tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6800673654164361221.post3837505079747942217..comments2023-08-10T15:33:23.169+01:00Comments on This Limbo: Betrayed by this countryThis Limbohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07142666613603776436noreply@blogger.comBlogger31125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6800673654164361221.post-36734192329158692942011-03-07T12:49:42.742+00:002011-03-07T12:49:42.742+00:00Eoin - It is entirely pointless. It's like try...Eoin - It is entirely pointless. It's like trying to put out a fire in a house by hosing down the adjacent garage. <br /><br />Opt-out may increase the number of potential donors, but we still won't have the Donor Coordinators to do the talking, we won't have sufficient number of operating rooms and staff to harvest organs, or the sufficient number of beds on wards for patients.<br /><br />They just don't get it.This Limbohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07142666613603776436noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6800673654164361221.post-60638780359114515812011-03-06T17:39:10.037+00:002011-03-06T17:39:10.037+00:00Anyway, the new Programme for Government agreed th...Anyway, the new Programme for Government agreed this evening between Fine Gael and Labour contains the following:<br /><br />"We will legislate to change the organ donation to an opt-out system for organ<br />transplantation, rather than an opt in system so as to improve the availability of organs for<br />patients in desperate need."<br /><br />Personally, I see this as pointless without dedicated transplant procurement coordinators in the major hospitals.Eoin Maddenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10387131524188620661noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6800673654164361221.post-46020456752396417372011-03-06T17:37:26.497+00:002011-03-06T17:37:26.497+00:00Good on you :)Good on you :)Eoin Maddenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10387131524188620661noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6800673654164361221.post-30875957965960716342011-02-24T15:58:23.865+00:002011-02-24T15:58:23.865+00:00Eoin - We need to talk, my friend. You're a Gr...Eoin - We need to talk, my friend. You're a Green? This changes everything! ;)<br /><br />Nice reply from Niall, though I did laugh out loud at the "as you know, I sold forget-me-nots on Shop Street" bit. He should not take this personally. I have a twisted sense of humour.<br /><br />Seeing as the next Taoiseach is going to be from my own county, myself and Brendan can camp on his lawn if needs be in the coming months. I know where he lives.This Limbohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07142666613603776436noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6800673654164361221.post-31229995063420488182011-02-24T15:23:25.341+00:002011-02-24T15:23:25.341+00:00Finally I get a response from the Greens. They mus...Finally I get a response from the Greens. They must have been waiting for the moratorium to kick in! :p<br /><br /><br />Dear Eoin,<br /><br />It is troubling and sad to hear of the decline in organ donation recently,<br />leaving more people on dialysis for longer. I know that it is not ideal for<br />patients to be on dialysis for extended years and that they can gradually<br />become weaker. We need to concentrate on getting people transplanted<br />quicker. There are many ways this can be achieved. My preference and<br />perhaps the most effective would be to place coordinators in major<br />hospitals as you have suggested. These coordinators would have to be<br />trained to deal with the emotional situations they would be in, but it<br />must be possible.<br /><br />I am supportive of the IKA and, as you know, last year I sold<br />Forget-me-Nots on Shop Street in Galway. Thanks again for raising this<br />issue.<br /><br />Best Regards,<br />Senator Niall O Brolchain<br /><br />--<br /><br />Now in the spirit of openness and transparency, I must admit to having leafleted for Niall this week and having given him a hard time for not replying sooner.<br /><br />But as you hint Regina, it would be nice to have a reply from Fine Gael, given that it is almost certain they will be the largest party (if not the only party) in the next government.Eoin Maddenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10387131524188620661noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6800673654164361221.post-67157883471972947052011-02-16T17:03:12.644+00:002011-02-16T17:03:12.644+00:00Eoin - Nice letter from Jan. If we could get a res...Eoin - Nice letter from Jan. If we could get a response from a party that will actually be in government now, it'd be great! <br /><br />A lot of them are into the opt-out idea. Our Kidney Association say it doesn't make any great difference to the number of deceased donors. Having donor coordinators in each hospital and allowing for organs to be harvested from those who have suffered cardiac deaths would be much more effective in terms of increasing transplant numbers.<br />Good work you're doing anyway. And good timing. They'd be willing to do anything for you in these pre-election times ;)This Limbohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07142666613603776436noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6800673654164361221.post-39225614237368424932011-02-15T11:33:11.629+00:002011-02-15T11:33:11.629+00:00Dear Eoin,
