What was said…

Because your death was unexpected your case had to be sent to the Coroner Dr Brian Farrell. From January to April 2010 we met with staff in Crumlin for the results of your post mortem and a chance to get answers to questions we had surrounding your death. The first meeting 21st Feb 2010 was cold and painful and we learned that your renal surgeon had not attended your surgery at all. This same surgeon failed to show for the first meeting to defend himself so another meeting was called when it suited him after he had a chance to swap stories or versions of events (in my opinion). This next meeting 9^th March 2010 was even more painful than the first, as both anaesthetist and renal surgeon sat up talking to each other to what looked like a rehearsed story and us being told that what was said at the first meeting was to us was taken out of context and there had been a breakdown in communication. I came out of that meeting so angry and frustrated so I took matters into my own hands and requested your medical records to do my own research and seek help and advice. In the meantime the Risk Management Team did a risk assessment and sent us results, this was followed up with a meeting 16^th June 2010 which I refused to attend because I didn’t want to be hurt more my their confused stories. Your dad attended and when he told them he’d like to record the meeting he was refused, so he came home.

Your medical file arrived soon after this (it was massive) and I found so much from this and with it came so many more unanswered questions!

25^th March 2010 three months after you died the Coroner asked us had we any outstanding or unanswered questions. Of course we did, you died unexpectedly, your renal surgeon never showed up for surgery, you were given medicine which was on the list to avoid; no cardiac review was carried out pre op. For months now I had all these questions and what if’s running around inside my head. On writing to the Coroner it was only in June 2010 when he decided to call an inquest as he felt we had not been given sufficient answers and this he felt was the lease we were entitled to.

After a lot of back and forth to the Coroner’s Office the inquest was heard on 15th April 2011. From 11am – 6pm we sat as they interviewed and delivered reports to us from all the parties involved in your death. Your renal surgeon stood in the interview box and when asked where he was that he wasn’t in theatre and he replied “I don’t recall”, and as an inquest only seeks to find cause of death not blame he could not be challenged. A lot of his answers were vague and he could not even look at our representation in the eye. Dr Farrell Coroner had made his decision and he consulted with our legal team on weather we were happy with what we got. We felt it necessary to get an independent medical report and review of your records to ensure all answers were covered and nothing had been concealed. This took another few weeks and then we were back to the court again for deliberation which returned death my natural causes! It was over now and it was a huge sigh of relief that we could move on from medical grounds anyway.

The true version of events that happened that day we’ll never know but hand on my heart I can say I fought the hardest I could to get the answers we deserved!