‘She didn’t get the chance to be a mum’: New mother 22, died on Christmas Day from heart condition just three weeks after giving birth
Tragic Ellen Holden, began complaining of abdominal pain after heading home with newborn Savannah, but passed away suddenly during THIRD hospital visit
AN APPARENTLY healthy new mother died on Christmas Day aged just 22 - less than three weeks after the birth of her first child.
Ellen Holden had just got home with baby daughter Savannah when she began complaining of abdominal pain.
Although she was treated and discharged from hospital twice, her symptoms worsened and she was taken back to doctors for a third time. She passed away at North Manchester General Hospital three days later.
Tests showed Ellen, a nail technician from Radcliffe, near Bury who was also known as Ella, had a heart condition caused by an unusually narrow artery. Savannah, now 15 months, is being looked after by her father.
Today after a coroner recorded a verdict of death by natural causes Ellen’s mother Lorraine, 45, a cleaning company supervisor said: ''Losing my daughter like this is just heartbreaking.
"It would have been Ella's first Christmas with her daughter but she didn't get that chance. She was so excited to be a mum, everything she was doing she would put on Facebook and let everyone know.
''She was over the moon to be a mum and was in slow labour for two days with me and her dad by her side. She did so well, she coped with it really well and we were so proud of her.
''Now it's just hard to get your head around something that's not going to be. It's devastating for all of us. She had planned so much, all the things they had to look forward to in years to come, not just the immediate things.
"Ella and I were very close, she was like my shadow, everywhere I went she was with me. We were always together. We were like best mates rather than mother and daughter, that's what I'm going to miss, my best friend."
The tragedy occurred in 2014 after Ellen gave birth to Savannah on December 5. The youngster weighed a healthy 7lb 5oz and Ellen celebrated her birthday the following day.
But trouble began just days after mother and baby went home. Ellen’s family took her to North Manchester General Hospital on December 17 with dizziness, vomiting and stomach pain but they discharged her the same night.
They returned back to the hospital in an ambulance the following morning as Ellen’s symptoms worsened.
She was again discharged with a potential diagnosis of gallstones but on December 22, her mother took her to Fairfield Hospital and she was then transferred back to North Manchester General Hospital for a final time.
She was found dead by hospital staff on the morning of December 25.
Ellen’s stepfather, Shaun Sumner, 47, told the Manchester hearing: "She was always a healthy girl and she was quite active and enjoyed going to work and being creative with her nail art. She didn't seem to have any problems other than heartburn when she was pregnant.”
The hearing was told doctors carried out all of necessary tests on her.
Dr Rodger Prudham, a consultant gastroenterologist from NMGH, said: "On December 18 an ultrasound scan showed some stones in the gallbladder and the conclusion was that the pain was originating in the gallbladder.
"That evening it was recorded that the patient was not in any pain and happy to be discharged as she was then pain free.
"Although gallstones can cause severe illness and death, the signs at this point were that this was not severe and things were beginning to improve. There was never any complaint of chest pain, it was always abdominal pain.
"But at 9:30am on the ward round on December 25 the patient was found in bed unresponsive.
''It was very unexpected and to be honest we couldn't identify an opportunity where we could have seen any cardiac disease during the time Ellen was in our services."
Dr Emyr Benbow said Ellen was overweight but although her heart rate was normal, an artery at the front of the heart had narrowed severely.
"Dr Benbow added: "Heart doctors would find this degree of narrowing as having a significant risk of adverse events such as a cardiac arrest or heart attack. It's extremely unusual of a person of this age.''
Coroner Jean Harkin, said: "It's clear from the evidence we have heard that Ellen was admitted to hospital with gastroenteritis and the investigations were the appropriate ones for that pain.
"There was no shortness of breathing and pancreatitis was diagnosed and treated. Whilst in hospital, Ellen suffered a cardiac event.
"Everything possible was done on presentation of her symptoms and sadly this was a natural event. This leaves me to offer my very sincere condolences to you both on the loss of your daughter, thank you for coming in your grief."
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