Fermanagh priest Fr. Gary Donegan expressed deep appreciation for the National Health Service (NHS) as he recently underwent his fourth major surgery, aiming to restore his sight.
Fr. Donegan, based in Newtownbutler, has been in and out of hospitals since December, undergoing multiple procedures to address issues with his vision. His most recent surgery focused on his eye, with hopes of improving his sight.
Taking to Facebook to share updates, Fr. Donegan humorously remarked, “Well, it’s official. I’ve now had more operations than Muhammad Ali had comebacks.” Despite expecting to be discharged, a sudden turn of events led him back to the operating room under the care of Professor Augusto Azuara-Blanco.
Following the procedure, Fr. Donegan reported positive feedback from Professor Blanco regarding the outcome of the surgery. However, the journey hasn’t been without its challenges. Fr. Donegan, affectionately known as the ‘Priest in the Jeans’, experienced severe side effects post-surgery, including a painful night on morphine and an unexpected fainting episode resulting in discomfort on his left side.
Fr. Donegan’s vision issues stemmed from a bleed in his right eye before Christmas, causing significant damage. Despite the setbacks, he remains resilient and continues to undergo treatment in hopes of restoring his vision.
