Orla waiting five years for tonsillitis operation

ORLA McKENNA has been waiting five years to have her tonsils removed.

The 15-year-old from Monaghan Town, who is due to sit her Junior Certificate examination this summer, is prepared to miss her exams if her long-awaited operation clashes with them.

“Her health is far more important than anything else at this stage,” her mother, Valerie, said last night.

Orla, the youngest of two daughters, also suffers from asthma, a condition that exacerbates her sore throats. Every six to eight weeks she suffers from tonsillitis and needs strong antibiotics to deal with the ensuing infection.

“A side-effect of the antibiotic treatment is thrush, a condition that leaves Orla very run down. It’s a vicious circle,” said Valerie.

Orla was 10 when her local doctor advised that she should have her tonsils removed. She then had to wait two years to see the consultant who currently operates from a hospital in Omagh with which the North-Eastern Health Board have an agreement.

This week the hospital in Omagh asked the McKenna family if Orla was still waiting to have her tonsils removed.

They have apologised for the delay.

The hospital said they wanted to update their waiting list.

Yesterday, Valerie informed the hospital that Orla’s situation had not changed. She was still waiting.

Valerie said she is angry that her daughter cannot live her life to the full.

“Her health should be number one but it’s not,” she said. “That’s not right.”

Her father Sean McKenna said it was deeply upsetting to watch his daughter battle against constant bouts of tonsillitis.

“It holds her back because she can’t get involved in sports. If she went out playing football today, she would certainly have a sore throat tomorrow.”

Mr McKenna said they feel deeply frustrated at a situation that appears to have no end in sight.