Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

Chaz and I have decided to do a bit of fund raising and ask for your support. 

On the 12th October 2020 our world was turned upside when Lydia very suddenly fell ill. She screamed in pain and grabbed either side of her head, she was really sick and within about 15 mins was unconscious, only waking up to be sick again. The ambulance was here so quickly (although it felt like an eternity of my baby not responding!) we were taken to Hinchingbrooke hospital where after what felt like ages of confusion the amazing A&E team discovered that Lydia had suffered a bleed on her brain and that her ventricles were filled with blood. At this point they put Lydia into a safer state- a coma with ventilation and monitors to keep her as safe and stable as possible on the transfer to Addenbrooks Hospital which is where she could receive the best possible care. We had to leave her and travel alone to meet her at Addenbrooks so that her ambulance could hbe filled with the doctors and nurses she needed. I think that journey was the numbest I have ever felt. Our heads were filled with the most terrifying thoughts as our baby was apart from us in seriously critical condition. 

We waited for Lydia to arrive and were taken to the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit where we were told she needed immediate, emergency surgery to relieve the pressure from her brain. She was fitted with an EVD (external ventricular drain) to allow the blood to filter out and the brain fluid to regenerate. 

Whilst we waited for nearly 4 hours not knowing what was happening to our baby and not being able to leave the freezing cold isolation room before we were cleared of covid-19, we were told we would be given a room at Acorn House with facilities close to the hospital where we could rest! At the time the last thing either of us wanted to do was leave but it became a saviour to us to have that place to crash in order to be the best parents and be in a state to make the best decisions for our daughter.

When Lydia returned from surgery with her drain in her tiny shaven head, the whole night had disappeared and the doctors began straight away to plan the next step into investigating the cause of Lydias bleed.CT scans revealed a mass in her head but an angiogram was needed for a clearer picture of what was there. This was a camera that went into an artery in Lydias groin and all the way up into her brain. During the angiogram they were hoping the mass they could see was abnormal vessels that they could seal in or remove there and then. Unfortunately it wasn’t that straight forward. We waited all day whilst the specialist team of neurosurgeons and paediatric surgeons discussed her case with other specialists across the country including great Ormond street surgeons. The verdict was the most terrifying moment of my life. Lydia now needed complex surgery, a full craniotomy so that the surgeons could go in and remove the mass of abnormal blood vessels (one of which had burst to cause the initial bleed) and the multiple aneurisms (blisters) that were attached to them. The risks they listed were horrendous, our perfect little 2 year old could be permanently brain damaged or still never wake up at all, she could never come out of that surgery! 

Thank the heavens she did! She came out of theatre with successful results, the surgeons were very happy that everything had gone as well as possible, they had removed all of the mass. The first positive news we had received!

The following day Lydia had surgery number 4, another angiogram to double check that all of the abnormal vessels and aneurisms were gone, again with great results! It was all gone! And the doctors started to discuss waking our little girl up. At this point we were still totally unaware of what condition she would wake up in or if she would be able to wake up at all. But my girl is a warrior! She was already fighting enough sedation to knock out a fully grown rugby player and fighting the ventilator to breathe by herself! The doctors and nurses explained it could take hours for her to come round but she was awake within minutes, squeezing my hand, moving all of her limbs and gave us that gorgeous little smile we had so desperately longed to see for the 7 days she had been asleep! 

We were then moved to the high Dependancy unit until Lydia had stopped the horrible withdrawals she was getting and until it was clearer wether or not she was having seizures. Thankfully, it was just withdrawals. 

We were then moved to a room on the children’s ward where her drain was monitored closely still as the blood slowly filtered out and lessened to clear brain fluid. We had numerous more complications, sickness, tummy cramps, high temperatures with fears of an infection they never found. Her drain started to leak and had to be removed earlier than first planned! This was her 5th and final surgery. She struggled to eat for a long time, I never thought I’d be in floods of tears over her eating blueberries!! (this was the first thing that tempted her) The Neurology team explained how incredibly unluckily it all was, but how incredibly lucky where it happened in her brain so the blood filled her ventricle rather than damaging her brain tissue, and the age she was, being able to recover so strong and quickly! 

We were finally allowed home after 25 days, not half as long as I thought we’d be in there! Lydia was still like a newborn, only able to support herself very little! Not speaking and rarely cracking a smile.

Within a few weeks of being in the safety and security of her home and familiar surroundings she went from strength to strength and was soon up walking about, giggling and chatting! All her meds were finished and our little girl was back, fully recovered, totally super powered and astonishing every person that had heard she was unwell, as well as the surgeons and specialists that dealt with her! 

Due to the amazing team of nurses, doctors, surgeons and specialists that cared for Lydia, the intelligence, knowledge and skill they possess saved our little girls life, and allowed her to come back to us as the same cheeky, happy, chatty, precious little girl that’s blessed our lives from day one! I am a whole new level of proud mum and cherish my perfect little girl even more than I ever thought I could! 

The help, care, support, well wishes and thoughts we received from family, friends, acquaintances and people chaz and I nor Lydia had ever met meant everything to us and gave us so much strength in such uncertain terrifying times! 

Chaz will be jumping from a plane at 15,000ft on Saturday 10th April, this date marks 6 months from Lydias bleed and what an amazing recovery she has made!!! 

(hopefully this date- if restrictions allow it! Otherwise will be rebooked whenever possible!!)

We have chosen The sick children’s trust to raise money for. They fund the Acorn house where we stayed whilst Lydia was in PICU, afterwards I didn’t leave her side (unfortunately due to covid restrictions chaz was forced to stick to visiting hours!)

This accommodation was a god send to us and was clearly the same for every other family we see there. We have donated ourselves but would like to give as much as possible back to the people that saved our lives by saving our little girl. And providing us with so much support as well as caring for our daughter. 

Please give anything you can, however small, all is greatly appreciated! 

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Thank you so much xxx