A few of these images are used in reference and not done by me myself. I hold no rights to these images I speak of only the ones of my son and the ones I myself have created. All images are labelled and identified from the original creators so that you can see which ones I myself hold rights too. If the creators would like me to remove and replace said photos please contact me and I shall do so with my apologies.
I will say this again in other words: A few of these images are taken from the internet in reference only. Using just for example only as I might have not been able to take said photos myself and or maps I have used.
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Alexander Rise!
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| Alexander the Great |
He is the
inspiration of my life, my fuel.
Alexander
Rise is my way of keeping his legacy alive, something I had decided to do way
before his passing.
The idea was to
build him an empire, one in which I knew he’d be proud of.
My son loved
to make people smile, he loved to get a reaction from people and even in his
short time here on Earth with us, he managed to make anyone and everyone who
encountered him fall in love with him. He really was a miracle.
****
Here’s
a bit of Alex’s story…
I
gave birth to the most wonderful little boy on Wednesday the 27th
July 2005, at 19:33 in Weymouth.
Alex was three days overdue, he should have been born on the 24th; but
he had other plans! I had some difficulties during pregnancy… when I was 5
months pregnant I got sick and had to go into hospital due to constant vomiting
which started early labour. I was given a cocktail of drugs for myself and for Alex
to keep him stable and in the womb longer; I was fine after that.
When
I was 7 and a half months pregnant I had early labour signs, Braxton hicks and
tightening, and dizzy spells; I had to continue on. The pains, tightening
subsided but was later fired up by a clinic check at Weymouth hospital via a
nurse – that was that faithful day of Wednesday 27th July 2005; I
went into labour around 11am.
Alex
didn’t get a great start to life. His birth was difficult and I was finding it
hard to give birth to him naturally; but I had too, it was too late for anything
else.
Alex was facing the wrong way, his head was forced backwards in a painful position for him,
Alex was facing the wrong way, his head was forced backwards in a painful position for him,
 |
| enjoybirth.com I should have had a c- section but it was too late. Short staffed, medical students, no supervision, Alex was in terrible danger, I was forced to deliver him naturally. Alex should have been born by 2pm that day. Experts say that Alex would have still been damaged, but it would not have been so severe if he had been born at that time, he would have suffered less. |
Alex
was hypoxic, starved of oxygen at birth or
thereafter. In Alex’s case, every time I contracted, he was pressing up against
his umbilical cord; he did that over the process of 5 hours, every couple of
minutes until Birth. I was not progressing in labour, dilation fluctuated, contractions eased
off, Alex’s heart rate dipped and raised sporadically. But the damage had
already been done...
Normally
when a child is born, they’re born conscious, sometimes screaming or crying;
Alex wasn’t any of those things. He was floppy and weak, colour way black and he was none responsive.
It took them [Doctors] 25 minutes to get him breathing, he began fitting and was constantly bagged. I didn’t see my son until 2am the following day. I remember this day like it was yesterday. It was 10pm, I was watching a repeat episode of Eastenders and Alex’s dad, Joe was marching around the room in a panic, as we hadn’t heard anything from anyone since they took Alex away from us.
So we pressed the call button and waited for a nurse.
It took them [Doctors] 25 minutes to get him breathing, he began fitting and was constantly bagged. I didn’t see my son until 2am the following day. I remember this day like it was yesterday. It was 10pm, I was watching a repeat episode of Eastenders and Alex’s dad, Joe was marching around the room in a panic, as we hadn’t heard anything from anyone since they took Alex away from us.
So we pressed the call button and waited for a nurse.
Finally
one arrived and Joe asked her what had happened to Alex and why no one had come
to get us. The nurse looked mortified, her words have always haunted me since
that day and they still haunt me even today.
She said “Oh my god, you haven’t been told yet!”
My heart sank.
Joe went frantic and just lost it, and rightfully so. I was silent, I was numb, I didn’t say a thing.
