Мать троих детей с хронической болью живет в палатке после выселения из дома

Kildare mum in chronic pain is now living in a tent A 44-YEAR-OLD mother of three has been living in a tent for a week now, after her Sallins landlord sold up when she had been unable to work for a year due to a chronic cervical and spine condition that has put a titanium plate and screws in her neck. “Kildare County Council already holds medical documentation concerning my condition,” said the woman, with that awful edge of despair in her voice when she spoke to the . “I am approved for HAP [housing assistance payment], I am on Kildare County Council’s social housing list, and I have repeatedly tried to secure private rented accommodation without success. I contacted the council and homeless services repeatedly before losing my home, yet despite all of this I have now had to leave my home, and I am homeless.” Her eldest child has emigrated, but her two younger children – both adults, with one working – are living with this mother and her two dogs in the tent. “I previously worked in retail [in Kildare Village, and Sallins], but serious health problems have left me with significant physical limitations,” she explained. “I have undergone cervical spine surgery and have a titanium plate and screws in my neck. This was confirmed in a doctor’s report seen by the . ‘The patient underwent cervical spine surgery eight years ago, but despite the intervention she continues to suffer from persistent pain and reduced function in both upper limbs,’ wrote her doctor. ‘These reduced functions significantly affect her ability to carry out daily activities, and have a considerable impact on her quality of life. ‘Patient is currently awaiting an appointment with an orthopaedic consultant at Tallaght Hospital. In view of her ongoing medical condition, chronic pain, and physical disability, it is my professional opinion that she requires appropriate, stable and suitable housing,’ the report states. “At first, friends have allowed me to stay on their property for three days only as an emergency arrangement, but there is not sufficient accommodation for my family and we are having to use a tent,” explained the mother. “I have not secured another home. This is not alternative accommodation, and it is not a solution to my homelessness. “Emergency hotel accommodation was offered by the council’s homeless team, but because I had this temporary three-day arrangement and important medical appointments locally, I explained that I would contact them again when these three days ended. “I have also had to arrange storage for my family's belongings myself, and the county council has informed me that it will not cover this [€120 per month] cost. “I am not asking to be treated more favourably than another vulnerable family. I am asking a much simpler question: what is a medically vulnerable mother with children actually expected to do when she has HAP approval, cannot find a landlord willing to accept her, loses her home and cannot afford all the additional costs herself? “I have correspondence from Kildare County Council and Homeless Services, medical documentation, records of my attempts to obtain assistance and correspondence with public representatives,” she offered openly. She believes heavy lifting may have led to a shift of the titanium plate in her neck. “I couldn’t feel my hand working … but I had to work to pay €2,000 for rent,” she sighed. “I was told to stop working but because my contributions were too low; I can’t get any sickness benefit until January. I get €15 a week from the council as a rent supplement. Now I’m homeless. The landlord told me to leave in June, and I did on 8 August. “The council could only put me in a hotel 60km from here, but my doctor is from Naas. I just stay in the tent with my dogs, because I can’t stay on the street with my dogs. “I get €250 unemployment benefit a week. I have HAP for €2,600, and Kildare County Council said they would pay a deposit. But I checked Daft.ie on the first day, and there were only six houses in Naas, and no answers. “The doctor advised I can’t really go to a hotel and he wants to check for osteoporosis to see why the plate moved. I’m taking such strong medicine, which only makes me sleep, which is very dangerous. “I had to borrow the tent from neighbours. I’ve never been in this situation before never asked for help. I’ve been working all my life … I don’t know what to do.” Following her original conversation with the , the woman was admitted to a hospital in Dublin, where she was unconscious for three days, and was still in hospital as of last Friday. “At night it got very cold in the tent, and I developed a kidney infection,” said she said from her hospital bed. “The doctors don’t want me going back to a tent. During this time my children and our dogs have remained at the tent. “Our housing situation has still not been resolved, and I have received no practical housing solution from Kildare County Council during these days,” she concluded.