We were only minutes from Eve’s bedside

My daughter Eve was having a day off school due to a minor illness when she suddenly collapsed and was rushed to the Royal Victoria Infirmary. Eve had experienced a massive bleed to the brain with no apparent cause leaving me feeling helpless and very worried.

Eve’s mother and her husband joined me immediately at the hospital to spend what would be an incredibly difficult first night at the hospital. In the panic we had left basic necessities behind and had to make the unpleasant decision to leave Eve’s bedside to return home to collect what would be needed for our stay. Every mile of that journey felt like an eternity and I couldn’t wait to be back at my daughter’s side.

I never wanted to be that far from my daughter’s side again and therefore when we were directed to The Sick Children’s Trust’s Crawford House by a social worker from the hospital it felt like an incredible weight had been lifted from our shoulders. We were able to stay in this ‘Home from Home’ knowing that we were only ever a couple of minutes from Eve’s bedside and it was fantastic to know that the practical needs of having a place to eat, sleep and wash were no longer a concern.

The house was also brilliant for my youngest daughter Mia, who instantly felt at home in Crawford House. In other foreign places, such as hotels, Mia has felt unsure of herself and required frequent reassurance; however this friendly environment with incredibly approachable staff clearly made her feel safe. Knowing that Mia was comfortable was another thing off our minds during this stressful time.
It was also very beneficial to meet other residents in the communal dining room. Everyone is going through similar circumstances and can empathise with our situation. Occasionally people talked to each other about their children but everyone was also sensitive to each other and respected that sometimes people need to just sit quietly.

Eve has now been moved from the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit to the neuro-ward. A stent has drained fluid in her brain and she has been more responsive since; opening her eyes, making sounds and trying to move her arms. Without the continuing support from Crawford House, this whole experience would be significantly worse.

Eve is still very poorly and therefore it is comforting to know that if I did need to draw on Crawford House again, the staff involved would do all they could to accommodate me. I truly believe that family is the best medicine and cannot thank The Sick Children’s Trust enough for giving us the opportunity to be as close to our daughter as possible in her greatest time of need.