Diane's story of hope #PPROM14 weeks gestation
I don't remember the exact day I'm sure it was October time, I got up for the toilet and I felt a huge Gush,
I immediately called early pregnancy who told me to wait a couple of hours and call back if anymore. 20 mins later I again had a huge gush but it also had blood I was 14 weeks pregnant and didn't know what was going on. Scared I went to early pregnancy where they checked my cervix told me it was closed and said nothing I can do just go home as they couldn't tell what was happening.
I continued to leak but I started to get some pain at 16 weeks and I was of a gestation to be seen at triage. I went up and was told baby was fine but sent me home with a scan arranged the following day. The scan Confirmed it was indeed my waters that had gone.
I was taken to a room to wait on a doctor and they left me sat for a long time. The doctor came and told us he couldn't give us any information but i had no chance of baby making it. He was unable to give me any sort hope at all and said they were arranging a scan in 2 weeks and we will go from there.
The longest 2 weeks of my life. when we went back it was again confirmed I had very little fluid and baby would not make it and if they did they could have club foot, cerebral palsy, underdeveloped lungs.
At 19 weeks I had pain and was kept in over night the next day the consultant came up and sat with me telling me baby would have no chance and I should terminate, in fact at that point they had me so convinced my baby would die that I almost agreed, I cried saying I didn't know how it all works, will I See my baby? Can I hold them? Can I have a funeral?
At this point the doctor orders the nurse to get a sands pack and leaves. The nurse told me I should think about my other children when making the decision. Something inside me couldn't say yes at that point so I asked to go home and think about it more.
My friend Claire had been researching and found this page Little Heartbeats. I immediately joined and ciara sent me out a pack and I started my research and got advice from other mums in the group.
I FOUND MY HOPE
I decided at that point I would carry on and know that whatever outcome we had I done all I could for my baby to give them the best chance. I went to the health food store and bought manuka honey which I had in my tea twice a day to help fight infection. I drank litres of water a day and even had I glass of coconut water to help with dehydration. This routine was daily and I put a single bed in my living room so I could rest as much as possible.
The road was long I was taken to hospital numerous times, I was up at the hospital twice a week for bloods and temp checks. At 24 weeks I got contraction type pains and was bleeding heavily, I was rushed through to Glasgow by ambulance from forth valley where I remained until Callan appeared.
At 27 weeks my bleeding slowed down which was strange but I thought it was a good sign, the next day it started again but I was clotting a fair bit. I was put on the monitor where babies heart rate wasn't great then I started contractions. I was rushed down to labour ward where I was confirmed labour and given magnesium and then rushed into theatre for an emergency section.
I woke in the recovery room and my first words were is my baby alive?
The nurse told me to rest but I couldn't so she got me toast and tea and my partner came in. My baby had came out crying but had to intubated straight away. HE WAS ALIVE but very poorly and the next 24 hours was critical.
Callan was put on the oscillator and in a plastic bag on full support, a few hours later I forced myself into a chair and went to see him.
My beautiful boy was born weighing 2lb 10oz which was amazing for his gestation. Over the next few Day he progressed, came off vent and 3 days in I got my first hold of him. That's right my baby that wasn't to survive I was sat holding and nothing could take that away from us. At 2.5 weeks old Callan was having a lot of desats and his temp went up I got a phone call saying he had been put back on the ventilator and to get to the hospital (I was in a B&B) not too far away) I was unwell too I had an infection in my would and had to be readmitted in to hospital, all whilst Callan was being transferred to another hospital because he had became extremely poorly. Bruises started appearing on his toes which then went black up his feet and legs.
My son was battling sepsis 😔 I was told again he was very critical and if he does survive he may lose his feet. I walked In one day and the doctor was flustered and said he is a very poorly boy and wanted to speak with me and my partner.
What I didn't know was I walked in on her re inflating his lung because it collapsed. I felt like I was given the talk and shouted he wasn't gone yet and she said no they still had things to try. Callan fought and he won again! 3.5 weeks later we were transferred to Forthvalley where we spent the last of our time getting him stronger. 3.5 months in NICU and he got home on 0.6ltr of oxygen.
Callan will be 2 in Feb and he achieving goals, he only lost the ends of some of his toes 😁 he has started walking, he is delayed with speech and understanding but we will get help with that but given the odds he had he has done amazing.
Callan is My hero ❤️
