Paddy O’Brien is facing into 2020 with new hope and fresh enthusiasm after a very demanding year in 2019. Recurring health issues necessitated the decision by O’Brien to cancel almost all gigs during the year.“It was a very tough year for me health-wise and one that is best forgotten,” says Paddy. “I spent nearly five months in hospital, on and off, and that meant nearly all shows with the exception of a tiny few, fell by the wayside. I had intended to do some recording as well but that did not happen either.”
Paddy O’Brien is facing into 2020 with new hope and fresh enthusiasm after a very demanding year in 2019. Recurring health issues necessitated the decision by O’Brien to cancel almost all gigs during the year.
“It was a very tough year for me health-wise and one that is best forgotten,” says Paddy. “I spent nearly five months in hospital, on and off, and that meant nearly all shows with the exception of a tiny few, fell by the wayside. I had intended to do some recording as well but that did not happen either.”
A short time after being released from hospital, I started getting weak again
The trouble began for Paddy last February when he felt himself getting weak and lacking energy. “I went to the doctor on a few occasions and had a number of tests done. I was sent to another hospital and they did further tests. I was bleeding internally and I had six blood transfusions and other treatments as well.
“A short time after being released from hospital, I started getting weak again and had to go back into the hospital for more transfusions. Between February and September, I had several blood transfusions over nine stays in the hospital. It was not easy.
“They discovered the bleeding was high up in my stomach. They thought the fact that I had already four stents in may have something to do with it and that it may have been made worse by the fact that I was taking a blood thinner. They decided to take me off the blood thinner and see if things improved in anyway.
“Three weeks later, I felt strange and weak again. I got out of the car one day and my vision in my left eye was gone completely. Straight away I was put back on the thinners and had five bloods transfusions again.”
It was a pattern Paddy had to endure over the next few months. In a further effort to prevent bleeding, Paddy underwent a procedure known as “left atrial appendage closure”.
“There are major risks involved with it and there are only two doctors who perform it here in Ireland. I refused it at the start as I thought it would be too risky. When the medical team said my ongoing problem would continue to happen at a more frequent rate, I said I would go for the procedure in October
“It may or may not work but I thought the odds were good to give it a try. I have been told not to fly for a few months since I got the last procedure done and to avoid long shows now. I had a further operation in early December to rectify the bleeding in the stomach.
“The two major operations were done in the Bon Secours Hospital in Cork while I had further treatment in the Mercy Hospital in Cork as well as investigative procedures in Aut Even Hospital in Kilkenny. I would like to thank the wonderful staff in all three hospitals for their kindness to me along the way.
“This was my first Christmas off the road in 33 years since I went professional on the country circuit. But one has to be realistic in the circumstances. Many of my great friends passed in 2019, who helped me so much along the way. Whoever is lucky enough to be OK today, there is no guarantee what tomorrow will bring for anyone.”
In the middle of Paddy’s own health issues came the sad news of the death of his nephew, Peter Cahill, in France last June. “My sister died in 1978 and Peter spent so much of his time in our house with my mother and father. He worked for me in the pork and bacon business for a few years and also did the sound for my band for six years.
“Peter met a French girl and they later moved to France where he had lived for the last 20 years. His death was a major blow in the middle of my own health journey. There is nobody exempt from trouble. As my mother used to always say, ‘You think you are bad with a broken leg until you see someone with no leg’.”
The dawn of a new decade sees Paddy adopt a philosophical outlook on life. “At this stage, I am looking forward to my two annual weekends in February which marks the 26th year of these gatherings.
I am content that the health issue I have will be resolved, please God
“The first is in Lalor’s of Dungarvan on the 7, 8 and 9 February and the other is in Clayton White’s Hotel, Wexford, the following weekend. I plan to be on stage with my band on all the nights and we will be joined by a host of other top names over the two weekends.
“I am content that the health issue I have will be resolved, please God, and that the latest procedure, which gives me a 70% chance that I may not have to go back to hospital, will work out OK. If that’s the case, it’s brilliant, and if not, we’ll go on to plan B whatever that may be.”
Further details about Paddy’s weekends in Dungarvan and Wexford are available on his website.
Read more
Heard it through the grapevine
Country Sound: Johnny McEvoy on the road again
This is a subscriber-only article
SHARING OPTIONS: