Hospital bride wears her wedding gown at last
AYOUNG mum who was the first person to marry in a hospital intensive care unit has finally worn her wedding gown.
Hayley Clarke, who was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease in 2005, suffered complications in August 2013 and had to undergo a four-hour emergency operation at Ysbyty Gwynedd.
The 30-year-old from Bangor then spent two weeks in an induced coma in October 2013 at the intensive care unit, where she almost died after suffering septic shock.
Hayley, who has two young daughters, pulled through and married her childhood sweetheart, David Clarke, in the unit in March 2014.
But she did so in her hospital bed and the beautiful dress she had bought for her wedding could not be worn.
Now, Hayley has had the opportunity to wear the dress to surprise the nurses who cared for her during a special appearance on S4C’s Gwesty Aduniad (Reunion Hotel) programme.
“I cried and laughed,” Hayley said. “I chose to invite the intensive care nurses to this reunion because they were the four I cried and laughed with most days during my time in hospital.
“They also pushed me to be stronger and to do the things I was scared of, from what I remember they were the ones who cared for me the most and they also bonded with not just me, but my family.
“They took the time to get to know me and made me feel I was the only patient they were taking care of,” Hayley said.
The nurses from the intensive care unit who attended the reunion were Louise Lloyd, Sharon Grant, Jan Williams and Annette Lawler.
Jan said it was a magical moment for them to see Hayley again.
“We thought we might lose her,” she said: “It means a lot to us that we have had a special moment like this with Hayley.
“There were times when she was so unwell we thought we might lose her.
“Seeing her still here with us is just fantastic.
“She will be a part of our lives forever.”
Hayley said: “If I could I would have invited all the nurses I met from the whole unit and even from Conwy, Tegid and Tryfan wards – they are all incredible and deserve recognition for the care they provide their patients.”