“What do you mean we haven’t been told yet?” Joe shouted.
You could hear the fear in his voice.
Joe is a collective, diplomatic guy, for him to lose it made me worry, he was normally so calm and had things in perspective; the Joe I saw that day wasn’t even close to keeping it together.
She said “Oh my god, you haven’t been told yet!”
My heart sank.
Joe went frantic and just lost it, and rightfully so. I was silent, I was numb, I didn’t say a thing.
“What do you mean we haven’t been told yet?” Joe shouted.
You could hear the fear in his voice.
Joe is a collective, diplomatic guy, for him to lose it made me worry, he was normally so calm and had things in perspective; the Joe I saw that day wasn’t even close to keeping it together.
The
nurse apologised and said she would get someone to talk to us, tell us what’s
happening. Joe was firm, he told her to get out and find someone who knew
something, and she did so as he wished.
Joe in all cases was the talker at this point, I was in too much shock to say or do anything, I was a ghost of my former self, and he was better at it than I was anyway.
I remember feeling a great sense of loss but also disbelief. We waited and waited and finally a doctor from SCUB came to us to tell us what was happening with our baby.
He said Alex was stable, and that he’d had a bit of a shock!
Joe in all cases was the talker at this point, I was in too much shock to say or do anything, I was a ghost of my former self, and he was better at it than I was anyway.
I remember feeling a great sense of loss but also disbelief. We waited and waited and finally a doctor from SCUB came to us to tell us what was happening with our baby.
He said Alex was stable, and that he’d had a bit of a shock!
He
had a bit of a shock!!! What about us?!!
The
doctor furthered by saying that Alex has suffered a massive bleed in his head (haemorrhage), that it took them [Nursing/Doctor staff] a while but they
got him breathing again; in all, it took them 25-26 minutes to get him breathing
again.
Alex had also suffered hypoxia due to the intake of Meconium that he had swallowed and inhaled; that they had been spending a lot of the time trying to suck it out of his throat and below his vocal cords.
They [The Doctors] wanted us to come see him, and apologised for them taking so long in getting back to us. They also wanted our permission to intubate him [Alex], as they had to do it beforehand because it was necessary; and of course we gave them all the permission they needed.
He [The Doctor] left after his long drawn out explanations that neither Joe nor I could comprehend at that point, none the wiser he told us he’d send someone over to come get us from SCBU as soon as a nurse was able too.
Alex had also suffered hypoxia due to the intake of Meconium that he had swallowed and inhaled; that they had been spending a lot of the time trying to suck it out of his throat and below his vocal cords.
They [The Doctors] wanted us to come see him, and apologised for them taking so long in getting back to us. They also wanted our permission to intubate him [Alex], as they had to do it beforehand because it was necessary; and of course we gave them all the permission they needed.
He [The Doctor] left after his long drawn out explanations that neither Joe nor I could comprehend at that point, none the wiser he told us he’d send someone over to come get us from SCBU as soon as a nurse was able too.
We saw Alex for the first time around 2am, he was lying peacefully in an incubator, accompanied by wires and splints, tubes and bandages on all four limbs.
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| Alex 8 hours old |
We had become mortified, distressed to say the least. But I held it together, there was time to cry later, right now my baby needed me.
I sat in the chair next to his incubator while the doctors talked among themselves like we weren’t even there. Doctor’s jargon; we had no idea what they were talking about.
I remember I sat there and all I could think about was this is the little bastard who beat the shit out of me, sucked the life out of me (ha-ha), in all worthiness captured my heart from the moment I saw him on that Ultrasound
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| My Scan 9w-2d |
I don’t know if you’ve ever done it but
comparing
your child/ children's photos of them from when they were that little pea to
who they are now? It is truly remarkable.
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| Alex 5m-17w |
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| 24hrs - 2m - 3yrs - 6yrs - almost 8yrs |
It’s really amazing what we can do aye. We’re a working miracle all on our own, let alone the living breathing life we
create while we sleep!