Thank you for your email and your link...Dear Eoin,<br /><br />Thank you for your email and your link to the interesting Irish Times articles. The Labour Party has included a commitment to implementing the recommendations of the Madden Report for an 'opt out' scheme so as to improve the availability of organs for people in need of a transplant (I have attached a link to the Manifesto below).<br /><br />Your proposal to for Transplant Coordinators has much merit and, if Labour are in Government, I will ensure that the proposal is given serious consideration as part of any policy we are introducing to improve the availability of transplant organs.<br /><br />http://www.labour.ie/download/pdf/labour_election_manifesto_2011.pdf<br /><br />Best wishes,<br /><br />Jan O SullivanEoin Maddenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10387131524188620661noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6800673654164361221.post-53907805124984826972011-02-09T22:36:24.805+00:002011-02-09T22:36:24.805+00:00Holemaster - I know a lot of people are edging tow...Holemaster - I know a lot of people are edging towards that theory - that not finding a cure for kidney disease ensures massive wealth for our consultants. I can't think like that. I already feel like enough of a pawn in someone else's game.This Limbohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07142666613603776436noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6800673654164361221.post-79547712982784608102011-02-09T16:37:28.697+00:002011-02-09T16:37:28.697+00:00Regina, I had typed a comment or two but somehow I...Regina, I had typed a comment or two but somehow I deleted the entire message by selecting one word!<br /><br />But I fear this is as a result of the ideology of privatising our health service. Certain persons in Ireland want to make our ills their bread and butter. An apartheid 'American' style of healthcare must be opposed at every opportunity. <br /><br />There are currently plans to give health insurance companies the control of care plans instead of consultants. So some accountant who listens to Michael Bolton CDs will decide how much access you get to top level care.Holemasternoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6800673654164361221.post-24990627761224203702011-02-09T13:14:22.212+00:002011-02-09T13:14:22.212+00:00F.K. - I ended up being on Tubridy yesterday, with...F.K. - I ended up being on Tubridy yesterday, with no notice, so I couldn't give anybody advance warning. Thanks for posting all of those contact details there - very efficient and helpful of you! The interview went well. I will put up the link in a little while. Oh, and I've heard rumour that the IKA are hoping to get Joe Duffy on board as one of their sponsors for the coming Donor Awareness Week.<br /><br />John - I sent you an email<br /><br />Eoin - I'm not a fan of the Sinn Fein people, but fair play to him for replying - or for at least getting one of his staff members to reply. There are plans afoot for a major push when a new Health Minister comes in. We will have to pester him until he gives in and grants us a National Transplant Body.<br /><br />Anonymous - The reaction was massive alright, and they had a heart transplant recipient-in-waiting on this morning, just to maintain the momentum. Thanks for posting.This Limbohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07142666613603776436noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6800673654164361221.post-45595682890393242922011-02-08T17:53:05.189+00:002011-02-08T17:53:05.189+00:00Caught the end of the radio piece on way to work, ...Caught the end of the radio piece on way to work, must download it later. Seems to have gotten a great reaction which is what you need. Fantastic job, well done. Hopefully you can make a change.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6800673654164361221.post-31120367609318732842011-02-08T16:04:34.529+00:002011-02-08T16:04:34.529+00:00I got one reply to my email so far:
--
Eoin a cha...I got one reply to my email so far:<br />--<br /><br />Eoin a chara, <br /><br />Thank you for bringing to my attention the need for transplant co-ordinators in our healthcare system. In reading the material to which you referred I was struck by the fact that the drop in donor numbers is yet another symptom of the pressure being put on front-line healthcare staff as a result of Government cutbacks. It is also clearly a result of the failure to put in place a properly co-ordinated donor system. Your representation is timely and this is certainly something I will raise in the new Dáil (trusting that the people of Cavan & Monaghan re-elect me!) <br /><br />Please keep in touch and feel free to forward any further relevant information. <br /><br />Is mise <br /><br />Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin. <br />Sinn Féin spokesperson on Health & Children.Eoin Maddenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10387131524188620661noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6800673654164361221.post-22830814747925231992011-02-05T06:22:11.078+00:002011-02-05T06:22:11.078+00:00What's this about distributing contaminated ex...What's this about distributing contaminated extraneal solution? I had not seen anything on that! How could that possibly be justified. PD centres constantly preach on the necessity of eliminating any possible source of infection and then they put out infected solution? Can you direct me to where this was mentioned please. Also I replied to your email.