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WHILE SHE WAS carrying me, my mother had high blood pressure and decided to go to the hospital.
They carried out some checks, and one of the nurses realised something was wrong. She called for another nurse to come and take a look.
That was when Betty, who I call my guardian angel, came into my life. Betty recognised that my mother was in early labour, and that I was in serious distress in the womb.
I was born prematurely by emergency C-section in December 1989, weighing just 3lbs 3oz and with my organs on the outside of my body.
The official name for my condition is exomphalos, also known as omphalocele, it’s a rare defect in the abdominal wall where the intestines, liver, and sometimes other organs, stay in a clear sac outside the body.
If Betty hadn’t noticed that I was in foetal distress, I definitely wouldn’t be here today.
Exomphalos is present in approximately one in every 4,000 births and has a high mortality rate of around 25%.
There’s also a risk of severe malformations such as cardiac anomalies, neural tube defects and other issues.
Because it is rare and because I was so small, my family was told I wouldn’t live.
They quickly arranged for me to be baptised, confirmed and given the last rites all in one go.
The following day I was transferred to Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital Crumlin.
It was eight weeks before I was well enough to be transferred to a hospital in my hometown, Limerick.
Shortly before my second birthday, I went back to Crumlin for surgery and my organs were returned to their rightful place inside my body.
After that on my next birthday, I received a special blessing in my local church to make up for the rushed and informal christening.
Bullying
As I grew up, there were few differences between me and the other kids where I lived.
The only real problem was the bullying I endured because I looked a bit different – the surgery had left me with a long scar down my abdomen and no belly button.
From the age of five right up until I left school at 19, I endured taunts, teasing and downright nastiness. I’d be called a freak, an alien and the ‘inside-out girl’.
I honestly thought that once I left school that would be the end of it, but a couple of years later a group of my former fellow students again began to harass me, this time on social media.
Alongside the usual name-calling, they told me everyone would be happier if I was dead and I should just kill myself. They found it hilarious that this kind of thing upset me.
They reminisced on Facebook about what a great time they’d had bullying me and talked about changing their profile pictures to photographs either of me or of a belly button.
They used a popular song in the charts at that time, Memories by David Guetta, to make fun of me. To this day, if I hear the song it takes me right back to those awful, unhappy days.
The thing is, these people weren’t children anymore. They were all aged 19, 20, 21 – they’d been to college and got jobs.
Once, I bumped into the ringleader in a local shop. I quaked inside, waiting for her to start on me – but she never said a word. I realised she wasn’t so brave without a computer screen to shield her. It still upset me, though, and really affected my life.
I’d worry about running into them when I was out and about. I lost interest in doing the things I loved.
How could anyone think it was funny to tell someone to kill themselves?
I didn’t talk to anyone about it because when I’d tried to express my feelings before, I had been told to get over it and that they were only words and I should ignore them.
It made me feel alone and that this was something I had to work out myself.
Running away
On top of this, my beloved grandfather died not long afterwards.
He was more than my grandad – he was my best friend he raised me and I felt lost without him. I gave in to the dark feelings that surrounded me and sank into a deep depression.
I couldn’t cope anymore. This was too much. I tried to tell people how I was feeling, to let them know I really needed some help, but nobody listened.
Finally, at my lowest, I ran away from my family because I needed space, to get away from everyone and because I couldn’t see a way forward. I was suffering from serious depression at that time.
Later, following the death of my grandmother, I decided to return home and move in with my other grandmother, who had raised me and I became her carer. Focusing on that, as well as opening up to people and writing down how I felt – all helped me get better.
Now I want to reach out to anyone else who is being bullied or suffering from depression. Even if you don’t have anyone in your life you can open up to, there are helplines and online support groups you can turn to.
There are people ready and willing to listen and offer support.
Lucky
I was lucky, and by 2012 my life was looking up.
I got married and gave birth to a beautiful and healthy baby boy. The previous year I’d joined a support group for people with exomphalos, and now I decided it was time to learn more about the condition I’d been born with.
That led to me finding another support group that connected people like me all around the world. It was a lifeline.
