19 Nov Tammi and Tyler’s Story

Christmas is a time of celebrating, coming together with loved ones to share good food, good times and create memories that will last a lifetime.

For Tammi and Tyler, the Christmas of 2021 was anything but that.

Expecting their first child the couple had planned for a quiet Christmas together, their last before two became three. It was in November at 32 weeks pregnant that those plans were forever changed.

Planning for a water birth, the couple attended birthing class as they regularly did, one night after class Tammi felt different, a discomfort that wasn’t necessarily unusual but was different. Playing it on the safe side, the couple decided to make the trip to their local hospital in Albany, what happened next can only be described as a whirlwind.

Within two hours of arriving, Tammi was diagnosed with placental abruption and was rushed into emergency surgery, where their precious baby Hugo was born at exactly midnight, two months earlier than expected.

As Tammi awoke from surgery albeit fleeting, she met her son Hugo, who at the time weighed only 1.9 kilos. Unable to breathe on his own, little Hugo swiftly boarded a Royal Flying Doctors flight bound for Perth Children’s Hospital, leaving his shell-shocked and heartbroken parents behind.

The following days were agonising for Tammi and Tyler, Tammi recovering from surgery and Tyler torn between his wife and his son. The sound of babies crying as Tammi lay in the maternity ward of Albany Hospital was a sobering reminder that little Hugo wasn’t there.

Two days after Hugo’s birth, still weak from blood loss and major surgery, Tammi was discharged from Albany Hospital. Tyler packed their car, and they made the long, uncomfortable drive to Perth, every bump in the road was as painful as the ordeal they’d just been through.

“For the next two months, Ronald McDonald House in Perth Children’s Hospital became our home.

It was more than just a place to sleep; it allowed us to be there for every moment of Hugo’s journey in the NICU.” Tammi recounts

Having a place to call home within the Hospital meant that Tammi and Tyler could be there for their son, every time he opened his eyes, needed his nappy changed and needed to be fed. It meant they could be parents despite the challenging circumstances they faced.

“We wouldn’t have been able to be there for each other and Hugo if we didn’t have a place like Ronald McDonald House.”

As the world around them prepared for the festive season, the couple focused on what mattered most to them, the health of their baby. As they spent their days by Hugo’s side the team at the House busily made sure that their first Christmas as a family was as special as it could be.

“While it wasn’t the Christmas we had imagined, the amazing staff went above and beyond to make it special.

They provided festive hampers and created a warm welcoming atmosphere that lifted our spirits during such a difficult time.”

When they weren’t by Hugo’s bedside, Tammi and Tyler felt comfort in being surrounded by other parents staying at the House. Once strangers they soon became friends, supporters and shoulders to cry on.

“There’s an extraordinary community at the House.  We met other families going through similar experiences, sharing our journeys, setbacks and celebrating milestones when they arrived.”

Little Hugo was a fighter and after two months in NICU he was finally strong enough to go home.

“As we packed up our room, I felt a mix of emotions – joy at bringing our son home and immense gratitude for the support we’d received.”

Three years later, Hugo is stronger than ever surpassing his development milestones and growing into an empathetic and energetic little man, who brings daily joy to the lives of his mum and dad, Tammi and Tyler.

Despite the challenges this family faced, Christmas is now a time that is even more special than it ever was as it is a reminder that they have the greatest gift of all – each other.

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