A charity very very close to my heart. Without Bliss I think I would have cracked up approximately 6 weeks after Eleanor was born. Bliss's helpline introduced me to Sarah who had a similar tale to tell she was great. She didn't tell me everything was going to be alright and not to worry she listened and that's what I needed someone to listen.
Eleanor's arrival on 14th November 2007 was traumatic. On the 7th November I was admitted to York District Hospital as I didn't feel well and had high blood pressure and protein in my urine. Indicators for what I later discovered was a condition called pre - eclampsia. I was monitored in hospital for days then they did a scan and found that the baby was small and not coping well this happened on Tuesday 13th November. I was Blue Light transferred to the Jessop Wing at the Royal Hallamshire in Sheffield miles from home.
Further monitoring and scanning on the morning of the 14th led to arranging a C Section that afternoon at 2pm. I had to call my husband of course to make sure 2pm was going to be okay - like it wouldn't be! Anyway Eleanor Ruth Thompson was born at 14.44 on the 14th November 2007 weighing 1lb 4oz. I'm quite obsessed with 14 as a result of this.
Eleanor was immediately taken away by the neonatal team to be ventilated and transferred to neonatal intensive care. A scary scary time. The prognosis wasn't good and her consultant clearly told us the first 24 hours were critical we could then look at the next 24 after that. Amazingly she survived the first 24 hours without any major drama.
The next 5 months are a blur. I kept a diary I'm glad I did there are some real heart breaking entries in there. I don't remember some of it but it hurts too much to read lots of it. I hope Eleanor finds it useful when she's older.
4 weeks later we were moved to St James University Hospital in Leeds and Eleanor just didn't seem to improve at all we were really taking one step forwards 3 steps back until finally we consented to steroids to help get her off the ventilator and breathing for herself. Her prognosis still wasn't great at times and she was resucitated more than once. Then once she was stable on low flow oxygen she finally made it back to York District Hospital on her due date 8th February 2008.
Being a York was such a milestone to us. The care was different the attitude was different and it was clear Eleanor was there to feed and grow and was really on the journey home. Her time at York whilst lengthy was a more pleasant less fraught experience.
Then at the end of March just before we were discharged home we had the newborn hearing screening and then we found out that Eleanor was Deaf.
We then trundled off into a new adventure which mainly this blog follows.
3 years later Eleanor is a gorgeous 3 year old still defying the odds. SHe's just warded off her first respiratory virus without the need for a hospital stay. A massive leap forwards.
Bliss have been good to us as a family. In return I've helped them out on many occassions with the Neonatal Task Force and I'm involved in some work in Yorkshire and the Humber on their behalf. So this week please if you can cake a difference. Help more premature babies and their families have a better start in life.
We're having our cake day next monday due to yesterdays' in the street antics! If you'd like to donate to bliss here's our just giving page.
www.justgiving.com/eleanorscakeday
thanks very much
Photos will follow later the cake is still cooling down!
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