Meet Camilla — Perinatal Stroke

Translated from Italian

We are the father and mother of Camilla, a girl who is 4 years old. Our history and the story of the little Camilla began at the end of a labor lasting 24 hours. At birth, Camilla is a newborn like many others, nothing suggests that from there to 5 hours our first daughter would be hit by a stroke. Neither mother nor father know this word and at the moment of birth the fear pervades our bodies. From this moment the intense story of Camilla starts.

In the fifth hour after her birth she is hit by convulsions, perhaps the worst moment for us. After a month spent in intensive care, the doctors give the first responses, stroke. The little information resulting from this disease has made this period intense because, even we parents supported by family members, we realize that this new disease will be part of our life and Camilla’s life.

The stroke, at that time was a question mark not only for us as parents, but also for many doctors who could not give us safe and reliable answers on the incident. We would have seen the results only with the growth of the child, this was the only thing that could tell us. On 28 October 2013 for us it represents the birth of not knowing, of an adventure that even today we have not understood what it will bring us.

Supported by doctors, friends and especially by the family, we have overcome the first moments. With the passing of time it was the same Camilla to reassure and cheer up on the path that is so difficult for parents (and even more after the stroke). Every little smile was a step forward, a change. Smiles that still make us believe and give us the certainty that Camilla will be a child like many others.

It’s useless to say that our life, of couple and work was completely overturned. Everything passed to second place, especially for Stefania, the mother, who decided to follow Camilla personally, day by day up to 3 years to not lose a moment precious of the progress and to support the therapies to be followed.

We must thank in the workplace, the people who have allowed us and that still allow us to give Camilla time for the many activities carried out in the rehabilitation. The friends who welcomed Camilla with joy and affection and the family, a fundamental basis, careful and however always present despite the distance.

We have learned to trust all the smiles of Camilla, in ourselves and not to be afraid of the future. We learned to live the day, to face day by day what happened to us and to enjoy the little things useful for the union of the family. We have learned not to be afraid of stroke.

Our experience of these 4 years leads us to advise never to give up, to undertake and evaluate all possible paths always trusting their instinct as a parent that incredibly never fails! It is good that this disease is told, publicized, disseminated to give everyone hope, reasons for comparison and of course to give our children an ever better future. We therefore thank Francesca Fedeli and Roberto D’Angelo for having given important stimuli to our lives. Thanks FighttheStroke!

Thank you to Fight the Stroke for their help in gathering the stories from Italy!