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Roaming the Paths

Walk 100K in September

Help ALAN raise £300!

My Activity Tracking

100
kms

My target 100 kms

Why I’m walking 100K in September

I’ve committed to walking 100K in September for every much-loved baby sadly not here today.

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In the summer of 2016 we were informed that my wife, Emma, was pregnant with twins. All was good, we got married at the start of October and went on a brief Honeymoon. It was a joyous time, the weather was bright and beautiful, full of excitement for the future.

However, it was becoming apparent that the pregnancy might not be going as it should. Emma's bump was growing at an alarming rate, to such an extent I started to become concerned for her Welfare. 

A scan was arranged promptly on our return from Honeymoon at Salisbury District Hospital, where we thought all would be routine. It was not. They had concerns. 

Thankfully Emma had my brother drive her that day, and an urgent appointment was arranged at Southampton General Hospital so off to Southampton General. They then arranged for an emergency procedure at St. George's Hospital in Tooting, London.  

That evening I managed to catch up with my wife and stayed in a chair by her bedside all night ready for the operation the next morning just 24 hours after the scan at Salisbury. 

Early the next morning Emma was prepared (as was I - into Scrubs, an experience I had never envisaged) and off to the Theatre. 

Litres of fluid were removed - no understatement here, there was a lot. Then a procedure was performed on the Placenta to rectify the blood supply problems.  The issue was Twin to Twin transfusion, where one baby was dominating the blood supply. 

The procedure was done using local anaesthetic meaning we both witnessed the whole event, most notably both seeing our beautiful little boys wiggling about. The surgeon didn't rush, we got to see their little faces they already seemed to be interacting with each other.

All was successful, a few hours later Emma was discharged - so we drove home.  

We were warned that some of the medication might make Emma nauseous: there was no sign of this until we were nearly home where Emma was violently sick and in the process managed to fracture a rib. This was to be significant. 

Later that night we were back at Salisbury District Hospital in A&E,  because Emma was in agony breathing. After some initial tests, Triage was unsure what to do with her - cardiovascular specialist? X-ray for fracture (unsure about doing this because of the pregnancy)? So they dispatched us off to obstetrics, as seems to be the procedure for anyone pregnant - let them sort it out. Emma was back there again after first visiting 40 hours previously.

We entered and got shown into a little room. The midwife wasn't sure about what to do about a fractured rib, so they decided to listen to the heartbeat of the twins and see how they were doing. 

Silence.  Nothing.

She nipped out pronto and located an obstetrician who was about on call. Machinery was wheeled in, and within a few moments their faces told us all we needed to know. 

Our beautiful boys, who we had seen for the first time only 16 hours previously, were no longer alive. 

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The NHS performed spectacularly in all aspects - everyone was amazing, such dedicated, knowledgeable and skilled people.

The care we received at Salisbury District Hospital following this was exemplary. 

The support from the Hospital was amazing. They have a dedicated suite associated with the maternity unit for caring for parent who experience this loss, and we stayed there for nearly a week. The support, both physical and psychological was a great assistance as were the services and advice from SANDS who informed much of the support. 

It's not all gloom. Now we have an amazing, beautiful, mischievous daughter who keeps us well and truly on our toes. 

Any donation you can give will ensure that more mothers, parents, and fathers who have suffered this loss get more of the support that they need.  If you cannot afford anything, understandable - so please share this message if only to help raise awareness of the support that is available.


Please Help Me
Reach My Goal

Raised

£757 + £109.40 GiftAid

My Goal

£300

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My Achievements

Updated Profile Picture

Increased Fundraising Target

Shared page

Sent email

Received First Donation

Completed 100km

My Updates

Activity not being registered on the Website

Monday 2nd Sep
A big thank you to all who have sponsored me. I have yet still to thank some people, but I will. 

 - UPDATE - We think it might now be working. Fingers crossed.  - 

Just to let you know I have done something - but it's not showing. ~(Technology).

There is a way of connecting the Strava App to this site to automatically record activity.  This has been done, but it is not working.  I have checked in with the SANDS 100K group members on Strava, and everyone seems to be having the same issue.  

I will continue to see if anything appears - hopefully it will get sorted or there will be a lot of manually adding things! 

Thank you to my Sponsors

£53

The Tillers

Well done Al so sorry we're a bit late with our donation. So proud of your achievement and for a wonderful charity too xx

£53

Jamie C

£53

Richard And Lorna

Well done Alan. Brilliant effort for a good cause.

£53

Mike & Sally Bibby

Well done Al, a very worthy cause. They support parents when they are facing probably the most heartbreaking time of their life.xx

£53

John Coxon

£50

Barry, Leesa, Callum Ray

Good luck on the walking, what an amazing act of love ❤️ and giving.

£50

Richard And Lorna

There will be another £50 on completion of the walk.

£50

Dave, Emma & Florence

Good luck Alan. Such a worthy cause and so brave to share your story.

£26.50

Hairy Mark

£25

Faye Dagger

Big hugs x

£21.20

Stuart

Nice one Alan - enjoy roaming the byways and paths

£21.20

Tina Ng-a-mann

£21.20

Phil F

Well done Al, great effort! Keep it going

£21.20

Colin

£21.20

Kathryn (minnie)

£21.20

Maire Vere

Good luck Alan with your walk 😊

£21.20

Sarah

❤️

£21.20

Sean Taylor

Good luck on your walks, such a great cause thats touched you and Emma both personally. Love Sean & Becky

£21.20

Hannah Johnson

Such a worthy cause xx Well done Alan! From the Johnson clan @ Crown Close

£10.60

David Coxon

£10.60

Helen Cook

Good luck Al x

£10.60

Fiona Noyce

£10.60

Emma Coxon

Well done Al! So proud of you for doing this. Love you xx

£10.60

Anonymous

£10

James Gore

Heartbreaking story Alan, and an excellent cause. Best of luck.

£10

Laura Jane Bartlett

Amazing charity. Very close to my heart. Sending love xxx ❤️

£10

Robin White

£10

Sally Hiscock

£5.30

Anonymous

Good job, Alan!

£1.06

Anonymous