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SARAH’S STORY

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STAN’S STORY

STAN’S STORY

One of our greatest experiences at St Michael’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) was having a place across the road to call ‘home’ throughout our daughter’s treatment. It was a lifesaver.

Emmy was born 14 weeks early after an emergency c-section. Seeing her for the first time was scary, but amazing all at the same time. She had loads of wires and tubes connected to her, but she was our amazing little girl.

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She weighed under 1kg. Holding her for the first time was terrifying, but the feeling of her breathing and moving around in my arms quickly changed from fear into comfort.

We spent 87 days at the unit while Emmy grew stronger. When doctors told us she had a brain bleed, we were petrified.

Dan and I felt completely helpless seeing our baby so poorly in hospital. The staff always tried to involve us in Emmy’s care, but it wasn’t easy. I’d never imagined having to check my baby’s breathing tube or live in such constant worry.

Cots for Tots House was the only thing keeping our little family together.

Henry, our 20-month-old, could even stay with us. And if anything ever happened, we were only a minute away. I don’t know what we would have done if we’d had to go home, an hour’s drive away.

Cots for Tots House became more than a room – it laid the foundation for some incredible and important friendships.

Talking to your friends and family is great, but they don’t understand the situation as well as fellow NICU families.

After a great visit with Emmy, I had someone to tell who would share my excitement. Or on the bad days, there was a friendly face. Happy, sad, worried, depressed, angry – they appreciated it all.

Henry became close with our newfound friends too. Henry would light up and offer a hug if another family came down for breakfast. When Dan and I needed to go to meetings, a family we’d grown close to would keep him occupied in the lounge. Henry also adored Cots for Tots House Manager Anne and loved to show her his big, cheesy smile.

Emmy is now settling into home life easily. She amazes us every day. We won’t fully know how being extremely premature will affect Emmy in the future, but she has still hit all her milestones. We’re not so worried anymore. Her future looks bright and full of love.”

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