Swine flue at Christmas 2010. 25/12/10

Dylan 1 day after finding out
he had swine flu . 

Sorry i have been away from the blog for a couple of days Dylan has had a viral infection bless him, i hate it when he is ill.
Im taking you back to 24th December 2010 when Dylan was 1 and a half months old. We was all in the font room on the sofa bed , as i was closer to the open plan kitchen , we was all very ill especially me and Dylan , Dylan was so ill he just lay still all the time (lifeless) i was bed ridden i felt as tho i was dying , could hardly stand, just needed to sleep but even that seemed to hurt. Dylan finally looked so ill i called a ambulance , they came and took us to Lewisham hospital in south east London as this was our closes hospital at the time , We didn't like this as, we would of liked QE , but this was further away and Dylan needed a hospital asap. and i was in no fit state to argue. We got there and was took to the ward and put in a side room , lucky it had a fold bed for a adult so i could lay down as well. They gave Dylan fluids ,and a bit of oxygen . we stayed and waited for the results of the blood test to see what was wrong, but unfortunately the department that deals with that was closed as it was Christmas eve so we got the dreaded news that we had to stay and , that meant waking up in hospital on Dylan's fist Christmas ill and in hospital.
I was so sad and ill i could hardly keep awake , i was so worried about my baby, i haven't long had him home as we was there 2 and a half weeks when he was born. I cried for hour's that we had to stay in also they still didn't know what was wrong with him.What was wrong with him must of been what was wrong with me.
Well Christmas morning came , and the nurse came in a bought Dylan a gift from Santa as he still comes to hospitals. i was a blanket. also a goody bag that had a penguin and a lion teddy in.

We was told Dylan was stable all night so they thought we could go home and take care of him there and he should be better soon . this concerned me but i didn't want to be there no longer.

poorly billy 

Mandy (billy's mum) came and picked us up. took us home. The doctor said they would call and let us know the results of dylan's bloods as soon as they came through. I got home and collapsed on the bed. Mandy insisted we was not well and wanted us to go stay at hers and she could help keep a eye on dylan while we got some sleep. i dint like this idea to much as i don't want any one else looking after dylan especially if he is not well . But i was in no fit state to argue but i did try. So soon after i got a call from my step mum Emma. Whom i normally listen to when i am ill as she looked after me all the time as a little one. She told me to go to Mandy's, so we went and got to hers she changed the bed sheets and me and billy got in bed , we had dylan in our room till bed time then they insisted that he goes down stairs with them. But before this i got a call from the doctors the confirmed that dylan had the H1N1 virus , which i was shocked and confirmed this was swine flu i was devastated my poor tiny baby had this and so did me and billy! Mandy was a star she picked up dylans prescription from the hospital and i managed to get a prescription for me and billy from our out of hours doctors. Mandy then took all of them and travel all the way across London to get the Tammy flue medicine for us. Bu thankfully after the first dose dylan seemed to show more signs of getting better. I took a bit longer but after a few days we was back home. I hated that our fist Christmas with our baby was so rubbish. I vowed the next one would be better.

Dylan's first surgery bt shunt 16th November 2010.

16th November 2010 , 


We today was the scariest day of our life. Dylan's big day had came quick. We just wanted it to be over. 

after the op! 

cuddles before the op

telling every1 he isn't happy!

