THE family of a dad-of-three who is in a medically induced coma after suffering a stroke is sharing his story to keep them in their home.
Wayne Burns, from Waterside Village, was home with his three daughters aged 12, 17 and 19 on Thursday night when he yelled, ‘I think I’m having a stro…’ before he fell to the floor.
His wife Lindsay, a locum A&E nurse who has been working in the Isle of Man, was Facetimed by one of the daughters, while another called 999.
Furniture salesman Wayne, 52, was taken to Whiston Hospital diagnosed with having had a haemorrhagic stroke.
Lindsay was home by his side by the early hours of Friday, but he is in a medically induced coma where the severity of his injuries is not yet known.
Now the family are facing an uncertain future.
Lindsay, 45, explains: “The girls reacted so quickly, and my middle daughter Samara went with Wayne to hospital where they established he had a bleed, so they intubated him to maintain and protect his airway.
“They cannot assess him properly until he can breathe on his own, but they have tried a few times to remove the breathing apparatus and he’s been unable to breathe without it.
“All we know is this has caused a catastrophic brain injury; we do not know how much of Wayne has been damaged and that it was caused by high blood pressure.
“We are just doing everything we can to spend time with him and try to get him to breathe on his own.”
However, financial worries are now plaguing the family.
Lindsay added: “I work as a locum A&E nurse so if I don’t work I don’t get paid and Wayne’s company do not pay sick pay, so he will only get statutory sick pay once he has been off for seven days.
“How sad that this week he is fighting for his life and is entitled to nothing.
“Our critical illness policies only covers you for death or a terminal diagnosis with a life expectancy of less than 12 months.
“Our world has been torn apart and I can cope with most things, but I cannot lose our home.
“Wayne needs us by him and unless I go back to work, we won’t be able to survive to pay bills, the girls are going through enough, especially the youngest one.
“That’s why my friend set up a fundraising page, which I was against at first as I don’t like asking for help, but she said ‘you lived out of the home during Covid to treat others, putting yourself at risk and keeping away from your loved ones, you worked 28 out of 30 days in a stretch when the public needed you, now you need support, so let us try and help your family.’
“I didn’t know how to argue with that really, so she’s set up a fundraising page to raise funds so we can stay together, not fear we will lose our dream home and hopefully get as much of the Wayne we love back, it’s not even certain he will make it he’s in a critical condition.”
To donate, go to gofundme.com/f/lindsays-husband-wayne-critically-ill
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