She’s Is a survivor and a little miracle. She needed resuscitation after being born, didn’t breathe for seven minutes and also suffered a collapsed lung two days later.
Hailie Dillon was born at just 23 weeks and six days and the tot had just a 35% chance of survival. Her mother has now spoken about her daughter’s battle against the odds after being born so premature that her brain was visible through her skin. Cheri Price, 22, went into labour at 23 weeks and six days – one day before the abortion cut-off point.
When Hailie Dillon was born, weighing 1lb 2ozs, she suffered a collapsed lung and seven minutes without breathing. It was another 18 days before her mother could hold her following her birth on February 23 at James Cook Hospital, Middlesbrough, last year. Cheri, from the Isle of Wight, said: ‘When Hailie was born, it sounds bad to say it, but she looked like a red alien.
‘She was still in the foetus stage and she didn’t look like a baby at all – we couldn’t believe she even survived. ‘From birth she was put in an incubator and we couldn’t touch her – but we could see all the veins of her brain through her red skin.’ Cheri’s contractions started in January last year, but the local hospital was unable to deal with such an early birth. She decided to go with boyfriend Timothy Dillon, 32, to give birth in Darlington Teesside so they would be nearer his brother who would help with childcare for their 11-month-old son Jack. Cheri suffered contractions throughout the 300-mile, eight-hour journey via ferry and then train on February 6, 2017.
After a fortnight in and out of hospital in Middlesbrough, Cheri was then ready to head back down south to have the baby on the island because was looking at surpassing the 24 week mark. Cheri said: ‘We just thought we would take the chance at a larger hospital – and we were closer to relatives so they could help with childcare for Jack. ‘I was discharged – but then my waters broke while I was watching Hollyoaks two days later.’ She added: ‘I’m so proud of her, what we’ve been through and what she has been through has been horrendous.’ Cheri and NHS Mental Health support worker Timothy then spent an agonising three months at staff accommodation at James Cook University hospital in Middlesbrough.
However, Hailie had still not opened her eyes after they had been fused together – and she faced being permanently blind as her retina was not developing properly. She was diagnosed with stage three ROP (Retinopathy of prematurity) and had to visit specialist hospitals back down south by private plane.
The newborn was flown to Princess Anne hospital in Southampton and then later visited Portsmouth Queen Alexandria hospital – which eventually saved her sight. She was finally allowed home on June 19 last year – two days after her actual due date. Cheri, who is a full-time mother and carer to her eldest child Liam Price, seven, who has ADHD, said she is no longer planning on having any more children. ‘Timothy is definitely getting the snip now – I’ve said no more kids, he now has four kids, two from a previous relationship, so that’s it now – he’s agreed,’ Cheri said. Adding: ‘Hopefully next year he can treat me to somewhere away from hospitals.’
Photo Credit: Getty
