We want our mum back home where she belongs
Devastated family raise cash to fly stroke victim Patricia to Glasgow from Spain
The frantic family of a Rutherglen gran, who lay for almost three weeks in a Spanish hospital after suffering a life-changing stroke, have launched an appeal to fund an air ambulance to fly her home.
Tricia Reid, 61, of Eastfield, was enjoying a winter break in the sun with her cousin when she fell ill in their Benalmadena hotel room on December 2.
Gran-of-four Tricia was rushed to Carlos Haya Hospital in Malaga, where she underwent emergency surgery to relieve a significant bleed to the brain.
When her husband, James, 65, received a call from the Spanish hospital to break the news that Tricia was clinging to life in a critical condition following a suspected stoke, he, their son Alan, and daughters Angela and Carolanne dropped everything to fly to Spain – not knowing if she would survive the day.
Following an operation, Tricia was placed in a medically induced coma for 12 days, during which her son and two daughters took it in turns to sit by her bedside round the clock.
They were devastated to learn from Spanish doctors that the damage caused by the stroke meant that she is unlikely to ever walk again.
“When we arrived, my mum was in a critical condition in the intensive care unit,” said dad-of-one, Alan, 32.
“Thankfully, against the odds, she has recovered and is in a stable enough condition to be flown home via air ambulance.”
Although keen travellers Tricia and John had an annual travel insurance policy, the Reid family were still required to meet the £5300 of the cost of flying her home by air ambulance for further neurological tests and rehabilitation.
On the family’s Gofundme page set up last Wednesday, Alan wrote: “This has been a life-changing event for all of the family, and in particular my mum and dad.
“My mum will most probably not walk again and their home will have to be adapted for wheelchair access, with hoists and wet room showers etc.
“My mum’s independence and freedom has been taken away by this most tragic event.”
Speaking from an apartment in Malaga, 44-year-old mum-of-one Carolanne told the Reformer last week: “She had her operation the day she had her stroke. My mum was sleeping for 12 days after it happened. She was on ventilators in intensive care for two days. Then she took a setback and they moved her to the neurological ward.
“She was not allowed any food – fluids were all through a drip.
“It is heart-breaking watching your mother like that.
“She has her wits about her but is a bit bewildered. Because she was sleeping for so long, she thinks what she’s been dreaming is real.
“She keeps asking if her grandkids are coming up tonight. She’s a bit confused and thinks they are here [in Malaga].
“We are allowed to stay with her overnight, so we have made sure that we are with her 24/7. “We take shots of staying with her. “She just wants home, back to Glasgow, where she needs to be, with her family. Her grandchildren are desperate to see her.
“She needs rehabilitation and physio and hopefully, through time, she will walk again – but they are very doubtful.”
Within just 24 hours the Gofundme page had generated £2870.
Carolanne confirmed to the Reformer last Thursday that the family had succeeded in finding the remaining £2430 needed to fly her mum home.