Biography
Meet Violet!
Violet is our funny, affectionate and incredibly determined little girl. She has had quite a journey from the very beginning, but you would never know it from her huge personality!
During my pregnancy, there were signs that Violet might have OA/TOF (oesophageal atresia and tracheo-oesophageal fistula), but it was never fully confirmed before she was born. So although we had an idea that something might not be quite right, we didn’t really know what we were dealing with until she arrived.
Violet was born with HIE (hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy) after an eventful labour and underwent cooling treatment. Thankfully, her initial MRI showed no abnormalities and she has continued to develop beautifully. She is currently developing at the same rate as her peers, which we are incredibly grateful for.
When Violet was born, we found out that she did indeed have OA/TOF, along with tracheomalacia. Her food pipe had not formed properly and was connected to her airway, making it impossible for her to feed safely, and her airway was also underdeveloped. She needed surgery when she was just a few hours old, followed by another operation at three months old to repair her oesophagus and strengthen her trachea.
During her NICU stay a laryngeal cleft was discovered, an opening between her airway and food passage. This created a risk of food and drink entering her lungs rather than going safely into her stomach. She has therefore needed several procedures, investigations and ongoing support with her swallowing and feeding.
Violet has also needed PEG feeding to make sure she gets the nutrition and hydration she needs. Feeding has been a big part of her journey and has involved support from several members of her medical and therapy teams. She has made amazing progress and is now able to enjoy much more by mouth, although feeding is still an important part of her care.
Through everything, Violet has remained her happy, cheeky and determined self. She has been through more operations, procedures and medical appointments than any little girl should have to, but she just gets on with it. Bristol Children’s Hospital is a frequent haunt for her but she takes every appointment and surgery in her stride and although she is fearful she is so very brave.
Her medical history is a big part of her story, but it certainly doesn’t define her. She’s funny, affectionate, stubborn, determined and full of personality — she’s just Violet, and she’s pretty amazing.
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