They then told him he had Multiple Sclerosis. The following year he and my mam got married in Mount Argus. His physical health started to deteriorate and he started to use a stick even for short walks. I was born in 1987 in James' hospital. In 1988 he had to start using a manual wheelchair and my Mam would have to push him as the use of his arms started to deteriorate also.
In 1991 my Mam had to have a heart operation because her aortic valve was leaking. When she finally came out of hospital she was told to rest as her chest was wired closed and the stitches were not healed. She still helped my Dad and looked after me. She was not able to do most things she could do before the operation so my dad was given an electric chair to make life a little easier.
He then got Trigeminal Neuralgia, so he was on a lot of painkillers. By this time he had completely lost the power in his legs. In 1995 we moved to a larger more fitting bungalow for him. By 1997 he had lost the use of his arms. We got a hoist, electric bed and air mattress and on the weekend the home help would come to get him out of bed to help my Mam out. He then got a catheter. The next few years were tough.
My Mam was diagnosed with breast cancer and not long after her chemotherapy finished she had a brain hemorrhage. During them times in hospital my Dad was being looked after by the home help, nurses from Millbrook care centre and MS Ireland. On the 7th of February 2010 we tried to wake him but he would not wake. As we took the covers off him the bed was full of his blood. We rushed to Tallaght hospital where they thought he had kidney failure.
At this time my Mam was rushed to James' hospital with her heart. After 2 weeks in hospital he was getting better, sitting up, joking and laughing as usual. Then I got the call saying he was deteriorating. The night of the 21st Feb. 2010 he passed away with his family and friends by his bedside. I had to ring my Mam to tell her because James' hospital would not let her leave or she would lose her bed. That week my Mam had her Mitral and Tricuspid valves replaced, she was given a 20% chance of survival, but she fought through. After a 3 week induced coma she woke, 6 months later she was released from hospital and rest bite. We then finally got to mourn his death together. Not a day goes by we don't talk about him, how he made everyone laugh, how he was the greatest Dad and husband despite his illness.
He was my best friend!