One in a MILLION!
This week, we are celebrating the amazing story of Laura Wade, 37, from Richmond. She said…
Reaching my 30s, I knew I was ready for a family. So, when me and my husband Gordon, 43, decided we were going to start trying, I was very excited.
And that’s when we had our daughter Georgia, now four, in 2017.
And just a year later, I found out I was pregnant again – with triplets!
It was certainly a surprise, but a special one.
Joshua, Olivia, and Emilia, now three, were all born at just 30 weeks gestation.
It was a relatively straightforward pregnancy and we were all elated.
Yet, when the triplets were just five-days-old, we received unexpected news.
Emilia had suffered a bleed on the brain. I had no idea what this meant and I really hoped it wasn’t as bad as it seemed.
However, she was diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy.
And as a result, she would have reduced mobility, with the need for 24/7 care.
As a family, we just had to take each day as it came.
Emilia had the biggest support from us all – she was never alone.
Doctors told us she would need to use a stander to aid all her movement.
All four of her limbs are affected, and her core weak.
Yet, nothing was going to stop me from loving my beautiful baby.
Although Emilia is limited in what she can do, she is so full of life.
I do find it especially hard when I know that her siblings are able to play together when Emilia is having physio.
But, that’s when we discovered the Madeley Wood Adventure Park in Shropshire.
An inclusive and fully interactive play park.
It was rare to find a place with so many things that Emilia could actually play on.
Everything is thought through, whether that’s just a specialised seat or a ride designed with children like Emilia in mind.
Swings, slides, and even a sandpit.
Knowing that she could play with her siblings was such a special moment that’s for sure.
She is a real daredevil and really lets her hair down!
Babbling away on the zip wire – she is certainly braver than me.
There is a possibility of future surgery to improve Emilia’s muscle function, but this would need to be funded as it is only available in America.
For now, we are just living life to the max – showing Emilia that nothing can get in the way of that.
●fo●●ow Laura on Instagram: @the_yorkshire_triplets