My thoughts are with Lindel, and pray that she makes a full recovery. Carolyn on 7/6/04 5:49 pm, conaught2 at conaught2@charter.net wrote: > Many on the list may not be aware that Lindel has a serious heart problem. > I received the following message from her Mom Merle O'Donnell on May 20. > > "Helloooooo! I'm writing this a night before we head off to Christchurch for > my operation and mum will be filling in the (gory) details, to let you know > how it all went. I hope she says its all good!!! No idea when I'll be home > and able to email anyone, but you'll hear from me soon :-) > > Mums bit - > > Well, I hate to say it after that cheery little > message, but it all went horribly wrong!! The > scariest 24 hours of my life! The surgeon extracted > one old line and in doing so, tore a hole in her heart which quickly bled into > her pericardium. Fortunately they were able to stop the bleeding, but a drain > had to be inserted to remove the blood which had collected > and she was monitored for further bleeding. Somehow we all got thru the > night. I have never seen anyone in so much agony as our poor Lindel...doped > to the eyebrows on morphine and still no pain relief. > Anyway, today the drain was removed and she was transferred to the Coronary > Unit at Christchurch hospital where she is recovering and under constant > survellance and assessment. Tonight the pain had > eased a little, and she was showing some spark, especially when she learned > how much of her money we have spent over the past couple of days (I'm in > charge > of her wallet!) So that's a very good sign she's on the road to recovery. > So, sorry to be so slow in advising you, but it has been a very hectic and > stressful time." > > After receiving this message a few days later the news was better and Lindel > was starting to improve. She was able to go home. Then on June 5, I received > the following email from Merle. > > "Hellooo, > You must be wondering what has happened to Lindel since she has been off line > since Wednesday. She is back in Christchurch hospital after developing an > infection on Wednesday. Unfortunately, I have no > further news for you other than the med team have taken bood cultures and and > we are awaiting the results. Meantime they are managing her pain and sedating > her, but have not yet pput her back on anti-biotics which I find rather > distressing...reason? It's a long holiday weekend here (!!) We, Don, > myself and the two boys visited her in hosp yesterday and found her quite > chirpy for a while, but she tired quickly and soon needed further medication. > It appears now, contrary to previous assessment, that the > infection may be in the pacemaker lines. Please keep up your prayers, she's a > very sick girl." > > I told Merle I would let you know what was happening with Lindel because she > needs everyone's prayers. > > I got to know Lindel several years ago and immediately she was such a great > help. A few years ago when I spoke with Mike Mackle(Member) from New Zealand > I told Lindel about it and asked her if she was familiar with the town Mike > was from. She laughed and said she had attended Mike's family reunion. She > is related to Mike through the Mackles and thus to me, but of course we > haven't figured it out yet, since the Mackles seems to be numerous but > elusive! Lindel is most generous and lets me send her information and > pictures of Ballyhillion and Clonca Parish, Malin Head, County Donegal and she > posts them to her Donegal list. > > Lindel is an amazing person. She has a toddler Connor and son Liam who is > about 4, yet she has had the time to help so many people with their family > research. > > Many prayers are being sent to Lindel from all over the world for a speedy > recovery. Go raib maith agat. > > Beannachtai, > Margaret (Mairead) > > > ==== DONEGALEIRE Mailing List ==== > ************************************************************************ > <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> > Check out these Donegal Information Sites > Dick O'Donnell's- http://www.mindspring.com/~dickod/donegal/index.htm > O Donnell Abu/ http://homepage.tinet.ie/~vod/ > Donegal Families/ http://homepage.tinet.ie/~donfam/ > Donegal Database- > http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~donegaleire/Doncontent.html > Donegal Information/ http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~donegal/ > > ============================== > Gain access to over two billion names including the new Immigration > Collection with an Ancestry.com free trial. Click to learn more. > http://www.ancestry.com/rd/redir.asp?targetid=4930&sourceid=1237 > >