Gander mother praying for Christmas reunion with sick toddler
Pamela Dalley wants nothing more than to be able to hold her 17-month-old daughter Shelby for Christmas, after months of separation while the seriously ill toddler undergoes treatment in Toronto.
"Words can't describe the pain that I feels inside, how much my heart aches," said Dalley, at her home in Gander.
Long road
Shelby Penney has been at The Hospital for Sick Children since the spring, when she underwent a liver transplant for a life-threatening condition, biliary atresia — a relatively rare disease that damages bile ducts and causes scarring.
Her father, Dave Penney, flew with her, donating part of his own liver for the procedure, and stayed on in the city as Shelby suffered complications.
"I'm so thankful her dad is with her — but I'm her mom too, and I wants to be there," said Dalley.
The original plan in the spring was for Shelby and her father to be back in Newfoundland for the holidays, a dream now in doubt as Shelby faces several other serious medical concerns.
November reunion
One relief for Dalley was a brief reunion, earlier this month in Toronto.
The David Foster Foundation, a non-profit group that helps families with children who need organ donations with their non-medical expenses, flew Dalley, her 14-year-old son and her four-year-old daughter for a visit on Nov. 7.
The entire family spent 10 days together, seeking out a normalcy amid hospital life, even taking in the city's Santa Claus Parade.
But separating once again did not come easy.
"Coming back home and leaving her, it's the most hardest thing a parent would ever, ever go through in their life," said Dalley.
Christmas hope
Dalley said Shelby needs major bowel reconstructive surgery, but has also developed a condition called Histiocytosis where too many white blood cellls can lead to organ damage and tumours.
"We're devastated yet again," said Dalley, who is waiting for results of a biopsy to determine whether the disease has spread to Shelby's bone marrow.
If that's the case, the toddler will need chemotherapy which could be done at the Janeway hospital in St. John's.
The family is still waiting for the test results hoping the condition hasn't spread.
If it has, Dalley said they'll deal with it the best they can but having Shelby home would mean they'd have the added support of family nearby.
"It's just hard trying to separate yourself from your children," said Dalley.
"Always be thankful that your children are able to run around the house … because it's the little things in life that mean the most."
