I can’t express my thanks from a distance, and other than that I’ve had to deal with this on my own.
‘We have a very good community around us both in Gorey and Riverchapel Ardamine, we’re very lucky. Local businesspeople have been very good to me. The neighbours in Gorey have been wonderful to my parents. I can’t thank people enough because they are there and they will be there when this is over’.
Thanking the hospital staff, Muireann sees them as the real heroes.
‘ The healthcare staff deserve knighthoods, they stay in those rooms for 12 hours in full PPE and don’t leave unless for a toilet break or to eat. They were all amazing and he was never left on his own, relatives can take comfort from that.
Muireann pointed out that because Ger passed away in Dublin, his isn’t recognised as a Wexford death.
The late Ger will be sadly missed by Muireann, his brothers Sean and Alan, their partners, his daughters Martine and Ashley and son Liam, his four granddaughters, nephew, extended family and friends.
A celebration of Ger’s life will take place at a later date.
May he Rest in Peace.