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Help for Baby Aminata

  • 2.5 kilos!

      1 November 2016
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    From Megan.....

    Hello again everyone! We wanted to update you and send a massive thank you again to all of you who supported us during the challenging time with Aminata in hospital. We truly couldn't have done it without you all, the money raised was almost exactly the amount of Aminata's hospital bill!

    We are now at home in Uganda, we have been home here for three weeks, and she is making good progress. She has grown to reach almost 2.5 kg and is nearly at her due date (2 weeks to go)! She has had some trouble with two small holes in her heart and a bit of extra fluid in her lungs, but that also seems to be improving. We are hopeful these will close on their own with time, fingers crossed!

    She still needs feeding every two hours, but is able to drink from a bottle instead of the tube now. She is much more alert and behaving more like a new born baby with a few cute noises and is becoming more responsive to her surroundings. She loves singing, especially when Nannie sings, and looking at her wee books (much to my delight!)

    We are hoping to be able to get to New Zealand sometime soon, quietly hopeful for before Christmas. We are still waiting to have a serious chat with the dr about it, but will do so in the next few weeks. Once she reaches her due date/full term, they will have a better idea of when she is safe to fly all that way. Fingers crossed again!

    Also, she is super grateful for the love and support from everyone. She never expected to enter a world full of so much kindness and generosity, but she will always know how much she was loved, from the first moment, thanks to all of you.

    So much love from the three of us to all of you, you have made our family possible and for that we are thankful xxx'

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  • Two weeks old!

      10 September 2016

    A message from Megan...

    To everyone who has, and continues to selflessly and generously support us during this immensely difficult time, we say thank you. Rafiki and I are overwhelmed, both by the situation and all it's challenges, but also by the kindness and love that we are being shown. Aminata, our wee daughter's name, means 'let's love' in Ateso, the language of her dad's family. In her first two weeks of life, she has come to know more love from our family and friends than we thought possible, as have Rafiki and I.

    She is the bravest little girl we know. She rarely cries, even during what are clearly uncomfortable procedures. She is the source of our smiles and our worries, and we will do anything to have her at home with us, our new family.

    Aminata has been making some small gains in weight and is working hard on her getting stronger with her breathing. She is now able to enjoy regular cuddles with us and responds to our voices and touch. She is still in the incubator and is receiving wonderful care from some very patient and kind nurses. Rafiki and I, along with Aunty Anna, have learnt to feed her through the tube, change her tiny nappy and cuddle her to our skin as much as possible.

    At this stage, it is difficult to make any plans for the next few months, she has a long way to go, but the Doctor seems mostly happy with her progress. Once she is off the breathing support, or CPAP, and has gained a bit more weight, we should be able to take her to the bedside and look after her ourselves in the hospital. Once we are managing that well, we bring her home. We are all looking forward to that day more than anything.

    We wouldn't be able to look ahead to that day without all the kind support that we have received. So thank you for the messages, donations, gifts, thoughts, prayers, advice, visits, sacrifices and love. We are not alone and that means more than anything.

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