Tilly May Adamson’s Story

In loving memory of Tilly May Adamson.

Tilly started her little journey way back in December 2007. Aimey and Peter had been longing for a baby for some time and they were overjoyed to find out that Aimey was expecting. It was a lovely time, Aimey and Peter enjoyed every kick and hiccup. She was loved and protected in every way from day one.

At 24 weeks Aimey became very ill with Pre-eclampsia. The doctors at Wansbeck thought that they would have to deliver Tilly at 24 weeks but Aimey was transferred to ward 34 of the RVI maternity unit. With the love and care of Peter and their friends and families and the fabulous care of the midwives and doctors, Aimey managed to keep Tilly in her belly for three long weeks.

Aimey and Peter had the pleasure of seeing Tilly every day on the scans where she wriggled and kicked and played with her feet inside Aimey. She looked so happy and content. It was lovely for Aimey to feel and see her kicking her all at the same time. On Saturday the 14th of June 2008 Aimey became much more unwell and on the scan Tilly didn’t move as much as she normally did.

The doctors in fetal medicine had been using the scans each day to decide when Tilly had to be delivered. They decided that with Aimey’s declining health and the signs from Tilly that it was time to deliver her by emergency caesarean section. Professor Robson and Doctor Cameron skilfully and safely delivered Tilly May at 18.46 to the sounds of Dr. Dre’s ‘The Next Episode’, one of Aimeys favourite tunes. Peter was there the whole time, holding Aimey’s hand and cracking jokes to lighten the mood. They were shown Tilly briefly before the neonatal team rushed her off to the Special Care Baby Unit.

She was tiny, 1lb 9oz, a lovely pink colour with a little wrinkled forehead and a little button nose just like her Aunty Lucy’s. Tilly managed to breathe on her own at first but the paediatricians found a pocket of air in her lungs so they had to give her a chest drain and ventilate her. She met her wonderful daddy first; he was so brave looking after both his baby daughter and his wife in separate intensive care units. Then Tilly met her Nunu and Pops who were so proud of their first grandchild, especially Nunu who she was named after.

Aimey was wheeled in on her bed the next day to see her and she got to touch her perfect little hand. Aunty Lucy met her later on that day and then her Mamar and Grandad who loved seeing her for the first time.

Everyone was amazed by her long legs and how she kicked them and pointed her toes, a definite ballerina in the making… Daddy’s girl.

On Monday Tilly had the pleasure of meeting her Great Grandma and Granda; they were so very pleased to meet her. Aimey and Peter spent a lovely night with her where she was opening her eyes and looking around. She started to fight her ventilator and take her mammy’s milk. Tilly had lots of visitors on Tuesday, her Aunty Lesley and Uncle Kevin and her Uncle Mark and Aunty Gilly who were all astounded at her size and how beautiful she was. She had lots more visits from her Nunu and Pops and Aunty Lucy who thought she got more beautiful every day. She had lots of sneaky midnight visits from her mammy but mostly she loved it when her mammy and daddy sat with her. There were lots of tears, tears of happiness and pure wonderment at beautiful Tilly.

On Wednesday, Tilly’s ventilator was reduced as she was trying to breathe on her own and she kept on wrapping her tiny fingers round her ventilator tube and trying to pull it out. Daddy got to clean out her mouth today and mammy changed her little nappy.

On Thursday, Tilly got to see both her Nunu and Mamar together which must have been nice for her. She saw her pops and Aunty Lucy too and then mammy and daddy bathed her and had the pleasure of changing her nappy. It’s a simple thing but it was amazing and it’s what mammys and daddys do.

On Friday, Tilly was taken off all of her medication and her ventilator, and she could show her Great Grandma Irene how clever she was. Her Great Grandma was so pleased to see her, her little treasure. Tilly did her first poo today, again simple pleasures.

On Saturday, Tilly and her mammy had a girly morning with just the two of them. She was wrapped up all cosy in her incubator but she was quiet and lethargic, not the kicking, dancing little lady we knew and loved.

That afternoon she had an episode where her heart stopped beating and she stopped breathing, she had to have cardiac massage. The doctors thought she had an infection so she was treated for that and put back on the ventilator. Nunu and Aunty Lucy were there but they left so Aimey and Peter could spend some time with Tilly. It was wonderful, their little family, just the three of them. Nunu and Pops came back to celebrate Tilly’s one week birthday with Peter and Aimey at 18.46 where they sang Happy Birthday to her through streaming tears.

Aimey and Peter were told later by the doctors that the next 12 hours were critical but never thought that that night the infection would take over her little body. She was resuscitated by the doctors and nurses for 45 minutes, her mammy held her hand and told her all of the things she wanted her to know, about her and Peter and how much they loved her and each other, and their fantastic families. Tilly’s family was there and they all got to hold her and say goodbye.

Then her mammy and daddy held her close to them and sang her a lullaby as she went to sleep.

For 7 days that little lady touched many hearts, as she did for the 27 weeks before she was born and we celebrate her beautiful life, however tiny. Her mammy and daddy are very proud of their brave little princess.

When you have a baby in special care, however early they are, you need some hope. We believe Tilly May’s story is full of hope. We had 7 amazing days with Tilly, she gave us unbridled joy. The doctors and nurses in the Red Area of the special care baby unit did everything medically and humanly possible to try and save her. She felt no pain and was treated with respect and dignity.

Aimey and Peter chose to fundraise for Tiny Lives

“Since Tilly’s passing, we have tried to say thank you in some small way to the doctors and nurses on Ward 35. So far we have raised over £4500 with a charity night at Blakelaw and District Social Club, and Tilly’s daddy has raised £2500 by doing a bungee jump off the Middlesbrough Transporter Bridge.  We have been supported by Marks and Spencer at Silverlink, who matched each pound raised. We miss Tilly May every second of every day.”