As most of you know Kaycee Brooks is 18 months old (corrected age 14 months, meaning if she was born on her due date this would be her age now) She is a surviving twin and was born at 25 weeks and 2 days. Her sister, Corrie (said like the boy’s name Corey, not after my favourite soap … ha) sadly passed away in the womb at 25 weeks.



Kaycee has spent most of her life in hospital. In total she has spent a mere 9 weeks at home on and off, the longest stretch being 10 days without a Hospital admission. She has given the hardest strongest fight of survival and still to this day (01.03.2012) Kaycee is still fighting and literally living life on the edge.



I thought it would be nice to let people know her full background and share her life experience properly, just for future reference for Kaycee to read back on when she’s a big girl and also to help or guide, anyone who will either experience any part of this situation.



The reason for me publishing a blog, with a donation button on is not out of pure cheek, not us being a charity case but simply to raise a bit of money for Kaycee, her future, her care (if we need to seek quicker care privately) travelling and living expenses whilst we hold vigil besides Kaycee. I do not want anyone to think we are begging, I just feel with all the support we have people will understand, and not take pity but want to support us. We are hospitalised and we aren’t living in “real life” and people are always always asking what can we do to help. So I spoke to a support worker and she suggested this and to be honest it has took me a good number of months to actually do this, to sit down and re-live Kaycee’s life and to relive my experience with my other daughter Corrie.



It does bring back a lot of painful but happy memories but also angers me at the same time because I do see it from other peoples points of view, when I sit down and think of our situation and see that we have and are in such a bad position in life. But we have been dealt with these cards in life and we have to deal with that.



I am only as strong as I am because I have the most amazing daughter anyone could ever dream of having and I think this applies to most premmie parents or long term sick children. You truly are blessed to have a special child. I totally believe that we are blessed and I do not wish to change anything in my life. I just wish better health for Kaycee and may be one day be that in 1 month’s time or 10 years we will live a normal happy life as a family at home. But in the meantime I will make sure every 24 hours of my daughter’s life has a special memory. Not only does she inspire her army of fans but she is a true inspiration to us as parents. And the most warmest thought is I have two of these girls, and although Corrie isn’t here, I know she is exactly the same as Kaycee and wherever she is she is being a cheeky girl and making everyone love her just as much as Kaycee is doing down here with us.



I am truly truly blessed to be her mummy.



About Me

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There are no classes in life for beginners: right away you are always asked to deal with what is most difficult.

Prep for gradual discharge.

After a bad experience on another ward and a quick complaint we got moved to the original ward that Kaycee was from and where everyone knew her and us.  So much easier when the nursing staff know Kaycee well and us.
Kaycee was looking great and she had the occasional extra dose of diuretics to keep the extra fluid off.    We was just waiting for a response from G.O.S.H and also gastro for her tummy feed peg to be sorted.  
When the doctor came we discussed if Kaycee was allowed out and about.   It was agreed that she could come out in the pram around the hospital and gradually we could increase this time and start taking her out of the hospital grounds for a few hours.  
A few days passed and Kaycee was loving coming to the canteen with her mummy & daddy, she just loved being out of her bed and being out and about.  It was great.   Doctors came round and were really pleased with Kaycee.   They asked us if we fancied going home for a few hours or taking her to the park etc.   Of course with everything that we had done we jumped at the chance.   The initially agreed that Saturday started it, but with her being so well and with it being only Wednesday they decided it would be silly not to let her go the next day.   OMG I couldn’t believe it, I could take my girl home.   Albeit it was only for a few hours a day, because Kaycee’s feeds weren’t sorted but it was almost like it was a safety net for us in case she wasn’t 100% when we took her home, the extra comfort knowing that we didn’t have to go through A&E just straight to her bed and call a doctor. 
The best long weekend of my life!!
Thursday morning couldn’t come quick enough.   I have never felt 100% confident about taking Kaycee home so I knew this was a good sign that everything would be amazing.  
We got all her drugs, feeds etc ready.  Community team were rung to inform them that Kaycee would be in the community Thursday to Sunday.   We packed up and off we went.    Putting Kaycee in the car for the first time in ages was brilliant.  Her face lit up, she was sat there all excited kicking her feet and looked brilliant.   We drove home entertaining her all the way.  She normally goes to sleep in the car but think all the excitement was just keeping her awake.

We got home, TV on feet up – HEAVEN!!   We did nothing all day, well all weekend really.  We had a proper tea and just chilled out.   It just felt amazing.   That evening we decided earlier in the day that we would nip to Michael’s parents before coming back to the hospital.   They didn’t know that we were home so that was a lovely surprise for his parents.   Driving back was rubbish because I actually didn’t want to go back but I knew it was for the best. 

We went home Thursday through to Sunday.   Everyone came round to see Kaycee (well family, as we were still cautious of the fact that she had only come home on day leave and to not increase the risk of infection to her)   It was lovely seeing the family though and having a bit of a “normal life”.    Everything was perfect.  
Driving back Saturday night, Kaycee was hysterical in the car from getting off the motorway at Manchester.  This was unusual for her to cry as she doesn’t cry?   I put it down to traffic (as we were stuck in football traffic and she hates it when I stop at red lights) and teething as I knew that she had her top molars cutting.   So I decided to stop at the Tesco down the road and take her in there to let the football traffic die down.   

This was a massive step for me as I had never taken Kaycee anywhere public due to her compromised chest.   I put her in the trolley and she LOVED it.   Her face was priceless.   We played in Tesco up & down the aisles and she just swung her legs in excitement and giggled.   She just melted my heart being so happy considering how upset she was in the car.    We spent about an hour in there to the point where a security guard asked me what I was actually doing.  Ha was pretty funny. 

We got back to the hospital that evening and normal routine got her bathed, bed etc.   During the night her oxygen requirements went up.   Again due to her teething I didn’t think anything into it.  I told her doctor in the morning and she was happy for her to still go home for the day as Kaycee was laughing and smiling in her pram.   So this reassured me that everything was ok. So off we went home again for the day.

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