Finally we did it as a family and I’m so proud of my daughter ❤️💪🏼

Here is a story I will never forget

This has been my life for the last 6 months

My little girl was born in 20/01/2019

On the 26th of January my daughter came into contact with someone who 2 weeks later was diagnosed with TB.

Myself my husband and our little Girl had to go and get tested me & my daughters tests cane back negative my husbands showed he has inhaled particles but did not have active TB my husband was prescribed medication to stop the TB from being active.

Because my daughter was only few weeks old the medical professionals didn’t want to take any chances as the tests aren’t 100% accurate in newborns so my daughter had to also go on a 6 week long course of medication, as you can imagine I was so upset over situation hormones still everywhere from giving birth.

NOW THIS IS WHEN IT GOT MESSY

They had to weigh my daughter give the correct dose of medication they had adult scales I questioned this 3 times that my daughter should be weighed on baby scales they reassured me it’s just an estimated weight and it will be fine they got me to get on the scales and then for me to get on again holding my daughter. Like I said I questioned this on 3 different occasions they told be it would be absolutely fine.

So later on that evening one of the nurses drop by my house to drop off her medication and explain how to give it to her my daughter was prescribed 8mls of this medication.

4days later on my birthday I get a phone call. Give your daughter half the dose of medication we have prescribed she should only be taking 4ml.

I was in so much shock I didn’t know what to say or do I think my response was just oh ok thanks bye, I got off the phone and just sat there for 5-10 trying to process my newborn baby has been given double the amount of medication needed for the past 4 days my heart sank I felt sick to my stomach I phoned my husband to tell him what had happened he then phoned the woman and obviously asked her a bunch of questions will she be ok ? Does she need to be checked out ? Any side effects to what has happened ? How did this happen ? She just told my husband that it would be fine and tried to avoid answering as many questions as possible.

The following morning I planned to take my daughter to see a DR as wasn’t happy with what had happened I made an appointment for that day that morning around 10:30am I got a phone-call from the specialist TB paediatrician at the hospital, please can you bring your daughter down to the A&E department we need to check she is ok run bloods check oxygen levels they is a small chance that it could of damaged her organs. I can tell you now that woman got an ear full off me !! I was screaming crying shouting down the phone.

I phoned my husband to come out of work explained the whole situation and we went down to A&E .. they did some blood tests checked her weight oxygen levels asked several questions regarding how she has been ..thank god everything came back clear.

The paediatrician could not apologies enough not that made anything better we raised all our concerns regarding the previous woman. At the end of this appointment we felt reassured that our daughter was going to be ok .. she was also going to be closely monitored.

After 6 weeks we had a choice to take her off this medication.

Taking her off it : they was a small chance she could still develop TB and if she was to develop TB then she would more than likely get meningitis.

Keeping her on it : would be a total of 6months course of medication regular check up appointments and blood tests to monitor liver levels

I had to choose the safest option that was for my daughter to stay on the medication, I couldn’t take that 0.001% chance of her developing anything, I wouldn’t of been able to forgive myself.

My daughter was weighed every 2-4weeks and had to have regular hospital appointment.

About 1-2 months ago I found out all this could of been prevented the person who she had been in contact with had an inconclusive test about 6 months prior she was offered preventative medication and declined it I was around this person not only with my newborn baby but when I was pregnant with her, this person obviously didn’t think we was all important enough to inform us of the situation.

Since I have spoken to this person on a snapchat message once this was before I knew this could of been prevented.

Today was the last day I had to give this medication to my daughter It has been an absolutely crazy emotional mentally draining journey, it has triggered my anxiety I am currently having counselling as this has affected me so much.

Me & my Girl are now waiting to have our BCG VACCINES and we have our first family holiday booked for October before I go back to work, our family is as strong as ever 💪🏼❤️ I’m so proud of my daughter she has done such an amazing job taking her medication every morning 💗

Although I feel like I had the first 6months of her life snatched away from me it was meant to be a happy and fun time yet sent me to be depressed, anxiety triggered and now counselling but she is absolutely perfect in every way and already got a little personality 💗

This is my perfect little Girl

SIENNA OLIVIA WHITTER

7months & 2days old