HEALTH Despatches from the ICU Dr Catherine Motherway, Consultant Intensivist at Limerick University Hospital Edel Nolan, ICU Nurse and Acting Clinical Facilitator, St Vincents University Hospital Every day in the ICU is very different. Some says are quiet, some days are busy, some days are hell, you know how it goes. When I work in the ICU, I see patients and decide whether or not they need ICU care. If they do, they will come into the ICU and receive whatever treatments or therapies are required. I work with the multidisciplinary team: nurses, physiotherapists, speech therapists, pharmacists, microbiologists and radiologists. Initially, with Covid, there was a huge anxiety that we would face scenes like our colleagues in Italy faced but it didnt get that bad, thankfully. Talking to families and relatives is a big part of the job. Being the relative of someone in the ICU is very difficult: your life is suspended. You have rollercoaster days when things are going very badly or very well. There is significant morbidity and mortality associated with the ICU; we lose a significant number of patients. We have to be upfront and honest with patients relatives and with patients if they are able to speak with us. The therapies are hard and the recovery is often hard. When you practise medicine, you have days when you have good results and days when you have bad results, days when it works out and days when it doesnt. So long as youve done your best by the patient thats all you can do. But there will be patients that you remember forever. You have to build some form of resilience, you have to have professional distance but occasionally you have to cry. I cry about a patient once every two years. You must continue to have empathy. When youre in ICU, you are one of the sickest patients in Ireland. All of our patients are critically unwell so if anything goes wrong, it can go catastrophically wrong. By 7.30am, we know which patient we have been allocated. Our eyes and ears are with that patient for twelve and a half hours of the day. We are looking at their vital signs constantly and were titrating the medication as were looking at the monitors. Its a lot of responsibility its a very different type of nursing than on the ward. But its not just the science and its not just the machines we really care for our patients. We clean their eyes, we brush their teeth, we make sure their arms are in a comfortable position. We know them from head to toe, inside out. Were the eyes and ears for their family, especially now when they cant visit. Last winter was very tough because we were so overwhelmed: the 16 beds in ICU were full and the extra beds were open. This was before Covid hit. We went from that busyness, when everyone was so drained, into the pandemic. And we are still in it. We have almost felt worse this time, with the second wave, because last time we were running on adrenaline. We need more ICU nurses: we have had a shortage of critical care nurses for many years and that has been shouted from the rooftops. We are opening two more beds in the ICU here but they are just a bed if we dont have a qualified ICU nurse standing there, monitoring and caring for the patient. The nursing profession is just hoping that the public stays behind us, like they have been throughout the pandemic, to help us protect our health service. By following restrictions, they help us give the best care we can to our patients. Maria Baily-Scanlan, Clinical Specialist Physiotherapist at Tallaght University Hospital That first day with the first Covid patient, I was a little apprehensive. Part of my job is to help people cough, which is obviously high-risk. But I trusted that the PPE would work. With Covid patients, there are two main things that a physiotherapist can do: one, we help their lung function; and two, we start the process of rehabilitation that will continue when they leave the ICU. Patients in the ICU are often on ventilators and using assisted breathing machines, while sedated, so we work with them to try and improve how their