When Ottillie was 6 weeks old i awoke to her feeling hot, I can remember quickly scramberling around in the dark to find the thermometer as something just didn't feel right. I rang 111 and as she had no other symptoms they advised I wait till the doctors opened and then took her. As soon as it hit 8 am I was on the phone and explained. The earliest we could be seen was about 9.30 so I took our eldest to school and took her. The doctor was amazing and informed me I needed to get her to hospital straight away, I was terrified but had no idea of the seriousness still as her only symptom at this point was a temperature. By the time I got her to hospital she had started to become very mottled. We were seen straight away and I can remember every small detail of what came next. Suddenly my tiny baby was having to be pinned down to test her for meningitis, this involved a needle in the spine. I rang my husband and we had the most painful wait for the results. What came next still plays on repeat in my mind as if it were happening now. The doctor crouched down next to Ottillie and me and informed us she had viral menigitus and explained we had to wait 48 hours to know if it was bacterial. He explained everything extremely well and the reality hit like a ten tone lorry. The second he walker out I broke down. My baby. How could this be happening. The nurses and doctors were all so incredible and supported us but explained she needed to fight this herself. 

We are now 6 months on and I can tell you we have a happy beautiful little girl. She suffered high blood pressure for a few months after as her little body tried to adjust to the enormity of what she had been through. 

So now I want to give something back so other families get the help and support like we had. I want to raise as much awareness as I possibly can because it can all happen in the blink of an eye! I trusted my instincts and am thankful every day that I did. 

Any money I manage to raise will go straight to the Meningitis Now charity who support families going through the Menigitis as well as helping raise awareness. So any money you can donate will be so incredibly appreciated! Thank you xx