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Tag: infection

  • Heres Why You Don’t Sleep In Contacts

    “I sleep in my contacts all the time and I’ve never had a problem.”

    As an eye doctor, I literally hear this daily. The picture shows a referred case from the local urgent care, a subsequently cultured pseudomonas ulcer, and are the direct result of sleeping in contact lenses. Pseudomonas (bacteria) is an important cause of ocular morbidity and its opportunistic characteristics quickly lead to permanent blindness. This will be the 4th case of cultured pseudomonas that I’ve treated in my clinic.

    The bacteria explosively eats away at the patients cornea in a matter of days leaving a soupy, white necrosis (dead tissue) in its wake. I was able to start this patient on fortified antibiotic drops around the clock and recently steroids to reduce permanent scarring. While this patient’s eye continues to drastically improve from baseline, she will very likely exhibit some form of residual vision loss even after treatment.

    To be very clear, I don’t ever recommend sleeping in any brand of SOFT contact lenses. The risks outweigh the benefits every time. It takes seconds to remove your contacts but a potential lifetime of irreversible damage if you choose to leave them in. People need to see these images and remind themselves/family/friends to also be aware of contact lens misuse.

    #DontSleepInContacts #NotEvenOnce #EyeEmergency #VitaEyeClinic #247EyeCare

    Credit Vita eye clinic

     

  • You Can Never Be Too Overprotective When It Comes To Your Baby

    So I haven’t shared this bc….i just haven’t but parents and if your thinking about having a child read and it’s lengthy but here is our story ….so after Weston got home a couple of days passed and on Christmas his skin (full body) turned really red all of a sudden. He looked like he had a sun burn. After notifying the pediatrician we were told to not take him to the ER bc the flu was huge right now and unless he had fever just bring him in the next morning, so that’s what we did.

    The pediatrician told us his red blood cells were high (this is common) and he had yeast infection diaper rash and we were given a cream and sent home. The next day his “diaper rash” turned into blisters. After telling the pediatrician office this, they said “use the cream 4 times instead of just 2” so we did just that. On Friday his “diaper rash” was horrible, he had about 7 blisters around his diaper area and inner thigh and his face was extremely chapped and had started getting a rash and swollen. I decided to google “yeast infection diaper rash” and Weston’s looked nothing like this. We called the pediatrician and left a voicemail detailing this.

    Within an hour they called me back and said “go to Vandy ER immediately”. After we got there his rash got much worse. After having his blood drawn, a catheter for a urine sample, a stool sample, a spinal tap, and fluid drawn from the blisters. Weston was diagnosed with “scalded skin syndrome” which is also a horrible staph infection.

    Our baby was in intense pain since bringing him home from the hospital and we had no clue. We were told today that this was caused by staph most commonly from the nose of an adult. Meaning even though we told people “don’t kiss him” people still did. I’m writing this to tell all parents don’t be afraid to tell people “don’t kiss my baby”. Don’t be afraid to tell people “no you can’t hold him”. Watch people closely. Who cares if people make fun of you for how you parent bc we could be burying Weston it was so bad.

    Luckily we caught it early enough and he is a fighter and we will probably come home today or tomorrow, some babies aren’t that lucky. I’m showing these pics so that people can see just why some of us are “too overprotective”. One pic is the day before and the other is the next day when we arrived at the hospital, and the last is today. Again don’t be afraid to be the “mean person” bc it literally could be life or death.

     

    Credit Steve sanders

  • I Will Get Justice For My Baby

    💜👼Florrie’s Story👼💜

    17 weeks 3 days pregnant I was assaulted in the kitchen of my home by my ex and the ‘Father’ to my 3-year-old daughter. I was already having a bleed due to the miscarriage of her twin a few weeks before. I can’t go into detail about the assault but the baby’s waters ruptured. Going upstairs I discovered I was soaking wet and there was blood everywhere. The only thing I could think was “That’s it. It’s game over”!! I rang the hospital and was taken in.

    I had internals,scans etc etc and then I was told “I’m so sorry Amie. The baby’s waters have ruptured and there’s nothing we can do but wait for the labour process to begin or have a medically induced termination”!! I was absolutely heartbroken 💔I decided to go home and wait for the inevitable to happen. I didn’t want to stay in hospital and I definitely didn’t want to kill my own baby!! I wanted to be at home with my daughters.

