Little Hallie Lindsay fought hard for 26 days after she was born, with the help of the staff at ‘home away from home’ Crossbasket House.
The couple want to ‘keep her memory alive’
The parents of a special baby girl have shared the story of how she fought hard for 26 days as they keep her ‘memory alive’.
Hallie Lindsay was born at the Forth Valley Royal Hospital on March 12, she gave mum Kerry a “good pregnancy” however, at 32 weeks it was discovered that her growth had slowed down. And complications at 34 weeks meant she was delivered early, by caesarean section.
Kerry, 28, and dad Scott, 30, say Hallie’s arrival was “calm and special”, despite the urgency surrounding her care. When born, it was quickly discovered that their daughter was unable to breathe due to a blockage in her nose, and she was admitted to the neonatal unit at Glasgow’s Royal Hospital for Children.
Kerry, recovering from a C-section, was unable to transfer to Glasgow until the following day, describing the wait to see her baby girl “incredibly difficult”. She stayed overnight at the maternity unit before moving into Crossbasket House – the children’s hospital’s on-site accommodation – on March 14, where husband Scott had been staying since Hallie’s admission.
Kerry and Scott with their daughter Hallie (Image: Glasgow Live)
Initially, the first-time parents and doctors were “optimistic”, and the plan for Hallie was to undergo a surgery on her nose which would solve the blockage. But, just three days after she was born it was discovered that baby Hallie had a heart defect, she was then diagnosed with necrotising enterocolitis (NEC), and CHARGE syndrome, a rare condition affecting multiple parts of the body.
Speaking to Glasgow Live, mum Kerry said her daughter “still showed her personality”.
“She was sassy and kept the team on their toes. She recognised our voices and always let us know what she wanted”, she said.
Describing the moment the couple found out their baby girl was critically unwell, Kerry said: “At the time we had a suspicion something was going on with her because her growth started to slow. We had something in the back of our minds. But it didn’t really sink in – we thought she would be transferred, they’d fix the blockage in her nose and she’d be okay to come home after a few weeks.
“It was when they found the heart defect that we knew it was something genetic. It was heartbreaking, hard to process to be honest. We had to accept that life was going to look so different to what we had thought for her – you want to give your baby the world and we knew things were going to be very different”.
Hallie’s heart condition started to deteriorate and she underwent emergency surgery. She recovered well at first, but soon her condition became fragile and Kerry and Scott were told she would not survive.
The parents, from Clackmannanshire, say Crossbasket House was a “lifeline” while their daughter was in hospital. It was a “home away from home”, said Kerry, meaning they could be by Hallie’s side morning till night and “get to know her” over her 26 days on earth.
Kerry said: “We still got to meet her which is the most important thing. She gave us 26 amazing days so amongst the chaos we were still able to bond with her”.
The couple have praised staff at Crossbasket, Glasgow’s Royal Hospital for Children and the hospital’s charity after their “personal” and “special” experience during such a difficult time. Projects funded by Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity helped create precious memories. Kerry and Scott made ‘Little Inky Feet’ prints, received photos and videos through VCreate, and Kerry used the Express Yourself kit to express breastmilk for Hallie, later donating some to the Milk Bank.
“Being able to do those little things gave us comfort. It helped us feel like normal parents in the middle of all the chaos,” Kerry added.
Hallie Lindsay was born on March 12 this year(Image: Glasgow Live)
“And the staff at Crossbasket House were incredible, they get to know every parent in there. They’d always ask how our day had been. In a sad, scary time, knowing you’re being supported is just lovely.”
Baby Hallie passed away on April 7. Kerry and Scott are now keeping her “memory alive”, and promised Hallie that they’d “keep living life for her”. And sharing her story is “one of the ways” they can do that.
The couple have benefitted from Crossbasket House’s Family Bereavement Support service. Once a month they visit the facility in Glasgow and have sessions with bereavement practitioners. Kerry said visiting Crossbasket House makes them “feel close to Hallie”, and encourage anyone facing the loss of a child to consider support available.
Next year, Kerry and Scott will run the Alloa Half Marathon to raise money for Crossbasket House. Funds raised will help Crossbasket House continue to offer closeness and comfort for families facing the toughest of times.
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