Theo’s Story
Gestation: 22 + 5
On Unit: 09/06/2020 – 10/10/2020
Theo’s Mam, Nicola kindly shares his story with us.
‘I remember going into labour and literally expecting the worse. We were right in the middle of a pandemic and I remember thinking I’m having a baby alone, I don’t know the gender & my husbands going to be waiting outside not knowing anything. However the moment I was took to delivery suite, my husband was able to join me & stay until I was safely moved to a ward.
Theo arrived in the middle of the night very quickly with his dad by my side, the nurses, doctors and consultants were right there to step in to help our little boy. I remember feeling so overwhelmed when we visited the ward for the first time, wondering what all the lights were & tubes, to which I soon became an expert with a little help from the nurses.
The nurses were so kind and helpful, reassuring me, I even counted how long our miracle was alive in hours, 1 hour, 2 hour, soon turned to 12, then 24, then 48 with some of them. It amazed me that they took such an interest in our little family & that we could trust them to look after and care for our absolute world when we weren’t around.
Theo took every bump along the way in his stride and soon had friends in the nurses who looked after him. Through all the little set backs, everyone always reassured us that Theo would bounce back. Our time in the ward was like no other, right in the middle of COVID. Sometimes, the only face you saw was the nurse behind her mask, but you were always made to feel welcome, loved and cared for no matter what. The ward and the staff did so much for us that I barely remember every last little part. But one things for sure, the support we felt, the love and the tears shed from some of the nurses on the day of discharge, made us feel so cared for and that we’d be truly missed.’
How did Tiny Lives impact your time on the Unit?
‘Tiny Lives were a massive support. Having on hand family support workers and counsellors to talk to you in normal terms just like a human being made all the difference. They were always just there when you needed them. The help with car parking while visiting Theo made a massive difference, along with giving us huge support to get the house ready for his journey home. We will forever be in debt to Tiny Lives and all the staff at ward 35, as without them we wouldn’t have Theo at home with us today. You are all superheros in disguise.’
