"Cathal - physio - ward 1C QEUH"

Yesterday I had the great pleasure of seeing Cathal work with my Dad. Dad was day 1 post surgery with a large fixator fitted to his leg. I arrived for my visit and he was in pain, feeling low and not seeming confident about any physio attempt. Dad was mentally defeated. I did my best to rally him in all the ways I know how - nope, Dad wasn’t responding to it, his mood was low.

Then Cathal popped his head in to give the heads up of a first ‘up onto feet’. Gradually and always working to small, gradual progress he managed to help and encourage Dad into a shoe cut to the fixator pins, get Dad’s legs round and him sitting up, bring in a super machine version of the pulpit frame and get Dad up on his feet - both feet! - to stand. Then he showed Dad how to stand tall again and take steps and Dad did a slow walk out to ward in front of room, a turn and back.

Because of how Dad was before the walk, I expected him to collapse back into bed when Cathal was finished with him. However, he smashed that first walk with all of Cathal’s gentle encouragement and got plenty praise and reassurance from Cathal afterwards, so by the time Cathal was finished with Dad he was sitting up in a chair and in much better form. From there Dad was reading a newspaper, realising there’s a long road ahead of him but feeling like he had just taken that first step like a rock star!!

When I left Dad looked like a different man from the one I arrived to, Cathal deserves a medal for the turnaround he supported. He didn’t just give Dad incredible physio care, he gave my Dad his dignity and self confidence back in one relatively brief session. I witnessed Cathal’s emotional intelligence and incredible people/communication skills tune in and work with my Dad in a way I wouldn’t have thought possible when I arrived.

Everyone on 1C has been incredible and the care Dad is receiving is of the highest standard, but this interaction was so incredibly special and recovery-altering for my Dad that I had to comment and, most importantly, say Thank You to Cathal. Cathal - you are an incredible professional and wonderful human! I am so grateful Dad had the benefit of your skills for that first post-op walk.