I’d always felt alone because I didn’t know anyone else like me, and now I had a whole group of friends who had been through the same thing and understood exactly what it was like.
Two years later, I had my baby daughter – just as gorgeous and healthy as her older brother.
I’d been worried my condition would cause problems with my pregnancies, but apart from some scar pain as my bumps grew and shrank there were none.
I had an excellent obstetrician who gave me the special care I needed for my fragile abdomen. That was thanks to the wonderful Betty, who recommended the obstetrician and I trusted her judgment completely
The worst was behind me – or so I believed.
Further harassment
In 2015, three of my former schoolmates started harassing me on social media again, including telling me to kill myself.
I tried to block them, but somehow they’d find a way to comment on posts that I would see. I became scared to leave the house or go shopping in case I saw them.
At the time, my son was two years old and my daughter was seven months. They knew this and yet they still told me to commit suicide.
What must go through an adults mind – to think it’s ok to treat someone like this and possibly leave two young kids without a mum?
I told myself I had to rise above this and not let them get to me. They weren’t worth the nightmares, the stress or the fear.
It was hard, but I did it. I kept reminding myself that if I could survive exomphalos I could survive anything.
Creating support for others
This latest episode prompted me to explore what help was available in Ireland for people with exomphalos or parents whose babies are born with it. It didn’t take long to discover there wasn’t any support group here as the condition is so rare.
Determined to bring something positive to the world, in June 2015 I launched the only exomphalos/omphalocele support group in Ireland.
It’s a safe space for parents who have a child with the condition to meet others who are going through the same thing. Somewhere they can ask any questions they might have and know they’ll be supported and understood.
It’s a way of letting more people know about the condition and also celebrating all the ‘little warriors’ who have survived and remembering the ones who didn’t.
Today, things are pretty good. My health is fine with no issues related to my condition. My guardian angel Betty has been with me through it all.
If any other parent has a child with exomphalos, I hope my story gives them hope that they too could live a happy, healthy and normal life.
Edwina Wrenn is 29 years old and lives in Limerick, Ireland. She is a full-time mum to two children, Jamie and Eloise.
She runs the only support network in Ireland for survivors of exomphalos and parents of babies born with exomphalos.
When she gets the chance she enjoys going to concerts, antique fairs and to the movies.
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Who on earth clears a tent without first checking if there is anyone inside?
@Gavin: you don’t know the facts .
@Mark Mccormack: there is no facts it should be checked
@Gavin: a southsider
@Gavin: State violence against homeless people, treated like a bag of rubbish, disgraceful.
@fabio – what relevance has your comment?
@Deborah O’Connell O’Keeffe: I totally agree with you, I just can not believe anybody with any kind of working brain would not check it before trying to dispose of it, it’s not like it’s the first tenth set up in Dublin ever they are all over the city with people living in them.
@Mark Mccormack: and you do
@Ann Morris Doolan: how do we know they didn’t. Sometimes people can try to hide their presence and hide under a pile of clothes inside and refuse to answer calls… It is bad reporting where the full facts are not outlined or at least the questions asked. Then we are left to speculate and some bad mouth the council or government or whoever they wish.
I am not being unsympathetic but without knowing the full circumstances we cannot make an informed judgement but merely a guess.
@Joe Conway: wouldn’t happen on the Northside is my point! (Shrugging emoji)
@Niall Ó Cofaigh: How about they look under the pile of clothes then ?? Surely they aren’t that stupid not to.. Its really not that difficult, the mind boggles..
@Anthony Lambe: Congrats. You managed to squeeze every stereotype of homeless people into just four lines. btw – have you considered the fact that he may have been asleep and wouldn’t have heard any call. It was his ‘home’ after all.
@Seosamh Snr Nolan:
Hanlon’s razor: Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity.
@Gavin: I assume that everybody feigning true compassion is going to call to hospital today to see how the poor guy is doing?
@Mark O Sullivan: SMD with your gibberish
@Diogenes: Use your head, drama queen. Think rationally for a second about the most likely scenario that led to this man being injured. A council worker who couldn’t give a toss just scooped up the tent without checking if anyone was inside, or he had special instructions from State officials not to check because, sure, they are only homeless people and they don’t matter. Your hatred for Government is clouding your mind and stopping you from arriving at the obvious answer here.
