Home from the hospital: The best Christmas present for Kelvin and Chantelle

Chantelle O’Rahilly was overjoyed when staff at Temple Street Hospital said her six-year-old son, who has cerebral palsy and epilepsy, was well enough to be discharged and return to his family in Cork

Chantelle O'Rahilly and her son Kelvin at home in Cork. Picture Denis Boyle

Most of us are busy shopping, wrapping gifts and preparing food for Christmas Day.

But, aside from the religious traditions, much of the real spirit of Christmas lies in families being together, and with children at the heart of it all.

However, while countless children all over the country will be excitedly counting down the days until Santa Claus arrives, there are youngsters who are too unwell and who, throughout the year, have been in and out of hospital.

At least 100 of them are not well enough to be discharged from children’s hospitals in Dublin this Christmas. 

But for one family in Cork who thought they would be spending December 25 in a hospital ward in Dublin, their prayers have been answered.

Chantelle O’Rahilly lives in Cork City with her six-year-old son, Kelvin, who has cerebral palsy and epilepsy. 

She was convinced that after a recent severe seizure, which saw him rushed to hospital by ambulance last month, he would be staying in ICU for Christmas.

“Kelvin suffered a brain injury at birth and was diagnosed with epilepsy when he was two and cerebral palsy when he was four,” she says. 

“Throughout his life, he has had so many hospital stays and would have seizures almost on a daily basis.

“Most of the time, his seizures are not very long-lasting and involve shaking, jerking and eye-rolling, but he had a really bad seizure last month, which was absolutely terrifying. I came into the room and found him unconscious on the floor and not able to breathe properly. We called an ambulance, which we thought would take him to UCHC, but when the paramedics arrived they said he would have to go to Temple Street in Dublin.”

Kelvin at the family home at Model Farm Road Cork. Picture: Denis Boyle

Scary weeks in Dublin hospital

Kelvin was taken away by ambulance with his family following behind. As soon as they arrived at the children’s hospital, he was put on a ventilator, which stabilised his condition. 

He was kept in for a few days and discharged to receive follow-up care in UCHC. But he had a relapse and had to return to Dublin, where he remained for several weeks.

“It was really scary and we were all terrified of what might happen,” says Chantelle. 

“It was one of the worst things I have ever been through. We were sure he would be there for Christmas and the stress was unbelievable. I was with him the whole time, which was very tough on me, mentally and physically, as I am due my second baby on January 16.

“I didn’t know whether I was coming or going. Even though we all [his dad, also called Kelvin, and the extended family] are used to him having seizures, this was a whole other level. It was clear that there was something very wrong.”

The medical team at Temple Street brought his condition under control and stabilised it.

“Thank God, the staff at the hospital were able to help him. They were all just amazing and couldn’t have done enough for us. Every little procedure they did, they kept me informed and explained it fully to me, so this made things a lot easier as I was aware of what was going on.

“There was a point that we didn’t know if he was going to recover, but he is now doing really well,” she says.

“When we heard he was going to be allowed home, we were over the moon. It means the world to us because you could have all the money in the world, but if your child is sick, it means nothing. So having him home is the best Christmas present I could have wished for. I couldn’t put a price on it.”

Kelvin is improving slowly but surely.

“He is delighted to be home, to see all the family, to be back in his own bed, to play with his toys and to have his things around him. And he can’t wait for his little sister to arrive just after Christmas.

“We will spend the morning at home as Santy will have come, then we’ll go up to my mam to have dinner with all the family. Christmas is for the children and there is no place they’d rather be than at home, so having him here is huge for us.”

Pic: iStock

Making it special for young patients

Kelvin is one of the fortunate children who will be home for Christmas but many others won’t get the opportunity. Karen Maguire, CHI director of nursing at Crumlin, says every effort will be made to make things easier for them.

“While we try to get as many children as we can home for Christmas, this year around 100 very ill children will spend Christmas Day at Children’s Health Ireland,” she says. “Having a child with a serious illness puts a lot of strain on families, particularly at this time of year. That is why coming up to Christmas we will have lots of magical events and special visitors who bring joy and fun to the children and a major distraction from their treatment.”

Eilish Hardiman, CEO of CHI, says everything is being done to ensure those who won’t make it home for the festivities will have lots of special treats and surprises in hospital.

“Christmas is a special time for children, but the reality is that there will be some who will need to stay in hospital over Christmas,” she says.

“So it’s really important they know that Santy is going to come to them and that it’s still going to be a special day, despite them being sick and in hospital.

“Christmas Day will be a hive of activity. The children will wake up and Santy will have come and they’ll get a special breakfast, and then we will have some very special visitors arriving too. Our incredible staff will be walking around and we will sing songs as we celebrate the day.”

Jonathan Hourihane, professor of paediatrics at Temple Street Children’s Hospital, says, “You can feel the place tingling with excitement at Christmas time. Everyone in the hospital is ready to go”.

Anne Marie Dowling, assistant director of nursing and manager at CHI, says it is a privilege to work with families at this special time of year.

“Christmas is a special time for every child, but for a sick child and their family, it can seem overwhelming and very emotional,” she says. “I will never forget a comment a parent made about a small gesture that made a big difference.

“It was their first Christmas as a family of three, and being admitted to hospital was not where they were expecting. But the mum told me that when she looked in the Christmas Eve gift bag the staff had made for her child, she got very emotional as it meant so much to her. She was able to decorate her little boy’s cot with a ‘My First Christmas’ blanket, teddy, fairy lights, a ‘Santa Stop Here’ sign, chocolates and other bits. They were able to take some lovely Christmas family photos.

“It just brings home that a little gesture and kindness goes a long way, but at Christmas, it can create lifelong memories.”