    My ex partner was arrested from my home and me and the girls went to stay with my mum for a couple of days. I had a scan booked for 2 days later if I hadn’t gone into labour already. I hadn’t!! I went for my scan at Fetal Medical Assessment and they told me that the babies waters were definitely ruptured and that I had Placenta Preva. They told me my Placenta was completely covering the baby’s exit and that if I had wanted a termination I couldn’t have one anyway because the baby would have to be born by Csection or I’d hemmorage and quite possibly bleed to death!!

    Scary times 😔Other than her Waters been ruptured my baby was doing well for now but it was early days so the problems wouldn’t kick-start straight away and I was told to prepare for the worst. I was absolutely shattered!! I never went into labour though. I didn’t know the sex of my baby till the day she was born because there was so little fluid we couldn’t see. Even through all the stress,the constant worry and the heartache I just wanted to know whether my baby was Team Pink or Team Blue 💜💙It was the ‘Normal’ things that kept me going.

    Every 2 days I had to go into hospital for obs,blood test to check my infection markers etc. Always went okay. Never caught any infections despite constantly losing fluid and having bleeds all the time with the Placenta Preva. Obs were always good,baby was always active during scans and she was still alive. That was the main thing!! Fast forward to 20 weeks pregnant and going to my 20 weeks scan. Changes had started taking place. Her lungs were on the small side and her heart was slightly enlarged and she had Tepeles (Club foot) all due to lack of fluid.

    I was then referred for all my scans to take place at Fetal Medical Assessment at the LGI and that would be where baby’s birth would be taking place as they were more equipped to deal with her birth there. I had Fetal Medical scans every week and although we had bad weeks we had some good weeks too but her prognosis was never good. They told me the chances were highly likely that Florrie wouldn’t make it out alive but if she did she would be Trachea dependant for the rest of her life and that her life wouldn’t be a long one. They told me she had an enlarged heart with fluid surrounding it (Possible Cardiomyopathy) Potters Syndrome,Teples and she would be born cramped up as she had been squashed with no water for however long the pregnancy went on.

    I was sat down after one scan and told “Amie. We’re quite concerned that your developing Placenta Creta”. On the scan it had shown a space about as thick as a finger nail between my Placenta and previous section scar tissue and I was referred for a MRI the following day. I went home and did my research and didn’t like what I’d learnt 😔That night I had to go to hospital with another bleed. I had to go to hospital with every bleed as any bleed could be a dangerous bleed and I could hemorrhage at any time. They kept me in as the blood flow didn’t slow as quickly as it previously had before. I was carefully monitored and the MRI the next day went ahead.

    Later that night back on the ward the man who did the scan came to see me with he’s team. I could tell by their faces that it was bad news. Luckily my mum was with me. I just blurted out “I’m attached aren’t I”!! 🙈They pulled the curtains round and all gathered around. He sat on my bed and he said “Amie.. I’m so sorry to tell you this but you’ve got Stage 4 Placenta Creta”! I’m sat there thinking about what iv read on the Internet and he’s saying summat about Stage 4. And I’m just thinking “What the fuck is he even on about”?? He goes on to tell me “Iv never seen anything like this in all my 30 years in medical practise and were going to have to draft in some doctors from oversees before we can even think about delivering your baby. Amie I’m so sorry to have to say this but your life is now at serious risk and we would strongly advise you and your family to prepare yourselves for the worst”!!

    I can’t remember much after that. I just know I didn’t cry. I turned to my mum and she was just in absolute pieces. She was how I was when I was told Florrie might not make it. I gave her the biggest cuddle and I told her “Don’t you be sat there mum listening to these fukin idiots because I’m not going anywhere”!! I never shed not one single tear. I had to be the strong one now. I told them “I understood everything they had said and when could I go home”. He told me I could go home the next day providing my blood loss had stopped. It did and home I went. I carried on with life like you do and I just thought “Florrie’s what matters at minute and making sure I keep life as normal as possible for the kids”.

    I didn’t tell my kids I might die. It’s something they didn’t need to know. Fast forward to 29 weeks 2 days pregnant by this point I’d learnt I had Placenta Preva,Stage 4 Placenta Creta,my Placenta was not only attached to my previous section scar tissue it was also attached to my womb,my Uterus, my Cervix. It was like a sling inside my belly (Their words) I got took into hospital with another bleed. I was put on the monitor and her heart rate and slowed and changes were taking place so I was admitted to the Labour Ward. My team came to see me and said a doctor from the Netherlands was on he’s way to England and he would arrive sometime early morning to assist the operation.

