Our Journey
A story of survival, love, and miracles during an unforgettable time.
When we found out we were expecting twins, our hearts were full. It was a dream we had longed for, and we could hardly wait to meet them. But nothing could have prepared us for the journey that lay ahead.
In late March 2020, as the COVID-19 pandemic surged, I—Perpetual Uke, a Rheumatology Consultant at Birmingham City Hospital—began to feel flu-like symptoms. Following advice from NHS 111, I began self-isolation. But over the following days, my condition worsened. I was admitted through the Emergency Department at Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham and placed in the respiratory ward (Ward 516). When my health continued to deteriorate, I was quickly moved to the Critical Care Unit and put into an induced coma. A ventilator began breathing for me.
At the time, I was just 24 weeks pregnant with twins.
While I lay unconscious, the High-Risk Maternity Outreach team from Birmingham Women’s Hospital conducted daily reviews and ultrasounds of my babies. Despite my critical condition, they fought hard to keep us all stable.
On April 10, it became clear it was safer for the babies to be delivered. The expert Women’s Hospital team performed an emergency caesarean section. Our twins — Sochika Palmer, weighing just 770g, and Osinachi Pascal, 850g — were born extremely premature at 26 weeks and immediately taken to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).
I remained in Critical Care for another 16 days, fighting for my life. During this time, my husband Matthew stayed strong, spending time with the twins in NICU, and caring for our other children — Nnamdi Ronald and Chisimdi Claire — who had not seen me in weeks.
Then, on April 26, the moment we had all prayed for arrived: I woke up.
Disoriented, I reached for my bump. It was gone. “When I woke up, I had significant confusion,” I later shared. “I thought I had lost my twins, husband, and other children. It was terrifying. I had vivid dreams while sedated, and it took time for reality to sink in.”
Once I came off ventilation, I was transferred to Ward 515 and then to Ward 3 at the Women’s Hospital. That’s when I finally met my babies, safe inside their incubators. The moment was overwhelming. “I was happy that we were all alive,” I said, “but deeply saddened they had to start life this way. They didn’t see their mum for two weeks.”
My recovery continued while Palmer and Pascal fought daily in NICU. Every day brought progress. After more than 100 days, the twins were celebrated by staff for reaching their milestone. And after 116 days, our family was finally reunited at home in Harborne.
The moment we were discharged, we were clapped out of the NICU by the staff — an emotional farewell to the extraordinary team that had become part of our family.
“From birth,” I said, “Palmer and Pascal were managed professionally, with excellent care. They fought aggressively for their lives. I remain ever grateful to God Almighty for using the amazing NICU team in restoring their lives.”
Yvonne Heward, Head of Neonatal Nursing at BWC, said:
“It was such a pleasure to care for this wonderful family. Their journey has been miraculous.”
Dr. Anjali Crawshaw, Consultant Respiratory Physician at UHB, added:
“Thanks to the expert care from our critical care and maternity teams, we now have two healthy babies at home with their mum — who is on her way to recovery.”
Our journey has been one of survival, faith, expert care, and unbreakable love. It is not just our story. It is a tribute to every parent, every healthcare worker, and every miracle that begins in the darkest hours.