Fans of Channel 4's 24 Hours in A&E were left in tears after watching the ordeal of an elderly man who was hospitalised after having cared for his wife with dementia.
Admittedly the medical show isn't exactly known for its light-hearted viewing, but last night's episode hit harder than most after viewers were introduced to an elderly man named Ron, who went to the hospital after falling out of bed.
Ron was knocked unconscious by the fall, and in the time since then, he had been struggling to sleep and suffering from chest pains.
His health had deteriorated over time, but family friend Andra admitted that he wouldn't usually go to hospital 'even if he was suffering from a heart attack' due to his desire to put other people first.
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Ron's caring nature was made clear as viewers learned how he cared for his wife, Cindy, for seven years after she was diagnosed with dementia.
Andra said the pair had been married for 57 years, describing them as a 'match made in heaven'.
"The hardest time for Ron has been the past year," Andra said. "[Cindy] should have been in 24 hour care, but Ron was determined to keep on supporting her.
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"It’s heartbreaking to see what it’s doing to Ron’s health."
She explained that Cindy went into a care home when caring for her became 'too much' for Ron both mentally and physically.
"Nobody wants to see someone they love go into a care home, but sometimes it’s the best place for them," she said.
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While he was in hospital, Ron began suffering a brain bleed and told the nurse that he was 'done for'.
"Oh please don't let Ron die, he's such a lovely man!," one concerned Twitter user wrote amid Ron's declaration.
Thankfully, however, staff at the hospital were able to treat the elderly man, and after two weeks, he was able to go home.
Ron's heartbreaking story left viewers in tears, with one fan of the show saying the Channel 4 series was 'always so emotional'.
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"24 Hours in A&E making me well up ffs," another wrote.
While other viewers praised the staff in the show for their hard work, with one comment reading: "24 Hours in A&E is brilliant fair play to them doctors and nurses."
24 Hours in A&E is filmed in some of Britain's busiest A&E departments, where cameras film around the clock as staff work to treat patients.
Topics: TV And Film, Channel 4, Health
Emily Brown