    I would be going to theater at 11 o’clock 29th March 2017. I’m not going to lie I was absolutely shitting myself but I turned round and just said “OK love that’s good with me”!! He then told me I’d be kept on monitor all night and that I’d not to lay flat on my back. I sent my mum home for some sleep and told her to be back for 8 the next morning. I didn’t sleep that night I sat in the chair at the side of my bed cuddling a Pink furry rabbit babygro that both Ruby and Elsie had worn to come home from hospital in.. And I cried and cried and cried!!!

    All I could think was “I might never see my daughters again. I might not even get to meet my baby. I might never see my mum, my brothers or my sister ever again. Next time they see me I might be laid there dead with my dead baby in my arms”!! I rang my mum and I said “Mum if me and the baby do die will you promise me one thing? That we get put together in the same coffin and if she’s a girl please call her Florrie after my grandma”.

    My mum might lose not only her grand baby but her daughter too”!! And I’d just sent her home to get some sleep 😔I can remember going for a bath about 7 o’clock the next morning and then I was scanned at 8 o’clock.. Florrie had her leg in her hand and was putting it above her head. I can remember saying “She’s going to be a gymnast when she’s older and laughing with the doctor”!! My mum arrived at 8 and then at 9 o’clock I was scanned by my Consultant Tom so he could mark up where my incision was going to be.

    Scan started I seen my baby move. We heard her heart beat although it was a little low and there was gaps between beats. I remember thinking “This might be the last time I ever get to hear that sound or see her image” then Tom goes “I’m just off to go get another member of the team”. I didn’t think anything of it. In they come scan continues sound gets turned off and he turns the screen to him. I’m just thinking he’s measuring up to see where I’m getting cut. One doctor goes out. Tom’s deep in concentration. He never said a word. There was a deathly silence in the room. Then something started to not feel right. I felt uneasy. Next thing so many doctors came rushing through the door they almost didn’t fit in the room. Their all gathered round the screen talking in hushed tones.

    I just know somethings badly wrong here but I was so calm its unreal. Tom looks at me with the most saddest look. I said “Tom what wrong.. Something is wrong isn’t it”? He said “Amie I’m so so so sorry. Amie the baby has just gone”!!

    Again that deathly blood curdling scream that left my body i will never unhear. I’d literally just watched my baby pass away on the screen 💔12 weeks to the day my baby had battled in the womb to stay alive and on the morning of her section she had passed away. Totally heartbreaking 💔My mum must have rung my family because I remember them turning up. I remember us all been outside. I can’t remember what got said or anything. I was a complete and utter mess!! I said bye to them all and I walked back up to the Labour Ward with my mum and my team were at front desk I said “I’m ready to go to theater now and have my baby”!!

    I got out the outfit I wanted my baby to wear,the scenting blanket I’d spent the night scenting up incase I didn’t get to meet her and I passed the nurse her blanket and told her to make sure she was cleaned up,dressed and wrapped in her blanket for me. I was prepped for theater and I said my goodbyes to my mum just incase I didn’t see her again.. I was put to sleep. In theater I gave birth at 29 weeks 3 days to my beautiful baby girl Florrie-Mae born sleeping at 12.50pm weighing 1Ib 15.5oz on 29.03.17 💜👼

    I lost my full body’s supply of blood, I had all my blood replaced,I had to have a Hysterectomy, my Uterus and some of my cervix was also removed. At one point they went out and told my mum I’d had a little girl and it got that bad in theater they told my mum things were really bad and they were doing all they could to save me but she had to prepare for the worst because it wasn’t looking good. She must have rang my family and they a turned up at that point. At one point they were going to give up but the doctor from the Netherlands stepped in and performed an emergency Arterial block and put me on a Self Saver machine.

    I was in theater 8 and a half hours. I came out on full life support in an induced coma and transferred to ICU …. But I was alive. Only just. They told me it was a miracle. I now do believe in miracles 👌Can’t keep a warrior down for long. 36 hours later I woke up. As soon as the ventilator was out I said “I had a little girl didn’t I”? The doctor said “Yeah you did Amie”. I just said “I bloody knew it”! 🤣I asked when I could have her and they said as soon as we can get some of these tubes out of you so I said “Well you better make a start then haven’t you love” 😂 From waking up to leaving ICU it took me 2 hours. I wasn’t messing around lol.