@Niall Ó Cofaigh: that’s like something leo would say
@Gavin: DCC AND WATERWAYS IRELAND DO
@Tommy Roche: ‘state officials’ had no role in a council job.
@Seosamh Snr Nolan: what has this got to do with Leo?
@Niall Ó Cofaigh: ultimately it’s the governments fault in any case, letting the homeless crises get so out of hand. If you were going to demolish a house, would you do so without making 100% sure it was empty. It’s going to get covered up for sure and now we have a election, so that’s going to fill all the media’s time. But people should go to jail for this but they won’t!!
@Tommy Roche: ask yourself why these people hate the government
@Niall Ó Cofaigh: Even if you hypothesis is true, the person inside the tent could be drunk, drugged, or otherwise incapacitated. Therefore a thorough manual checking of the tent was necessary. Then there is the issue of the worldly possessions of the person in the tent.
@Martin Ryan: Ffs, do you think they knocked on the door? Rang the doorbell? Maybe the zipper was stuck or they heard snoring? Maybe the moon is made of cheese? Maybe….
@Mark Mccormack: I hardly think if they checked and knew someone was inside they would have proceeded to clear the tent unless they are completely stupid
@Tommy Roche: another Fine Gael Bootlicker, toddle on.
@Martin Ryan: no I haven’t considered that fact martin. Have you considered what I said or are people like yourself the perpetually outraged so closed minded to the truth that an honest summation of the situation sends you into excuse mode. The likely hood that drugs or alcohol has played it’s part in that guy being homeless is astronomically high so please don’t talk to me about stereotypes., in saying that I wish the poor guy never got hurt but I don’t blame anybody be it council workers or emergency personnel not climbing into that tent and I stand by my reasons earlier. It was just a complete accident and nobody would want to see somebody get injured like that., but to blame the council or the government is just ridiculous and it doesn’t help or solve anything.
@Gavin: The unpalatable fact is that people living in tents in the run up to an election don’t look good.
@Patricia Thomond Sarsfield: patricia, yes, i’ll see you next tuesday at the hospital
@Gavin: First question is Why are so many people living in tents blaming a poor worker driving a digger ain’t the place to start
Joint First
EOGHAN MURPHY
Simon Coveney ran out of Housing ministry
Leo as the man ultimately where the buck stops
@Ann Morris Doolan: how far should they go to find out if it’s empty? Not knowing if the guy has an addiction to drink or drugs, if he has mental health problems or if he is sitting there with a weapon in silence because he owes money and he feels threatened so the first person to enter his tent is getting it or whether he is just asleep and can’t hear there’s no way I would be entering a tent like that with all those possibilities and don’t blame anyone else that won’t either. Now I’m sure the council workers called and banged on the tent and when they got no answer assumed it was empty.. we know he was in there and didn’t make himself known so are the bleeding heart brigade saying he’s not to blame in any way?
Homelessness is a result of Fine Geals refusal to build very tall buildings in Dublin. The urban sprawl and desperately inflated house prices as a result is shocking
@AJ Con: that would be the local authorities, not any part of the national government.
@AJ Con: picture says it all with Eoghan Murphy’s poster raised about the scene.
@milton friedman: Would Mr Murphy have gotten tent removed becouse he seen the irony of poster and tent . Conspiracy hat on tonight
This is shocking. Absolutely shocking. What clown fired ahead without checking inside the tent first?
@Insider at RTE: Typical blame anyone but FG
Tragic and life changing injuries according to RTE news this morning.
Dear Jesus
@Grumpyoldtroll: Yes?
This FF-FG coalition government the worst for decades.
@Peter McGlynn:
And just look at the election poster in the picture..
You couldn’t make it up.
@Peter McGlynn: You obviously don’t read . The man is sleeping rough because he wants to.why is that so hard to believe. ” The Dublin Region Homeless Executive has been engaging with the individual for some time and accommodation remains available to the individual,”
@Marie Broomfield: well said… but social media doesn’t like facts! Groupthink!
