Bringing Lacey home
I’d begun to fear this day would never come…
Louise Sherriff, 40, Ashford April 2017
This month, I saw my baby for the first time – a little bean on the monitor at St Peter’s Hospital in Chertsey.
‘Look at that tiny heart beating,’ my husband Philip, 41, said emotionally.
But, at 20 weeks pregnant, I’d been a little bit worried.
Four years earlier, with our son Alfie, I’d had pre-eclampsia. I’d delivered him two months early, weighing 2lb 8oz.
He was healthy now, but it’d been a troubling time and he’d been in hospital for five weeks. I’d feared it’d happen again. So doctors have monitored me closely, prescribing aspirin and blood thinners.
But now that I’ve seen our baby – I feel nothing but hope and happiness.
I left the hospital smiling, with the whoosh, whoosh, whoosh of our baby’s healthy heart ringing in my ears…
17 Oct 2017
E verything had been going so well...
Then, yesterday, my blood pressure shot sky high and stayed there. It turns out I was suffering from pre-eclampsia, just like I did the last time...
I was admitted to St Peter’s Hospital for closer monitoring and, later, rushed to theatre for an emergency Caesarean.
Lacey was delivered at 27 weeks old and she weighed just 1lb 4oz.
The moment my daughter first entered the world, she let out a small but strong cry. A good sign! But she was whisked away from me, seconds after birth. Hooked up to machines that are keeping her alive.
My arms ache to hold my daughter – but I can’t.
All I have is a photo that Philip has taken of our baby girl on his phone.
Lacey’s covered in wires and tubes, swamped by the nappies she wears.
Despite Alfie being born premature, Lacey looks worse in comparison. She’s half his size. My tiny, fragile girl. A real-life porcelain doll...
22 Oct 2017
Still poorly, little Lacey was transferred to St George’s Hospital in Tooting, London.
She had something called necrotising enterocolitis (NEC), a severe bowel condition that often affects pre-term babies.
‘Lacey will need to have an operation to correct it,’ the doctor explained gently.
But the thought of a surgeon’s knife cutting into my tiny daughter’s soft pink skin was unbearable.
Philip held me close while I sobbed as Lacey went in to have the surgery today.
We both paced the halls anxiously waiting for news.
And, when it came, it wasn’t entirely good.
Lacey’s heart stopped beating for 22 minutes and she was resuscitated twice.
But, miraculously, our little girl has managed to survive.
27 Oct 2017
ive days on after F Lacey’s op, doctors gave us the go-ahead to hold her for the very first time.
As the nurse placed Lacey into my arms, I was overwhelmed with love.
It’s been 10 days since my baby girl entered the world, now I could finally hold her.
She was so light, it was hard to believe she was even there. But I gazed at every tiny curve of her little face. ‘She’s gorgeous!’ Philip said. All we want now is to hold our daughter forever. But, unfortunately, Lacey still has a long way to go…
And all I can do is hope and pray that our girl will get stronger and stronger.
5 Feb 2018
After spending 111 days in hospital, today we were able to bring Lacey home!
There were many times I feared that this day would never come...
Like when I handed Lacey over for a second surgery as it was feared she had NEC again.
And once more when she had to be transferred to the High-dependency Unit because she was battling sepsis.
I spent every hour by her side while Philip looked after Alfie at home. A mum torn in two. Thankfully, doctors were able to save my girl again. Another close shave... As Philip and I packed up Lacey’s things and settled her safely into the car seat, I suddenly felt really strange.
Even though Lacey is 4 months old, it felt like we were taking home a newborn baby.
And we certainly have a few adjustments to make...
Instead of changing nappies, we’ve had to learn how to change Lacey’s stoma bag.
Although it’s a struggle right now, we’ll soon get into the swing of things.
Finally, we can enjoy life with our daughter.
The best part of all, though, is knowing she’ll get healthier each and every day. And hit all those ‘first’ baby milestones.
I’ve never felt so proud of my incredible girl – she’s already come so far.
17 Oct 2018
Happy first birthday, Lacey!
And the best present is that she’s healthy and content.
We marked the day by blowing out a candle on her big pink-and-white 1-shaped cake.
It was magical, having the four of us celebrating Lacey’s milestone.
And to think that this may never have happened...
After she had surgery to reverse the stoma, the doctors then told us that Lacey’s outlook is good.
Which is fantastic, considering all that she’s been through.
We’re thankful for the NHS and all that its wonderful staff have done for our daughter.
Without them, Lacey wouldn’t be alive.
She’s still small for her age and will need regular monitoring, but we’re positive she’ll live a normal life.
After all the heartache we’ve been through as a family, we’re still going strong.
Our little Lacey has truly defied all the odds.