    Arriving at HDU they got me settled and then they brought my daughter to me. I’d waited so long for this cuddle. She got passed to me and I swear to god she was gorgeous. She looked like she had been crying 😢 I remember saying “I’m so sorry Florrie. I’m so sorry I couldn’t protect you. But I promise you I’m going to fight like fuck for you baby”!!! And here I am. Fighting like fuck to get my daughter the justice she deserves. The man responsible for her death is going on trial in 2019 for charges I can’t discuss.

    My Florrie will be 2 years and 2 months old when it takes place. Its been a long hard battle but iv got it this far and I don’t intend to give up now!! I promised Florrie she wouldn’t die for absolutely nothing and so I set up Florrie’s Army 💜 👼My daughter may not be here but she will sure never be forgotten. I believe she got given to me because she had some work that needed to be done and she picked me to do it 💕I got hand picked from Heaven by the most perfect little angel ever 👼She’s doing amazing things from Heaven and while ever I’m here Florrie’s Army will be here xxxxxxxx https://www.facebook.com/Florries-Army-In-Rememberance-Page-123309771943179/

  • Amazing Trick To Ease Ear Infection Pain

    What I’m about to share with you, is a coveted family secret given to my mom from aunt Mer. Because as a child/ teen and now adult.. with ears prone to infections and broken eardrums.. I use this all the time.

    Your child ever wake up screaming in pain of an ear infection?

    Because it takes 30 minutes for pain meds to kick in, this is the handiest trick you will ever learn.

    1. Take a face cloth and heat it up in water as hot as your hands can stand, and ring the water out..

    2. Place the hot wet face cloth in a mug.

    3. Place mug in the microwave for 20 seconds until the cup is warm and cloth is burning hot..

    4. Place open end of mug on your child’s head, around the ear being careful the hot cloth does not touch your child’s ear.

    The pressure from the mug, will help relieve the pressure built up in the ear- VOILA- back to sleep and calmed /not crying.. and then the pain meds will kick in. 😍 you are welcome.

    -echo

    Follow me for more tips, or on Instagram for relationship and children tips! Credit @canadianmomgoddess

    https://www.instagram.com/candianmomgoddess

     

  • My Baby Nearly Died Because Of An Innocent Childrens Toy

    “This is the hardest thing I have ever had to write. It’s long but please read. Especially if you are a parent.

    So I’ve just experienced the worst 24 hours of my life. My son Toby yesterday nearly died. They say you can’t watch them 24/7 and how true that is.

    Yesterday around lunchtime Toby managed to put something in his mouth and he started to choke. I walked towards Toby and be walked towards me holding his throat and unable to breathe. Whatever it was had become lodged in his throat blocking his airway. I called rich and he came running. An ambulance was called and we started the attempt to save our boys life. We started with back thrusts but the lodged item Wouldn’t budge. Rich attempted to scoop it out but still to no avail. Our friend and colleague Campbell came to assist and rich and him working as a team started performing CPR.

    Watching that being performed on your own child is a vision I will never be rid of. He managed only a couple of short laboured breaths and went in and out of consciousness. On two occasions he stopped breathing, his body went limp, eyes in the back of his head. We all thought the worst.

    His jaw had locked shut, My limp lifeless boy on the cold kitchen floor. The ambulance crew arrived within 6 minutes and started to attempt to save Toby. He expelled blood from his nose and was blue. Never a sight I ever wish to witness on anybody. I had flashing images throughout it all but never let go of my boy’s hand. I was pulled away at one point but fought my way back to my boy’s side. No matter what outcome he would want his mummy with him.

    The paramedics arrived and took control, Rich and Campbell taking it in turns to perform CPR. The crew managed to get his mouth open and get a blade in and engaged the ball enough to scoop it out. There I was thinking my boy had choked on a marble, not a large approx 4cm wide rubber ball. One of those innocent rubber balls you get in party bag favours, they sell in those machines in pubs, they are super bouncy and great fun! I never ever wish to see one of those balls again.

    My Baby Nearly Died Because Of An Innocent Childrens Toy
    My Baby Nearly Died Because Of An Innocent Childrens Toy

    Toby was rushed to hospital as he wasn’t able to breathe on his own. He had X-rays and there was a shadow over one lung. There was now the worry of infection and any life long damage caused due to lack of oxygen to his brain. He was able to, with limited response nod or shake his head. Drifting in and out of sleep. My normal talkative 2.5 year old boy wasn’t talking. He was put on antibiotics straight away. He remained on oxygen for over 12 hours, every time they tried to remove it his little body couldn’t cope. He slept longer than he has ever slept in his life with his mummy watching every breath. His little body struggling to breath like it should. He kept getting a raised temperature, something else to cause more concern. I couldn’t bare watching my boy so helpless.

