One lady went by way of each mum or dad’s worst nightmare, when her toddler went to mattress with ‘the sniffles’ one night time then fell unconscious.
When Tara Lyons, 37, and Daniel O’Sullivan, 34, put their 15-month-old, Sofia Lyons-O’Sullivan, to mattress with a sniffle in April 2020, they thought she was simply teething.
The following morning, Sofia’s head dropped ahead with out warning and her horrified mother and father realised she couldn’t open her eyes.
The mother and father rushed her to hospital the place simply hours later she fell unconscious – and devastatingly, by no means woke once more.
Regardless of not exhibiting any signs, Sofia had suffered from a uncommon and unsuspected mind situation known as Arteriovenous Malformation (AVM) – an irregular connection between the arteries to the veins which disrupts the circulation of blood.
Approaching what would have been Sofia’s third birthday final December, Tara felt she wanted to create one thing in her reminiscence.
This resulted in a charity Christmas anthology, stuffed with young-adult fiction brief tales, penned by a number of famend authors.
Tara, who works in publishing, desires to boost consciousness of the situation that cruelly took her daughter.
Titled ‘Written within the Stars’ and resulting from be printed by Bloodhound Books subsequent month, Tara stated: ‘Sofia went to mattress a contented and wholesome child on the Monday night time and by the Tuesday afternoon, she was unconscious.
‘I by no means bought to see her stunning blue eyes once more.
‘I walked in to the hospital with my one and a half yr outdated, and left with a field of reminiscences.’
She then knew she needed to create one thing when she was struck by the strategy of what would have been Sofia’s third birthday.
‘I bear in mind going to select up balloons my buddy had made for Sofia which stated completely happy third birthday, to put at her graveside, and it took my breath away.
‘I solely had one birthday together with her – I couldn’t perceive the way it was her third.
‘I used to be heartbroken. I knew then that I wished to do one thing good in her reminiscence.
‘Seeing the anthology now, that I've created and put collectively myself, is so particular.
‘The quilt of the guide has slightly woman reaching for the celebrities and it seems like Sofia, in such a delicate and candy manner that was similar to her.’
Earlier than Sofia grew to become unwell, she was wholesome and completely happy, assembly all of her well being milestones.
Whereas the world went into lockdown in March 2020, life had appeared virtually excellent for the household.
Tara stated: ‘We have been truly loving the primary few weeks of lockdown as a result of we had simply moved from a two-bed flat to our new three-bed home with a backyard and we had all this area and time collectively as a household.
‘Sophia had her personal room, with gray mountains painted on the partitions and many pink and leopard print blankets and cushions, and many books – simply because it nonetheless seems now.’
However on April 7, 2020, the household’s lives modified endlessly.
She stated: ‘Sofia was sat on my lap and the physician got here in and stated that they should give her some antibiotics.
‘However then I checked out her and it was like I noticed her take her final breath.
‘I began screaming.’
Rushed off to intensive care, medical doctors labored laborious to stabilise Sofia’s situation, however she was nonetheless unconscious.
Transferred to Nice Ormond Avenue Hospital in London, Sofia underwent various checks to grasp what had occurred.
Tara stated: ‘They saved asking me if she had ever had any seizures or any speech points or eye points however she had nothing – they have been so shocked.’
After a day in hospital, Sofia went in for a CT scan which revealed she had suffered a mind AVM on the stem of her mind.
‘Every little thing was a blur, they saved saying to me that she was actually not properly however I simply saved considering she could be okay,’ she stated.
‘We have been a traditional household of 4 caught in lockdown after which two days later my daughter is mendacity on a mattress in life help.
‘Once they gave her the CT scan, they needed to shave a few of her hair off and I assumed, that’s her first haircut.’
After additional checks and an try to alleviate the strain on Sofia’s mind, the medical doctors confirmed the worst – that there was no hope of survival.
She stated: ‘There was an excessive amount of harm on Sofia’s mind, she had a bleed on the mind and an aneurysm.
‘I felt nauseous and sick. My head was swimming with info.
‘There was a lot info to digest, not to mention the actual fact you’ve simply been advised your daughter just isn't popping out of this alive.
‘I didn’t need to go away the room as a result of I knew as soon as we did, we must face the reality.’
On Easter Sunday, six days after Sofia was first introduced in to hospital, her life help was tragically turned off.
‘They introduced us within the room with a sofa and so they gave us a field of issues, so we may make clay footprints and handprints and take photos,’ Tara stated.
‘Then we sat down and that was the sign for us to hug Sofia and after we have been prepared, it could be time.’
Arising with the concept of charity anthology for Christmas – the identical month as Sofia’s birthday – Tara requested authors to share brief tales.
‘We had practically 100 submissions, I used to be overwhelmed,’ she stated.
The authors of the 23 tales embrace crime fiction writers Angela Marsons and Pleasure Ellis and novelist Louise Beech, and there's a touching foreword by Tara, introducing the guide in Sofia’s reminiscence.
Tara hopes they may also help unfold consciousness of mind AVMs and lift cash for The Butterfly AVM Charity and Nice Ormond Avenue Charity.
Tara stated: ‘Creating this anthology pulled me out of a extremely darkish spot, and it means a lot to know there'll all the time be one thing on the market in Sofia’s reminiscence.
‘And if it helps somebody who has gone by way of what we have now gone by way of, then that's superb too.
‘Mind AVMs aren't broadly identified in any respect and if I may also help increase consciousness in addition to cash for 2 superb charities, that may imply the world.’
You possibly can donate to Tara’s fundraiser in reminiscence of Sofia right here.
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