Health

‘This is the start of the rest of my life,’ Adam Terry (10) said before scoliosis surgery

Mother says operation a success and she could not believe it happened after ‘four years of fighting’

Family file handout photo of Adam Terry (10) from Whitechurch, Co Cork

Vivienne Clarke
Thu Nov 11 2021 - 12:00

The mother of a 10-year-old boy who waited four years for his scoliosis surgery has told of how her son now feels he can start the rest of his life.

Adam Terry. from Whitechurch in Cork, had an operation at Crumlin Children’s Hospital in Dublin on October 29th.

Christine Terry told RTÉ radio’s Today with Claire Byrne show on Thursday that the surgery had been a complete success and that she could not believe it had finally happened after “four years of fighting.”

“There are moments when I feel really proud that we did it, and then there are moments wondering did we do the right thing.”

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Adam is now recovering “better than we ever thought” and was now sitting up like any other 10 and a half year old boy, she said.

In the ambulance on the way home from Crumlin to Cork, Adam told her “this is the start of the rest of my life”, she said. “I told him the world is your oyster and I can’t wait to see what you’re going to do.”

However, Ms Terry said it was frustrating to see the number of other families who were still awaiting surgical appointments. Even while Adam was in hospital, she heard of other surgeries being cancelled. “It really affected me. These are little children.”

Ms Terry said that receiving apologies was fine, but she wanted to see action. “Somebody needs to step up, to take responsibility, to bring leadership.”

Doctors needed resources, they needed more time in theatre, more nurses, she said. “The system is completely broken. It makes me very cross that we had to spend 12 months of our life fighting.”

Her son’s recovery was not just physical, she said. “I also have to work with his soul. He was so damaged, so broken.” Adam was not going to get better immediately, it was going to take time “to get him back.”

Previously her son had said that his childhood was over, she said. Parents in her situation were at the mercy of lists, said Ms Terry.

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