Jenny and Brian, Odins mum and dad raised over £4000 in his memory as facebook fundraisers for SiMBA. Our family rooms in the Princess Royal Maternity Hospital were completed in February 2020 and it means so much to us to hear about the difference that they make to the families who use them. The funds raised in Odins name will allow us to continue to provide our vital support services and will also support our family room refurbishment in St Johns Hospital. Here is their story :
Our precious warrior Odin Andrew Christopher Meade was born on the 17.01.21.
On the 14.01.21 we were so excited for our follow up 21 week scan at the Princess Royal Maternity Hospital, however this feeling was utterly short lived as our lives came crashing down round us in an instant!
I lay there waiting for the sonographer to check the 3 things they couldn’t get at the 20 week scan the week before. Our boy had been notoriously shy at previous scans. So I advised the sonographer of this. She knew it was... the kidneys, the heart & a profile of our boys face she needed to get. As per on cue.... “I just need to get my colleague to help me with this.” “I told you he was shy!” I responded!! Then the words were spoken..... “Jennifer, I’m so sorry!”
As I was pregnant through COVID-19 my fiancé Brian was waiting downstairs for my call to say I was done... instead I was calling him wailing down the phone to ask him to come up. I think he took the stairs 3 at a time!!
In a matter of 10 minutes.... we as parents experienced the real heartbreak and struggle of losing a child.
We sat in dismay as my consultant explained to us that his little heartbeat had stopped, as you can imagine our lives were shattered.
On 17.01.21. I was admitted to the Princess Royal Maternity Hospital, Glasgow to deliver our perfectly amazing little warrior boy. Odin was delivered and he was everything he was meant to be, he was truly perfect and he was our wee champion.
As a couple we were able to spend such precious time with Odin in the SiMBA Family Room. This room offered us the opportunity to spend cherished time with him and allowed us to prepare to say goodbye in a peaceful tranquil place. We were also gifted a SiMBA memory box to keep memories of our Odin in...... the box contained such lovely things including a beautifully knitted hat, blanket, teddy bears (one which stayed with us and one which stayed with Odin the whole time.... which were swapped over before we left hospital) and a beautiful candle.
The night time midwife took prints of Odin’s hands and feet and also photos of his wee feet and hands holding the little butterflies which as you know are Simba’s logo!!
We were treated by the PRM NHS Midwife Team with the utmost respect & dignity. We will forever be thankful to the team at the PRM and the Simba Charity for their love, care and support during our time of grief!
