Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Saving Lives, one Child at at time...

 When Cailyn, (our precious little granddaughter born 100 days
Smiling for the camera.
early), was very ill in July 2008 ( ten months old, seven corrected) she needed to be transferred to John Hunter Hospital, 500 miles away.

Telstra Child Flight came to the rescue.

Here she is trying to smile for the camera, despite being
desperately ill.

Her veins were is such poor condition from her time in the NICU (neonatal intensive care unit) she needed to have a drip in her head. She also needed oxygen and even with that we often had to hold a mask over her face to give her more. She had tubes and drips and monitors and yet she tried to smile for the camera.

Lots of equipment to keep her safe and well.

 The team from Telstra Child Flight came and loaded
Cailyn and all the equipment needed for the flight onto
a trolley. She looked so tiny and unwell, our hearts were in a dreadful state as we watched the doctors and nurses prepare to take her away.

We knew though that her only chance was to be where the specialist equipment and doctors were. She needed more than the team at Coffs Health Campus could provide.



Daddy says good bye, for now.
The Telstra Child Flight Helicopter.

 It was hard to say good bye. Dad would drive down, while Mummy flew with Cailyn in the helicopter.

Cailyn was never without Mummy by her side.










While there are several helicopter patient retrieval services in Australia, Telstra Child Flight is just for kids. They operate in New South Wales and ACT. Each flight changes the lives of those involved forever. The care and dedication the team delivers is beyond compare.

They save lives, one child at a time. Each child is precious.



All the equipment is loaded and great care taken to ensure Cailyn will travel safely.














 Cailyn wears her ear muffs! She carries a Child Flight Pelican, given to each child who travels with the Child Flight team.


This was an amazing time of our lives.
Cailyn spent a week or more in Newcastle before coming home.
There were more visits to hospital, but thank goodness, she hasn't needed the wonderful team from the Telstra Child Flight helicopter again.

We see the Westpac helicopter, the Telstra Child Flight and the NRMA Care Flight helicopter fly overhead at times. Each time we hear those chopper wings our hearts go out to those who are experiencing the dread and desperate hope for their loved ones.




We are lucky. Cailyn is thriving. She turned Five the other day.
Still, every hug is precious. We remember the days when our heart threatened to break.
I guess I want to say THANK YOU to all those who dedicate their time to saving lives. One day, one child at a time.
We don't forget.
Thanks to COFFS HARBOUR LIONS CLUB, who are donating $1000 to Telstra Child Flight helicopter service.
A small club, just a few valuable, hard working members with HUGE hearts. Thank you!!
You make the world a better place.




3 comments:

Edith Parzefall said...

Kudos to the Telstra Child Flight teams and a belated happy birthday to Cailyn, a fighter from the start. May you have few worries in a long happy life.

Wendy said...

Your post made me cry. So much heartache and look at her now. What a beautiful, loving little girl. The Care Flight helicopter is a wonderful cause to support.

Rosalie Skinner said...

Thanks Edith and Wendy, they were very stressful days. The helicopter team were all brilliant, wonderful, caring people. So aware of the trauma they are dealing with.

We are glad she has grow past those times. We shed a few tears looking back at the photos too, Wendy. So much emotion. She has come so far.