Sheila’s Team: A family united in care

30 Oct 2024

At nearly 98 years old, Sheila is a beloved mother and grandmother whose strength has kept her family close through life’s challenges. In August 2024, Sheila faced a serious health scare that brought her daughters and extended family together in an inspiring display of love and support.

Sheila with her daughters and Dr Chang

For over a decade, Sheila has been under the care of Professor Andrew Chang at the Sydney Eye Hospital, receiving regular injections for macular degeneration. These treatments have been vital in preserving her vision. “Without those injections, my mum would have been completely blind years ago,” says Belinda, Sheila's daughter who lives in New York. “But they’re not without some risk, and it was after a routine injection in August that things took a nasty turn.”

Sheila developed an infection in her left eye, prompting immediate action from the nursing home staff in Castle Hill. They recognized the urgency and took her to see a doctor right away. Belinda, despite being thousands of miles away, was in constant contact with Sheila's healthcare team. “I knew Dr Chang needed to see her,” says Belinda. “I’ve been involved in Mum’s care for years, so I understood the seriousness of the situation.”

Belinda, Sheila Carma

Eye infections after a macular injection are rare, but they can occur. While serious complications like infections are uncommon, they can happen, and any potential risks are outweighed by the benefits of preserving vision in conditions like macular degeneration.

Almost a decade ago, Sheila had a similar infection that was successfully treated by Dr Chang within 24 hours. However, this time the infection flared up over a weekend, and by the time Sheila was seen, a few days had passed. As fate would have it, Belinda was traveling in Paris when she received the call from Dr Chang after a follow-up appointment with Sheila.

“He said, ‘Your mum is really sick; I’m going to have to do an emergency operation,’” recalls Belinda. 

Deeply concerned, she knew she could rely on Dr Chang’s genuine care and that her sister-in-law Sally, who lives in Sydney, could be there for Sheila. “It is very challenging living overseas when you have an elderly parent, but Dr Chang kept me updated in real-time, and I was able to pass on the latest news to Sally and the rest of the family,” Belinda says. “We have a WhatsApp group dubbed ‘Sheila’s Team’ to coordinate care and share updates about Mum.”

After the first emergency operation, Sheila returned to the nursing home, but complications arose. “Mum kept rubbing her eye, which wasn’t helping it get better,” Belinda explains. It was Sally who recognized something wasn’t right during a visit. “She FaceTimed me when she was with Mum, and we agreed we needed to go back to Dr Chang urgently,” says Belinda.

Sheila and Belinda with Dr Chang

Following a scheduled medical appointment, Dr Chang phoned Belinda again to say her mother needed another emergency operation. This time, his tone was more serious. 

“He called and said this is not the end, but that I needed to come to Sydney immediately to be with my mum. He didn’t want to operate a second time without me there,” says Belinda. 

Heart racing, she boarded the next flight to Sydney. “I was writing her eulogy on the plane,” she admits, struggling with the gravity of her mother’s condition.

Carma, Sheila’s other daughter, flew in from New Zealand, and they met Dr Chang before the operation. Belinda tearfully remembers his sobering yet comforting words.

 “He said to us, ‘I always think the best thing to do is do your best. The best thing we can do is operate, and the window is now,’” Belinda says. 

The sisters gratefully found refuge with Sally, who ensured they had all the comforts of home. “Sally said she’d keep the home fires burning, just like Mum always did,” Belinda shares.

Sheila and her family at Sydney Eye Hospital

The emotional strain of the experience weighed heavily on Belinda and Carma. “Seeing my mum delirious with pain and not in a good place was heart-wrenching. You want your family to be comfortable, and the reality is that you’re in the hospital because you’re not comfortable,” Belinda shares. Dr Chang and the rest of the hospital staff’s commitment to Sheila was unwavering, Belinda recalls. 

“I felt so comforted knowing we were in professional hands. Everyone from the emergency team to the nursing staff was miraculous. They were so kind and caring towards Mum when she was in such a bad way.”

After the second operation, there was relief: although Sheila lost some sight in her left eye, her overall condition improved significantly. “It was a major win that she didn’t die under the general anaesthetic and that she didn’t lose her eye,” Belinda says.

Now, as Sheila continues to recover in her nursing home, her family remains united. “Our family is pretty close, and in some ways, it’s because of the distance,” says Belinda. “We are very aware that Mum doesn’t have as much ahead of her as she does behind her. But we’re committed to being there for her, just as she was always there for us. Mum has always been our rock. Now, it’s our turn to support her, just as she always did for us,” Belinda says.

Sally visiting mum with her mum joan and dog Chance