lungs are working. Normally people can cough during the day, but these patients cant do that. As patients start to wake up, we want them to start moving. Thats our main role, really. So the first thing we do is check what strength they have. The Covid patients have often been on medication that has kept them paralysed so theyll be very weak. We need three or four people, care assistants and nursing staff, to help them sit. Thats a big turning point, when a patient can sit at the edge of the bed. Each day, we are aiming for them to sit with less support. Once they can sit, we progress to standing, then maybe a step to their chair. From then on, we are working on strength, progressing to walking. Some of the Covid patients were rehabilitated quicker than expected because they were younger than the patients we usually treat that was so rewarding, seeing them regain their strength. Fr John Kelly, Director of Pastoral Care at Tallaght University Hospital For families and patients, the ICU is particularly stressful. It raises a lot of questions for a patient, questions that people wouldnt normally ask. And while medical and nursing staff are very comfortable with medical interventions, they can be less comfortable with the big, eschatological questions: Am I dying? or Will I get out of here? I am there to listen to the patient, to help with spiritual and emotional health. One of the patients who had Covid in the spring came to see me recently, months later. He just wanted to talk about the experience. He had spent three weeks in the ICU and he wanted to talk about what he had been through. He wanted to ask me about the names and voices he had heard while he was sedated. During the Covid pandemic, we must be very focused. We limit our visits to the ICU to specific interventions. We do what we can in as short a time frame as possible. Some people want a blessing or prayer; some people want a discussion; some people want us to talk to their family on their behalf. FaceTime has been helpful but nothing can match the physical presence of a loved one or family member. Patients miss having that closeness. Thats the one thing that I feel has changed dramatically patients can feel isolated and alone. Thats why we must offer reassurance more than ever before. Furthermore, each nurse, doctor, physiotherapist or other medical professional working in the ICU will have had specialist training. To become an Intensive Care Unit nurse requires many months of training and a postgraduate diploma and even then youre working alongside a senior nurse who is supervising you, he points out. Last spring, when the crisis was at its peak and the health system was on the verge of being overwhelmed, medics from other departments stepped up to support their colleagues in the ICU. There was fantastic teamwork and collegiality across the board, says Professor Curley, praising people who didnt have to do it they didnt have to take on the responsibility of a very different job with higher stakes. However, he says, with staff who are well-meaning but are not experienced in the ongoing care of critically ill patients, patients suffer. So, when we hear that there are 30 Covid patients in ICUs around Ireland, it might not sound like the entire system is close to being overwhelmed. Thirty might even sound like a small number. But heres an even smaller number: six. Thats the number of ICU beds per 100,000 inhabitants in Ireland, which compares unfavourably to the European average of 11.5. In Ireland, we have a fairly low ratio of ICU beds per 100,000 of the population, says Professor Curley plainly. And for a long time, it has been noted by the ICU community that this is inadequate to provide critical care. That low number means that, even before the pandemic, ICUs in Ireland were operating at 90 per cent capacity. A system that acts at 90 per cent capacity doesnt allow for an extra thing, Professor Curley says. People think its OK if youre not at 100 per cent. No, its not; your occupancy should be at 75 per cent. That allows you to admit that