ORGAN DONOR WEEK: Offaly farmer in buoyant form after life saving double lung transplant

It was within the early autumn of 2021 throughout the top of Covid that Ciaran McDonald underwent a life saving double lung transplant on the age of 58. 

He runs a busy dairy farm in Ballycumber, Co Offaly.  Married to Teresa, two of their grownup kids, Triona and Christopher, stay close by and considered one of their daughters Roberta lives overseas and likewise works within the Agricultural business. Now a grandfather, Ciaran,  moved to Offaly practically three a long time in the past. He’s a  native of Crossbeg in Co Wexford the place his mom nonetheless resides together with a few of his six siblings.     

The primary indications that Ciaran lungs could be weak  was in 2010 and in 2015 forward of operations for varicose veins and a hernia. However medics  didn’t point out that there was any actual trigger for concern.

In 2018 Ciaran was feeling very unfit and as he performed a number of sport in between lengthy hours engaged on his 350-stock dairy farm,   it bothered him as up till then he was stuffed with power. In the identical yr he caught a flu virus with which he grew to become very sick requiring an admission to the Midland Regional Hospital in Tullamore. It grew to become obvious to medics that there was a problem together with his lungs and he was transferred to St. Vincent’s College Hospital in Dublin.  Up till this level, Ciaran stated he by no means actually felt sick and simply felt drained and sluggish.  Exams revealed he had solely 26% lung perform and he was referred to the Mater Hospital’s Transplant workforce for evaluation to go on the transplant ready checklist for both a single or double lung transplant.   

By Christmas 2019 he was accepted onto the transplant ready checklist. This wasn’t earlier than a battery of medical exams and a few hesitation on Ciaran’s half about his willingness to simply accept a donor lung/s from a deceased donor.  His spouse Teresa was with him at his appointment together with his lung advisor who gave him a really sobering prognosis in regards to the doable consequence of his analysis. Just a few different folks he had identified on transplant ready lists had handed away so he was conscious of the fact of his state of affairs. However he was decided to stay optimistic and never dwell on his well being situation.

For 13 months, the 6ft four inches tall Ciaran, was on 24-hour oxygen provide, carrying his life saving oxygen provide round on his again in a knapsack.  He credit his handbook farm work for serving to to maintain him match sufficient to bear a serious transplant operation. He was mentally ready for a transplant and was ready that if he was referred to as that even when he did get referred to as, the operation may not proceed.    Then on a Saturday night time   within the early Autumn 2021 he acquired a name from the Mater Hospital to return to Dublin as a deceased donor’s lungs had turn out to be accessible. It was to be his solely name for a   transplant because it proceeded and it was successful with no rejection.

Nonetheless, though inside four weeks of his transplant his lung perform was again as much as 88%, the street to restoration wasn’t clean.  Ciaran was unlucky to catch a virus which was an enormous setback as his well being declined quickly. He needed to be peg fed to assist him to recover from the setback of the virus in addition to the therapeutic technique of the operation. After an extended hospital keep he was allowed house on excessive degree antibiotics. It took virtually a yr to recuperate post-transplant due to the setback however he describes how he felt on high of the world after Christmas 2022. 

He stated that, whereas he’ll at all times be cautious as he’s on lifetime immunosuppressant medicine, he feels that his life has been not solely saved by the act of a selfless donor and their household however his high quality of life has vastly improved. He’s again engaged on his busy farm, whereas in his spare time he loves spending time together with his spouse and household together with his grandchildren who he describes as a ‘pleasure to be round and a giant ball of enjoyable’. One among his grandchildren was born prior to now yr and Ciaran says,   “have been it not for my transplant I’d not have been blessed to satisfy her. To have the ability to breathe unaided is one thing I cherish and can by no means take without any consideration”. He continued, “the longer term is wanting nice and I’ve my donor to thank for this”. 

“The medical nursing and transplant workforce on the Mater Hospital have been distinctive within the care they’ve given me. My spouse Teresa and my household have additionally been a rock of help and I might wish to thank my neighbours and associates for his or her unstinting help to me and my household. There are such a lot of those that I’m grateful to and I will always remember how they have been there for me. The household of my donor who will at all times stay in my ideas. With out the choice they made for organ donation of their family members I’d not be right here.”

Organ Donor Consciousness Week 2023 takes place from Could 20 till Could 27.