Happy 1st Birthday to our Angel Isabella

It's hard to believe it's one year today, all I keep thinking about is this time last year she was with us, I keep getting flash backs of the joy she brought us when she was born, and then the heartbreak and pain in which we could not save her.

I somehow found comfort in the fact that she was with us this time last year, and I am petrified of the thought now that i can no longer say this as crazy as it may sound.

We should be getting ready for her first birthday party, but instead I am trying to find something that is weather proof to place on her grave, something I never thought I would be doing.

In my head I want everything  perfect and why not, I am still a mother who wants the best for her children. The process in which all parents have to go through, the first of anything is the hardest but keeping in mind that she is watching over us all and growing on the other side some how brings me to a smile.

Would you believe I saw a red butterfly today, it made me think of her, but this time it was not white as I would always see, it was a bright red, I like to think that's a sign from her telling me she is growing, and that she is around us always.

Happy 1st birthday our darling Isabella, from mum, dad and your big brother Keelan xx

Meeting with National Programme Director for Women and Infants’ Health

Well since we started our Isabella’s campaign to raise awareness of CHD and promote that all women in Ireland should be entitled to the 20 week screening, we’ve received continual support from many families who have travelled a similar path as myself and Kevin, I feel through our own pain like many others are going through, it helps to speak to those who know and feel the same heartbreak.

Reading peoples stories, some with happy endings and others with sad, it really has given me even more drive to push this as much as we can. I still remember writing all our memories of Isabella to try and keep her alive in us, and even though she was only here on earth for a short time she incredibly left her mark.

With the help of the media making our voices heard the HSE are now listening.

Since we gained a response from the Minister for Health Simon Harris I received an email from Kilian McGrane, who is the newly appointed ‘National Programme Director for Women and Infants’ Health and will be rolling out the programme to introduce the 20 week anomaly scan to all expectant mothers nationwide . Minister Simon Harris forwarded my email to Mr McGrane and asked for him to meet with me regarding our campaign for anomaly scanning.

  

In recent weeks Mr McGrane has contacted me and welcomed an opportunity to meet with me to discuss the important issues raised in my email to the Minister.

I will be meeting with Mr McGrane at Tralee University Hospital on Wednesday 22^nd February, he will also be joined with the recently appointed clinician, Dr Peter McKenna, who is the Clinical Lead for the Programme.

In the meeting I will be giving an insight from a parents perspective from our own personal journey and what we feel needs to be addressed, from the much needed scan to  also highlighting the lack of after care service to families whose baby passes away, specifically for parents and the siblings.

  

If you have had a similar experience or know someone who has and would like to raise any questions please feel free to contact me prior to my meeting and I will ensure your voice is heard.

I will keep you all updated, and I know Isabella will be with me.

Email: jazminesands@gmail.com

Mother to an angel 

Isabella's CHD Awareness & Pregnancy Screening Campaign Video ~ Please share

I created this video to help promote our campaign for all women in Ireland to be entitled to a
 ' free routine 20 week scan'.

When our beautiful baby Isabella was born we were told everything was fine until a few hours passed and she had to be rushed to Dublin finding out that she had Hypo-plastic Left Heart Syndrome along with many other complications with her heart, they could not offer her surgery and so she grew her wings 5 days later. 

Isabella's fate could not have been changed however if it could have been different and she could have had surgery she could of well passed away upon birth as her heart condition was not picked up as this simple scan is not offered to all expectant women in Ireland. 

We do not want any other parent to go through the journey we have and are still going through.

We are waiting for Minister of Health Simon Harris to listen to our story and hopefully together make some change for our future babies of Ireland.

Please share, thank you 

Mother to an angel xx