A legacy of love
The tragic loss of their premature son and a shock set of wedding snaps inspired Rea Ellison, 35, and hubby Simon to change their lives for ever
Icouldn’t stop myself smiling as my husband, Simon, wrapped me in his arms and planted a loving kiss on my cheek.
‘I love you, babe,’ Simon, 41, whispered, pulling me in tight.
It’s hard to believe that such a simple act of affection between us would have been impossible just a few short months ago.
With Simon weighing in at 19st 12lb and me tipping the scales at 18st 8lb, our size meant we could barely sit side by side on the sofa, never mind have a cuddle.
A devastating trail of miscarriages meant the past few years hadn’t been easy on us as a couple.
With each cruel blow, we found solace in food, bingeing on nightly takeaways. Nothing was off-limits.
Each evening, when we came in from the call centre we both worked at, we’d collapse on the sofa and order a takeaway.
Fish and chips, fried rice, lashings of gravy on the side, our plates were always piled high and the weight crept on.
Our wedding day, on 14 February 2015, was the happiest of my life, but, when we got our photos two weeks later, I was horrified.
Stuffed into my dress, I looked more like a meringue than a beautiful bride, and Simon seemed to be bursting out of his suit.
‘ When did we get so big?’ I gasped, my cheeks aflame.
In the weeks that followed, my yearning for another baby came back to the surface.
Our son, Charlie, now 10, longed for a sibling to play with. So, we consulted our doctor and were referred for fertility checks.
‘There’s nothing wrong with you,’ a specialist said. ‘Sadly, it’s just one of those things.’
‘There must be something you can do,’ I begged.
‘There are treatments available, but you’re too overweight to qualify,’ we were told. Harsh words to hear. If my wedding pictures hadn’t inspired me to slim, the doctor’s verdict was the wake-up call I needed.
The next day, I joined my local Slimming World group in Widnes, Cheshire. Group leader Julie changed my life.
I swapped all those greasy takeaways for healthy, homecooked meals, and I even joined the gym.
‘I’ll be a skinny Minnie in no time!’ I giggled, wriggling my hips in the mirror after dropping a 1 st.
But, just a few weeks later,
‘The slimming classes gave us a purpose’
I began feeling unusually nauseous. I tried desperately not to get my hopes up but, when I realised my period was late, my heart skipped a beat.
Later that evening, I barricaded myself into the bathroom with a pregnancy test. It was positive!
But, despite our joy, I was terrified history would repeat itself – and it did.
At 24 weeks, I found myself doubled over in agony. I’d gone into early labour.
I was rushed to Liverpool Women’s Hospital where, one hour later, our precious son was born.
He weighed just 1lb 11oz, and we called him Thomas.
‘He’s amazing,’ Simon choked, as I traced our baby’s perfect features.
Doctors took Thomas to intensive care. I ached to hold him in my arms.
As the hours passed, I felt increasingly unwell. Doctors discovered I’d contracted the E. coli bacterium – and little Thomas had it, too.
I underwent three blood transfusions before, finally, I started to feel better. Next day, Simon and I were allowed in to see Thomas.
I broke down at the sight of the wires and machines surrounding his tiny body.
We felt totally useless as we kept vigil beside our beautiful boy, praying for a miracle.
In the days that followed, we turned to food for comfort, scoffing pies, crisps and fast food to keep us functioning.
Weeks passed in a blur. We were in a living hell.
We had Thomas christened in the hospital chapel. Two weeks later, a specialist sat us both down.
‘I’m so sorry, but it’s time for him to go,’ she said.
Our baby’s organs were shutting down, and there was nothing doctors could do. The next day, we made the heart-breaking decision to say goodbye to our gorgeous boy. In the weeks that followed, we collapsed into depression – but knew we had to keep going for our older son, Charlie. Desperate for a distraction from the constant grief, I re-joined Slimming World. Simon had just discovered that he’d developed type 2 diabetes. He realised it was time to make a change, too, and he signed up with me. We hoped that focusing on a healthier lifestyle would help us to manage our grief. The classes gave us a purpose and, just 10 months on, we were delighted to finally reach our targets. We ditched fatty foods and took up daily family walks, which brought us even closer together, as they gave us a chance not only to get fit, but also to talk.
I started meal-planning and cooking from scratch, and managed to cut our food bill from £100 a week to £25.
Simon weighed in at 13st, having lost more than 6st. He no longer needed 48in waist trousers, instead fitting into a neat 34in waist.
And I was amazed to weigh in at 12st, smashing my goal of 4st 7lb. Gone were my size-28 tents – instead, I could shop for slinky size 14s.
Hearing our story, Slimming World crowned us Couple of the Year 2017.
Now, after losing nearly 13st in weight between us, we feel there’s nothing more the world can throw at us that we can’t deal with.
We might try for a baby again in the future – I don’t know. But, as long as we’re together, we’re unbreakable.