Paddy O Maolchiarain
A GORTAHORK man, who is on a waiting list for a lung transplant, has appealed to the public to carry organ donor cards. Paddy Ó Maoilchiaráin has been on the transplant list since April of last year and said a new lung would change his life.
Speaking on Barrscéalta on RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta today Paddy spoke about how he became ill with shortness of breath in 2013.
He said: It’s very difficult sometimes. You’re not able to do what you’d like to do. You might walk out to the car, but then you’d have to sit for five minutes to get your breath back. I might go up the stairs and then I have to sit for five minutes. And I always, always have the oxygen here going into my nose, I’m using it all the time, day and night. There’s no getting away from it.”
Just before Christmas Paddy got the call from Dublin that a set of lungs became available but unfortunately he was not the best match. He got the call at 3.05 pm and by 7.10 pm he was in the Mater Hospital in Dublin.
“There were three of us in total, and the one who was the best match would get the lungs,” said Paddy.
“They came in and told me that unfortunately I wasn’t the best match, that there was another closer match and that I’d be going home. It was a bit difficult at the time, but I said to myself at least someone will get the benefit and that maybe my day was coming soon.”
The 57 year old has 60% capacity in one lung and 40% in the other, and his medical team are hopeful to get one good lung, and that that would be sufficient.
Paddy said he would encourage everyone to carry a donor card and said it is a “great thing”.
“I never thought about it myself until I got sick. but I think everyone should have one, it might help someone,” he said.
Paddy lost five and half stone in weight with Slimming World in order to be eligible for the transplant. He was working up until last year as a bus driver with Joe Mangan until he had to go on oxygen, a job he loved and that he misses greatly.