Give yourself a pat on the back for being awesome :)
I’m not a bad ass but I’ve never cried where I couldn’t stop, you know those cries where your tears seem to go on forever, and they do! They last for hours, and days, months and sometimes years in so many cases. I’m not a crier, I hate it, I wasn’t a crier as a child either, I silently dealt with my problems alone and never cried unless it was to get my brother in to trouble (hee-hee).
If I could not cry in front of anyone I’d be happy. If I’m going to cry I’ll make an excuse to leave, I’m sure by now you are clear on the fact I hate crying (ha-ha).
I
cried when Joe left my side to go have a cigarette outside, my baby laid there
with no certain future; the only one who could decide was Alex and him alone at that point.
A nurse told me that talking to him would soothe him, that his heart rate had stabilised since I came a sat down with him, it gave me some form of hope; I continued to talk to him.
I was allowed to open the little window hatch to his incubator so I could touch him, I examined the splints on his little hands, smoothed his beautiful soft skin, I couldn’t get over how soft he was, how good he felt; it was nothing I had ever imaged. Even the smell of him, it wasn’t hospital smell, it was Alex, I remember the feeling it gave me; I felt complete.
A nurse told me that talking to him would soothe him, that his heart rate had stabilised since I came a sat down with him, it gave me some form of hope; I continued to talk to him.
I was allowed to open the little window hatch to his incubator so I could touch him, I examined the splints on his little hands, smoothed his beautiful soft skin, I couldn’t get over how soft he was, how good he felt; it was nothing I had ever imaged. Even the smell of him, it wasn’t hospital smell, it was Alex, I remember the feeling it gave me; I felt complete.
I
made a promise to Alex that day. While I sat there staring at him, screaming
and crying in my head, begging him to be alright, begging him to not kill me in
ways I knew I couldn’t recover, because I knew that is what would have happened
if he didn’t make it; I’d never be the same again. I promised him I’d do
anything for him; that I would give up everything if he’d just stay with me. I’d
give him all that I am and more if he just makes it. I begged him not to show
me a side of myself I hoped didn’t exist, the side of everyone no one wishes to
ever see themselves go through; irreparably heart-break.
Alex went through a series of complications after his birth; we spent 3 and a-half weeks in total in the SCBU Unit. Alex’s feeding was poor, he couldn’t latch on and his sucking would make him choke.
We had a speech and Language therapist and a physio nurse come in to try and get him to suck; but everything they tried failed. But I got him sucking. I tried every 20 minutes for 2 days and I got him sucking.
Alex couldn’t have my milk, he vomited after the first few tries and I ended up feeding most of the babies on the SCBU unit instead (ha-ha-ha).
Bottle feeding not breast lol just to clarify that!
Alex would take the bottle from me. The nurses and doctors all stood and watched as I proudly showed them how Alex was feeding, they were impressed and later gave us the good news that we could go home with him. The best feeling ever is taking your baby home, I know you feel it.
That was one of the things I experience that was normal, the excitement for taking your new-born home and introducing them to your friends and family.
Not all of my family got to see Alex right away due to the other babies in SCBU. Outside people were not allowed in, especially children; which was understandable. So only my parents and my sisters saw Alex in the beginning.
Slowly
we introduced Alex to people and each one as you can imagine just fell in love
with him. He had the best smile, even being so young, and it wasn’t wind like
most people say, Alex seemed to be advanced in some cases of development than
the essentials.
We
didn’t have Alex home long before we were back in hospital again. We entered
the Children’s ward on the account that he didn’t sleep very much and his
feeding suddenly decrease again; I was terribly disheartened.
The status on the release of this book is: TBA.
****
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| A Broken Paradise Series |
Because when the time is up, it’s up!
With the economy today, the help for the needy is becoming slim; for everyone not just the physical, mental and emotional front.