@Tom Kelly: For whatever reason thos man did not accept accommodation offered and felt safer sleeping on tent. He now suffers life changing injuries as a result of being cleared by JCB like a bag of garbage. How many other tents containing peoples belongings were also disposed of. People called these tents home.
What a sick society we have become when human beings are treated like this.
I hope he sues the pants off Dublin cc. Might be enough to buy or rent somewhere he can live comfortably.
@Rachel O’ Meara: if he moves in bedside you i’m sure you’ll have no complaints
@Rachel O’ Meara: Did it cross your mind that he may not want to buy or in fact live indoors for that matter. Maybe his tent was all he could manage , until the JCB decided differently for him.
@Wheresmyjumper: None at all, in fact if I had a spare bedroom and lived in Dublin I’d invite him to stay.
@rosemarie slamon: Homeless by choice, that’s a new one on me I have to say.
@Wheresmyjumper: Troll, troll, troll all day… Plenty of overtime for all the trolls now, with the election. Media, willing facilitators for the trolls… Why? No integrity or control…?
@Rachel O’ Meara: I don’t believe that because it’s not true
@John O’Hara: so if you are calling me a troll over what I said presumably you’d have no concerns whatsoever if the council bought the house beside yours and turned it into a shelter?
@Wheresmyjumper: The fact that this is what concerns you about this matter shows you up for the scared little NIMBY that you obviously are.
@Wheresmyjumper: It would be more preferable than living next door a jumped up neighbour with a chip on their shoulder, boasting about a holiday to French Rivera while complaining about the lack of brunch options in the area. Living in their bubble inflated with debt.
@chihuahua: it really wouldn’t
@Rachel O’ Meara: apparently he was offered accommodation and refused.
@lee Jones: Not sure what that has to do with negligence of the driver. Get indoors or you could be potentially be killed by a JCB
@chihuahua: I don’t debate with faceless trolls you want to debate with me use your real name.
@Wheresmyjumper: just look at her nose. Obviously makes a habit of lying!
@lee Jones: you believe negligence is for debate, I’ll leave you be, but thanks.
How do they remove the tents? Genuine question.
@Gas Craic Altogether: from reading comments above, JCB!
They shouldn’t be removing the tents AT ALL to begin with, they’re a human being’s makeshift “home” in the crappy inflated housing market we’re stuck with and even if there wasn’t anyone in it at the time, to think it’s morally acceptable that someone who probably has almost nothing to begin with should return to their ‘home’ and find it gone is absolutely repulsive.
@Patrick FitzGerald: read the article. Looks like he was offered accommodation. Maybe he and half a dozen mates could pitch tents outside your home and cr*p in your garden.
Why was a JCB used to remove a tent?
@paul kelly: Why indeed, added to which those JCBs work on landfill sites, all kinds of infectious debris spread on humans and their tents..nice work..all rubbish to them
Sad that the poor man still isn’t guaranteed a bed
@Wheresmyjumper: your missing the point. He is in hospital!
@Colm Beck: he said “still” meaning he wasn’t offered a bed before, also this level of injury would certainly guarantee you a bed,
@Wheresmyjumper: Not biting
@Dermot Fox: he is. There are more beds available than there are rough sleepers. This problem is far more complex.
@Wheresmyjumper: For all you know, either. Asscrack.
@John Mulligan: you missed what i was getting at
People of Ireland should be ashamed of themselves , a vote for FFG is a vote to normalise people sleeping rough, the people are a disgrace…
@MickN: and they expect us to welcome refugees.
@Kathleen O Connor: “Genuine” refugees are welcome as far as I am concerned!
@Kathleen O Connor: we welcome refugees with open arms and donate over 600 million to various charities and NGO’s in overseas aid, but there’s never money for needs of our own
@Philip Siggins: the legitimate refugees, I don’t have any problem with. But the 650 million in foreign aid, could build 1500 – 2000 houses every year for that, if there’s the political will. The 650 million foreign aid budget is one question I’ll be asking, when I meet the candidate!
A JCB to lift a tent. Really???