Dylan's scar 

They got him all ready and we waited till the theater was ready the surgeon Dr Auston came and explained what he would do and got us to sign a consent form , These are hard having to sign over you baby and agree that the worst could happen , but it always comes down to he needs it and its what is best for Dylan. We had lots of cuddles before he went as we wont be able to pick him up for a couple of days. Now came the most emotional bit , having to say good buy and walking away while they take him in to the theater. My dad and step mum and billy's mum was up the hospital they took us to the slug and lettuce for lunch then we got a coffee and when for a walk to the park it seemed like forever our baby had been gone.  We then had enough and headed back to the hospital , we went straight to the ward , we haven't had a call yet to say he is back , but when we got there they had just brought him back in . and was setting all the breathing and monitors up. I was glad we just when back and went to see if he was back. I just wanted to go to him , i was worried what he would look like, with all the drains and breathing tube. But even the nurses agreed he was still the cutest baby eve even with his elephant nose with the breathing tube and ng tube up them. today we just sat by his bed wishing him well. He done so well . The surgeon came and said it all when well and he shouldn't need no more operations till he is 6 months old. over night the best PICU nurse Laura turned his breathing tube nearly off so some of the time he was doing it himself , and that he should have his drains out soon and can go up to Savannah ward. This has taken me a big step to upload the pictures of my baby looking like this as i dont like seeing him like that and don't like others looking at him like it but i thought it may help others. 

My first cuddle meeting my baby 13th November 2010

13th November 2010 

Meeting Dylan for the fist time
His first feed. 

First feed 

mummy and Dylan at 2am

Today was the first day i got to go and hold my baby boy , my dad and step mum took me down to PICU to meet him , he was he cutest most beautiful baby i have ever seen,(yes i would say that he is my baby ). I was aloud to give him cuddles and change his bum , also i gave him his fist feed in his mouth , i gave him my best milk hat i had stored in a syringe. The feeling of holding my baby was amazing , the nurses have said he has been such a good boy he has already got certificates. Today Dylan had lots of visitors which was very over whelming for me , I just wanted to sit the peacefully and sit holding him. Dylan didn't look to scary he was rigged up to the heat monitor , also he has a set of lines in his had to they could give him antibiotics and his medicine to keep the duct open , they say on the 16th November he will have his operation. I am petrified even more now as i have met my baby i do not want to lose him. One thing that really annoyed me to day was that i told he PICU nurses that the midwife on the maternity wad didn't let me come see my baby last night and they said i should complain about her as she was not aloud to do that and if i had called them they would of came and got me. The nurses on PICU are amazing they are so kind and will explain every thing to you. They made Dylan a diary and each day the nurses and family wrote in it. The second night i had gone back to the maternity wad for a rest and my medication, i managed to express milk so i called PICU and they said i could take it over to him , So in my night dress i walked through st Thomas hospital to Evelina and sat with Dylan till 2am. I didn't wan't to go and leave him. 

The birth of my heart baby ! 12/11/10

Today i woke up to happy yet so nervous. By tonight,i should have my baby boy. My dad and stepmum had came down from norfolk and stayed the night. We got and double checked my bag , i have had to pack a hell of a lot as we know we will have to be in hospital for about 2 or more weeks. We then had to call up the hospital to see if they was ready for me and to check there was a bed in PICU. I also needed to know as i had to take some medicine before i left. When i called they was in a fluster and told me to hold on and dont take the medicine and they would call me back in a hour and let me know. Well that hour was so long ! it then went to 1 hour and 45 minutes , Well that was it for me i got on the phone and they said yes come straight in and have the baby ! Well there was a big rush we got to the train station and met mum,Then billys mum Mandy and dad Mark came and met us up at the hospital. Me and billy when up to the ward and i got took in to my own room were they gave billy his scrubs so he could come in and  be with me while i had the c section.

The glimpse of my baby i got.