Our country is going to shit basically.
It’s hard for everyone but even harder for those who can’t work, can’t get jobs, that can’t support their families; for whatever reason.
I’m not here to rant about it; I’m just going to explain the idea of Alexander Rise Project and the idea for it now...
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| www.port.ac.uk |
Things that range from:
o Providing services for the parents, carers, adults, teens and children alike (Disabled or not).o The options of training, teaching, exercising the mind, body and soul.o I want to work with real people, with real problems, with real needs. Them and their families, help them help themselves. And I want to include the charity groups and agencies, the volunteers and build a bigger stronger ability to help integrate and educate a better tomorrow.o To create a place where people can go and receive the help they need, or better equipped themselves with the ability to do so (Everyone deserves a chance, a change for a better life).o I also want to provide a cabin based 'live in' centre, where people can come for respite care (not just for disabled but for the mainstreamed too).o Play Areas for children. Educate and life building skill centre for Teens and young adults.o A second chance centre for adults, where they can start over, redo, try again. Anything is possible when you put your heart into it.
All this is
just an idea at the moment, but it’s a good one. One I might even achieve one
day in the future. I’m going to give it my all anyway.
Right now Alexander Rise Project has begun in Property – I will begin his legacy here.
****
Alex's 1 year anniversary was remembered on the 23rd July 2014.
My family and I marked the first year of his passing by taking a trip to the seaside, Pembrokeshire coast.
It would have been his 9th birthday on Sunday 27th July 2014.
I wanted to do something special, something we could do every year. My sister Tammy came up with the idea of sending him on a journey around the world! Inside a message in a bottle...
In spirit of course, not actually him!
We started his journey on the sands of Tenby, South Bay and had a day on the beach where we hoped to send him off on his way.
The idea was to try and get him out into the Irish sea/ St George's Channel or even better, the Atlantic Ocean. Either way he goes, I hope he is found by someone who will read his message.
My family and I marked the first year of his passing by taking a trip to the seaside, Pembrokeshire coast.
It would have been his 9th birthday on Sunday 27th July 2014.
I wanted to do something special, something we could do every year. My sister Tammy came up with the idea of sending him on a journey around the world! Inside a message in a bottle...
 |
| Caldey Route - Tenby Guide |
In spirit of course, not actually him!
 | |
|
The idea was to try and get him out into the Irish sea/ St George's Channel or even better, the Atlantic Ocean. Either way he goes, I hope he is found by someone who will read his message.
 | |
|
What happens when it’s found?
Well inside
the bottle the lucky person whom stumbles across it will be asked to read his
letter (See image below).
They’ll be given a short but sweet version of Alex’s life, in his perspective, along with a set of instructions to carry on his journey.
They’ll be given a short but sweet version of Alex’s life, in his perspective, along with a set of instructions to carry on his journey.
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| Caption of the letter in full |
o Write your name and where you are.o A little message if you wanto A photo of you and my bottleo Send me back on my way for the next person to findo Email or contact any of my family listed in this bottle, just to let them know that you found me and that you sent me on my way.
And then he thanks them and hopes that his story put a smile on their faces and maybe made a difference in their lives.
We’re
planning on doing another one soon as well. We’re going to do a few actually
lol
We’re going to take one down to Weymouth and put one out into the Channel Islands and maybe one east of England and maybe even Scotland; we haven’t decided yet.
It’s just to edge our bets and also he gets to go in other directions too.
We’re going to take one down to Weymouth and put one out into the Channel Islands and maybe one east of England and maybe even Scotland; we haven’t decided yet.
It’s just to edge our bets and also he gets to go in other directions too.
I will keep
everyone informed of anything we hear from anyone.
Thank you for
taking the time to read this.
Also I'd like to thank...
xXx
Also I'd like to thank...
xXx
Photos: -
****
(25-07-14) Alex was found by a rescue boat!
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