Paralysed woman contracts MRSA in hospital

PARENTS fighting for a rehab bed for their paralysed daughter were devastated last night after being told that she has contracted the MRSA superbug.

An emotional Pat and Margaret O’Leary said it is a disgrace that Catherine, 31, who has been in hospital since February, has to fight the potentially deadly hospital-acquired infection.

“We’re absolutely devastated and disgusted,” Pat said. “My daughter was strong and healthy a month ago. If she had been given a rehab bed at that stage then she wouldn’t have been stuck in this bed and have to fight this.”

He said his family is completely frustrated with the Irish health service and he again pleaded for somebody to help.

The once bubbly mother of one was paralysed from the neck down in February after suffering a stroke during an operation to remove a brain tumour.

She suffered Locked In syndrome, which left her fully alert and awake but unable to move.

She has been confined to a bed in a high dependency unit in Cork University Hospital (CUH) ever since. She communicates using her eyelids, one blink for yes, two for no.

The O’Learys, from Ballincollig, Co Cork, have spent at least 12 hours of every single day since at their daughter’s bedside. They went public on June 11 to highlight her plight and claimed they were being fobbed off by excuses she was not well enough to attend the National Rehabilitation Hospital (NRH) in Dublin.

Pat said as far as he is concerned the reason is a lack of high dependency rehab beds in the NRH.

Fighting back the tears last night, just moments after learning of the latest setback to his daughter’s recovery, Pat described the situation as “deplorable”.

“Nothing has changed in the last three weeks,” he said.

“We’re still in the same situation, waiting. How can Catherine be expected to fight this too. She is paralysed for God’s sake. Somebody must do something. She desperately needs to get rehab.”

The family is examining rehab options abroad and have consulted with two clinics in England. They are awaiting a response.

Meanwhile, a fund has been set up to raise money for the family in the event that they do have to go abroad for Catherine’s treatment.

lThe Catherine O’Leary Fund, Permanent TSB, North Main Street, Cork. Account: 12536790 Sort Code: 99-07-07.