NY WARRIORS
worst-case scenario. I was given steroids and magnesium, which help the babies’ lungs and brains develop and it was then that I realised this was very real.
“Everything changed within the space of an hour. While Ben was on his flight to Gatwick, we realised there was a problem. He got off the flight to about 20 missed calls from me and my mum.”
When Ben landed, he phoned and realised he had to rush back – but he couldn’t get a flight.
Victoria added: “He hired a car and drove through the night. He drove through a blizzard. It must have been awful for him.
“It was such a long night but I had my midwife Gillian McLaughlin by my side the whole time, holding my hand and re-assuring me. She was truly amazing.
“Come the morning, I was told they couldn’t wait any longer and they would be doing an emergency Caesarean to get the babies out.
“In the end, Ben made it with 15 minutes to go.
“People thought it was romantic that he made it back in time – but they weren’t waiting for him. The doctors said they had no option but to deliver the twins then and thankfully Ben was there, which was such a relief. I wouldn’t have wanted him to miss it.”
There were two neonatal teams standing by, headed by consultant Dr Chris Lilley.
Emelia was born first. She weighed just over 2lbs. She was brought over in an incubator so Victoria could put her hand in and touch her briefly before the tot was whisked to intensive care. Elliot followed, weighing slightly less than his sister.
Victoria said: “They were so wrapped up that I could only see their heads, which were each the size of the palm of my hand.”
Hours later, the mums got to see the babies in intensive care.
She added: “They were very pink and shiny – just like minute dolls next to my husband’s hands.”
Victoria wasn’t able to hold the twins together until they were three weeks old.
The babies soon began to suffer from issues associated with them being so premature.
They had anaemia and needed blood transfusions. They needed help with breathing and they suffered sepsis – blood poisoning – chronic lung disease and retinopathy of prematurity. Elliot had eye surgery and a hernia repaired.
Victoria used to update friends and family on ther twins’ progress with a weekly post on Facebook with the hashtag #tinywarriors.
She said: “I was expressing milk for the babies and when they were hours old, I was asked by the nurses to pick an animal for a sticker to identify my milk in bottles.
“I thought it’s got to be a lion because my tiny warriors are so strong. So then I added the hashtag #TeamLion to my Facebook posts about them.”
The couple are grateful to the Navy, as Ben was given five months paid compassionate leave.
Victoria said: “His ship was about to deploy to the Med just after the twins were born and they realised there was no way he could be away from them.
“The Navy have been incredible – I don’t know what we would have done without this support. It was one less thing to worry about.”
The next few months were difficult as Ben and Victoria, who have an older child, willed the twins to get over every hurdle.
On July 5, the babies were eventually able to come home after 107 days in hospital.
Victoria said: “It was amazing to bring them home.
“We take each day as it comes, having fun and enjoying them.
“They’ve had a rough start, but we’re very blessed to have them – not everyone is as lucky as us. Not every baby makes it when born so tiny.
“There will still be lots of ongoing care and treatment but we feel so blessed to be where we are now.
“Emelia and Elliot are still small but they have such big personalities.
“People ask how we keep going and cope with the sleepless nights, but that’s nothing after everything they’ve been through – they’re such an inspiration.”
As a thank-you for the twins’ care, Victoria plans to take part in the Great Scottish Run 10k in Glasgow on October 1 to raise funds for the Princess Royal Maternity Baby Fund.
She added: “I can’t praise the staff highly enough. I know my twins are only here today because of the prompt and fabulous care we all received.” ●To donate, see justgiving.com/ fundraising/victoria-goodall1