GNR mum tells us why she's running to support our SCBU

Claire Taylor is one of several parents whose children have been in our special care baby unit who are now doing the Great North Run to help raise funds for the department. Here Claire tells us hers and Rachel's story.

Rachel’s Story

"Rachel Claire Smith was born 4 June 2012 on the Queen's Diamond Jubilee.  It all started at a two weekly midwife appointment on Friday 1 June 2012 (34 weeks).  I had my usual urine test, blood pressure armband on etc and was referred to the hospital for further checks.  Upon visiting the hospital the tests were repeated, and repeated, and repeated until a consultant visited us to say it would be best if I stayed in overnight so they could keep an eye on me (bed rest).  My blood pressure was quite high, protein in my urine and what we now know as severe swelling to my hands, feet, face and the other usual places you swell during pregnancy.

"Over the course of the weekend I was poked and prodded like you wouldn’t believe. It came to a point where I recognised doctors, nurses, assistants who were coming back on shift, even those who had had days off.  I saw various women come and go, on their return to the ward they would have their babies in their arms or portable cots, not once did I think I was on the way to having my baby!!

"My blood pressure at its peak I can remember was at 200 over a lower number.  I shouldn’t have even peaked at 200 but there I was still plugging away at ‘resting’. Over the weekend I had various visitors dropping off clothes, magazines etc.  I was up and down to the labour ward like a yoyo.  My blood pressure would spike, I’d get sent down, blood pressure would drop, got sent back to the ward.  I can kind of remember being aware that if they got my baby from 34 weeks to 35 weeks it was better for her lungs, and would mean no steroid injections, which was all for the better. 

"On Sunday 3 June my partner went home as usual on the night time, I was on the labour ward at this point and he wasn’t allowed to stay over.  I wasn’t in labour in the true sense of the word but they had me down there for more intense monitoring.  I had snippets of sleep throughout the weekend, all the pain relief there was to offer and my partner returned the next morning. He had a fairly quick visit to check up on me and went home to get some work done.  (I should add our dog had puppies that weekend too so he was checking on them as well as fitting in his full time work!!).  All the while neither of us knew the seriousness of what was happening. 

"A nurse contacted my partner not long after he left for him to come back.  Unbeknown to me, I was being prepared for theatre; it was what the doctors and consultants had been suspecting, pre-eclampsia.  Over the course of the weekend my body was rejecting my baby and shutting down my organs but her blood pressure started to drop, and apparently that’s the last straw.  Suffice to say he returned to hospital, got gowned up and washed down and there I was sitting on the operating theatre waiting for my epidural

"The consultant lady was really good, removed my baby and handed her over to the paediatrician.  We had requested not to know what sex the baby was until we both looked at it.  There was a big gasp around the room when the paediatrician came over and said ‘here she is’!!  We laughed it off, I went to take her from him and he said I wasn’t able too; she had to go to special care immediately.  This broke our hearts, but had to be done.  I got sewed up and wheeled back to my labour room.  I never saw my baby the rest of the day.  The next day I recall seeing her, my partner held her and passed her over, I had a quick squeeze and she was rushed away again, her temperature had dropped.

"Another day later my baby came to visit me again, we had named her Rachel.  I got some photos taken with her as I couldn’t keep an image of her in my mind (well I was on 32 plus tablets per day!!).  She spent a little time with us and was taken to SCBU again. 

"Another day in and I got to go see her in SCBU.  It took me about half an hour to get into my wheelchair, a lot of tears and hard work but we got there.  The best experience ever but also the worst, I had no idea which cot had my baby was in, again I didn’t recognise her!! 

"The first week of Rachel’s life was a battle getting me out of bed and up to SCBU but I did it!!  I had lots of follow up visits from doctors and consultants to ensure the pre-eclampsia had gone.  I was discharged after a week and continued to visit Rachel every day.  She was discharged after a further two weeks.  All the time we visited SCBU we were supported by the best team of people possible.  How they do what they do day in day out with those tiny poorly babies I do not know.  I would be in bits.  They helped me feed her, dress her, gave me a kick up the butt a few times to get my act together and I now have a happy healthy (independent) three year old!!  She loves life and we love life with her in it!!

"So I am dedicating my ballot won post in this year’s GNR to raise money for the SCBU at the QE Hospital Gateshead because I have to give something back!  Who knows I may need them again next year!! "