John’s story

An uplifting story of hope and gratitude from John McMahon, ILFA member

“In March 2020, I developed a cough. I took a couple of cough bottles that didn’t have any effect, and so I continued my life, thinking it would eventually go away.

We have a camper van – I like going to Sligo camping and I always wanted to go up to Queen Maeve’s grave. One Saturday morning, my wife and I decided to go up the hill but less than a quarter of the way up, I started to get breathless. At first, I put this down to a sandwich that I had eaten before setting off but 300 metres on, I just couldn’t breathe. I knew something wasn’t right and my wife said that when we got home, we would make an appointment to see my doctor which I did. I was referred to a respiratory specialist, Dr Aidan O’Brien, in Limerick University Hospital and it was nearly 7-months later when I got to see him and had some tests. Two days before Christmas Eve, he gave me news that I was not expecting! I was told I had hardening and scaring of my lungs; I had pulmonary fibrosis. He said I had a limited time to live unless I was able to get a lung transplant. I was referred to Professor Egan at the Mater Hospital in Dublin whom I met in early 2021. I was told a transplant was the only cure for me, but it takes time to get on list and a lot of tests would have to be done first.

I was put in touch with the Lung Fibrosis Clinic in Ennis where I meet specialist nurses Carmel McEnerney and Paula Ryan, and I was started on anti-fibrotic medicine. Luckily, I didn’t get any side-effects from the medicine. After a year, my breathlessness started to get the better of me so portable oxygen was prescribed, and this really helped.

In 2022, I had to stop going to work as I found myself exhausted and had no energy left. I was called to the Lung Transplant Unit at the Mater Hospital for a series of tests. I had to get an oxygen concentrator to give me enough oxygen to breathe – I felt like a prisoner in my own home and I could only get as far as the back door. My health deteriorated and I was brought to Limerick University Hospital and then transferred to the Mater University Hospital. There I was put on a new oxygen machine which really helped. I was there for over 2-months when one morning in the early hours, I was told there was a potential lung donation. This turned out to be a match for me and the lung transplant went ahead.

I will never forget the feeling of waking up without oxygen to help me breathe – that feeling was fantastic I have been lucky enough to have a second chance at life which I intend to use every day. The importance of organ donation to people like me is literally life-changing. I pray to my donor and their family every night and thank them for taking the difficult decision that day. Ever since, I have excelled in building up my weight from 52kg to my normal weight of 68kg. My walking is up to 5km a day so far and my leg strength is returning.

Many thanks for everything.”

John McMahon