From teeny to teen
Our journey started very early on a Saturday morning when I was 29 weeks’ pregnant and getting ready to go to work. I didn't feel too good so phoned my local hospital maternity ward and was told an ambulance was on its way to bring me in. When I arrived at the hospital, everything seemed fine. I was kept in all day, going back and forth to the maternity ward as I was having irregular pains. Finally, at 9pm, they sent my partner home and I went for a bath… big mistake!
Next thing I know, I’m being prepared to be transferred to Liverpool Women's Hospital because our local hospital was full. A bed had become free so I was sent there. I arrived there not knowing what was happening and was quickly sent to theatre for an emergency c-section. Luckily my partner made it back in time and at 1.12am on 14 August 2011 our son Dewi was born, weighing just 3lb (1.36kg).
“Next came the second transfusion (I sat all day holding his hand) and nothing changed. I went through most of this by myself as my partner had to go back to work. He could only come up to see us at the weekends.”
Blue lights
The next 48 hours were a blur: we were told Dewi was critical and might not survive. We then spent nearly three weeks in SCBU before being transferred to Ysbyty Gwynedd Hospital, which was closer to home. After a week or so we were informed that his kidney was failing and he was transferred to Alder Hey Hospital. My partner and I had to travel by car and watched the ambulance that was carrying him pass by with blue flashing lights – that was hard!
After arriving we were told that he might lose a kidney and may need a transplant. We both offered one of our kidneys straight away. After a few days we were informed that he would be going to theatre for them to put a tube in his kidney to drain it and hopefully get it working again.
He was transferred to the High Dependency Unit (HDU) where he received amazing care from the nurses, not just him but us as well. His oxygen saturation (SATS) weren't great and he was poorly because of the kidney problem. They informed us that he may require a blood transfusion and that they were monitoring him very carefully. After a few weeks his kidney started to improve and we were moved to SCBU.
Transfusions and tubes
He had already received one blood transfusion but it had made no difference so they told us he could receive two more transfusions if necessary. After a few weeks the tube was removed from the kidney as it had cleaned the kidney and it looked like it was functioning properly. Next came the second transfusion (I sat all day holding his hand) and nothing changed. I went through most of this by myself as my partner had to go back to work. He could only come up to see us at the weekends.
His third and last transfusion came and by the next day he had rosy cheeks, eyes wide open and his SATS had improved! After a week we were sent back to Ysbytu Gwynedd and it was amazing to be close to home again. Two weeks there and we were discharged with numerous follow-up appointments and check ups.
Fast forward
Today my son is 14 years old and plays rugby for our local team and for the school team. He also plays darts for a local team! He has no lasting health issues and is fully fit.
Looking at him now makes me smile and think of everything we went through, not even knowing if he would survive. I'm so proud of the young lad that he's turning out to be (not the moody teenager part though!).
Dewi knows everything about the time he was born and everything we went through. We even joke that when he's 18 he owes us about £200 for parking at Alder Hey!
With thanks to Sian for sharing Dewi’s story.