Cole Thomson was born on 26th July 2012 weighing 8lb 10oz!!
He was one day early and labour was only 35 mins.... Just enough time to make it to Wishaw General Hospital.

Cole was born healthy and we got home within a few days. Like most babies he cried, fed & slept.... Cole was the final piece in the puzzle he completed our family, we had our two gorgeous boys.

At just over two months old I was at home in my kitchen feeding Cole, when he lay in my arms and jerked like he had got a fright, both hands came up to his chin and his eyes rolled back, only for seconds. Then back to drinking his milk.

As an over protective mum my gut said that's not right and gave me a sick feeling. When David got home (Coles dad) I told him, but David knowing me said he's a wee bruiser nothing wrong with him. That night we went to David's parents for dinner and it happened again, only no one saw it except me.

By the next day I was watching his every move terrified and then it happened, only now it was happening every hour in clusters of ten. I grabbed David's phone recorded this jerking and phoned the doctor.

We were told to take him to our GP Dr Fraser Wylie, he saw us straight away but as usual when you take your child to the doctor he had stopped. Doctor checked his blood pressure, temp, responses everything he could and it was all fine. Then we showed the doctor the video, he said excuse me a moment I'm going to call Wishaw as I'm not sure about this.

A few moments later Dr Wylie came into his surgery with a brown envelope and told us to go to Wishaw to see a paediatrician Dr Callaghan. She was waiting for us and by this time Cole was jerking again.

This next part of Coles story was the most devastating few hours of my life... We were told by Dr Callaghan she thought it was West Syndrome David and I had no idea what West Syndrome was but we knew it wasn't good because we were told to take Cole to Yorkhill immediately.

On route to Yorkhill I was crying, David was remembering about boys in his school who had Epilepsy and saying how they were picked on and called names.... All the way to the hospital I prayed when I'm not even religious promising to be good forever just please let my baby be ok, please make it be a virus.

On arrival at Yorkhill we met Margaret Wilson & Dr Stewart McLeod. Cole was examined and they both watch our video over and over. Then we were asked to sit down as Dr McLeod explained Cole was having infantile spasms and what they were seeing was similar to West Syndrome. This couldn't be certain until further tests were carried out but when David asked what's Coles best and worse case....
We were told Cole at best would have learning difficulties possible disability. Worst he wouldn't live until he was 5.

In bits, confused, terrified, devastated we left the hospital with our gorgeous tiny baby boy and a leaflet on West Syndrome, waiting to hear about going back for further tests. That night we both cried because two days before we had a perfectly heathy baby boy? Why? What?

The next few weeks brought tests and results telling us Cole did not have West Syndrome, he has focal Epilepsy in his left temporal lobe. Which was a huge relief but still heartbreaking. The diagnosis for Cole was very quick and we knew within the first few months of his seizures starting.

Then months and years of tests, hospitals, travelling to London for a very detailed scan. Staying in Yorkhill & Edinburgh Sick kids while Cole had over 20 tiny pads with wires coming out them glued all over his tiny head, him being told he has to stay in this tiny cot so the camera could pick his activity up for 24 hours. Watching him have seizure after seizure... His body be exhausted and sore. Him not being able to have a proper sleep up every few hours screaming, crying. His development freeze or slow down, his moods get increasingly worse, his social skill become bad and him even become violent all this constantly for 2 years.

During all this time my oldest son Dylan who is now 6 has been amazing and a constant joy to not only me and his dad but to Cole, even though our focus has been very much on Cole, Dylan has always been a fantastic big brother and looked after his little brother... Alerting me if Cole has a seizure. He's had to grow up a lot quicker than most 6 year olds and has been passed about our family while we spend days in hospital, sleepless nights with Coles screaming but Dylan just gets on with it never moaning such a good boy.

Two years of tests, heartache, the constant unknown... We are told Cole is now ready for surgery. The consultant has tried every medication they can but none are working the most Cole has been seizure free for was 21 days in November 2013. So
his only option for a seizure free life is to have a lesionectomy on his left temporal lobe in Edinburgh Sick Kids we are given our date really quickly once the decision is made.

On 26th November 2014 Cole had brain surgery he was away from us from 830am and came back to us at 4pm. We were told prior to surgery about all the risks and had a number of meetings with the surgeons Mr Sokol & Mr Kandasami, to make sure we were fully aware of everything. One of the risks was he might loose his speech but when we got the call to say Cole was out of surgery and to go get our boy, I could hear him shouting for us Mum.. Dad... The tears were pouring down my face with relief he was out and he could speak.

We spent 7 days and nights in Ward 7 where the staff looked after Cole, David and I. He was on 15 min obs and for the first two days was doing amazing, then he took ill, started being sick but that only lasted two days and then he was back up on his feet showing us how tough he is. Even with his face so badly swollen he couldn't open his eyes he was still full of cheek and carry on. By day 4 he was on his feet and day 5 he walked holding our hands up and down the ward. My son Cole the superstar.

Cole has had 3 seizures since his surgery and although we still have some way to go his seizures almost stopped have allowed us to focus on everything else to give our boy the best chance in life. This would not have been possible without the amazing family and friends we have round us.

I have now committed to raising much needed funds for Edinburgh sick kids and Glasgow Sick kids (Yorkhill) these funds will purchase Accuvein 400 machines used to take blood from babies and young children with less stress and stopping their tiny veins from collapsing.... During Cole's many hospital visits taking blood is so stressful and can take 20 mins of holding him down.... This has given Cole a terrible fear and this amazing bit of kit with relieve this for 100's of children!!

Please help me to raise enough money to purchase these machines!!

Thank you....

Lisa Coles mum xx

Text CFSK55 £5, £10 to 70070