head injury or the patient with meningitis or sepsis or respiratory failure. We must begin to understand that if the ICU is at risk of being overwhelmed, we are all at risk. The entire ecosystem of the health system is undermined and unsteadied when ICU capacity reaches 100 per cent. As Professor Curley says: The figures might look small but when there isnt much leeway, it really counts. Its worth remembering that last spring, ICU capacity was freed up by cancelling scheduled operations for non-Covid patients who would have required intensive care after surgery. However, this winter, during the second wave, most hospitals have tried to avoid postponing surgeries where possible. ICUs are also braced for the winter f lu season and the related inf lux of patients needing critical care. The pressure on the system is considerable and will only increase as the winter goes on, says Professor Curley. Our ICUs are very busy. He warns against complacency. In the spring, Irelands hospitals narrowly avoided being overwhelmed as the result of an early, strict lockdown. This winter, the fate of the health system and its staff and patients is in our hands again. There is hope on the horizon; the news about the vaccines is promising. We can all look forward to a brighter 2021 but we are not quite there yet. The countrys ICUs rely on us just as we have always relied on them. THE GLOSS MAGAZINE December 2020 41 FESTIVE FASHION FIXES / DRESS FOR AN OUTDOOR CHRISTMAS / TWINKLY TERRACES DESIGNED BY ARCHITECTS / LIQUID LUXURIES MAGAZINE DECEMBER 2020 with THE IRISH TIMES ë TINSEL TYPES www.t hegloss.ie Gloriously glossy gifts for everyone Dressing to please yourself MY HOUSE MY RULES ë BROWN THOMAS, GRAFTON STREET, DUBLIN 2 CONTENTS ANNA MASON IN THIS ISSUE THE GLOSS MONTHLY REMINDER SIGN UP to receive a monthly reminder by email when THE GLOSS is out so that you never miss an issue. Simply register your details on WWW.THEGLOSS.IE. PU B LI S H E R JA N E M C D O N N E LL E D I TO R SA RA H M C D O N N E LL D E PU R E B M E DEC ~ A CHRISTMAS OUTFIT selfie ... Do your WELLINGTON BOOTS embarrass your dog? Irish MYTHOLOGY for a modern audience ... and VISIONARY ABBESSES A s we morph from WFH to SFH CHRISTMAS GOALS Irish Queen Medb rocks a feisty sort of glamour SOCIALISING FROM HOME the Ù Ù Ù Designers PROMOTION The Art of Giving A fashion feast, Brown Thomas edit of elegant accessories and luxury gifts is your go-to source when it comes to spoiling someone special this Christmas F rom trophy bags and bejeweled pumps to finishing touches of gold and sparkle, youll find something extraordinary SHOPPING 2 SPOT THE TREND MONCLER 1 3 4 5 6 8 DINNER OUTDOORS How to survive a chilly winter dinner on a restaurant terrace or your own patio? Dressing warmly and well is an art form and now is the time to master it. Youll need the following and trust us, this is not a pick-and-choose situ Photo Michel Gibert, photograph used for reference only. This collection is a tribute to the explorer that we all dreamt to be. Travelling is an experience that change someone and I wanted each piece to evoke this feeling of bringing back a treasure from a distant land. Montgolfière, sofa. La Pari MOODBOARD 3 2 1 YOU AINT A BEAUTY, BUT HEY YOURE ALRIGHT. BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN 4 MY MOTHER WAS NOT RAISED, SHE WAS FORGED. TALLULAH WILLIS ON DEMI MOORE EILISH MCCORMICK 7 IM FRAMING a Helen Cody illustration of Lynn Yaeger. IM CRUSHING on Michelangelos Davids weak ankles. 