Beating Covid

Beating the Covid Battle

With so many people across the country becoming ill with Covid over the past year, colleagues in the legal profession were not immune. Our own Parchment Editor John Geary was hit by the virus in January, resulting in a hospitalisation and was seriously ill. Kevin O’Higgins chats with the Mayo-based solicitor about what was a gruelling few weeks

When 44-year old John Geary sat down for his Christmas day dinner, little did he realise that within days he would be struck down with Covid and have to endure an extended stay at Mayo University

Hospital.

“My wife Michelle and I had been very vigilant to avoid contact with family and friends over the festive break. We deliberately did not visit anyone nor did we have visitors to the house. But the virus had probably been picked up before Christmas,” recalls John.

“I was in Dublin just pre Christmas for settlement talks in a case and aside from that, I did some shopping in Castlebar on Christmas Eve. I simply do not know where I caught it. I felt extremely ill on the 28th December and spent eight days unable to eat or drink.”

John adds: “The symptoms were not typical to what most people experience with Covid. There was no temperature and no cough. Instead, it was like a truck had run over me. I ached from head to toe and was unable to keep any food or drink down. As a result, the dehydration was dreadful. Despite the excellent care provided by Michelle and my son William, I was getting no better.”

The Castlebar-based practitioner is the Principal of J.V. Geary Solicitors – a five solicitor practice with a staff of ten. When his office was reopening after the Christmas break in early January, John had been diagnosed with Covid following a test taken at the famed football stadium that is MacHale Park, where the HSE operates a testing centre.

“I remained at home, very unwell following the diagnosis of Covid. Each day I thought I would get better but instead, there was a continual deterioration. I then developed an acute pain on my right side and I began to find it very painful to breathe. I knew that it was very serious but was reluctant to present at the local A&E given the pressures all hospitals are under. However, in the middle of one particular night, my wife had to call for an ambulance as the pain was so excruciating and I knew I was in serious trouble.”

John has been editor of this esteemed publication for the past 11 years. He took over as editor from Keith Walsh and previous editors include Stuart Gilhooly, Justin McKeena and yours truly. Having trained and worked as a solicitor in Dublin for many years, he moved back to his native County Mayo in 2010 and set up his practice. John trained with Matheson (or Matheson Ormsby Prentice as they were then known) and worked as an assistant solicitor at Margetson & Greene, Walsh Warren and DJ Synnott among others.

John recounts what it was like at Mayo University Hospital with gratitude and appreciation. “I was

Kevin O’Higgins is principal of Kevin O’Higgins Solicitors, Blackrock. He is a former President of the Law Society and DSBA

It was very upsetting to see the local priest come in and give the last rites to these men and see that they had nobody in this world to hold their hand or talk to them in their last dying moments

processed through the Covid A&E initially and then put in a six-bed Covid ward. The relief of knowing that I was being medically cared for was almost overwhelming. Getting fluids and pain relief was a Godsend. The doctors, nurses and staff were tremendous but they were under so much pressure. “Due to the massive outbreak of Covid in January, the hospital was creaking at the seams. There had been a big outbreak in Belmullet and many people were in need of hospital care. After a few days and multiple scans, it seemed that the doctors were unable to stem the pain I was having in my right side and identify what was causing the ongoing problem.

“Consultant Doctor Matshediso Mokoka then gave me a diagnosis of Covid pneumonia and within a couple of days of that, I began to feel much improved. It was very scary for a time, as I wasn’t sure what I had and despite painkillers, the pain had persisted and I wasn’t able to keep food down.”

