...while family waits for emergency medical card for stricken toddler

A Monksland father has made a heart-rending plea to the HSE to give his sick daughter an emergency medical card as mounting medical bills are placing an unbearable strain on his family. Speaking to the Westmeath Independent this week, Robert Carroll told of how his little daughter Hannah has a life-threatening cardiac condition and has to be tube fed every three hours. Robert is unemployed and his wife Laura, who works in St Hilda's is currently on maternity leave. He explained that their three-month-old daughter, Hannah was diagnosed with a hole in her heart and two other serious cardiac conditions just over a month ago. Since then, he estimates they have paid out over €1,000 in medical expenses between paying for the bed in Crumlin, travel expenses, medical appointments and her prescribed food, something they just cannot sustain. At present, little Hannah only weighs 4.22kg and has to be tube fed in a bid to bring her up to 10kg she needs to be to have the first of four scheduled operations. "It's an emergency. We're under enough stress without worrying about where the money is coming from," he said. He appealed for some help for his family and for his medical card application to be processed as an emergency application. "We can't keep going on the way we are. The expense is too much. We're asking for a little bit of help. We're not bothered about ourselves, it's for her." Clearly exasperated with the lack of news on his medical card application since it was lodged on September 1, the couple, who live with their daughter in River Village, Monksland, said they expected a decision from the HSE last Friday, but when he arrived home a letter from health authorities stated that if the family has not received a decision by October 13 to contact them. Robert said he cannot understand why it is taking so long and why his daughter's case cannot be prioritised for a decision, revealing that he was told it takes 15 days before the HSE even consider a posted application. "I don't know what she has to have wrong with her to get one (medical card). It's open heart surgery. We really need it. We can't afford it otherwise," he said, adding they have already contacted Deputy Denis Naughten in relation to their case. "Every time you ring you're being told something different." A social worker in Our Lady's Hospital in Crumlin has written a letter in support of Hannah's case recommending that her application be processed as an emergency application, stressing that the little girl has a life-threatening heart condition.