6 5 T H I S M ON WWW.AVOCA.COM Wishing you a Wonderfilled Christmas Elegance is an attitude Kate Winslet Longines DolceVita TREND Arizona Muse at the 2020 Venice Film Festival. I LEFT Print silk dress, 1,098; matching mask, 45; both www. thevampireswife. com. Red earrings, Baublebar, 32, at Brown Thomas. RIGHT The Vampires Wife X Dover Street Market installation. Matching your face mask to your outfit is officially a Auction Tuesday 8th December 2020 FINE JEWELLERY & WATCHES Catalogue Now Online at www.adams.ie On View 4th - 8th December A Rare Sapphire Cuff, by Mario Buccellati, circa 1950 Estimate €15,000 - 25,000 PRSA REGISTRATION NO. #001959 Enquires to Claire Mestrallet Claire@adams.ie 26 St Stephens G PHILOSOPHY FIVE PHILOSOPHERS WHOSE TEACHINGS STILL RING TRUE PUT ARISTOTLE IN YOUR STOCKING Adrift on a sea of uncertainty, we need to turn to the philosopher for guidance, specifically the late and the great ... AEDAMAR KIRRANE likes Aristotles way of thinking M uch of our Christmas joy is tied ADVERTORIAL TREASURE FOREVER CELESTIAL MAGIC Reach for the moon and stars with this intricate, sparkling double charm. Blue Night Sky Crescent Moon & Stars Dangle Charm, 59. Sparkling Snowflake Collier Necklace, 79. SPACE ODYSSEY Soar to new heights with this Pandora Rose Galaxy inspired Charm, PHILOSOPHY really invite, if not demand, that we place our gaze closer to home, and even on our own selves. Were not comfortable with the idea of lavishing love and attention on ourselves, but Im not talking about a selfish kind of love, Im talking about a better, nurturing kind of self-love. Becaus More ToExplore NEW STORES Kids concept store Barn: unique childrenswear, toys and gifts and Folkster, the fashion and homewares pop-up boutique Home to a host of luxury fashion and retail brands, including brand new Barn and Folkster, Dundrum Town Centre has all our favourite stores including Lo GLOSS GIFTS ë GLOSS GIFTS SPECIAL GIFTS FOR THE DISCERNING WOMEN IN YOUR LIFE From eye-catching vintage print silky masks (with unique reusable ribbon fixings so you will never lose them!) to a subscription to THE GLOSS, our hand-picked presents are gifts the women in your life will get excited LIFESTYLE DESIGNER SHOES the Spend ë W hen coronavirus struck in March, Melanie Scott was on her way back to her home in London after almost five weeks travelling for work. Global travel was always part of her role but this had been a particularly punishing trip, and with a pernicious virus on th LIFESTYLE DIAMOND RING Another friend, who has dabbled in watercolours for years while raising her family, bought an easel and set herself up in the (slightly modified) guest bedroom. Even with two grown-up children working from home, she was determined to create the space to paint. A monthly wine Fine Jewellery 2 Chatham Street, Dublin www.esljewellery.ie LIFESTYLE I plan a dress purchase for weeks before I pull the trigger. your purchase, and plan which pairs you really want to buy. In New York, Freya Drohan, from Malahide, is fashion editor at The Daily Front Row and a freelance writer for Cosmopolitan, ELLE and fashionista.com. SNEAKERS Drohan h FASHION MY HOUSE my rules One upside to a downsized festive season is the opportunity to wear exactly what you fancy ... Have fun, says AISLINN COFFEY THE GLOSS MAGAZINE December 2020 25 FASHION MY HOUSE, MY RULES THE FESTIVE FROCK Not-so-basic Christmas Day dresses Top of our Christmas list this year is the colourful, softly tailored midi dress, easily the most sophisticated but easy-to-wear dress trend for years. This length really is the happy medium, suiting most beautifully. FASHION Gold Rose leather house mules, 335; www. oliviamorrisathome.com. MY HOUSE, MY RULES PARTY FLATS Twinkle toes: pretty and comfortable When it comes to Christmas Day, everything you wear should have an oven-to-table vibe, meaning, you can cook, serve and clean up without hobbling and look c FASHION MY HOUSE, MY RULES Cream Tonio mohair cardigan, 110; www.sezane.com. Marine blue turtle-neck knit dress, 100; www.hush-uk. com. Doublestrand pearl necklace; www.chanel. com. SWEATER DRESSING Heaven to wear, cosy and cool Over the past few months, our attachment to comfort has grown expo FASHION MY HOUSE, MY RULES CHRISTMAS DAY PJS Ways to wear pyjamas all day Chic yet relaxed, attention-grabbing yet informal, the pros of pyjamas as daywear extend well beyond the bedroom. Not only is this simulated jacketand-trousers duo chic for wearing at home with some fancy slipper-style shoes Connect with 6TH SENSE Intelligent Cooking The New W Collection of Ovens & Microwaves from