In Loving Memory of Padraigh Griffin

[Fightthearmy]

Padraigh and I emailed back and forth a few times, and spoke on the phone a few months ago.

His suffering was palpable, but he sprinkled positivity into our conversations with his knowledge of research and reasons to remain hopeful about future treatments.

He wanted to hold on.

But he said he was living from day to day, feeling desperate because of the head noise he experienced, which had become unpredictable since his MEM surgeries. He went on to say that his quality of life was a 'fraction of what it was' leaving him housebound.

Given how active he once was, he found his diminished quality of life intolerable.

He told me that he was suffering with severe tinnitus, MEM, and ETD, which caused him to become despondent.

Nobody on this forum should feel responsible for the path Padraigh felt he needed to take.

I wonder, out of existing treatments, did he ever consider a cochlear implant? Cochlear implants are divisive and it's understandable. But some people even here go as far as to categorically dismiss cochlear implants as a treatment for tinnitus without severe hearing loss, even for people who have nothing to lose (!).

 

[DebInAustralia]

I wonder, out of existing treatments, did he ever consider a cochlear implant? Cochlear implants are divisive and it's understandable. But some people even here go as far as to categorically dismiss cochlear implants as a treatment for tinnitus without severe hearing loss, even for people who have nothing to lose (!).

Good question. I'm not sure. But, eligibility needs to be considered. Maybe it wasn't an option.

 

[Barry098]

So sad to hear about Padraigh's passing.

I have a young daughter and I often pray (or simply hope) that I am strong enough to suffer through the bad times so that I can always be there for her. So, although I didn't know Padraigh, it breaks my heart that this evil curse has deprived 2 young children of their father. There are plenty of bad diseases but tinnitus is one of the very few that has the power to utterly destroy a person from within while outsiders may not even be aware there is an issue.

There needs to be some real effort put into finding a cure for the "beast" that he describes on his last post so that the world never needs to see another obituary that mentions the word tinnitus!

RIP Padraigh.

 

[DebInAustralia]

@DebInAustralia, I'm not sure it will help as I'm very solution focused. I avoid the suicidal threads like the plague, likewise 'kiss on the ear gave me tinnitus,' 'breathing spikes my tinnitus,' and a whole host of threads for general discussion where the paranoia and negativity would do me no good. I think in relation to Padraigh, he was solution focused too.

Well, that's up to you.

Venting can help. But, we all have our ways of dealing with stress.

 

[Damocles]

@DebInAustralia, I'm not sure it will help as I'm very solution focused. I avoid the suicidal threads like the plague, likewise 'kiss on the ear gave me tinnitus,' 'breathing spikes my tinnitus,' and a whole host of threads for general discussion where the paranoia and negativity would do me no good.

Yes, we're very anti-solution in the Support threads. We just want to wallow in misery.

 

[Nick47]

Yes, we're very anti-solution in the Support threads. We just want to wallow in misery.

@Damocles, sorry, I didn't come across very well in my previous post.

 

[DebInAustralia]

@Damocles, sorry, I didn't come across very well in my previous post.

I knew what you meant...

 

[bobvann]

Yes, we're very anti-solution in the Support threads. We just want to wallow in misery.

The funniest quote you wrote a while back.

"I told my tinnitus to go fuck itself & I don't care."

 

[EDDTEKK]

RIP my dear friend... so sad.

 

[Ed209]

Reading this was like a punch to the gut. How many times do we need to go through this? I spoke with Padraigh on various threads and he was always a great guy to talk to. I'm so sad that his life turned out this way.

RIP buddy.

 

[Nick47]

I wonder, out of existing treatments, did he ever consider a cochlear implant? Cochlear implants are divisive and it's understandable. But some people even here go as far as to categorically dismiss cochlear implants as a treatment for tinnitus without severe hearing loss, even for people who have nothing to lose (!).

@Fightthearmy, I think he only had mild hearing loss. The criteria in Ireland and the UK is strict but could he have gone private?

 

[brixenbrixen]

I think of Padraigh as an example of a real fighter who lost the battle. Anyone who claims that severe tinnitus is just a matter of habituation (like my mum) should read his story. As Padraigh was well known outside of the tinnitus community, it would have helped our community if his case was made more public outside of these forums (speaking as the journalist that I am), because he was quite open about everything. I know that's hard for his family.

Rest in silence, dear Padraigh.

 

[Alberte]

It is such sad news. Rest in silence Padraigh.

 

[Mattv]

breathing spikes my tinnitus

I thought I was the only one who thought those posts was annoying. My sister's Peugeot gave me tinnitus. I know it for a fact. It was old and noisy, I didn't like the color.