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Precious' Story
"Precious is one of 5 children..."
She has a big brother, Lewis (who misses his baby sister a great deal and talks about her often). She has another sibling whom was lost in early pregnancy (before Angel and Precious' pregnancy) and her identical twin sister Angel (who never got to know her sister and will have no knowledge of her other than what our family pass on in pictures) and a little sister, Millie-ann, born on the 14th of May 2009.
I discovered I was pregnant with my third baby (my second baby I miscarried in early pregnacy) on Tuesday the 31st of October 2006.
I had my first scan in October and all was well. I was having what seemed to be one healthy baby. I was given the 10th of July 2007 as my due date and booked in for routine 20 week scan on the 19th of February.
Precious was a very special little lady to all. She was a complete secret until the 20 week scan when I was told I was having TWINS.
Around 24 weeks of pregnancy, Precious developed an absent ended flow inner-uterus. This meant she was not growing properly and may not make it. I was told if Precious had died inner-uterus she could either take her sister or leave her brain damaged, so I clung to my tummy saying to myself in my head "come on, Precious little one, stay in there, don't let go on me". The following week I was scanned again and things had corrected themselves. Although she was still small, things progressed as well as they could have with close monitoring.
On the 7th of May 2007, I was told my babies had to be born soon and given the date 18th of May 2007 to be taken in for a planned c-section. I was told a c-section was the safest way for the babies to be born.
I was taken into hospital on the 17th of May 2007 as Precious' big sister failed to meet the criteria on the ECG machine. This was so I could be monitored throughout the night. Later on that day, however, the bigger twin met her criteria and it was a smooth but nerve wracking night knowing the next day I would have 2 tiny babies.
I was taken to theatre just before 9am on the 18th of May and the babies arrived. Both seemed ok initially and remained stable until the sunday night when Precious was 2 days old.
Precious developed breathing problems and had to be ventilated on the 20th of May. From there, the nurses and doctors continued to discover more and more health problems, which were:
* C.M.V (cyctomegalovirus unheard of but serious to pre-term babies)* NEC (necrotizing enterocolitis)
* high lactate levels
* massive heart problems (transposition of the great arteries)
* bowel problems
* liver problems
* kidney problems
* spleen problems
* premmaturity - 32 weeks gestation
Precious went to Alder Hey Childrens Hospital in Liverpool where she had part of her bowel removed and was given a slighty better chance of survival.
The staff on the intensive care unit in Alder Hey were amazing. I have nothing but praise and thanks for them as, in my eyes, they gave my little girl another 9 days with her family and kept me well informed and up-to-date with everything as it happened.
Sadly, Precious gave up her fight for life in her own time. She was a very sick baby girl who fought all she could but sadly it was not enough.
All her close family were there with her when she slipped away in my arms on the hardest and worst day of my life, the 14th of June 2007.
I will never forget my little fighter, my little girl. She will always be in my heart and thoughts.
Even if Mummy has another baby girl, you will always be my baby girl, as even your big sister Angel is known as Mummy's baby girlie. Forever my little girl, forever my sweetheart. Love and miss you lots and lots like jelly tots sweet pea.
- Shared by her mother, Carol