Whirlpool 5 YEAR WARRANTY ON PARTS & LABOUR Just pick your recipe and the Whirlpool 6th SENSE technology will make it great everytime. Choose the New W Collection of Ovens & Microwaves from Whirlpool for STRAP WWW.LANSDOWNEPLACE.IE ESSAY THE REMEMBERING ROPE POLLY DEVLINs remembrance of people and times past is triggered by her collection of treasured antiques and the backstories of their acquisition For new readers and seasoned ones ... This is the sixth episode in the loose concoction called The Remembering Rope a series ESSAY With all my limitations, with my laziness, my lack of money, my lack of time I do WHAT I WANT exactly. A set of big wash jugs in primary colours from a convent boarding school I should think dormitory pieces and those lovely tin caddies for tea and flour and sugar that had once stood in eve BOOKS PRESENTS OF MIND PENNY McCORMICK selects the seasons best books to give or get FOR HOME LOVERS What side of the fence do you sit on the bold or the beautiful? Plan your next home decor project with these differing approaches. Twenty creatives, including furniture designers Bethan Gray and #MINDOURSELVES was bordering on obsessive. I would start every day by looking at her profile first thing in the morning. Now I look back, and realise, of course, that I was basically setting myself up for failure and bad energy before Id even got out of bed! Everything I did I compared to her. I fel DESIGN INTERIORS Head Office/ Ballycoolin Showroom Units 12/13, Block 8 Blanchardstown Corporate Park Ballycoolin, Dublin 15 01 820 8480 +353 1 820 8480 BESPOKE FURNITURE Deansgrange Showroom Unit F, Deansgrange Business Park Kill Lane Blackrock, Co. Dublin 01 207 0702 www.ventura.ie London S HEALTH THE CRITICAL COUNT The number of ICU beds occupied by Covid-ð cases now trips off our tongues, such is our obsession with coronavirus stats. But, the story of the ICU is over-simplified. LYNN ENRIGHT speaks to Professor Gerard Curley about the story behind the figures B efore this year, HEALTH Despatches from the ICU Dr Catherine Motherway, Consultant Intensivist at Limerick University Hospital Edel Nolan, ICU Nurse and Acting Clinical Facilitator, St Vincents University Hospital Every day in the ICU is very different. Some says are quiet, some days are busy, some days are hell, INTERIORS INTERIORS @MODAOPERANDI Tastemaker Lauren Santo Domingo at her writing desk. Ten correspondence cards with lined envelopes, 30; www.smythson.com. ABOVE: Natural collection personalised stationery, 131 (includes 25 correspondence cards, letterheads, continuation sheets and envelopes); w VENEZUELA MULLINGAR, SKERRIES AND ARDEE Stockists of Annette Gortz Transit Tandem Clemente Eva Kayan Ania Schierholt Marco Moreo Andia Fora Patrizia Bonfanti Browse collections on Instagram and Facebook @venezeula_boutique Call any of our boutiques with your queries, or for styling advice Purchase J E W ELLERY . GIFTWARE . DINING . C HRI ST MAS Shop in-store or online now at www.newbridgesilverware.com ENTERTAINING A Merry OUTDOOR ë SANDRA ANDREA OCONNELL discovers how three architects are creating outdoor dining spaces for festive celebrations and beyond GRACE KEELEYS TIPS CREATE A SPACE E ntertaining family, friends and neighbours during the Christmas period is what we love. And decorating ENTERTAINING WRAP UP AND EMBRACE THE OUTDOORS GARETH BRENNANS TIPS TRANSFORM AN UNDER-USED COURTYARD Creating beautiful patio spaces for their clients has been a strong feature in the work of Brennan Furlong Architects. Now architect GARETH BRENNAN is planning to tackle his own under-used courtyar INTERIORS COOL & COLLECTED My World at HOME the details NAME: Rosa de la Cruz ADDRESS: Knightsbridge, London HOME: Four-bedroomed apartment in an old Victorian mansion which she shares with her four sons and partner Mark Reynier THE VIBE Being in a contemporary art gallery PHOTOGRAPHS BY KATE MA BEAUTY GLOSSARY ë Brighten up with LOccitanes bright citrus Verbena Mandarin eau de toilette (52, limited edition). Winter BEAUTY Some (but not all) beauty gifts promise