<br /><br />J Harper<br />Regina, Sask.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6800673654164361221.post-83612622365007874782011-02-05T04:37:36.497+00:002011-02-05T04:37:36.497+00:00Fuck - what a disgusting mess! How could I have m...Fuck - what a disgusting mess! How could I have missed this, I check the Irish Times daily as part of my round up of World news and I obviously have an interest in all things transplant and kidneys, but this is just mind-blowing. <br /><br />Our kidney transplant surgeon here in Saskatchewan was ill for a bit in July/August 09 and the Health minister used that as an excuse to shut down the transplant program for 11 months. He only agreed to start it up again after being shamed by a dialysis patient doing her exchanges in the main foyer of the legislature. Her transplant had been pushed way back even though she had a willing live donor lined up.<br /><br />I am just totally pissed off that the highly paid bureaucrats who are supposed to deliver proper health care cannot be bothered to do their jobs. I was going to say I couldn't believe it, but after my years on this earth I can believe it only all too well.<br /><br />Fight them,get the parties to commit to doing the right thing, and to clear out those who cannot be bothered to do their jobs. In this economic climate, there are plenty of active, intelligent, willing people to do the jobs that the current lot do not care to do. If they are not fit for purpose, get someone who is and hold them accountable.<br /><br />This is our lives they are messing with here. As Regina pointed out, kidney patients have dialysis (however unsatisfactory and draining it may be) to bridge us over. Lung, heart and liver patients just can't wait, they have a final termination date.<br />Kidney patients wasting away our lives in limbo, with limited energy and our bodies accumulating damage from inadequate kidney clearance are in a slower version of this death if we do not receive transplants. <br /><br />J Harper<br />Regina, SaskatchewanAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6800673654164361221.post-82023753843708948542011-02-04T15:24:17.222+00:002011-02-04T15:24:17.222+00:00Wow. Fair play to ya. Make sure to make a new post...Wow. Fair play to ya. Make sure to make a new post here well in advance when you’re going on Tubridy, so myself and other Limbo-ers get the update alert and can hopefully make a coordinated effort to send in supportive and angry texts (although he defo seems to swing in favour of reading out tweets). <br /><br />I hear what you’re saying about falling through the cracks. However, if you could get a commitment from FG and Lab BEFORE they form a Government that they will address the issue of transplant coordinators and opt-outs, I think that would be a major step forward. Maybe even get it in their Programme for Government. Maybe they'd even welcome a breather from questions about the banks/economy/IMF/unemployment/mortgages!<br /><br />And if they say an opt-out system may breach human rights, well, let them state a case to the European Court of Human Rights and anyway, Labour want to re-write the Constitution. Anyway, one could argue that you and countless others are already being denied a basic human right to proper healthcare in a developed country with high taxation.<br /><br />I shall send Tubridy an email over the weekend, maybe Eoin (above) and some others can too? There certainly seems to be anger out there. But more is needed.<br /><br />The contact details for Tubridy are:<br />Texts: 51551<br />Email: tts@rte.ie and tubs@rte.ie<br />Twitter: @TubridyTweets<br />Phone: 1850 715 105<br /><br />PS I'm loathe to suggest him, but have you considered contacting Joe Duffy?<br /><br />F.K.F.K.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6800673654164361221.post-28366989185350499852011-02-04T14:16:43.076+00:002011-02-04T14:16:43.076+00:00Francis - I was kinda just numbed by the story whe...Francis - I was kinda just numbed by the story when I read it first, then I just got angry. I also feel foolish. Here I have been going to bed every night, thinking I might get the call before morning, only to now know that transplants just haven't been happening. <br /><br />F.K. - I'm working on it. Going on Tubridy again for a rant next week. Will see if I have the time to write something for The Times too. I'm just concerned at doing stuff now and having it fall through the crack that exists when you have a country that is between two governments. <br /><br />Bill - Thanks for your good wishes. I'm keeping well, despite it all. A transplant is just really necessary for my sanity.This Limbohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07142666613603776436noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6800673654164361221.post-83401864827623945972011-02-04T10:43:48.183+00:002011-02-04T10:43:48.183+00:00Holy Lord, best of luck Reg. Sorry for all your tr...Holy Lord, best of luck Reg. Sorry for all your troubles, I had no idea. Best, Bill.Bill Lehanehttp://www.billlehane.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6800673654164361221.post-14845658879050204012011-02-03T20:54:35.475+00:002011-02-03T20:54:35.475+00:00Nobody better than yourself to start a campaign, y...Nobody better than yourself to start a campaign, you have a way with words and you are a 'face' of organ donation. Maintain a certain degree of anger ... it helps focus the mind.