THE P RTAL
January 2015
Recently I had a similar experience. After some
years of heart problems, I suffered a heart attack at
home and spent time in the Monash Medical Centre,
The Avenue Private Hospital, Windsor, and Cabrini
Hospital, Malvern.
warned to expect the worst
At Cabrini I underwent open heart surgery for a
quadruple bypass, a not uncommon operation these
days. Unfortunately I was among the 15 per cent of
patients who encounter complications. Following
surgery, I was taken back to theatre with bleeding from
the stomach from two peptic ulcers. Then my kidneys
failed and I was placed on dialysis.
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Above all I was uplifted and carried through
by a groundswell of prayer by individuals and
in many parishes, Catholic and Anglican, and in
seminaries in Melbourne, Rome and the United
Kingdom. This was particularly tangible when I was
unable to receive the Blessed Sacrament or even to
pray.
I am especially grateful for the love of my sister Jan
who over six or seven weeks drove many hundreds
of miles back and forth from her property in central
Gippsland to spend long hours by my bedside and to
attend to my material needs.
prayers, visits and acts of kindness
For a number of days I was in an induced coma and
on a life support system, attached to a respirator, and
bristling with tubes and wires and bleeping monitors.
Then pneumonia set in and in my weakened state I
also contracted shingles [post-herpetic neuralgia].
My only close relative, my sister Janis, was warned to
expect the worst.
I also deeply appreciate the prayers, visits and
practical acts of kindness of so many parishioners
of the Parish of Mentone/Parkdale. I am especially
grateful to our Parish Priest, Father John Walshe,
for his dutiful sacramental and pastoral care, and to
other clergy: The Most Reverend Peter Elliott DD.,
Auxiliary Bishop, Fr Glen Tattersall PP [The Parish
of Blessed John Henry Newman, North Caulfield], Fr
After returning to Cardiac Rehabilitation from Ross McKenney PP [St Joseph’s/Holy Cross Parish,
Intensive Care via the High Dependency Ward, my Elsternwick/South Caulfield], Fr Laurence McNamara
newly restored heart developed a life threatening CM, PP [St Joseph’s Parish, Malvern], and Frs Neil
rhythm [stopping for periods of 51 seconds before Fryer and James Grant of the Ordinariate of Our Lady
restarting]. My blood pressure dropped to dangerous of the Southern Cross.
levels, and I was moved to the Coronary Care Unit
to prepare for more surgery, including the insertion
There is still a little way to go before my healing is
of a pacemaker. I survived. One medico later told complete and confidence is restored. I am still an outme: ‘You were brought to the very limits of human patient at Cabrini but I look forward in due course to
endurance.’
returning publicly to the Altar of God and participating
once again in parish life.
no angelic choirs
Like Kerry Packer, I d idn’t see any ‘white light’ or hear
angelic choirs! I can certainly recall vivid and weirdly
shaped kaleidoscopic colours, the alarming sensation
of being suspended upside down, and distorted
snippets of garbled conversations from voices, real
or illusory [caused apparently by the anaesthetic and
other drugs].
At Christmas we celebrate the human face of the love
of God made known to us in Jesus Christ, who became
one of us in order to share our human condition, with
its pains and sufferings and joys and achievements.
a reflection of God’s love
All human love and noble endeavour is a reflection
of God’s love. Moreover, despite the failings of some of
I did however experience the love of God expressed her ministers and members, the Catholic and Roman
in the skill and passion and determination of surgeons, Church as the Mystical Body of Christ is the visible,
nurses, paramedics, technical assistants, orderlies and sacramental sign of God’s love and healing in the
other hospital staff, some of them, like my cardiologist world, until Christ comes again on the Last Day. Our
and many nurses, committed Catholics, others of Blessed Lady and the saints and the lives of so many of
different faiths, and some of none. The members of the the faithful are living proof of that!
Pastoral Care Unit at Cabrini were constant in their
At this time of Advent and Christmas we are renewed
attention.
and encouraged in our knowledge of the reality of
a groundswell of prayer
God’s presence in our world today.
The incredible medical equipment and life giving
Sorry, Mr Packer, sir. You were wrong! We’ll pray for
drugs are also examples of human talents which are
you.
God given.
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