Raising money for the amazing charity Lauren’s Life Lines.
My name is Lisa Harkness – aged 35
Grey Mare’s Tail Climb
Target I would love to reach – £1000.00
Date for charity walk – 03rd Oct 2015
My just giving page is – https://www.justgiving.com/lisaharkness1980
Or people can Text donate to – LICO80 £2 to 70070
Thank you so much.
Lauren’s Story (her mother’s words)
Lauren’s Story
Born on the 25th of August 2005.
Lauren was born at 27 weeks weighing just over 2lb and when she was days old she developed deep vein thrombosis she had a blood clot in her leg and on 1 on her kidneys. The doctors sent for specialist who told us they may have to amputate Lauren’s leg to save her but her condition deteriorated and there were only 2 options , which was to let her go or to give medicine that could cause a brain haemorrhage and leave her severely disabled.
We went with the medicine as she deserved a chance to live and fortunately it helped which caused the both blood clots to shrint however this destroyed her kidney and part of her heel and also her toes , she had a small haemorrhage but done well,unfortunately after a couple of weeks later in ICU she developed Mrsa and necrotizing enterocolitis this is a condition that eats away and destroys the bowel.
Lauren was transferred to ward 2b yorkhill after the surgeon Mr Haddock came to see her in Paisley NICU, she under went an operation to save her life but at the time the surgeons told us that she was so sick and small weighing only 2lb that there was only 30% chance she would survive after a 6 hour operation Lauren was in intensive care and put into an induced coma to help her recover but 2 days later she became more unwell and we were told that she wouldn’t make it past the weekend but Lauren yet again fought for survival and 2 weeks later opened her eyes which I will never ever forget, I remember the nurse saying hello to her and saying that she shouldn’t be here, no one thought she would pull through but she did.
Lauren was left with an iliostomy bag as parts of her bowel were destroyed or badly infected Lauren eventually got home in December still very small weighing 4lb and being 4 month old unfortunately she became unwell in Hogmanay and was rushed back to hospital she had a prolapsed stoma and breathing difficulties she had to undergo more surgery and more bowel was removed this meant Lauren had to be put on peg feeds she could not absorb food or nutrients so was feed 24hours a day by a machine, this helped lauren and she became stronger, however she still had to stay in hospital and had her 1st birthday in hospital. She eventually got home with her peg feeds and home oxygen and for a while was doing well although small and doubly incontinent she started nursery.
Then in 2010 she became seriously ill again she had emergency surgery on her bowel again and more removed she got home but 6 weeks later had to have more emergency surgery due to adhesion in her tummy, more bowel was removed again but she fought on and started school. That year she went to school wearing her feeding machine in a bag pack and in nappies, she was tiny compared to the rest of the kids but Lauren was excepted by all the kids and everyone loved her, unfortunately Lauren failed to thrive and never gained weight and was in chronic pain every day and night she was in and out of ward 4b all the time .
In January 2013 Lauren underwent life saving surgery again unfortunately this time her gut was extremely infected and her colon and most of her small bowel had to be removed this left her with a permanent colostomy bag and on 24 hour enteral button feeds lauren remained in 4b trying to gain weight but due to the damage and little part of bowel left Lauren had to go onto long term parenteral nutrition we were trained for 10 weeks on this as its a central line into her heart where nutrition goes through. This has major risks involved and Lauren had to go to theatre another 4 times due to infections in her line which now means Lauren only has the last vein left that her PN can go through, Lauren eventually got home in the July and started back school with lots of help and support.
Lauren has to have her enteral button feed running 24 hours a day and goes onto 12 hours at night of parenteral nutrition through her central line(pn).
We unfortunately don’t know what Lauren’s future is there is no cure for Lauren and she may now require a transplant in the future.
Lauren still wears a nappy and still has chronic pain but she is amazing she is still in and out of ward 4b and that’s just life for Lauren but she always is up beat and happy and she really does get on with whatever is thrown at her I hope this gives a little insight to Lauren’s life and without her lines for nutrition the the truth is Lauren wouldn’t be our little ray of sunshine.
