Mum-of-four told husband she 'wouldn't make it' before dying from internal bleeding in hospital bed

Eilis Cronin Walsh, died on October 17, 2021 at the age of 49, eight days after an operation to remove her pancreas, gall bladder, and spleen at St Vincent’s Hospital in Dublin.

She developed an infection that led to severe internal bleeding, which went undetected until it was too late. On October 16, during a hospital visit, Eilis told her husband, James Walsh, that she was “not going to make it.” Though he tried to reassure her, she insisted, saying, “I’m dying,” which would be their last conversation, as reported by The Irish Times.

During the inquest, it emerged that crucial blood test results on the day of Eilis’s death, which showed “obviously abnormal” signs of internal bleeding, were not urgently communicated to her medical team.

Despite two failed attempts to alert the ward, no further actions were taken to ensure the team was informed, even though the lab was just a short walk from the ward. Surgeon Donal Maguire explained that if the results had been promptly communicated, doctors would have intervened sooner.

The inquest heard that these lapses violated hospital protocol, prompting a review and updated measures. The delayed results were only discovered around 7pm by a nurse, seven hours after they were available. Eilis was treated immediately, but she passed away shortly after 9pm.

Mr Maguire explained that Eilis likely experienced a minor bleed the night before, which went undetected due to stable vitals. However, on October 17, an artery ruptured, causing a “massive bleed” that proved fatal.

He described this as an “unforeseeable deterioration” given her previous condition. Pathologist Dr Susan Aherne confirmed Eilis’s cause of death as hypovolemic shock due to severe intra-abdominal bleeding, a rapid drop in blood volume that compromises organ function.

In her verdict, Coroner Aisling Gannon ruled Eilis’s death as “medical misadventure,” an unintended outcome resulting from a medical procedure. Hospital barrister Caoimhe Daly issued an apology for the failures in Eilis’s care, expressing the hospital’s condolences and clarifying that “medical misadventure” refers to an unintended outcome rather than fault.

Outside the court, Eilis’s son, Kevin Walsh, spoke of his family’s pain: “I hope no other family has to go through this. Eilis was a wonderful mum and a great human being. It is sad to see such a lovely person die so young.”