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![]() ![]() We got married in 1977, but it wasn't until 1980 that we decided that we wanted to start a family. The first two pregnancies ended when I miscarried at 13 weeks, we were heartbroken, but in those days the doctors just said 'It's just one of those things, wait three months and then try again'. They seemed so heartless, didn't they know that people's dreams were being shattered? Our son Simon was born on 19th July 1982 after a normal pregnancy, (he was just three weeks early). He weighed in at 5lb 4ozs and he was everything we had ever wanted, our world revolved around him. We were blissfully happy. Having a son was something very important and special to Vince. He hadn't had a very good childhood, he came from a broken home, he and his sisters spent seven years in a childrens home and his mum died when he was just a teenager. So it seemed liked having Simon was just making up for part of that and Vince was determined to give Simon everything he hadn't had, a loving family homelife. ![]() We had a real battle to get our health professionals to take us seriously because Simon looked so healthy. It took 18 months for us to get an appointment with a paediatrician who, after lots of tests, sent us to an ear, nose and throat consultant who pronounced that Simon was deaf! We were absolutely devastated, again we were told that it 'just happens'. We were not given any support or information by the hospital, (something which we have played a part in changing over the years), so we just had to go back home and get on with things. We decided then that we needed a positive attitude to the problem and started looking for help ourselves. Simon had to wear two hearing aids from the age of 3, but he never complained, he would wear them from the time he woke up in the morning to the time he went to bed at night. By this time Amy had been born and he would sit and talk to her for hours and I think that really helped his speech. He really adored his little sister from the moment he set his eyes on her. There was never any jealousy, he just loved her so much. Most of the photo's we have of them are cuddly ones. ![]()
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