From Jen:

When I decided (as some people may have you believe) to go into labour during a hen weekend for a second time, I didn't quite factor in how we might get our tiny baby home.

Lucas was born exactly nine weeks early and weighed an impressive 3lbs 8oz. We were lucky he was very healthy and needed very little help breathing on his own. He was kept all lovely and cosy in the neonatal unit at Wigan hospital, where the team was incredible at looking after us all.

Once the wonderful staff were happy he was stable enough to transfer to a hospital nearer to home (a mere 200 ish miles away), we then had the issue of figuring out how he could get there. 

The distance wasn't the only issue: Lucas was in a special incubator which was helping to regulate his temperature. He was wired up to a monitor that was keeping an eye on his oxygen levels and breathing. He was having regular medicines and was on fluids and was a little bit jaundiced so was having a sunbathe under a UV lamp and having bloods taken to monitor it. 

Then add in the distance- too far to go by ambulance incase they got stuck in awful motorway traffic. Someone mentioned Lucas going by Air Ambulance and we thought they were joking! We thought we might be staying in Wigan for a very long time.

Lucy Air Ambulance for Children is a registered Charity that is dedicated to delivering fixed wing air transfers for seriously ill babies and children up to the age of 16 in the UK who require a planned transfer service. They fly seriously ill babies and children throughout the UK, supported by professional staff trained for in flight care, working alongside the NHS to deliver the highest standards of service to give the best survival chances. They rely entirely on the generosity of their supporters to provide this service.

Although myself and Tim (poor suffering husband) desperately wanted to get everyone back home, especially as we hadn't seen our daughter Ellen for over a week, the prospect of Lucas travelling by plane at just five days old was quite daunting. Tim is quite a nervous flyer, so was not so keen to say the least. 

Luckily the team at Lucy's are used to helping very anxious and nervous parents and answered any and every question we could think of. I couldn't travel in the plane due to my surgery and Tim needed to drive us both back down south, so Lucas had to travel alone. He would have two specialist nurses with him during the plane journey and for the ambulance rides to and from the airports. 

The lead up to and the day of the journey were exceptionally nerve wracking. I felt guilty for splitting our family up and for putting our new tiny baby in such a compromising position. But the family liaison at Lucy's reassured us and even said they could keep us updated for the whole journey and send photos to document the event! 

It was incredibly hard to watch him leave Wigan but the nurses taking him were fantastic; so kind and respectful towards how we were feeling. Nicola from Lucy's kept us updated on Lucas's progress and their ETA and we made our way down the country. 

Lucas arrived safe and sound at Kingston hospital and thankfully progressed exceptionally well. He only needed to stay in hospital for a further 16 days (three weeks in total) and then we could bring him home. His big sister visited him regularly whilst he was in Kingston hospital, meaning we could finally spend time with them both. 

Lucy Air Ambulance for Children turned what was an exceptionally scary and stressful experience into a journey with a positive outcome. Their kindness and professionalism appears to know no bounds. Even after Lucas was transferred, we have kept in touch and they are always interested in hearing how we are all doing. 

We as a family will always be grateful for how they were able to help us but I especially feel compelled to give something back. It cost around £9,000 to transfer Lucas with all the equipment and staff needed. I do often feel incredibly guilty that some of my choices led to Lucas being in that position and therefore needing the charity's help. But I'm so glad that their amazing charity exists to help families like us.

So I'm jumping out of a plane! It only seems appropriate. And I'm taking my mum and my best friend whos hen do it was with me. None of us have done anything like it before and I think there a 90% chance one of us will wee during it. So please, please, please if you can donate a little or even better a lot(!) to help us say a huge thank you and give something back. I would be so happy and promise to never ever ever go on a hen do whilst pregnant ever again! 

Thank you so much in advance for your kindness and support, 

Jen, Joan & Kat*

xxxx

*AKA Team Awesome!

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