<br /><br />You've already done a write-up with the Times and done radio, surely they'd be willing to give you a sounding again on such an important issue. <br /><br />Your post speaks volumes, it's words like those that will strike a chord with people. <br /><br />F.K.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6800673654164361221.post-14825650604220792412011-02-03T19:58:03.230+00:002011-02-03T19:58:03.230+00:00Regina, I'm just so disgusted that I hardly ha...Regina, I'm just so disgusted that I hardly have words!<br /><br />Ireland seems to be completely run by the criminally incompetent. I've worked in the health system in Germany for over twenty years and, heaven knows, I give out about it frequently - usually with reason - but this beats anything.<br /><br /><i><b>Opt-out</b></i> is the only solution that makes any sense anywhere - though unfortunately we don't have it here either.Francis Hunthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00422476000328664994noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6800673654164361221.post-86753785862512252192011-02-03T17:26:34.896+00:002011-02-03T17:26:34.896+00:00F.K. - That's the kind of anger we need. Maybe...F.K. - That's the kind of anger we need. Maybe healthy folk like you can lead the charge. The reason successive governments neglect the sick is because few of us have the strength to fight back - as with all bullies, they prey upon the weak. <br />The situation in Castlebar is horrendous - though it affects me (as in it is the Extraneal fluid that I carry around in my tummy during the day that could potentially be contaminated), nobody gave me any warning until a nurse mentioned it in a 'by the way' fashion two weeks ago.This Limbohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07142666613603776436noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6800673654164361221.post-17002819650976193772011-02-03T15:20:13.642+00:002011-02-03T15:20:13.642+00:00It's not carelessness on the HSE's part, i...It's not carelessness on the HSE's part, it's actually gross negligence, no doubt about it. You're damn right to be fucking angry. It's an unfunny joke.<br /><br />A common occurrence with them ... look at them okaying the contaminated dialysis fluids from the factory in Castlebar. I realise there's a shortage in Ireland, but for God's sake, if it was baby food, it'd have been taken off the shelves and destroyed immediately. And I think that is a fair comparison to make. Society hasn't decided that, it was a negligent health minister who refused to take on the HSE, an institutionalised zombie that like the Borg, subsumed its employees into its poisonous being. And ignored hundreds of patients each week on trolleys. And failed cancer patients. Harney ignored funding issues since the day she took over from Cowen. And passed the buck for years.<br /><br />Negligence is endemic in our health service. It's beyond carelessness.<br /><br />The public should also be campaigning for an opt-out policy by the new Government in terms of organ donation rather than opt-in. <br /><br />For what it's worth, it is an issue on my list of questions for GE candidates. I hope it will be for others too. <br /><br />My thoughts are with you and the hundreds of others in your situation. <br /><br />Our (thankfully) outgoing Government should hang their heads in shame. They won't though.<br /><br />F.K.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6800673654164361221.post-56302124559822647422011-02-03T14:53:53.934+00:002011-02-03T14:53:53.934+00:00I have been well and truly left staggering from it...I have been well and truly left staggering from it anyway, Radge. <br /><br />Staggering and reeling and dialysing.This Limbohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07142666613603776436noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6800673654164361221.post-3383757060101143772011-02-03T14:46:16.032+00:002011-02-03T14:46:16.032+00:00This is staggering - I'd read something about ...This is staggering - I'd read something about it yesterday but was in a rush. It's typical of the short termism and blind haste with which these situations are handled. <br /><br />I've seen a lot of outrage, not only from yourself, today so hopefully this can ignite the situation with a view to fixing it.Radgehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08120550799595771510noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6800673654164361221.post-88502557092146056182011-02-03T14:24:18.690+00:002011-02-03T14:24:18.690+00:00Great email Eoin - concise and logical. At the mom...Great email Eoin - concise and logical. At the moment, money is probably the only thing they understand, so putting it in those terms is the best approach to take. I'll get on my own campaign now. Best to get them before they enter government.This Limbohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07142666613603776436noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6800673654164361221.post-83971991119561964962011-02-03T14:19:03.079+00:002011-02-03T14:19:03.079+00:00Fianna Fail : Barry Andrews TD -bandrews@oireachta...Fianna Fail : Barry Andrews TD -bandrews@oireachtas.ie<br /><br />Fine Gael : Dr. James Reilly TD -drjamesreilly@gmail.com<br /><br />Labour : Jan O'Sullvan TD -jan.osullivan@oireachtas.ie<br /><br />Sinn Fein : Caoimghín O Caoláin TD - caoimhghin.ocaolain@oireachtas.ie<br /><br />Green Party : Senator Niall Ó Brolchain - niallob@esatclear.ieEoin Maddenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10387131524188620661noreply@blogger.com