Parents' pride as 'healthy wee girl' starts school in Loanhead after defying 20 per cent survival odds

When Carly-Rose was born 17 weeks prematurely she was not expected to survive the night but the tiny tot has defied all the odds and has just finished her first day of school.

Carly-Rose on her first day of school (left). Michelle Coleman and Colin Walker with Carly-Rose after she was born.

Weighing in at just 1lb 3oz the first weeks of Carly-Rose’s life were “terrifying”, and at only four weeks old the newborn underwent a life-saving operation which she had a 20 per cent chance of surviving.

Mum Michelle Coleman, 35 and Dad, Colin Walker, 31, were told that if Carly-Rose survived she would have brain damage, cerebral palsy and be in a wheelchair for her whole life.

Carly-Rose on her first day of school (left). Michelle Coleman and Colin Walker with Carly-Rose after she was born.

But after a difficult start in life Carly-Rose has gone from “strength to strength” and has just attended her first day at Paradykes Primary School in Loanhead a “happy and healthy wee girl”.

Michelle along with Grandpa Eric dropped an excited Carly-Rose off at the school gates on Monday.

Michelle said: “Carly got up really early and was so excited to get going but when we got there there were loads of people at the gates and she got shy and a bit upset.

“But once we got her into class and settled she gave me a wave and a kiss and when I picked her up, she said she had had the ‘best day ever’.

“She really likes art, and the teacher had got them all to make handprint paintings and she really enjoyed this.

“When I spoke to the teachers at the end of the day they said she settled in really well which was a huge relief.”

The whole family, including Mum, Dad, Granny, Grandpa, and Carly-Rose’s four siblings are supporting their “very loved wee girl” as she takes her first steps into education.

Brother Kaiden, eight, also attends Paradykes Primary School and the two children are “very close” and “excited to play together in the playground”.

Carly-Rose’s journey to primary one hasn’t been easy, the first two years of her life were full of health scares, she was back and forth from the hospital and when at home needed constant care.

Michelle handled all of Carly-Rose’s daily care which involved learning to insert a feeding tube into her tiny body and having an oxygen machine in their house.

Looking back on these challenging years Michelle said: “I don’t know how I coped, I just knew she needed me so I just had to get up and do what she needed, I didn’t have time to think about how scared I was.”

She went on to say that: “when you look at her you can’t even tell she was that premature she’s not undersize at her class”.

“I sometimes still can’t believe how far she has come from where she started, it’s just amazing to see.

“I never thought this is what our life would be like, I was prepared for a very different future.

“But when I look at how I never remember the bad bits I just see her my healthy and happy little girl – she’s a little riot and I wouldn’t change her for the world.”