Remembering Ralph Ireland, resident of Evington, Leicester
Ralph Ireland was an Evington Echo proof reader for two years 2019 – 2021. He lived with his wife Pauline in one of the self -contained flats in Pilgrim Gardens. Unfortunately, Covid-19 stopped his volunteering. Here is Ralph’s story called ‘On a Journey’.
- On a Journey
On Sunday 17th January 2021 I began a journey, which I didn’t initiate. The heroine, Hamza, of this short record did. Hamza was one of Maureen’s carers. She had just put Maureen to bed, and was aware that my speech was slurred. I gather my face was very red – I was running a temperature. She said I should call Emergency. I did as she suggested.
Not long afterwards I continued my journey in an ambulance, wearing an oxygen mask. I don’t know if Maureen had a companion that night; it certainly wasn’t me:
Of one thing I am sure: if Hamza had not done what she did, I would not be alive today. I am deeply grateful to her. God was watching over me.
The ambulance took me to the Leicester Royal Infirmary. I was there for the night. Tests taken showed next morning that I had Covid19 – and I had never left our flat in months!
The morning of the 18th I was taken to Leicester Glenfield Hospital, the local hospital for all things related. Covid19 had given me pneumonia in one lung, for example.
I have always had a great respect for the NHS. That respect was magnified enormously during my time at Glenfield which lasted until 9th of February. They treated me with great respect and care. Nothing was too much for them, from the lowliest employee to a professor there. The latter came to see me often. He said we had something in common – a concern for humanity, I think it was. I think John had made him aware of my long involvement in linguistics and Bible translation, without seeking gain. I never discovered just what his concerns were.
The professor was very frank with me. He said there was only a 2 or 3 percent chance of keeping me alive, but they would work hard to do so. I appreciate honesty in such things – even if the truth can be painful. Perhaps he was giving me some incentive to work hard for my survival, not that I had a clue how to do so.
In fact I went into a dark place. I asked such questions as ‘How do you die gracefully?’ What am I supposed to do when on the edge of eternity?’ As a Christian I knew there were treasures untold in heaven, and a Sovereign Saviour who loved me. Even so I started to worry about my family, whom I loved. ‘What was I to do for them?’ ‘How should I prepare them?’ – and many more such questions. I even (briefly) considered the question, ‘Would it help if I could help speed up my death?’
I was desperate. I had never been anywhere like this before. I called my Pastor Paul. Despite Covid rules he was able to see me the next day. He vigorously, and rightly disabused me of such non-Christian ideas. I was being restored to sanity, and to a more balanced Christian worldview.
Unexpected visits from our children. I was so confused at this time, I barely recognized them! Full PPI didn’t help. I must have seemed very ungrateful. My brain and my memory were rather dysfunctional then. Philip, of course, could not come, but he did a fantastic job of gathering distant friends to pray for me. Several were distant in time as well as distance, including some I hadn’t seen in decades. Talk about Friends Reunited!
There were a number of problems arising from Covid19. Due to a problem – peripheral neuropathy – that I already had, my ability to walk (certainly without pain} was diminishing rapidly. Covid19 seemed to make walking impossible. One possible benefit – if you can call I that – was that this pain was not very frequent during the time Covid was treated, but that was probably due to the regular oral morphine I received. This pain has returned since leaving hospital.
After another important procedure had taken place I was discharged from Glenfield and taken to the Evington Pilgrim Home to which Maureen had already been moved. We were (almost} reunited, living just 4 doors away!
I have a way to go. Two physiotherapists came to help me begin to walk again. That is quite a job as those days in bed had reduced my ability below what it was. I expect to get such help but it is not clear how often that will be. I sensed there was considerable pressure (not verbalized) to free a bed for another Covid patient – and I had what amounted to a private room.
Ralph Ireland
