|
 Chantel
had always wanted a child but a fatal heart condition has meant her
husband is bringing up baby Elliot alone.
Sadness
had touched Chantel Robson’s life many times.
She’d lost her mum when she was three, to Sudden Adult Death
Syndrome (SADS). And then just three years ago, her sister died of the same
condition.
Chantel
knew she was also at risk but tried to put it to the back of her mind.
One thing she’d always wanted was to marry and have a family.
So when she became pregnant by her childhood sweetheart, she was
elated. Sadly, three
miscarriages followed, but precious baby Elliot was finally born in
March this year and Chantel thought the bad times were over.
‘We
were so happy, all our dreams had come true,’ says her husband, Simon,
25. ‘Chantel was in here
element. She was so proud
and full of love. She loved
feeding Elliot, playing with him and taking him out.
She was amazing.’ But cruelly, she only enjoyed 10 weeks of motherhood.
Chantel died in her sleep at the age of 25.
Simon
is now bringing up their son alone and still struggling to come to terms
with his wife’s death.
‘This
is the hardest thing I’ve ever done,’ says Simon, who’s given up
his job as an upholsterer to become a full-time dad.
‘My mum and dad help out but I didn’t realise it would be so
difficult to look after a baby on my own.’
‘I
don’t know how I coped. In
the weeks after Chantel’s death, I blanked it out.
I kept myself busy organising the funeral and looking after
Elliot. Nothing seemed real.’
‘I
don’t know what I’ll tell Elliot about Chantel when he’s old
enough but I’ll make sure he knows about his mum.’
 The
illness was passed down through the generations.
Chantel’s mother Janice, died in her early 20s.
Doctors
put it down to epilepsy because no one knew about SADS at the time.
But
then, in 1999, Chantel’s sister, Rachel, died suddenly in her sleep at
the age of 20. ‘When Chantel heard the news she was so shocked she broke
down,’ says Simon, from Batley, West Yorkshire.
‘Afterwards
it was very hard for her. Rachel
died in similar circumstances to their mum and Chantel began to think it
could happen to her.’
An
inquest said Rachel died from natural causes, but the coroner and
doctors believed it was SADS, sudden adult death brought on due to
heartbeat irregularities. She’d
been having blackouts and was due to have a heart scan a week before she
died. Four months after
Rachel’s death, Chantel had a scan to see whether she was at risk.
A test confirmed that she had an abnormally slow heartbeat.
Doctors told her she could have a pacemaker fitted to help
regulate her heartbeat, but because she wasn’t having blackouts like
her mother and sister, she should be OK without one.
‘Chantel took the news in her stride and lived each day to the
full,’ says Simon. The
couple decided to get married and have children as soon as possible.
They organised the wedding for July 2000, but nine weeks before
the big day Chantel discovered she was pregnant.
‘It
was a surprise but we were both over the moon,’ says Simon.
‘Initially we were worried but the doctors said Chantel should
be fine.’ However, just
seven weeks later, Chantel miscarried.
‘We
were distraught,’ says Simon. The
couple decided to go ahead with the wedding anyway, and on the day tried
to push aside their sadness.
‘We
put on a brave face.’ Says Simon.
‘It was hard but Chantel said it was the best day of her life.
Later, when we were alone, we talked and agreed to try again for
a baby.’ Sadly, Chantel
had two more miscarriages in the next six months.
‘We
resigned ourselves to the fact it might never happen,’ says Simon.
‘We were desperate for a family but reluctant to go through it
all again.’ Doctors in St
James’ Hospital in Leeds did tests and found Chantel had a hormone
imbalance, so she was given medication to help her carry a baby to full
term. Chantel became
pregnant again and the couple prayed everything would be alright.
‘We were very excited but also nervous because of what we’d
been through,’ says Simon. ‘There
was still a risk she could lose the baby and we both felt the strain.
But as she got bigger, we became more confident.
After 12 weeks doctors told us Chantel was having a healthy
pregnancy. We were
thrilled.’
Chantel
felt fine but at times she’d think about her sister.
‘She was upset that Rachel would never see the baby,’ says
Simon. ‘She was
disappointed not to have her mum around either.
But Chantel was happy at the prospect of being a mother.
It was all she’d ever wanted.’
Elliot was born on March 29 this year, weighing 7lb.
Chantel adored being a mother and the couple settled happily into
parenthood. But on June 11,
everything changed. Simon
left for work at 5 am, leaving Elliot with Chantel.
‘As
I was leaving I woke Chantel, kissed her, told her I loved her and that
I’d see her later,’ says Simon.
But when he returned to the house at 2pm, he knew something was
wrong. The post was still
on the floor in the hall and I could hear Elliot crying.
I ran upstairs and found Chantel lying in bed in the same
position I’d last seen her. ‘I
knew she was dead. She was
stone cold and her eyes were half open, but I tried everything I could
to wake her. It felt as if
someone had ripped out my insides.’
Simon
dialled 999 and tried to resuscitate her, but it was too late.
Like her mother and sister, Chantel had died in her sleep.
As
simon struggled to cope with his wife’s death, he had to face the fact
that Elliot too might be at risk of SADS.
Doctors put the risk at 50 per cent, but he’s too young to be
tested at the moment and will have to wait another month.
‘I’m
constantly checking he’s breathing,’ says Simon.
‘Every time I look at Elliot I’m reminded of Chantel, but it
doesn’t make me sad. I’m
happy we had him and I’m determined to be the best dad I can.
Elliot’s the most beautiful boy in the world.
I’m so lucky to have him.’ |
