- Olivia George fell ill with the life-threatening disease at just one week old
- Her devastated parents Danielle and Jamie feared the worst, taking more than 500 photographs to remember their newborn
- But the determined baby girl fought the disease, and miraculously survived
- Mrs George said the memory box is now a record of her daughter’s ordeal
- She said: ‘She’ll be able to look back and understand what she went through. She is so lucky to have survived’
The parents of Olivia George feared she would die as meningitis ravaged her tiny body a week after she was born
A memory box compiled by the parents of a dying baby girl has become a poignant record of the newborn’s miraculous fight to survive.
Fearing Olivia would sucumb to the vicious meningitis ravaging her body, Danielle and Jamie George took more than 500 photographs to remember their little girl.
But the couple were overwhelmed when the newborn fought the disease, and making a miraculous recovery.
They said the box, which had been designed as a compilation of Olivia’s last days, has now become a record of their daughter’s incredible battle to live.
When Olivia was born at Nevill Hall Hospital in Abergavenny on August 30, she was a healthy baby, weighing 8lb 4oz.
But within a week of bringing her home, the couple became concerned when she developed a cold, would not take her food and appeared to be very lethargic.
Olivia was just days old when doctors told her parents she had contracted the life-threatening illness.
Mrs George, 35, from Pontypool in South Wales, said: ‘We wanted to capture every moment. We were terrified we would lose her as she was so ill, but we thought it would help us cope.
‘It was absolutely terrifying seeing her
hooked up to so many machines but I knew if she survived then at least
we could show her the whole journey.’
She and her husband, 41, took more than 500 photographs, fearing each picture could be their last.
They saved cards from well-wishers and family, to add to the memory box.
But the couple were amazed when their daughter fought the disease and miraculously pulled through.
What was once intended to be a memory box to capture her last days, has now become a record of Olivia’s fight for life.
Recalling their ordeal, Mrs George, said: ‘I just knew something was wrong.
‘We started phoning NHS direct and they told us to go to hospital.
‘Tests revealed Olivia had meningitis. We quickly decided to get her baptised in hospital too as we feared she wouldn’t make it.
Danielle and Jamie George, pictured with their son Isacc and nine-month-old Olivia, began to compile a memory box, taking more than 500 pictures to remember her. But the tiny newborn fought to survive making a miraculous recovery
‘It was my worst nightmare, in just days I had gone from thinking my baby had a cold to being on her death bed.’
Olivia’s parents had to pack just a few items of clothes in a bag and rush to hospital alongside their new baby as she lay in an incubator in the RAF helicopter.
Mrs George, said: ‘Luckily the helicopter that we went in was in the air already when the call went out as we needed to be taken to Great Ormand Street Hospital.
‘We took a picture of the helicopter as it was such a poignant part of her journey.
The memory box is now a record of Olivia’s incredible fight for life, Mrs George said
‘She was put straight on ECMO – a
machine that works by creating a circuit, so the blood can circulate
bypassing the heart. This allows it to rest and recover.
‘We had to sign a consent form as one of the risks is brain damage.
‘It felt strange taking pictures of her being so ill but we prayed she would make it through to see what she went through.
‘It gave us hope that she would make it and have a future, although we were terrified for her.’
Olivia spent seven weeks in hospital, with doctors battling to save her life, but thankfully she fought the illness and was allowed home.
Now, Olivia who is now back with her parents and two-year-old brother Isaac could not look more different to the tiny infant who fought for life in an intensive care unit.
Her father Mr George, said: ‘Afterwards, when you reflect on things, you realise what you went through.
‘Now Olivia is back home she has only needed to go back to hospital a few times.
‘She still needs to take beta blockers and medication to widen her arteries, after she developed a heart condition called Myocarditis as a result of the meningitis.
‘But we are just so pleased she pulled through.’
His wife added said: ‘We are so happy we’ve put together the memory box for her as now she’ll be able to look back and understand what she went through.
‘It is full of photographs, cards, messages from friends and family as well as things Isaac made for her too.
‘She is so lucky to have survived and we can’t thank hospital staff anymore for saving our girl.’
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