A couple's overwhelming joy of having children through the stressful IVF process has been tinged with anxiety after receiving a number of hospital parking fines while staying with their premature twins.
Mohammed Siddiqui and Farhana have been married for 23 years and started their IVF journey in 2003.
On July 19 Farhana had an appointment at Royal Lancaster Infirmary but there were concerns that the twins had stopped growing and a C-section was necessary.
Farhana, who is from Lancaster, was rushed to the Royal Bolton Hospital intensive care unit on July 20.
The twins now remain in the high dependency unit where their progress is being monitored and they are being assisted with breathing, due to being born prematurely.
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Farhana added: “They shouldn’t have been born until the end of September/October, but we don’t mind if it means taking them home eventually.”
After a long wait the pair felt like they were dreaming when Farhana gave birth to twins Zara and Zak on August 2, and said it has been a difficult and a rollercoaster of a journey to reach that point.
“The IVF didn’t work until we started on the anti-rejection drugs, and two months later we had two embryos that stuck.
“We are absolutely in love with them."
Farhana says that during their challenges, doctors discovered that her body had too many killer cells and her body was rejecting the embryos.
Mohammed added: “I felt like we were in a dream and it’s extraordinary, and it’s a genuine miracle.
“I will never forget the look on Farhana’s face when they said the babies were alive.
“It has been a bit of a rollercoaster journey.”
Farhana was discharged from Royal Bolton Hospital on August 9, and they are currently staying at Musgrave House whilst their children remain in the high dependency unit.
During their stay they have had to pay a monthly fee of £25 to use the maternity or visitor’s car park, although they said they were later told that this should also be free.
And to add to their stress they were hit with three fines whilst dropping clothing off at their accommodation.
Farhana said: “My husband has had extensive shoulder surgery and had a knee replacement surgery done, and I was not allowed to lift anything due to my C-section.
“We made a short parking drop off a few times to Musgrave House to deliver our shopping and clothing bags to the accommodation.
“We were at the hospital most of the time, so we didn’t know about the fines until we got home.
“We got a call saying that Zak was struggling when we got these fines.”
Mohammed added: “How could they expect us to carry our belongings from the car park we were able to park in when I had major surgery and my wife had a C-section?
“We never parked in the car park; we moved our car after we dropped everything off.
“I wish they had some compassion and I wish they knew the stress we were going through.
“We waited 20 years to have these kids.
“We feel for every person in the neonatal unit who has been through this or similar.
“We had been travelling so much from Lancaster and it was so stressful, and we have been through hell.
“There were no signs to say we couldn’t drop off our things.”
Farhana and Mohammed have praised the staff for the care the twins and Farhana have received.
The couple appealed their fines and wrote to the Parking Eye to explain their situation, and after being contacted by The Bolton News the hospital has agreed to refund the monthly fee and have cancelled the fines.
They have apologised for the couple’s experience and the added stress they have gone through.
Andrew Chilton, Operational Director of Finance at Bolton NHS Foundation Trust, said: “Parents whose babies are admitted into our Neonatal Unit are eligible for free parking. “We're really sorry that didn't happen on this occasion and would like to apologise to Mr and Mrs Siddiqui for the additional worry this caused during a stressful time.
“We have now cleared all of their parking charges and will ensure they are fully refunded for their monthly pass, and we wish the family a healthy recovery."
"The family are now on the appropriate neonatal parking exemption list for the remainder of their stay, meaning they will receive free parking."
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