Fraser flies home to receive neonatal care
Kirkcaldy, Scotland
Leeds,
West Yorkshire
260 miles
Alex, Fraser's mum, says:
"What Lia's Wings did for us was so fundamental to our health and happiness as a family; they stepped in when we were at a low ebb and really, really needed support."
Written by Alex, Fraser’s mum
​
Having Fraser on holiday was one of the most traumatic experiences of our lives. He was born 6 weeks early in our holiday cottage, with only my husband Tony and I there to see him safely into the world. Following the arrival of the ambulance he was rushed to the Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy, where he received amazing neonatal care. As a result he made brilliant progress, but our family needed to make the journey home to Yorkshire to continue his treatment. The team in Scotland made contact with our local hospital to set up a transfer by helicopter. Unfortunately, due to a mixture of sickness, mechanical failure and weather conditions, the transfer was booked and then cancelled 4 times. During this time my husband and firstborn (19 months) had had to make the journey home by car as we had no accommodation in Scotland after the second cancellation. I stayed with Fraser in a side room in the neonatal unit.
It’s hard to describe the effect of the cancelled transfers on our little family of four. I had never spent a night away from my eldest and I missed him and my husband terribly – I was used to coming home from the hospital in the evening to their love and support. I could feel my mental health starting to suffer; I was getting more and more panicked that nobody would come to help us, which brought back the trauma of the birth itself, something we were still trying to process. In addition, Fraser’s treatment was somewhat on hold pending his relocation and his progress was starting to stall, which was really difficult to see. In this context, when I got the call to say that Lia's Wings had stepped in to transfer Fraser and me, I was completely overwhelmed with relief and gratitude that somebody, somewhere would do that for me and my boys. All the stress and pressure of the situation was lifted from my shoulders and Tony and I could focus on putting our family back together again.
The transfer itself was seamless – Fraser travelled in his own little pod (complete with ear defenders!) and we even managed to secure a police escort through Edinburgh airport! The plane was so comfortable and quick, meaning Fraser was completely content the whole way and needed minimal medical support. Following the transfer he spent a few days in the special care unit in our local hospital before being discharged home. It’s absolutely wonderful to have him back and we’re thriving as a family of four.
I can’t ever thank Lia's Wings enough for supporting us both before and after the transfer. What they did for us was so fundamental to our health and happiness as a family; they stepped in when we were at a low ebb and really, really needed support. They’re part of our story now, and I know that when Fraser learns to walk and talk, starts school, and navigates all the other big moments in life, I will always think of their contribution.