| Born on the 26 February 2007, weighing in at 1lb 7oz and 1lb 10 oz respectively, Isabella and Mackenzie were born at just 24 and a half weeks gestation. At that time, the weather and the prognosis looked bleak. However, they were born in a special place.
From that day, we started a journey with the wonderful people that make up the staff at St. Michael's Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Back in February we were not to know that the twins would spend nearly five months in the Special Care Baby Unit.
Seeing the twins after they were first born it seemed impossible for them to even survive for the first night. They looked so small in the Incubator and clearly were hanging on to life by the thinnest of threads. The staff in the unit were so kind and gave us both hope and reassurance that they might pull through.
As time passed, the twins grew stronger. They were setbacks, with infection risks, respiratory difficulties as well as surgery to correct a problem that can lead to blindness in premature babies and Isabella also required heart surgery.
Finally after that long spell in hospital the twins are now back at home. Isabella came home on oxygen due to her chronic lung disease, but after three weeks at home she came out of oxygen and has been breathing unaided ever since.
The twins are now nearly 7 months old and are doing extremely well and still we benefit from the care and support of the staff at St Michael's in the form of the Community Nursing Team that come and visit us at home.
We have two thriving beautiful children and to say "thanks" to the staff seems wholly inadequate so we are delighted to support the Grand Appeal.
By parents Gerry Scott and Jonathan Ward |