John, who is one of the leading members of what has become known over the past 30 years as The Lawyers Fishing Club of Ireland, described how the wonderful team at Mayo University Hospital had to cope at such a busy time. “The nurses were amazing. They were hit themselves with colleagues out sick with Covid or having to self isolate. As a result, they were down in numbers and the pressure fell on those there to do more than their fair share. Such was the pressure that on a few nights, we were getting our meds and vitals checked at 2am in the morning. This would usually happen around 9 or 10 at night but everything got pushed out. There were so many times that I wanted something small – perhaps a glass of water or the like, but I did not want to press the buzzer to call one of the nurses as I knew that they were busy looking after someone sicker than me. One thing that I will always recall is the ‘Covid thirst’ I had. All of the Covid patients in the ward also seemed to have the same craving to drink water.”

The death toll from Covid currently stands at a shocking 4,500+. John recounts how death came very close to his bed while in hospital. “There were only six beds in the Covid ward that I was in. Sadly, two elderly men died in beds opposite me. It was very upsetting to see the local priest come in and give the last rites to these men and see that they had nobody in this world to hold their hand or talk to them in their last dying moments. Their families were unable to visit the hospital and it must have been so lonesome and heart breaking for them.

“That was the hardest part of being hospitalised – seeing that. In circumstances like that, a family member ought to be allowed in to sit with their loved one as they approached the end – Covid or no Covid. The upset that the family then experiences knowing that their father or grandfather is all alone must be horrendous.”

John tells me about the man in the next bed who came to the ward on the day that his wife had died at home from Covid. “He was naturally very distraught and deeply upset. I chatted with him quite a bit that day and for the rest of my stay. We formed a lovely friendship. He told me afterwards that at his lowest, my presence in the ward that day was like an angel

from heaven and the kindness, empathy and support bestowed to him would never be forgotten. I was so glad to have been in the right place at the right time – as strange as that may seem.”

So how does a busy practitioner with a staff of ten manage to run an office when he gets struck down with Covid pneumonia? The answer is, he doesn’t. John explains. “I was completely off the radar for the month of January and well into February as the recovery process took a lot longer than anticipated. I would not have been able to keep my practice going were it not for my great team. Two of the solicitors went out on maternity leave in October and December respectively. So we were down from five to three.

“Thankfully, I had recruited a locum solicitor before Christmas and she had just started with me, so there were three of the most competent and able solicitors running my practice that you would find either west, or east of the River Shannon. They deserve huge praise and a special mention. Without Ita Feeney, Aoife Cawley and Elizabeth Gallagher I would have been up the creek without a paddle. They just took over and kept the ‘show on the road’. I am deeply grateful to them and my two secretaries Bernadette Tarpey and Finula White; and my two legal executives Aishling Ring and Gillian Donlon for all they did for me. I am back working remotely for the past few weeks and it is great to be back. It helps too to have some understanding clients who have allowed me the time out and to catch up with my work.”

John, who is a former Chairman of the DSBA Litigation Committee, raises a very valid point – what if a sole practitioner with none of the supports he had, fell ill? “It must be impossible for a sole practitioner with none of the supports to fall ill and be knocked out of practice for several weeks. I’m sure this has happened to some colleagues around the country during the Covid pandemic and I just do not know how they deal with such an absence from work. Thankfully Covid doesn’t affect most people like it did me, but some colleagues will have been struck down.”

John’s heart goes out to those of our colleagues who have lost family to this disease and, of course to the colleagues from both the Bar and the solicitor’s profession who have been struck down by Covid and some fatally.

Now still recovering at his home on the edge of Clew Bay, just outside the town of Westport, John is likenever-before appreciating the simple things in life – fresh air, walks, spending time at home and being well again. “It was a big scare and it’s marvellous to come out the other side of it and tell the tale. Sadly so many have not. I owe my deepest gratitude to my wife Michelle and my 10-year old son William (who miraculously escaped Covid) for all their love, care and attention. I particularly owe a huge debt to the staff of Mayo University Hospital. Staff on the frontline have been hailed all year for their invaluable service to the people of Ireland. However, you do not really fully appreciate that until you see their work and indeed conditions, up close. They deserve to be recognised with the highest commendation after we eventually banish Covid for good – which I hope will be in the near future.” P