The way my baby looked
 when i got to see him

They then came to get me i waited to the theater room , was so scary! i then had to lay on this tiny thin table/bed. Then they made me roll on my side on the bed and inserted the epidural , tears was rolling down my face i was just so scared. Then i had to lay on my back and they kept asking me to raise my legs , then finally when i could no longer do this so it  had worked , Well they ended up giving me two epidurals. It was so funny i had to raise my leg and i did but lost the feeling. My leg fell of the table and i couldn't pick it back up. Billy has to hoist my leg back on the table. they he put the sheet up and i could no longer see. After a couple of mins i then said to billy am i naked now , haha he said yes , i was just laying there nude with lots of people in the room . I felt so shameful. They then started and after a while billy said can i look? i said i don't mind and the nurses said yes. Well he sat back down and looked as white as a sheet and he said that is disgusting. then they said we are going to pull about now, well i was feeling so scared now is when my baby comes out to the world and has to end for him self like breath and eat . Then my baby was out, they took him over to the back and was rubbing him down and he was crying , it was so cute he little wha wha wha , I made a comment that's so cute i bet we wont be saying that in a few weeks. they then said we need to take him straight over to the Evelina, i haven't got to see him or hold him os they was wheeling him out the room they stopped for two seconds so i could look then billy went with them , while the stitched me up. I was so worried,about my baby , they then said as soon as my epidural wears off i can go and get in a wheel chair and go see him. As they was stitching me up i started to feel it i had to tell the nurse and she had to stop them and give me some more gas. Billy came back and showed me pictures of my baby . He then went down and told the family how we both was. I got took to my own room on the maternity ward as its not fair to put me with the other mums as i don't have my baby. My mum was the only one who could come up and see me. I fighted for 7 hours to finally move so i could get my self into a wheel chair. I had my baby at 3:30pm so by this time it was 9:30pm . The head nurse then came in i said can i go see my baby now . She said NO! Well i started to cry , begging her for me to go see my baby she said i couldn't as i have had a c section and over there if i have a bleed they cannot deal with me! i was devastated , not only have i not yet held my baby i dont know what he looks like (only a picture) I Just wanted my baby , i couldn't believe it. Billy went back and throw with me and my baby, who we named Dylan. Billy then went home at 11:00pm .I just had to lay in my bed with al the bad thoughts listening to the other mums baby's cry, While some one else was looking after mine, to be honest i was pissed off! Then i had to wait for my dad and Stepmum to get back up the hospital at 11:00am the next day then they wheeled me over to see my baby.

External cephalic version 2nd November 2010

Today I had to appointments at st Thomas I had an midwife at 11:00 am and at 12:00pm I had the turning of my baby. I got up this morning in a weird mood, as the leaflet about turning my baby mentioned it could stress my baby and that could result in an emergency c section. So I had to pack a small bag of essentials just in case. We got there at 10:45 to see the midwife they was really busy and only one was working. We was still there at 11:45am so I went up to the receptionist to explain I had to go down to have my baby turned in 15 mins I don’t want to be late what should I do ? She called down and they said they needed me to go down as it was a booked appointment. So she spoke to a midwife and the midwife just said re book me in for the 9th October. I was rather upset by this as I had questions to ask, and I needed some more milk syringes. As I have to hand express and store the sticky milk in my boobs.(gross I know sorry). I reluctantly went down with billy. Yet again he was not well bless him . We went down and it was packed , this made me really cross as I had missed my appointment with the midwife and looked like I had to wait long here. I quickly became tearful. But soon after a man doctor came out to me and called me in to scan me to see yet again if baby has moved. One guess nope he haven’t. So yes this meant the turning of baby. The man got me to sign a consent form , im still not sure what for. He then said this has a 40 to 50 % chance of working. I was nervous, he then said ill go in a room and have mine and baby heart monitored then some medicine to numb my tummy muscles. I was worried as I had had to go to the toilet a lot, and didn’t know how much I would be able to feel. The nurse gave me the medicine, by this time I was agitated and scared, the sun was in my eyes I had two idiot trainee nurses come in and ask me if they could watch. I felt reluctant to say yes. As soon as the medicine went in I became really tearful it stung and hurt and made all my body shake . I had this feeling and medicine. Then a lady came in to check the monitor she said its good and they could start the turning. She would have to help the man as one gets the head and one gets his bottom to move the baby. She could see I was upset and asked what was wrong this is a bad idea as I start crying more. I explained no one has spoken to me about this, so she explained a little then they started to move him it really hurt it was ripping my skin. The man was rougher. I also had the two trainees watching. I was squeezing poor billys hand I think I must have nearly broken it. Then they scanned me to see if he moved nope not an inch. They then checked our hear rates to see if we was distressed . Well mine was sky high but baby’s haven’t changed. They asked to try again I agreed. They tried going the other way. Yet again really hurt. Nope he still haven’t moved so they agreed to stop. The man explained I would need a c section as I cannot go into labour while baby is breech. So he went to book it in as I waited for the medicine to were off. Billy said that was gross my whole tummy turned sideways, he said it must have hurt. Yes he was right . The man came back and said he would be doing it and the date for the c section is the 12.11.10 . Billy made a joke all we need now is to have baby at 9 . We then left after a stressful day and got home.