joy, says Sarah Halliwell Dont be pale and wan this winter: Westman Atelier Butter Powder Bronzer, 80, at Brown Thomas. Perf ANDREW RYAN H A N D C R A F T E D S I N C E WWW. ANDREWRYAN.IE 1 9 7 3 SCENT FOR LIVING The Nature of Things have a range of boxes, including Dont Stress, with trios of essential oils (44). Add a few drops to the Mael diffuser far more cost-effective than a shortlived scented candle. But my pick would be a bottle of Jasmine Absolute (21) to wear as a perfume its hard PROMOTION AFTER I am delighted with the results, particularly because it was all natural treatments with no needles, no pain and no downtime. Linda AGEING BEAUTIFULLY WITH NEELU THE ONLY AESTHETICIAN USING IREVIVE, TO LIFT AND REJUVENATE SKINTONE Exclusive to Neelus in Ireland Neelu provides res I NTE RI ORS + D ES IGN 25 Rockhill, Main St, Blackrock, Co Dublin 01 9631383 info@rockhillinteriors.com www.rockhillinteriors.com to order Explore the best of our Christmas fare, from plump Irish turkeys to sumptuous handmade Christmas puddings and mince pies. Order Christmas Food by 15th December at 3pm. Collection or Home-Delivery SHOP ONLINE AT DONNYBROOKFAIR.IE Donnybrook Malahide Stillorgan Greystones Baggot St. 5 D ISH DES EI HAVE YOUR CAKE & EAT IT ë TR E FOO Y N B FOOD ë TRISH DESEINE makes the final Christmas countdown a joyous, all-Irish affair T his year, more than ever, is one to treat yourself and your loved ones. Youve earned it! So once the turkey, goose, ham, spiced beef, sprouts, cho FOOD Yukon Gold and Mayan Rose, and add a bunch of their Frivole kalettes, a mix between purple sprouting broccoli and kale. Breakfast in the Burren from Burren Smokehouse in Lisdoonvarna is a wonderful selection of smoked fish, butter, wheaten bread and granola, all produced in the Burren and deliv PROMOTION Yoga & Mocktails with Wellness Guru Daniella Moyles Social Insecurities The daily anxieties of modern life EXPERIENCE THE EXTRAORDINARY WITH ÉALÚ EXPERIENCES Éalú Experiences is a curated collection of gift experiences including exclusive video masterclasses from the very best of Irish WINE WI ON-TREND ITALIAN N E BY M A R A white wine made with flair, to suit most tastes and enjoy with a wide range of dishes ... Every Christmas household needs one. My top pick is organic DOMAINE BÉGUDE ÉTOILE CHARDONNAY, LIMOUX 2019. Combining appley freshness with a creamy texture thanks to THIS GLOSSY LIFE ë TINSEL TYPES Author and podcaster Pandora Sykes. ë As we contemplate whos in our Christmas social bubble, here are six characters you may recognise and gifts they will love THE PATIO PRINCESS 60 December 2020 THE GLOSS MAGAZINE Gorgeous Gifts AL FRESCO FAVOURITES All th Red scalloped napkin, 15 for two; www.zarahome.com. Designer Victoria Beckham has admitted, I want to micro-manage absolutely everything. @AERIN @SOHOHOME THIS GLOSSY LIFE THE MICRO MANAGER HEIRLOOM LUSTRE PHILOSOPHY Quality over quantity Burgundy Dragon cashmere scarf, Simone Bruns, 395, a @CASSAPERRIN @BABBINGTONHOUSE JOHN LEWIS THIS GLOSSY LIFE Interior designer and perfectionist queen of cream Kelly Hoppen. THE BEROCCA BARBARA FOR THE HOSTESS Perfect for Zooming Balance + Stability oil, £35stg; www.anatome.co.uk. Red swirl mask, Susannagh Grogan, 35. Kenneth Jay Lane baroque THIS GLOSSY LIFE ë Actress Jennifer Aniston is used to her own company. ë @WORMLONDON A book full of Christmas design inspo: The Season, Created by Scandinavian Artists, 54; www. nordicelements.com. LUXE APPEAL Perfect for self-gifting 18ct gold moonstone round cabochon ring, 1,750, at ESL jew THIS GLOSSY LIFE Lunch in the forest, designed by Lens & Larder. DOREEN KILFEATHER Danish supermodel Helena Christensen THE TINDERELLA @LENSANDLARDER Grounded adventurer ANNA MIRABILIS TEXT BY PENNY MC CORMICK A Blue sky thinker nnas friends have started to call her Anna Mirabilis such is h IRELANDS BLUE BOOK GIFT VOUCHER Gift Vouchers can be used in over 50 of Irelands most luxurious country houses, historic hotels, castles and restaurants. TO ORDER www.irelandsbluebook.com / T +353 1 676 9914 CHANEL.COM