Having served in Afghanistan and Iraq, Corporal Mark Rymer was all too used to the tragedy of losing those close to him. But there was one thing it could not prepare him for – the unbearable agony of watching his baby daughter have six heart operations . The experienced soldier said that not knowing if his daughter would survive was scarier than being on the front line. Corporal Mark Rymer and wife Lisa, of Felling Gateshead, said that watching their daughter undergo surgery was like being trapped in a nightmare . Corporal Rymer, 31, and his wife Lisa, from Dishforth, North Yorkshire, were petrified when Lily-Ann was diagnosed with congenital heart disease at five days old. He said: ‘Seeing our little girl in intensive care was awful, we thought she was going to die. ‘Lisa had just given birth and I knew I needed to be strong for both my girls but despite being a “tough soldier” it was hard to keep my emotions together. ‘It doesn’t matter who you are or what job role you have, it’s impossible to cope with the utter heartbreak of thinking your child will die. ‘Even being under enemy fire and fearing for my own life has no comparison.’ Thankfully, Lily-Ann battled back from the brink of death to become an active two-year-old who is about to start pre-school. Her parents knew there was something was wrong when she was only an hour old – she was making a strange snoring noise, her lips were blue and her skin was blotchy. Their worst fears were soon confirmed when a scan revealed she had two holes in her heart and her arteries were the wrong way around. Her first heart operation came when she was nine days old, then only five days later she had surgery to reposition her arteries. Corporal Rymer, 31, is now fundraising for the Children's Heart Unit Fund in Newcastle, where Lily-Ann underwent the six heart operations that saved her life . Corporal Rymer said: ‘We feared she wasn’t strong enough to survive. But after nine hours, she pulled through and was stable on the life-support machine.’ She was back on the operating table just days after that to widen a narrowed artery. Corporal Rymer, who is currently stationed in North Yorkshire, said: ‘I’ve been in the Army for 11 years. Despite serving in Afghanistan and Iraq and losing friends through war, nothing compares to the shock and worry of being told your baby has serious heart problems. ‘I was in bits, I’m not normally an emotional person either but I was petrified of losing Lily-Ann.’ His wife added: ‘It was like being trapped in a nightmare, I didn’t stop crying for two weeks.’ Despite her rocky start, Lily-Ann has gone from strength to strength since being born in September 2012. Her latest operation last year, to have an aortic valve replaced, prompted her parents to sign up to be listed as organ donors. Lily-Ann is reviewed by heart specialists every six months and will need further operations as she grows and her heart valves need widening. But her parents are optimistic that she will be able to go on to lead a normal life. Her father added: ‘You’d never know by looking at her that she’s been through the journey she has in the past two years but we are extremely proud of the little fighter we’ve raised.’ Corporal Rymer said: 'It doesn't matter who you are or what job role you have, it's impossible to cope with the utter heart break of thinking your child will die. Even being under enemy fire and fearing for my own life has no comparison' Congenital heart disease is a general term for a range of birth defects that affect the normal workings of the heart. The term congenital means the condition is present at birth. Congenital heart disease is one of the most common types of birth defect, affecting up to 9 in every 1,000 babies born in the UK. Signs and symptoms . The condition can have a number of symptoms, including: . rapid heartbeat . rapid breathing . excessive sweating . extreme tiredness and fatigue . a blue tinge to the skin (cyanosis) tiredness and rapid breathing when a baby is feeding . These problems are sometimes noticeable soon after birth, although mild defects may not cause any problems until later in life. Source: NHS Choices . Corporal Rymer, 31, and his wife Lisa, from Dishforth, North Yorkshire, were petrified when Lily-Ann was diagnosed with congenital heart disease at five days old. He said: ‘Seeing our little girl in intensive care was awful, we thought she was going to die. ‘Lisa had just given birth and I knew I needed to be strong for both my girls but despite being a “tough soldier” it was hard to keep my emotions together. ‘It doesn’t matter who you are or what job role you have, it’s impossible to cope with the utter heartbreak of thinking your child will die. ‘Even being under enemy fire and fearing for my own life has no comparison.’ Thankfully, Lily-Ann battled back from the brink of death to become an active two-year-old who is about to start pre-school. Her parents knew there was something was wrong when she was only an hour old – she was making a strange snoring noise, her lips were blue and her skin was blotchy. Their worst fears were soon confirmed when a scan revealed she had two holes in her heart and her arteries were the wrong way around. Her first heart operation came when she was nine days old, then only five days later she had surgery to reposition her arteries. Corporal Rymer said: ‘We feared she wasn’t strong enough to survive. But after nine hours, she pulled through and was stable on the life-support machine.’ Lily-Ann's first heart operation came when she was nine days old. Five days later, she underwent surgery to reposition her arteries and then had further surgery to widen a narrowed artery . Corporal Rymer, who has lost friends and colleagues in wars, said even enduring enemy fire wasn't as terrifying and agonising as not knowing if his daughter would survive . Mrs Rymer is due to give birth to her second baby next week and parents say Lily Ann is excitedLily-Ann is now healthy and loves chasing after her friends. She will soon start her first nursery class . Corporal Rymer and wife Lisa say they are now 'over-protective' of Lily-Ann as they came so close to losing her that every minute they spend as a family feels like a miracle . She was back on the operating table just days after that to widen a narrowed artery. Corporal Rymer, who is currently stationed in North Yorkshire, said: ‘I’ve been in the Army for 11 years. Despite serving in Afghanistan and Iraq and losing friends through war, nothing compares to the shock and worry of being told your baby has serious heart problems. ‘I was in bits, I’m not normally an emotional person either but I was petrified of losing Lily-Ann.’ His wife added: ‘It was like being trapped in a nightmare, I didn’t stop crying for two weeks.’ Despite her rocky start, Lily-Ann has gone from strength to strength since being born in September 2012. Her latest operation last year, to have an aortic valve replaced, prompted her parents to sign up to be listed as organ donors. Lily-Ann is reviewed by heart specialists every six months and will need further operations as she grows and her heart valves need widening. But her parents are optimistic that she will be able to go on to lead a normal life. Her father added: ‘You’d never know by looking at her that she’s been through the journey she has in the past two years but we are extremely proud of the little fighter we’ve raised.’ The family are now raising money for Children's Heart Unit Fund, to help donate please visit their Just Giving Page or text LAJJ69 & donation amount £££ to 70070.
Corporal Mark Rymer, 31, was in the army for 11 years and served on tours in Afghanistan and Iraq .
He said watching his newborn daughter Lily-Ann being born with congenital heart disease was 'scarier than being on the front line'
Lily-Ann required six operations on her heart but is now healthy and looking forward to starting at nursery .
Congenital heart disease is one of the most common birth defect and affects up to nine in every 1,000 babies born in the UK .
Having served in Afghanistan and Iraq, Corporal Mark Rymer was all too used to the tragedy of losing those close to him. But there was one thing it could not prepare him for – the unbearable agony of watching his baby daughter have six heart operations . The experienced soldier said that not knowing if his daughter would survive was scarier than being on the front line. Corporal Mark Rymer and wife Lisa, of Felling Gateshead, said that watching their daughter undergo surgery was like being trapped in a nightmare . Corporal Rymer, 31, and his wife Lisa, from Dishforth, North Yorkshire, were petrified when Lily-Ann was diagnosed with congenital heart disease at five days old. He said: ‘Seeing our little girl in intensive care was awful, we thought she was going to die. ‘Lisa had just given birth and I knew I needed to be strong for both my girls but despite being a “tough soldier” it was hard to keep my emotions together. ‘It doesn’t matter who you are or what job role you have, it’s impossible to cope with the utter heartbreak of thinking your child will die. ‘Even being under enemy fire and fearing for my own life has no comparison.’ Thankfully, Lily-Ann battled back from the brink of death to become an active two-year-old who is about to start pre-school. Her parents knew there was something was wrong when she was only an hour old – she was making a strange snoring noise, her lips were blue and her skin was blotchy. Their worst fears were soon confirmed when a scan revealed she had two holes in her heart and her arteries were the wrong way around. Her first heart operation came when she was nine days old, then only five days later she had surgery to reposition her arteries. Corporal Rymer, 31, is now fundraising for the Children's Heart Unit Fund in Newcastle, where Lily-Ann underwent the six heart operations that saved her life . Corporal Rymer said: ‘We feared she wasn’t strong enough to survive. But after nine hours, she pulled through and was stable on the life-support machine.’ She was back on the operating table just days after that to widen a narrowed artery. Corporal Rymer, who is currently stationed in North Yorkshire, said: ‘I’ve been in the Army for 11 years. Despite serving in Afghanistan and Iraq and losing friends through war, nothing compares to the shock and worry of being told your baby has serious heart problems. ‘I was in bits, I’m not normally an emotional person either but I was petrified of losing Lily-Ann.’ His wife added: ‘It was like being trapped in a nightmare, I didn’t stop crying for two weeks.’ Despite her rocky start, Lily-Ann has gone from strength to strength since being born in September 2012. Her latest operation last year, to have an aortic valve replaced, prompted her parents to sign up to be listed as organ donors. Lily-Ann is reviewed by heart specialists every six months and will need further operations as she grows and her heart valves need widening. But her parents are optimistic that she will be able to go on to lead a normal life. Her father added: ‘You’d never know by looking at her that she’s been through the journey she has in the past two years but we are extremely proud of the little fighter we’ve raised.’ Corporal Rymer said: 'It doesn't matter who you are or what job role you have, it's impossible to cope with the utter heart break of thinking your child will die. Even being under enemy fire and fearing for my own life has no comparison' Congenital heart disease is a general term for a range of birth defects that affect the normal workings of the heart. The term congenital means the condition is present at birth. Congenital heart disease is one of the most common types of birth defect, affecting up to 9 in every 1,000 babies born in the UK. Signs and symptoms . The condition can have a number of symptoms, including: . rapid heartbeat . rapid breathing . excessive sweating . extreme tiredness and fatigue . a blue tinge to the skin (cyanosis) tiredness and rapid breathing when a baby is feeding . These problems are sometimes noticeable soon after birth, although mild defects may not cause any problems until later in life. Source: NHS Choices . Corporal Rymer, 31, and his wife Lisa, from Dishforth, North Yorkshire, were petrified when Lily-Ann was diagnosed with congenital heart disease at five days old. He said: ‘Seeing our little girl in intensive care was awful, we thought she was going to die. ‘Lisa had just given birth and I knew I needed to be strong for both my girls but despite being a “tough soldier” it was hard to keep my emotions together. ‘It doesn’t matter who you are or what job role you have, it’s impossible to cope with the utter heartbreak of thinking your child will die. ‘Even being under enemy fire and fearing for my own life has no comparison.’ Thankfully, Lily-Ann battled back from the brink of death to become an active two-year-old who is about to start pre-school. Her parents knew there was something was wrong when she was only an hour old – she was making a strange snoring noise, her lips were blue and her skin was blotchy. Their worst fears were soon confirmed when a scan revealed she had two holes in her heart and her arteries were the wrong way around. Her first heart operation came when she was nine days old, then only five days later she had surgery to reposition her arteries. Corporal Rymer said: ‘We feared she wasn’t strong enough to survive. But after nine hours, she pulled through and was stable on the life-support machine.’ Lily-Ann's first heart operation came when she was nine days old. Five days later, she underwent surgery to reposition her arteries and then had further surgery to widen a narrowed artery . Corporal Rymer, who has lost friends and colleagues in wars, said even enduring enemy fire wasn't as terrifying and agonising as not knowing if his daughter would survive . Mrs Rymer is due to give birth to her second baby next week and parents say Lily Ann is excitedLily-Ann is now healthy and loves chasing after her friends. She will soon start her first nursery class . Corporal Rymer and wife Lisa say they are now 'over-protective' of Lily-Ann as they came so close to losing her that every minute they spend as a family feels like a miracle . She was back on the operating table just days after that to widen a narrowed artery. Corporal Rymer, who is currently stationed in North Yorkshire, said: ‘I’ve been in the Army for 11 years. Despite serving in Afghanistan and Iraq and losing friends through war, nothing compares to the shock and worry of being told your baby has serious heart problems. ‘I was in bits, I’m not normally an emotional person either but I was petrified of losing Lily-Ann.’ His wife added: ‘It was like being trapped in a nightmare, I didn’t stop crying for two weeks.’ Despite her rocky start, Lily-Ann has gone from strength to strength since being born in September 2012. Her latest operation last year, to have an aortic valve replaced, prompted her parents to sign up to be listed as organ donors. Lily-Ann is reviewed by heart specialists every six months and will need further operations as she grows and her heart valves need widening. But her parents are optimistic that she will be able to go on to lead a normal life. Her father added: ‘You’d never know by looking at her that she’s been through the journey she has in the past two years but we are extremely proud of the little fighter we’ve raised.’ The family are now raising money for Children's Heart Unit Fund, to help donate please visit their Just Giving Page or text LAJJ69 & donation amount £££ to 70070.
Having served in Afghanistan and Iraq, Corporal unbearable agony of watching his baby daughter would survive was scarier than being on the front line. Corporal Mark Rymer and wife Lisa, of reposition her arteries. Corporal Rymer, 31, is birth. Congenital heart disease is one of the most common types of birth defect, affecting up to 9 in every 1,000 babies born in the UK. Signs diagnosed with congenital heart disease at five ‘I’ve been in the Army for 11 years. Despite