***GUEST POST*** Hayley Ross - Mummy Pals

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Besties!

"I first met Lynn and Lucy in August 2016 at our first Waterbabies class with my boy. We stood around in a circle and introduced ourselves and told the instructor why we had joined. I gave my reasons and everyone took their turns until it came to Lynn. She told us Lucy's consultant had advised her to take up swimming as she had a heart problem. I thought that was a wee shame and carried on our class and never really thought about it again.
Over the months we bonded over our little clingy lovelies, the only two who seemed to cry when being passed over to the teacher, and chatted before class started. A little boy joined our class and one day we were stood around talking as usual and his dad had been telling us how he was a wee IVF baby and his wife had multiple miscarriages. He got talking to Lynn about Dundee and I nodded along feeling sorry for their awful situations not knowing anything about it and feeling guilt sat with my own secret second pregnancy. After my scan I went in and told them I was pregnant and Lynn was so happy for me and gave me a big hug.

The weeks went by and we undertook a splashathon for the Tommys infant loss charity which was the first time we had met Adam. You could tell he absolutely doted on Lucy.

The classes finished for summer and we decided to keep in touch each week as the kids had bonded and so had us mummies! We grew closer and closer and slowly Lynn opened up and she told us about her IVF journey and Lucy's heart.

Our first play date was at the public swimming pool and the kids just played around.  You would never know as a stranger that there was anything wrong with Lucy.  She's a strong independent toddler who keeps up with her 2 boy pals but that day we realised it wasn't as straight forward as that and after a short time we had to leave the pool because Lucy was getting cold and her wee lips were going blue (we were used to swimming in a hydrotherapy pool). I felt like after that we became alot more aware of the situation and protective of Lucy.

I felt like I had known Lynn and Lucy their whole lives not a few months.

My second baby was born and Lynn, Adam and Lucy visited us at home and was so happy for us. This woman is truly amazing. Through all of her own heartache and loss she finds it within herself to continue to put on a brave face and be truely excited and happy for us.

Our Beautiful Girls!

I remember they went to Magic Natura, after a recommendation from us in September 2017, after a pretty rocky start to planning their holidays and there was an issue with supplying oxygen on the plane incase Lucy got poorly. I remember it really hitting me at that point about how serious Lucy's diagnosis was.

We celebrated our kids birthdays and Christmas and had loads of wee play dates and ate an absolute tonne of icecream where our little rascals bonded and fought and played together more like siblings than swimming friends.

Lynn was going through a really tough time and we can tell when she's struggling now because she goes really quiet on our WhatsApp group chat. We had grown really close by this point and she would pour her heart out to us and I would sit in tears on a night trying to make her feel better and get my head around such an awful situation. I sometimes felt so guilty sat with my kids but I know she would have shouted at me if she'd have known that.

One day she told us she had started her blog, therapy for herself and also to help others in the same situation. I remember reading the first entry and could not believe that Lynn and Adam had gone through that. Nobody deserves it and most definitely not them! The blog is heart wrenching and whitty, I cried and laughed and even though it was their life I felt like I was reading a book. I just could not accept that such an awesome woman went through all of that and didnt give up or that the poorly girl hooked up to tubes was our wee strong tomboy (at the time - she's a wee diva now) Lucy.

Lucy is a little heart warrior and she gets it from her hot headed and determined mama. I'm so proud to have met them and I can't wait to see Lucy continue to thrive and grow. Lynn and Lucy are such a massive part of our lives and even though we weren't there for the hard times in the beginning we will be there to ride this rollercoaster of life with them in the present and future. Toddler tantrums and future operations. Sad times and happy times. (You're stuck with us now babe!).

I hope anyone who is going through this can find comfort in Lynn's amazing words and know that you aren't alone and you will have crappy days, but friends, wine, family, chocolate and more wine will get you through the darkest days. Xx".

She will LOVE me for this one!!

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