THE first day of school is a source of pride for every parent.

But for one family the nerves and anticipation will be all the more poignant as they live the day they thought they might never see.

Karen Hay and her husband Brian Alcock will be waving off four-year-old Zoe not just to one school - but two.

Zoe, born prematurely at just 26 weeks, has a range of difficulties that mean she will attend Kilpatrick Primary, for children with additional needs.

But her parents are determined the little girl should have a chance at mainstream school - so she will also be attending Linnvale Primary two days a week.

Karen said: "Zoe is a little social sponge - she loves other children and loves to watch them play. She can't join in but she takes a lot from being around other children and taking everything in.

"She's very bright and picks things up quickly - you only have to show her something once - so we're hoping being in the mainstream environment will be really good for her."

Karen had a normal pregnancy with no signs of any problems.

But, on December 10, 2010, she went into labour at just 26 weeks. Karen had placenta previa, where the placenta is not in the right position in the womb, but this had not been picked up at her 20-week scan.

She and Brian had been heading out to the cinema but instead made the frantic dash to the Southern General Hospital where Zoe was born less than a day later.

The tiny baby weighed just two pounds two ounces and was given a 20% chance of survival.

Karen added: "Brian and I were getting ready to go out when I realised something was very wrong.

"On getting to the Southern General the doctors diagnosed the placenta previa and said, 'We are sorry, but to save the baby's life and yours, we need to deliver the baby now.'

"I had her on my birthday, three months early.

"She had a lot of complications from being born so early. Some have been and gone but others she still struggles with."

Zoe has quadriplegic cerebral palsy, is deaf but has cochlear implants that help her to hear sounds, and has severe developmental delays, meaning she is at the stage of a two-year-old child.

The soon-to-be schoolgirl can't walk but her mum says this doesn't stop her and if she needs to be somewhere she'll be sure to get there.

She also loves to climb things, especially the furniture.

Zoe had laser surgery to assist sight problems, which are common in premature babies. She's also had a gastrostomy, a procedure to tighten the top of her stomach to aid feeding and stop her being sick.

Karen, from Clydebank, added: "Zoe was seven months old before we could take her home and I remember it as being scary. The fact that you're suddenly on your own.

"All this time you have been visiting during the day and going home at night time. Then suddenly there are no nurses to come when you press the button in a panic, no other parents to talk to, no medical staff for support.

"You're suddenly having to do all things you have learned in the hospital but that you had never even heard of before, such as tube feeding.

"You don't have any time to stop and think because you have an appointment here with this person and then go here and see that person. Then, slowly, all these people drop out and it's just you.

"But you cope with everything that's thrown at you because you have to. I'm sure every special needs parent feels that way."

Karen says having Zoe in their lives has been a learning curve for she and Brian, 51.

They had no experience of disability before their baby came along and they feel they are learning all the time."

The 43-year-old added: "Zoe being premature and being disabled was a shock. And it still is a shock - you never quite get over it. You thought you would have this life with this baby and then you end up with that baby.

"But she's a character. During the summer holidays she has been going to a nursery and the staff there, although they aren't used to disabled children, say it has been absolutely lovely getting to know her.

"Despite everything she's been through she's a fabulous wee thing."

Karen added: "You are constantly forced to make choices about things you had never heard of before in the hope they will be the right ones for her as she gets older.

"When she had the cochlear implants we thought she would be able to talk and hear as normal but when they were switched on for the first time she screamed and screamed.

"With her disabilities, for her this is normal. She doesn't know any different.

"She's adapted really well and she seems to be able to lipread without being taught it.

"Zoe's coming out with some words and she tries to copy what we say, which is great, although sometimes you need a bit of context to understand her. "

The primary one youngster has her uniform all ready for both schools and will be proud to wear each on her special first day.

Karen said: "I'm excited but I'm also nervous. It's the normal next step for a four-year-old so we want it to be the normal next step for Zoe.

"There's going to have to be someone with her all the time because she can't go to the toilet on her own and she can't feed herself.

"Of course we're nervous but this is the school I went to and the school my parents went to so I'm delighted Zoe is going there too.

"The building is undergoing huge adaptations for wheelchair access during the summer holidays and we can't praise Linnvale highly enough for making this effort for us.

"We're full of hope as she goes off to school but we'll keep assessing the situation and just hoping we have got it right."

 

As a baby, Zoe received treatment at Yorkhill children's hospital and she is still cared for as an outpatient.

Yorkhill Children's Charity is hosting its annual walk on September 5, beginning and ending in Elder Park, to raise vital funds for the hospital.

To register see www.yorkhill.org/events/our-events/yorkhill-sponsored-walk-2015