She had just won a place at university to
study Law and was looking forward so much to a holiday her and friends
had just booked for the summer.
Nothing
on Earth could ever prepare us for what was going to happen to us that
Christmas - that would be the last one we would celebrate. The Christmas
lights went off then and will not be turned back on.
Who could believe this could happen to us, our
daughter?
Kasia came in that evening, the 27th December, so happy with
her boyfriend Scott after spending a few hours at his parent's home
having a Christmas tea. I had asked her if she was OK before she left
the house to go to Scott’s as she looked tired - she said she felt fine
but her throat was a little sore
The 28th December 2005 our Kasia set an
alarm on her mobile phone to wake her early on that morning to go
shopping at the sales. When the alarm rang it set her heart into an
abnormal rhythm and she died there and then.
That morning will stay with us forever and will never
ever seem real - no words could ever describe.
I would always say 'please be careful of this and
that' when Kasia would leave the house, never for one minute thinking
that anything could happen to her whilst safely tucked up in her
bed.
Our
Kasia had been to see a doctor only eleven days prior to her death,
concerned about palpitations and shortness of breath. An ECG had
been taken and it was thought to be normal. However, it was later
revealed that Kasia had a genetic heart condition known as
Long QT
Syndrome.
Kasia's concerns and the visit to the doctor were
unknown to us at the time - she kept this away from us because she did
not want us to worry until she had results, as she knew I had not been
well.
I had asked her a few times if there was anything
wrong as she seemed a bit quiet and I could usually read my children
like a book, but she said there was not and she normally would tell me
if there was anything.
She was so caring, and not knowing how serious this
was at 17 years old they believe they are invincible. We had all been
through so much over the last couple of years and our daughter was also
going through this.
Shortly after our Kasia's death we got in touch with
Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY) and with their help it became apparent
that I also had this condition but had never been told and had instead
been treated for epilepsy and panic attacks. I had an ECG and it
revealed that I had Long QT and therefore our children should have been
screened.
I have felt every emotion possible and feel truly let
down by so many. It had been one of the medications - beta
blockers - that I had been taking that had kept me alive, but I have
since had a deliberator fitted to my heart.
My
sister also died suddenly aged only 41 years, 2 years prior to our
Kasia’s death and with the help of CRY again, we had my nephew and niece
screened and they were found also to have Long QT, but are now receiving
help with medication.
There is not a second in the day that goes by when I
do not think about our Kasia and how proud we were to have a wonderful
girl and boy and so lucky.
Now we have to try and get through each day for our
son who also misses his sister so much, but he also stays strong for us.
All of Kasia's friends miss her and loved her and
everyone who had been in her company. I placed our Kasia's mobile phone
in her hand and still send her text messages hoping she reads them.
I owe my life to my child - it took her life to save
us and it should not have. We will treasure and be proud of the
happy and fun-filled 17 years she gave us but it should have been so
much more.
We would never have come through this horror without the support of
wonderful friends and our son Christopher who misses his only sister and
has been through so much but still remains our rock. We love and miss
you Kasia and you will always stay beside us xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
