We will be running the 10K Run Banchory event on 16th June in memory of our son Alfie to help raise funds for Friends of the Neonatal Unit in Aberdeen.
After this event we will be attempting our first half marathon in Stonehaven in July.
There will also be an afternoon tea in August organised by family which will be sponsored by TMK so the ticket sales will go to our just giving page for the unit, details for this event will be confirmed soon.
For those of you who know me and Ryan will know that even though we are keen walkers we have neither of us ever been avid runners; and after a difficult pregnancy and c section I have spent the last few months taking it easy so this will be a big challenge for both of us...
Our lives changed on the 12th September 2018 when we found out we were expecting our rainbow baby; after a miscarriage in April the positive pregnancy tests brought joy to our lives. At eight weeks pregnant Alfies difficult journey began when I started bleeding and from this moment on Alfie had a battle on his tiny hands and certainly showed us what a fighter he was. I was diagnosed with a haematoma and the next eight weeks were spent in and out of Rubislaw for tests and constant checks, on numerous occasions we thought we had lost our precious little rainbow baby. At eighteen weeks pregnant I was diagnosed with a low lying placenta which caused more issues and constant bleeding. After being admitted to hospital at the beginning of January and after a five night stay and a couple of significant bleeds the midwives suspected my waters had released at twenty weeks. My waters measured low until twenty four weeks when at my weekly scan they were now non measurable and we were informed that our baby boy would likely make an early entrance into the world. I then spent the next three weeks in the hospital to be closely monitored.
On Sunday 17th February I went into labour and our beautiful baby boy arrived on Monday 18th February at 01:34am by emergency c section at 27+3 weeks. Beating the odds and much to everyone’s surprise our little boy came out breathing and fighting and this was the happiest moment of our lives and Alfies journey in the neonatal unit began. Alfies first day looked positive even after such a complicated pregnancy; however, on Monday night I was woken up by the midwife and told to call Ryan as he had gone downhill and we were set on a rollercoaster of emotions. During the next few days we spent every moment we could with Alfie. We stayed in rubislaw for Alfies first two days then moved to a bedroom within the unit so we could be closer to Alfie.
Over the next couple of days Alfies condition worsened and we were informed we may need to have ‘the talk’. Even though we were told this we still remained optimistic that our little boy would be ok, how could he not be ok after all he had endured so far? On Friday afternoon at 17:30 our worlds fell apart when the doctors advised there was no more they could do for our baby boy and we would have to make the decision when to turn off his life support. We spent Friday evening with Alfie surrounded by family telling him how much we all loved him. We slept beside Alfie in the unit for our first sleepover together as a family that would also be our last. At 03:00am we got woken up to say Alfies condition was going downhill and the time had come to say goodbye to our son. At 04:00am on Saturday 23rd February 2019 our beautiful baby boy passed away in our arms.
We spent Saturday with Alfie in a bedroom within the unit using a cold cot. We bathed and dressed Alfie for the first time and spent the day as a family which we will be forever grateful for. We never imagined that we would be leaving the hospital without our baby and nothing can prepare you for this heartbreak.
Alfie was only with us five days but ours and everybodies around us lives have turned upside down forever and we have to adjust to our new ‘normal’. We are so thankful for the time we got to spend with our brave little boy and proud of him for everything he had to endure, hopefully by raising money for the unit Alfie will also be proud of his mummy and daddy.
The nurses and doctors during this time went above and beyond the call of duty and provided exemplary levels of care and support to Alfie and ourselves. We can not thank them enough but hope that by raising some money for the unit we can help to support them and other parents in similar situations.
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