Lynne praises RAH staff who cared for Harrison
A new mum whose baby son spent the first two months of his life in hospital is getting ready to run a 10k to say thank you to medical staff.
Lynne Smith from Ralston had been enjoying a normal pregnancy when her waters broke in the early hours of November 24 when she was 30 weeks pregnant – 10 weeks before she was due.
She went to the Royal Alexandra Hospital and started having contractions at 6pm in the evening, and little Harrison was born weighing just three pounds five ounces.
Harrison was placed in a plastic bag, which is a new technique used by baby units to keep premature babies warm, before being transferred to an incubator in the RAH’s Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU).
Lynne said: “Harrison’s lungs were underdeveloped and he was unable to breathe on his own.
“He was also born with a bleed on his brain, again due to his early arrival and his skull being so fragile. Being told about the bleed hit us very hard. It was one of the most difficult times and we had to wait a further six weeks for a second brain scan to find out if it had worsened.
“Harrison contracted a virus while in hospital which really set him back, and put him back in to intensive care.
“He would stop breathing and need assistance to start again. Again, this was really difficult for us as it meant we were unable to hold him, as the handling tires premature babies.”
She added: “We faced a lot of difficulties during Harrison’s time in hospital. We were unable to hold him when he was crying and had to change his nappy and his clothes through the holes in an incubator.
“We had to tube feed him and spend our first Christmas as a family in hospital while watching him have painful procedures.
“At the time we felt like part-time parents and feeling like Harrison wasn’t really ours.
“He finally managed to gain weight well and was allowed home nine weeks later. He has been on oxygen at night but we’ve just been told he doesn’t need that any more.”
Now a thriving six- month- old, Harrison has open access to ward 15 at the RAH should he need it. And Lynne has decided to run the Simplyhealth Great Women’s Run to raise money for the SCBU to say thank you for all the care and support the staff gave Harrison, and herself and Martyn, during his time there.
She said: “It was just one of those random things which came into my head. About six weeks ago I decided I wanted to do something for the hospital and for Harrison.
“Everyone at the SCBU was fantastic, I can’t fault them at all. They were great support for the parents as well as doing their job looking after the babies.
“I set up a sponsor page and have raised more than £600 so far. I’m delighted. We’ve had so much support from people.”
Lynne, a call handler for NHS 24, and husband Martyn, who works for Esure, are now enjoying life at home with their little boy.
She said: “He’s doing great now, He’s got a chronic lung condition because his lungs weren’t developed enough when he was born. It means he’s more susceptible to bad chest infections, but he’s had nothing so far. His lungs will regenerate so he should grow out of it.”
Lynne has been training and will be doing the run on June 4 on her own, with Martyn and Harrison waiting to cheer her over the finish line.
She said: “I haven’t run since before I was pregnant and haven’t run a 10k for four years. I’ve had a knee injury so had to take 12 days out, but I’ll finish it no matter what, even if I have to walk it.”
The Simplyhealth Great Women’s Run takes place on Sunday, June 4 around Glasgow’s West End. Entries are still open at Greatrun. org/womens
To support Lynne’s efforts, go to www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/ lynne-smith-1
Everyone at the Special Care Baby Unit was fantastic Lynne Smith