Why use a fork lift ? It is a tent …could they not take down by hand ?
@Sinéad Ní Ógáin: there could be used syringes, faeces, gods knows what in and around the tents, so no, I dont expect any council employee to have to dismantle them by hand. But on the other hand, its obviously not enough to shout out “is anyone inside” when dealing with people incapacitated by drink, drugs, mental issues or who dont speak English.
A sad incitement of Fine Gael and their FF Facilitators.
@Seán Marlow: So the IRA facilitators would be better running the country checking every thing with the ARMY COUNCIL First
Can’t believe some people think it’s relevant that he was previously offered a bed. This is a human being and no matter how difficult, drunk, high or otherwise, nothing excuses ploughing into his tent with a digger. Nothing!
I notice the journal left this paragraph out when the lifted the article from Irish Times – just adding it in here the fact the unfortunate man has always had the option of accommodation.
“The Executive has been engaging with the individual for some time and accommodation remains available to him.
@Anthony Clark: So? People can have different reasons for refusing hostels,etc.This doesn’t excuse someone not checking tent before removal.Hoping the person recovers as well as can be expected with life changing injuries.
Strange that every other news outlet is reporting that this man was found dead in his tent
@my name: I am confused myself but they may in fact be different incidents as the second death is reported as a homeless man found dead beside a bench he used to sleep on for the past two months.
@Honeybee: crazy it was on the radio this morning that he’d passed away. I see that some sources now have their articles changed
20 comments deleted off this article!!sad times from the journal
@nicknack: Mine as well, had a go off that homeless hater “Wheres me jumper”, maybe we can’t call out the FFG lovers anymore.
@Wheresmyjumper: I will agree on the gowls, but in fairness you do sound like you are a member of the crack virgin squad from YFG.
@G Row: it’s anyone who follows any party like a football team is a gowl as are all TD’s and local councillors, pointless people who have no real friends
@nicknack: They can’t upset Leo and co
Sad that the poor man still isnt guaranteed a bed
@Dermot Fox: he is. That’s not the problem.
I once saw a Digger Driver who was cutting out a channel to lay kerbs by the footpath smash a large expensive ceramic tub with flowers in bits put there by the Tidy Towns Committee just because he was too lazy to get out of the Digger for a minute and lift it out of his way.
Not checking that the Tent was empty was unforgivable , the poor unfortunate man, I hope he will be ok,
@Aine O Connor: The digger driver is at fault come off the cross
I assume that everybody feigning true compassion is going to call to hospital today to see how the poor guy is doing?
@Patricia Thomond Sarsfield: Can’t make it myself from the other side of the country but give my best wishes when you’re there
@Patricia Thomond Sarsfield: how silly you sound — I won’t pick up the phone either but I still have compassion for that man and others in homelessness and do other things that you probably wouldn’t understand to show my support
@Patricia Thomond Sarsfield: True compassion can exist for someone you don’t know or have had any kind of interaction with. How can your comment be described? I can’t put anything suitable as it tells me it’s toxic.
@Ed: Hi Ed. I think you’re a bot. Prove you’re not?
@chiqey: Things like getting upset on a comments board?
@Patricia Thomond Sarsfield: yes I most definitely will register my disagreement with people like you – and anything else is my own business. You take the time to be inconsiderate I see
@chiqey: Seems like you’re judging me. Your disagreement is duly registered.
I hope that he will recover….poor man….open the churches that are locked at night..EMPTY…..bring people in out of the cold
I know where his tent was as I pass by daily. It wasn’t near the public path way. It was in a little nook. Something needs to happen with this crisis, the building of transient tech company homes needs to replaced with affordable housing.
It’s not just a huge amount of homeless, it’s completely impossible to live in Dublin with out paying an arm and a leg!
This poor man should sue the state!
The homeless should take a leaf out of the farmers book, descend en mass on the centre of the capital…get a voice.
There are those who can no longer live within 4 walls, provide them with transitional cover until they can take up a housing offer. Remember a lot of homeless people are also mentally ill and in need of help
@helen walsh: “provide them with transitional cover until they can take up a housing offer”
a place to stay was available – but finding a form of shelter that suits the rough sleepers seems to be a very challenging task with no easy solution.
