RIVER - CANADA
Lived August 5, 2014 to September 6, 2014
Late-onset
Mother's GBS Status: Tested negative
Gestational Age: 33 weeks
Age Harmed: 3.5 weeks old
My pregnancy with River wasn't planned and I wasn't entirely sure that I wanted him. We have a very active toddler and I thought that one child was enough. As the months went on I grew so attached to my unborn baby. River surprised us again by coming 7 weeks early. He spent his first 3.5 weeks of life in the NICU getting strong enough to come home. He was a healthy active baby. Finally we got to bring him home. Less than two days later we were rushed to Children's Hospital after we woke to find him not breathing. We had administered CPR and he was breathing when the ambulance arrived. We spent almost a week in the hospital with our brave little man as he was tested for everything. He was unresponsive and had frequent seizures that were difficult to control.
After 3 EEGs and an MRI we were told that our beautiful son would not survive. This small boy I didn't want that I now couldn't imagine living with out was being taken from me. We didn't know the symptoms for meningitis nor did we know he was high risk for GBS after the antibiotics we were given in the hospital. We spent his last day in a children's hospice. It gave us a peaceful quiet place to say goodbye. My heart is broken and will never heal from his passing. My husband and daughter have also lost a piece of themselves. We shouldn't have to teach a two year old how to live with out her baby brother whom she loved so much.
— Cheryl Tourand, Canada
Cheryl tells everyone about the infant symptoms of meningitis. His parents are working on finding a way to make meningitis awareness a part of newborn packages from health nurses.
Lived August 5, 2014 to September 6, 2014
Late-onset
Mother's GBS Status: Tested negative
Gestational Age: 33 weeks
Age Harmed: 3.5 weeks old
My pregnancy with River wasn't planned and I wasn't entirely sure that I wanted him. We have a very active toddler and I thought that one child was enough. As the months went on I grew so attached to my unborn baby. River surprised us again by coming 7 weeks early. He spent his first 3.5 weeks of life in the NICU getting strong enough to come home. He was a healthy active baby. Finally we got to bring him home. Less than two days later we were rushed to Children's Hospital after we woke to find him not breathing. We had administered CPR and he was breathing when the ambulance arrived. We spent almost a week in the hospital with our brave little man as he was tested for everything. He was unresponsive and had frequent seizures that were difficult to control.
After 3 EEGs and an MRI we were told that our beautiful son would not survive. This small boy I didn't want that I now couldn't imagine living with out was being taken from me. We didn't know the symptoms for meningitis nor did we know he was high risk for GBS after the antibiotics we were given in the hospital. We spent his last day in a children's hospice. It gave us a peaceful quiet place to say goodbye. My heart is broken and will never heal from his passing. My husband and daughter have also lost a piece of themselves. We shouldn't have to teach a two year old how to live with out her baby brother whom she loved so much.
— Cheryl Tourand, Canada
Cheryl tells everyone about the infant symptoms of meningitis. His parents are working on finding a way to make meningitis awareness a part of newborn packages from health nurses.
