GIVING BIRTH by Rita and Andrew Rodricks

We are proud to announce the birth of our twins, Dylan and Ellie, born on the 19th June 2013 at North Middlesex Hospital. I am 44 years old, with thalassemia major; and we had been trying for 7 years to have a baby. It was hard continuing with IVF (both emotionally and financially) with the repeated knock backs, but we kept on with it and now we are blessed with two beautiful children. I would just like to say don’t give up just because you have thalassemia. It didn’t beat us! I was so shocked when told we were having twins. I had a good pregnancy until the eighth month when I started having difficulties, and my babies were born at 34 weeks. As they were premature the twins remained in the hospital for 2 weeks, until their weights reached the correct levels. Other than that, they are perfectly healthy babies!

“I had wonderful support from my doctors. They were absolutely brilliant – and Karen was there for me morning, noon and night. My nurse Francis even came in on his day off to cannulate me while I was on the labour ward! I thank them all from the bottom of my heart”, says Rita.

I [Rita] am under the care of Consultant Haematologist Dr Anne Yardumian at the North Middlesex Hospital. Our [Rita and Andrew Rodricks] grateful thanks to Dr Yardumian, Consultant Obstetrician, Miss Frances Evans, Transfusion Practitioner, Karen Madgwick and Clinical Nurse Specialist Francis Mate-Kole.

By Rita and Andrew Rodricks