Today was so painful ! Omg and the fact the turning of the baby didn't work made me so angry nothing was going right ! i guess i wont feel the pain of labor but this now means i wont get to go to my son in the Evelina straight away. Have you had a turning of your baby did it work? x 

Midwife appointment and step B 27th October 2010

Midwife appointment with Tracey today.(my local midwife) Appointment was at 1.45pm nearly didn’t make it . We went in and had a lot to tell her. We haven’t seen her in ages. I had to tell her that baby will have to be moved, also I got a call from the midwifes at st Thomas regarding my swab test. I had something called group b step. It was a bacterial thing that has formed by its self inside my vagina , its deadly to baby’s and they can catch it when they pass through the mothers. I would have to be given antibiotics at least 4 hours before I give birth and then on consecutively. To make sure baby doesn’t get it. This really got me down as if I didn’t need anything else to make my baby ill. I just kept thinking to myself someone somewhere doesn’t want my lil man to be well. Then Tracy explained a bit about it . Then she took my blood pressure and urine sample and then she went to right in my notes . She realised that I had too sets one for my local hospital and one for st Thomas. She wanted to take the local one to file away. I didn’t want this as I want a copy of it all. As this has not been an easy or normal pregnancy. I asked to keep it she said no. luckily I told her st Thomas still look at it as it has my scan results in it, so she let me keep it and said she will take it next time.


Just what i wanted to find out that i have strep B! By this point i was thinking my poor baby doesn't stand a chance , I was so sad and so fed up . I just want it to be over now! 

What is GBS infection?

Group B streptococcus is a bacteria also known as Streptococcus agalactiae. It’s best known as the most common cause of severe infections in the newborn. But recent studies have shown that it may also cause serious infections in certain adults.

Group B streptococcal infections affect one in 2,000 babies born every year in the UK and Ireland. About 340 babies a year will develop group B streptococcal infection within seven days of birth (early group B streptococcus disease).

Causes of GBS infection

The bacteria is found living harmlessly in the vaginal and gastrointestinal tracts of up to 50 per cent of healthy women (and in many men too). It may be passed on to a baby either while the baby is still in the womb or during delivery. Although about 50 per cent of babies born to mothers carrying group B streptococcus pick up the micro-organism, only about one to two per cent of these newborns then go on to develop severe group B streptococcal disease.

Group B streptococcal sepsis is most likely to develop when the baby is premature or if there has been prolonged rupture of the membranes, with many hours passing before the baby is born, or if the baby has no antibodies to group B streptococci.

In the last 30 years it’s been show to be a cause of serious infection in non-pregnant adults too. It’s extremely rare in healthy people and is almost always associated with underlying problems such as diabetes or cancer, or less often, problems with:

Just another scan at st Thomas 21st October 2010

Today we are going back to st Thomas for our scan to see if baby is still breech I can tell them he is tho. I can feel his head just on the right side near the top of my ribs. Any way we was scanned . After the scanner said what now ? She only new to scan me she wasn’t sure why. So we took the scan report and took it to find a midwife from our team . She said if baby still breech we needed to go down stairs to the, walk in antenatal care to arrange a turning of my baby .
When we got down there they said it can only be done at 37 weeks , so they booked me in and sent me away with a basic leaflet.

Today was just another scan , it getting all too much keep traveling up London to different hospitals.Not forgetting i am pregnant! Today was sort of pointless they didn't know what they was doing! I do come back for the baby turning and OUCH is all i can say . x