Terry marvels at motherhood

By Rebecca Fraser
CANCER, chemotherapy, paraplegia and doctors’ warnings could have ruined former Pakenham local Terry Milner’s chances of having children.
But she refused to give up and let anything get in the way of her lifelong dream of having children.
After 10 long years of trying, Terry and husband Michael defied the warnings and the odds and gave birth to Hannah in 1998.
In 2000 the Gazette spoke to Terry about her long and difficult road to motherhood and she said they were trying to conceive again.
Now five years later she has a fouryearold daughter Melissa and Hannah is a happy and healthy sevenyearold.
“Melissa was born in 2001 but I was only able to carry her for 27 weeks. When she was born she weighed 960 grams and spent four months in hospital,” Terry explained.
“I was sick from the first few days of the pregnancy and I just could not carry her any further. I was on oxygen but it was not working.”
As reported in the Gazette in 2000, Terry was diagnosed with cancer as a young girl.
When she was 10 doctors performed an operation to try to correct a curve in her spine, a result of the cancer and strong chemotherapy.
Due to complications on the operating table Terry, now 42, ended up a paraplegic.
She was strongly advised against having a baby by her doctors, who feared a pregnancy could prove fatal.
Having only has 30 per cent lung capacity due to her illness, doctors said she would not be able to carry a baby.
She managed to carry Hannah for seven months but with Melissa things became more difficult and even life threatening.
“When Melissa was 10 weeks old she got meningitis and streptococcal disease in the hospital,” Terry said.
“It is very rare and Melissa actually got it twice.
“The doctors said she would not make it through the night and the specialist said in all his years of medical history he had never seen anything like it.”
But Melissa pulled through and is now very healthy.
Terry said all their troubles had been well worth it but they would not be having any more children.
“They are both wonderful girls and are both a real joy to have,” she said.
“If I had my way I would have half a dozen children but that is not on the books so I am really happy with two.”
The family recently returned from an 18month stint in Adelaide, where they caught up with Terry’s family.
They are now managing a photographic studio in Elsternwick.
In 2000 Terry also told the Gazette about she and Michael’s “amazing adventure” when they lived in Canada for a year, Hawaii for two years, and in Utah for two years.
During this time they both studied creative arts Michael majoring in photography and Terry focusing her attention on painting.
Terry once taught painting in Pakenham, along with singing and the flute.
When both girls are older she hopes to return to study and gain her Masters degree.
But for the moment Terry says she is just happy being a mum.