A combination of patience, kindness and care by staff won the heart of a veteran sportsman who has just spent 11 days in St Luke’s General Hospital.
Callan Boxing Club head coach, Jimmy Walsh, a battling 88-year-old told Kilkenny Press that he had been a patient at St Luke’s on God only knows how many occasions over a 70-year period.
“Knocks, falls and breaks right from my hurling years with John Lockes in the 1950s and through a lifetime of boxing inevitably saw me wheeled in or limping in to St Luke’s on many occasions.
“Over all those years, thanks to teams of wonderfully dedicated people, myself and countless others were always assured of the super care from the best in the field of medicine.
“And I say, without any fear of contradiction, it is better and better that our brilliant St Luke’s is getting.”
The courageous pugilist who so often put opponents on the canvas in boxing rings, ended up on his back in Surgical Ward 2 following a fall at his home in Mill Street, Callan.
He described the hospital as a hive of activity and said his stay there was one of warmth, love and superb professional care, with staff doing Trojan work for those under the weather in different ways.
‘I MISS ALL IN ST LUKE’S’
“Naturally, as the days went by, I longed to be back in my own bed in my native town but now that near normal service has been removed at my home where I enjoy the support of my daughters Ann and Brenda and niece Sharon, a frontline worker with the HSE, I miss them all in St Luke’s.
“I cannot say enough about the wonderful staff, all of them, doctors, nurses, carers, caterers paramedics, cleaners, porters, radiographers and administration, everyone has a vital role to play on a great team that to me has to be a true champions of care and attention.
“To be honest, a majority of us seldom look forward to having to spend time in any hospital but when one has to seek top class medical or surgical attention then St Luke’s General has to be the home from home.
“The entire staff is a credit to the HSE, guardian angels to all of our people in local communities who are lucky to have such a fantastic facility on their doorstep.
TOO OFTEN WE TAKE THINGS FOR GRANTED
“Too often we take things in life for granted but when we are down and sometimes almost out it is great to know that these talented people are there.
“Hospital staff members are always ready, willing and able to pick us up, and unlike in the Humpty Dumpty story tenderly put us together again and send us home happy.”
Jimmy had special thanks for his friend , Cardiologist Michael Conway, Professor Gary Courtney, Dr Michael Dowling and Dr Mohammad and I cannot forget the one and only, Dr Jim Ryan, our highly respected local GP in Callan who has been in my corner for the last 20 years and turned defeat into victory every time.
Jimmy is now convalescing at his home, in much better shape and promising to repair the saddle of a door that he tripped over.
“Thanks also to all my friends who wished me a return to full health. I am delighted to tell them that I am on the road to full recovery.
“God bless everyone, all my friends including our dedicated boxing club coaches and members who wished me well during my spell in hospital.”