    His big sister brushing her hand across his head, telling him not to put a ball in his mouth. The tears finally started to fall, whilst I bite down on a piece of toast, it’s real. This has really happened to me and my family.

    Before daddy went home he perked up just enough to point to a family photo on the phone and name everyone in the photo. Wow those words daddy, mummy, Darcey, toby and bear. The best words in the world.

    During the night we managed to remove the oxygen and finally Toby managed to breath on his own, no longer laboured but his chest doing what it needs to do.

    After that He slept and he slept, Being checked through the night by the wonderful nurses. That bloody temperature I just wanted it to be back to normal. Finally the sun came up and I was wide awake. Watching my little boy sleep. That temperate checked yet another time, and my prayers finally answered, finally the number 36. Yes Toby you little fighter you body is working as it should. He began talking and he got off the bed looked outside and wanted to go play. The consultant came around this morning and told me how utterly lucky my little boy was. The speedy actions of myself, rich, Campbell and my dad making that call, the paramedics saved my boys life. SAVED MY BOYS LIFE, words are used loosely but my god this time a truer word cannot be spoken. I am the mother of 2 wonderful healthy children x I am blessed and so thankful I cannot express it enough”

    Full credit to: Carrie Owen

    “>[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h4uS5EmpeEs&w=560&h=315]

  • Britain’s Youngest Sepsis Survivor 

    This is a story of Awareness for Group B strep & sepsis. 

    During my pregnancy I was given a swab to check for Group B strep, it came back positive twice & negative twice.. But I was given the recommended amount of antibiotics during labour. On the 9th October 2015 Amélie was born not breathing, agpa score of 2, extremely swollen and floppy. 

    The Drs and midwives resuscitated her and she seemed to be ok I throughout the day.. To a new first time mum I just thought it was normal and had no idea she was really severely ill. 

    Throughout the day she wouldn’t feed, didn’t wake unless midwives stripped her, she was very swollen, purple and was breathing too fast – however midwives and I were reassured it could be because she wasn’t breathing at birth.

    She was so swollen
     


    In the evening my midwife came round to do checks on her, she found that Amélies temperature was too hot on one side but too cold on the other side of her body, her oxygen levels were different from her hands to her feet.. Still very purple, swollen and non responsive my little new born was rushed up to The NICU Where IV antibiotics were immediately started. 

    She was taken for a chest X-ray, multiple blood tests, oxygen pumped into an incubator and a lumbar puncture, she was so poorly my baby didn’t even cry when a large needle was placed into her spinal cord.. She just fell asleep on the nurses hand.. That really breaks my heart. 

    Amélie wasn’t aloud any milk for a few days either, if her stomach expanded it out too much pressure on her lungs and she couldn’t breathe so was glucose drip fed before eventually going onto an NG tube.




    I remember sitting with her, reading stories but being interrupted by the beeping of machines, the noses that never leave you. I remember being aloud to hold her, but being caught up in wires instead. I remember learning to feed my baby girl through an NG tube instead of with a bottle like all my friends could with their babies.


    Amélie was born at 8lb8oz, as the antibiotics worked she started to lose weight.. Eventually getting down to finding that she had around 3lbs worth of extra weight through swelling. 

    At 5 days old Amélie pulled her cannula out which meant she had to be transferred to a different incubator and the Drs attempted to leave her without extra oxygen or tubes for 30 minutes to see how she would react.. My amazing Amélie started breathing properly on her on and miraculously at 5 days old got the all clear, the sepsis was gone.


    The NICU nurses bought her downstairs to the room me and my fiancé were staying in as a surprise, I thought she was coming for a visit with the machines but we were told we could keep her, to be with just us and no one else. I could look after my baby girl, and that was the most incredible feeling.. I will never forget it. 

    I didn’t feel like she was mine, from the second she was born being whisked off to save her life and then just a few short hours later being taken again.. But after that I felt free and at peace. 


    Amélie is 21 months now, still tiny at almost 21lbs.. she started walking At 10 months which is amazing.. She has a few health concerns, however unsure whether linked to having sepsis as a newborn yet.. Other than that is the most happy and loving little girl, I couldn’t be prouder. She has been named Britain’s youngest sepsis survivor and along with her daddy we have raised almost £900 for the UK sepsis trust. 