Can’t believe some people think it’s relevant whether or not he was previously offered a bed. No matter how difficult or drunk or high or otherwise, this is a human being and nothing excuses ploughing into tents with a digger without being absolutely certain there’s nobody in them. Nothing!
I didn’t read anywhere that the man was actually inside the tent when the injuries occurred. I read and heard he was inside the tent sleeping when the went to remove the tent. But I’m not so sure he was inside the tent when the removal or injuries occurred.
I’m not saying he wasn’t, but it’s not 100% clear.
@Ah hold on now: He may have already had injuries, but t would be very hard to imagine that being scooped up by a JCB and deposited elsewhere would not result in further injuries
South America here we come, killer JCBs, cleansing the streets of homeless people, what a deterrent .
In my comment in reply to someone’s comment that was deleted I tried to explain the Research into family homelessness in Dublin over 2 years that showed the main reason as tenants losing their private rented accommodation by getting Notices of Termination & that many in emergency accommodation go back into private rented accommodation.
I said for concrete solutions to homelessness that there must be first of all a full assessment of all 13 Catergories of ETHOS typology but unlike many OECD’ countries, Ireland just uses 3 Catergories of ETHOS typology for ‘official’ figures.
I also said unlike RS, people on HAP can and do work.I also mentioned the thresholds to qualify for social housing and the fact that many in social housing work.I also mentioned Revenue data that showed 1.7m workers earn €30,000& under & need affordable housing, social housing or affordable rents.
So why was that deleted?
If anyone can find this man or a relative can you let me know and I’ll make a donation for a solicitor. Hopefully he pulls through and Will be no longer homeless
FF/G ethnic cleansing
There is a little bit more information here, though irrespective of how it happened, it shouldn’t have. It makes absolutely no sense whatsoever that a couple of minutes couldn’t be spent to carry out a proper check. This is gross negligence on the part of whoever gave the go ahead to do this. https://www.rte.ie/news/ireland/2020/0115/1107513-dublin-homeless/
If this was done with a car instead of a JCB the driver would probably be charged with endangering life by dangerous driving and rightly so, I hope there will be consequences for whoever did this awful act,, hopefully he will never be paid with taxpayers money to operate one of these machines again.
You wouldn’t clear vermin this way. Bloody disgraceful!
I hope the workers are prosecuted, and that poor man is property compensated, considering they put his life at risk.
How the hell does something like that happen. Jesus it’s common sense to check the damn tent l.
That’s all this government thinks about the homeless, RUBBISH. Dump it. Sickens me.
Hayley Halpin and the Journal was comment not politically correct enough for you ? And again the Journal breaks it’s journalistic code and removes its comments that it doesn’t like . As you like , absolutely disgusting.
I always thought for clearing tents and illegally dumped garbage they used one of those hydrolic grab arms attached to many contractors lorries and usually used for depositing and clearing up sand, gravel and other road mending materials.
LOOK at whose poster is on the pole over where it happened
HOUSING MINISTER
EOGHAN MURPHY
KARMA KARMA
I’d be pretty sure when the Vincent DePaul and others suggest the government clean up the homelessness issue,well this was not exactly what they had in mind. Needless to say this guy, if he survives, won’t have a lot of money problems from here on…. and with a bit of luck he won’t need to spend it all on psychiatric services.
I feel sorry for the workers also. That would be very traumatic as clearly a accident. Sounds like the poor guy in tent was very seriously injured.
I would not like to have to clean up the possible drug needles and human waste etc left by the homeless. The incident will have to be investigated and maybe the checks were rushed.
Could a journalist do a real investigation on the real reasons the rough sleepers refuse to stay in the hostels.
I hear many excuses and don’t know if I believe any of them and have my own biased theory.
All of those tents belong to homeless people. So the state has failed to the extent that these people have no place else to live and their makeshift homes are now being taken from them?? Is this the latest solution to the homeless problem? Pathetic. Those tents should be protected to serve as a reminder to this colossal failure on the part of the state.
have your say