Bobby is in recovery having had Meningococcal Type B Sepsis. This Meningococcal disease is a serious illness caused by a bacterium known as meningococcus.Septicaemia occurs if the bacteria enters the bloodstream. A characteristic rash develops and may start as a cluster of pinprick blood spots under the skin, spreading to form bruises under the skin.

    The rash can appear anywhere on the body. It can be distinguished from other rashes by the fact that it does not fade when pressed under the bottom of a glass (the tumbler test). 
The bacteria only rarely give rise to meningococcal disease. But when they do infection spreads rapidly and is fatal in about 10% of cases (up to 50% with septicaemia).

    Bobby is a happy and loving beautiful little child, he is very special as both mummy and daddy was informed by medical teams that we may never be able to have children, due to complications with our health. However on the 16th of March 2012 and after trying for three years to conceive, a miracle was born: Bobby Lee Hutley, he was a healthy child weighing: 8/11.

    Before the illness Bobby was at the stage of what we called, "Speed Crawling" he was also pulling himself up on our sofa and doing little side steps. His general awareness was becoming more and more evident as he started to say, "Daaad Daad Muummmm Mummmmm Mummm" and general happy baby talk. His smile is infectious and he makes everyone happy, whether this is in the supermarkets or just out and about, he is such a loving little boy.

    It was a routine day on Wednesday the 25 of April I was operating at work as a Prison Drug Worker and everything seemed that of a normal working routine. Except at 10:30am I was asked by a colleague to contact home urgently as my wife Stacie Hutley had reported that our son Bobby Hutley had become ill and that she was taking him to the doctors to be assessed. So with this I left work and called my wife on the way home, she described Bobby as having been sick most of the day and also stated that he had a high temperature. I rushed home thinking that he will be seen by the doctors and possibly diagnosed with a sickness bug or mild fever of some kind, nothing could have prepared us for what was about to happen next.

   Upon pulling into to my drive, I entered the family home to be presented with an upset wife and our little boy Bobby to be lying lifeless on the living room sofa. Stacie my wife stated that Bobby had been seen by the doctors and that he was diagnosed with having a chest infection, whereby he was prescribed a course of antibiotics to clear up the infection.  After glancing down at Bobby his once excitable nature and excited personality traits had diminished, it was as if someone had plunged the energy away from the inside out. I noticed that his breathing appeared shallow, his once rosy cheeks were misty white and then it hit me, like a lightning thud in my chest…. This sinister looking rash presented me. Both me and my wife Stacie had a cold and instinctive feeling that came over us, I remember stating, “I’ve got a bad feeling about this” after minimal discussion we decided to rush Bobby up to Bury St. Edmunds Accident & Emergency Department for further examination, as parents we had an instinctive feeling, even though the doctors prior had advised that this was a chest infection, something pressed us to pursue this and go with our instinct.

    He became very unwell in A&E and had multiple rashes appear and spread all over his body, it was suspected that he had Meningococcal Septicaemia. With this Doctors and Nurses surrounded him, One of the Doctors working on Bobby kept attempting to put a line into one of his veins, but due to his veins collapsing and breaking down this was no easy task, despite the complexity of Bobbys symptoms the team continued; eventually an intravenous line was established. With this vital medication was being administered along with lots of fluids, he was then intubated and ventilated whilst he waited to be transferred to Addenbrookes Hospital for specialist Paediatric Intensive Care. Bobby was stabilised in West Suffolk Intensive Care Unit, whilst waiting for a specialist team called: Children’s Acute Transport Service (CATS) to arrive to take him to Addenbrookes.

    On arrival to Addenbrookes Hospital Bobby was ventilated for 8 days, he had up and down days with his darkest hour being when the PICU team had to administer CPR for a total of 9 minutes as his sats dropped. As parents we could only take things hour by hour not knowing if our little boy would even survive the ordeal. Upon waiting for updates doctors and consultants kept stating, “Your boy is extremely, extremely sick” All the machines were constantly beeping off at us, and we found ourselves fixed on looking at his heart rate monitors.

    Remarkably, almost one month on from this nightmare Bobby has now been discharged from hospital. His recovery is a true miracle with him almost returning back to his former self. Bobby is now under community care and it is thought that he will continue to recover for months.

    We would like to raise money for this incredible charity; we are taking a stand and want to fight against this life threatening disease. please help our cause.

Meningitis UK's sole focus is to eradicate all forms of meningitis and associated diseases. The charity funds pioneering research into vaccines and other methods of preventing meningitis. Meningitis UK won't stop until everyone is protected against all forms of meningitis

  Thanks for taking the time to review our story, our overall aim is to raise money to help others in need and also to raise awareness to parents and individuals who have gone through or going through something so horrific.

Please visit our adjoining fundraising page- www.justgiving.com/Bobby-Hutley

http://www.meningitis-trust.co.uk/beat-it-now/?mUseFull=1

With thanks to:

West Suffolk Hospital Teams

Addenbrookes Hospital Teams

The Sick Children's Trust-ACORN House

Childrens Acute Transport Service (CATS)

All our love, Glen, Stacie & little Bobby xxxxxxxx

Please visit our site: www.bobbyleehutley.co.uk