2,000 get-well wishes for Sr Bosco

WELL-known teaching nun, Sr Bosco has attributed her recovery from a stroke last year to the 2,000 get well cards and letters sent to her while she was sick.

Sr Bosco suffered a stroke last summer, which left her unable to speak and paralysed her right side. Now she calls it a miracle that not only is she living life and laughing again but she has regained strength in her right side and her speech has returned.
The Roscrea nun, who has served in the parish of Tulla for many years as a teacher in St Joseph’s Secondary School became emotional recounting the 2,000 get well cards, letters and mass cards sent to her while she was in recovery.
“What a miracle it is to be able to live, love and laugh again because of all your masses, prayers and loving care. God has been so good to me,” she said.
She recalled the rainy summer’s day in 2009 when she was struck with a loss of consciousness, realising for the first time that she was seriously ill.
“It was a Saturday, the day before the weekly car boot sale. I was making preparations for this, as I do every week. I filled the car with many items. There was a beautiful vestment to be dropped into the church in Tulla. When I arrived at the church, I suddenly felt very weak. This was very unlike me, as I have enjoyed good health throughout my life, thank God. I felt so weak on this particular day that I needed to sit in my car and rest. I sat in the car for nearly four hours. I was drifting in and out of consciousness.
“Some time later, Fr Brendan Lawler came into the church as he was getting ready for mass. He noticed my car and came over to me, only to realise that I was seriously ill. He anointed me with the sacrament of the sick. I don’t remember much more. Fr Brendan rang for the doctor and the ambulance. I had suffered a serious stroke,” she recalled.
Sr Bosco was rushed to the Mid-Western Regional Hospital, Ennis and spent two weeks there.
“I have no recollection of my time spent there. My speech was badly affected. I was paralysed down my right side and had no power in my right arm or leg. After two weeks of care in Ennis hospital, I began to improve slightly and was transferred to St Joseph’s Hospital. After vigorous physical and occupational therapy there, I began to see results.
“Two weeks later, I regained the power in my right leg but I needed to learn to walk again. This was the most difficult task that lay ahead of me. It was marvellous to be able to move around once again. Sometime after, the power returned to my right hand and I was able to write again. It was a wonderful feeling to be able to greet visitors with a handshake once more,” Sr Bosco said.
Having spent eight weeks in St Joseph’s Hospital in recovery, Sr Bosco was discharged and has since been residing at the convent in Ennis but on her discharge she was pleasantly surprised to find almost 2,000 mass cards of prayer, blessing and good wishes under her bed.
“I don’t know who many of these well wishers were but I want to put all of these people into God’s prayer,” she said.
Sr Bosco says she will present the mass cards over Lent and a novena of masses will be offered for all of those intentions.