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As many of you know, on the 5th December 2013 our (then) 9 week old son Freddie was taken ill with E-coli Meningitis.
Its every parents worse nightmare.
The word 'Meningitis' is one that comes with so much fear yet most people don't know how to spot the fatal disease.
"But he hasn't got a rash!" was the first thing I said upon his diagnosis the morning after he was rushed into A&E. Little did I know that the rash is only one of the many symptoms of Meningitis and the 'glass test' rash may never actually appear.
Luckily for us we were at Sheffield Children's Hospital who have an amazing team that tested him for everything under the sun as a precaution. At this point Josh went home with our daughter Savannah whilst we were waiting for the results and it seemed that we would have nothing to worry about and we would just be sent home.
He had a urine test, just in case.
He had a blood test, just in case.
He had a lumbar puncture, just in case.
He was put on IV antibiotics, just in case.
And to put it plainly- thank God. Thank you to that doctor at SCH. Thank you to the 'mothers instinct' somewhere in my brain that clicked that something wasn't quite right despite Fred having his first set of jabs that morning. Thank you to science for providing quick and efficient testing of the deadly disease.

The next day as we delivered the news, there was shock and heartbreak all across our family and friend circle. People tried their best to be strong for us and offer their outstretched arms filled with love. We are so lucky to have such amazing people in our lives.
Thank you to each and every one of you.

Freddie was put on an IV antibiotic drip and fluids (to keep him hydrated as he was too weak to breastfeed).
This was the worst part of the treatment experience.
That damn cannula.
Watching him scream as the nurses held him down and pierced his skin 5, 6, 7, 8 times before they found a vein strong enough to hold his drip tube. Having to watch him be in so much pain, hearing that heart-piercing scream; I'm crying now recalling it.
And this happened several times a day, i felt so helpless not being able to comfort him; as a mother does when her child is upset. I couldn't bear to go with him to the 'needle room' any longer. I felt like id let him down. Josh would go with him instead but after a few trips even even he couldn't deal with it any longer. The night we both decided not to go to the 'needle room' was the night he was gone for over 3 hours. When a nurse finally came back to us (sans Freddie) it was about 4am. She said that they had tried to re-cannulate several times and do they have permission to shave the side of his head to attempt a vein there. They wanted to put a cannula in my baby's head. The thought of this made me feel sick but we agreed and off the nurse went. Freddie came back 20 minutes later with a cannula sited- in his foot, wahey!!
But this story is not about our babies rubbish veins...

After 3 days of antibiotics he rapidly started getting better. He started taking milk, he was smiling, he was flirting with the nurses... ;)
At this point we knew our baby would be a-okay. We were given a room up at Treetop thanks to The Sick Children's Trust so we started sleeping/eating/showering in shifts. We began to feel human again.

A doctor came and explained things to us- Freddie was being treated for E-coli meningitis and an E-coli urinary tract infection. He would need IV antibiotics for a month. He was placed on the waiting list to have a PICC long line fitted (a permanent cannula that would run through a vein in his arm all the way up to his heart). This PICC line was fantastic news- no cannulas that meant we could take Freddie home! We would have to make daily trips to the hospital for Fred to get his full antibiotic treatment and he would have to go to theatre to get it fitted but at least this cannula would be very very unlikely to dislodge! I could have kissed the doctor. Going home and no more cannulas!!

3 hopeful days passed (and a visit from SWFC footballer Lewis Buxton!) finally it was here. After an exhausting night starving Freddie ready for his trip to theatre, the nurse came to fetch us. We signed the forms and dressed him in his very fetching theatre gown. The nurse came to escort us down to theatre, although we werent allowed in for the procedure I was allowed to hold him as they put him under. It was more traumatic than I thought and I made my way back to Daddy feeling like id left my arm behind. We were given a buzzer and told it'd take about 45 mins to an hour, then we could see him. Sat in the hospital cafe, we waited anxiously for the buzzer to buzz. 45 mins passed, no buzz. 1 hour passed, no buzz. 1 hour 15 mins, no buzz. We walked down to the theatre reception, Freddie wasnt out yet. 1 hour 30 mins passed, no buzz. 2 hours passed, no buzz. At this point you really start to worry, what should be a simple procedure was taking what felt like years. We had no idea what was happening and no one around us was 'in the know'.
2 hours, 15 mins, BUZZ! We went straight through to recovery where we could hear Freddie screaming from down the corridor, when we walked in a nurse was battling with him and Freddie was clearly winning. He was hungry, afterall- and you dont want to be around our Freddo when hes hungry! We got our first cuddle and a nice feed for Fred! The doctor came to see us- the PICC line is in his foot, they had trouble siting in his arm so that's why the procedure took so long. (I should have known!! At least he didn't feel it this time.) Oh and you can take him home now.

Best words ever. You can take him home now. We packed and left so quickly - blink - and you'd have missed us!

We took Freddie in everyday at 3pm for a month (even Christmas day and boxing day, oh and that PICC line blew 2 days before the end, only our Fred!) and eventually his treatment ended. He was well again!
Our boy had kicked meningitis where it hurts!!

We are so lucky, blessed and damn right proud to have him with us today.

And this is why we've chosen to raise money for Meningitis now. Because every parent who takes their child to hospital with meningitis deserves to take their baby home.
It would have been much worse had we not phoned in when we did. It would have been much worse had that doctor not kept him in for tests. It would have been much worse had he not got effective treatment right away. And for this we are thankful and grateful.

Freddie is now almost 7 months old and is doing amazingly well, even though he will have check ups for the next few years on his cognitive and physical developments, he is in fantastic health and we are so so lucky he is here with us!

We will be announcing our first event shortly... Watch this space!!

And please, if you cannot donate or share, do one thing for your family today- know the symptoms of meningitis, it could save your child's (or even your) life. Don't wait for a rash.
http://www.meningitisnow.org/meningitis-info/signs-and-symptoms/

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