    Amélies sepsis was caused by a Group B strep infection, something that is totally preventable.. I had antibiotics during labour so our little lady was a Fairly rare case to still get poorly.. But could you imagine if I didn’t know, if I didn’t get any antibiotics? I know my baby wouldn’t be here. Not every hospital openly give GBS test however through the ‘GBSS’ charity you can purchase your own test for a small amount of money, which is a very small price to pay compared to the possibility of losing your new born baby. 


    The websites for all information on sepsis and GBS are here, please do some research & learn the symptoms of sepsis, getting help as soon as possible is what will potentially save a life. 


    http://sepsistrust.org

     http://gbss.org.uk/

  • How A Sty Nearly Killed Me!!!

    **Some of these photos are not very pleasant** After a discussion with my consultants I’ve decided to raise awareness to what happens to me and also publicly thank the doctors, consultants and nurses at Northwick hospital.. 

    on June 26th I picked a sty on my eye, went to bed, by 5am I woke feeling poorly, so poorly I text my doctor, completely unaware how seriously ill I had become, as you will see in the photos my face had swollen quite badly, this then continued to grow and over the course of a few hours- I became completely Unrecognisable, I sent a photo to my gp who immediately sent me to hospital, I was then taken by ambulance to another hospital, The next few hours can only be described as petrifying – Meanwhile I’m being sick, have no feeling in my fingers and toes and my temp is 42 !! 


    When we arrive at Northwick Park hospital a quick thinking doctor takes a photo of me and runs this to a consultant who at the time is in surgery, he immediately leaves and comes to see me, I’m given a CT scan and taken into surgery. 

    What I didn’t know is behind the eye is a tube ( I don’t know the medical name/term for this) and this leads straight to the brain… my infection was across my face and behind my eye… I was very close to brain damage, blindness and death. 


    These quick thinking doctors saved my life… things could have been so different. 

    The several anaesthetists who rushed me into surgery, the infection consultant, the facial surgeon, the night doctors, night nurses who changed my intravenous drip every hour on the hour, ( I had three, all three had two antibiotics drips) the hourly checks with my eye, temp and bloods. When they say nurses are over worked and unpaid. This is an understatement!!!!! 


    This was such a scary experience and I wouldn’t want anyone to have to go through this… please don’t pick stys, spots, anything ( these things lead to cellulitis/ bacteria meningitis) please don’t wait to call a doctor or get things checked out, life can me cut very short, very quickly.

    I will be forever grateful to all the doctors I have seen, everyone who works at the GREY ward in Northwick Park hospital!!! I can’t thank you enough from the bottom of my and my family heart. 


    To all my Danny, sister, to both our families and friends who have shown me so much love and support… your kindness and love has been truly extraordinary, I’ve been blown away by you all. 

    Tell people you love them, be kind and have no regrets. ❤️ 

    I am going to make a full recovery and already feel back my normal self.. and posting ;-))))) haha! 

  • Just A Viral Infection?

    Out of the blue Lilly got a high temperature after being fine all day. I had a feeling something wasn’t right as Calpol wasn’t bringing her temperature down.

     I decided to take her to an out of hours GP, and, after seeing a doctor, Lilly was sent home, diagnosed with a virus.
    I stayed next to her all night monitoring her temperature. The next morning Lilly was moaning and crying and just wanted to be cuddled.

     I put her down for a nap and when she woke up an hour later she just looked at me as if to say ‘help me mummy’.

    At that point I picked her up out of her cot and she vomited everywhere; I’ve never seen so much sick come from a baby.

    I dressed her in a babygrow and put her straight in the car and we drove back up to the GP surgery, next to A & E, where I ran in with her and demanded to be seen straight away.

    A triage nurse saw us straight away and called for a senior nurse. After taking a few observations the senior nurse took us straight round to A & E, and we were rushed into paediatrics, where they tried to locate Lilly’s veins so they could extract blood and administer fluid as she was very dehydrated from being so sick.

    When they were unable to find any veins they needed to drill into her shins. Traumatic as this was it was necessary to save her life.

    Once they stabilised Lilly they admitted her to a ward where she had a lumbar punch to confirm meningitis.

    After seven days on the ward, countless needles, blood tests, antibiotics and steroids our baby girl was discharged having made a full recovery.

    She is now a beautiful, cheeky three-year- old with normal development and no apparent lasting damage.