Fiona Aylward was an expectant mother and Nurse Beatrix Franklins first patient at the Lady Emily Clinic and later her friend. Unfortunately when is looked like Fiona had all she wanted she is faced with a heart-breaking revelation.
Overview[]
Fiona came from a well to do family, she went on to marry Matthew Aylward and she was very much a fun-loving and intelligent woman, according to Matthew she loved Christmas and made “bloody magnificent bread sauce”. After around three years of marriage Fiona fell pregnant and began being seen at the private Lady Emily Clinic run by Mr Scarisbrick, in her last weeks of pregnancy Nurse Trixie Franklin is sent there as the order she works for is seeing if supplying midwives to the clinic in exchange for money is a good idea, as Nonnatus House is under threat of demolition and loss of support from the council.
Fiona is first seen with her husband Matthew reading about the 1966 world cup, she is then taken to the consulting room where she reveals she handed in her notice to her job in advertising and got a bouquet the size of the oval. Fiona is then admitted due to being anaemic, Trixie confesses she could have taken her iron pills at home. Fiona jokes taking them at home would mean a comfortable nightdress, her suitcase was full of clothes Matthew packed himself not making for a good combination.
Trixie takes the time to speak to Mr Scarisbrick, she brings to his attention that he often makes his patients trust him to a point they don’t trust themselves, or their midwives. Mr Scarisbrick in response allows Trixie complete control of the labour.
When the labour comes Fiona admits there is a pattern to the labour, every time she thinks she can’t stand any more pain it subsides to which Trixie says labour is never easy but can be simple. Trixie then invites Matthew into the delivery room and he sees her give birth to a baby boy. They are last seen being seen off by Trixie and Mr Scarisbrick.
Fiona surprisingly returns in S10 E02 where she is readmitted after feeling faint and running a temperature. He agrees to run a few tests in the mean time, Fiona then tells Trixie about their baby boy, Jonathan and she says he is simply glorious. She also says that her mother in law is looking after him so according to her another reason to get out as she always had nannies for Matthew and his brothers.
When Trixie comes to check on her she is asleep and finds a rash on her arm causing her to worry but she is still sure Fiona will recover. The next time Fiona needs to visit the toilet she rejects the notion of a commode as she wants to keep her dignity, but the moment she tries to get up she collapses to the floor in weakness causing Trixie to rush back to her side and offers to join forces.
Fiona shows no sign of improvement, at first it is suspected she may have septicaemia but the rash hadn’t spread so Mr Scarisbrick decides to arrange a bone marrow aspiration. Fiona comments life never quite goes to plan, she is also really missing Jonathan and just wants to go home. Despite that Trixie and Fiona both become rather good friends. Trixie comforts Fiona as she has her bone marrow which distresses her greatly. While no one says the word everyone knows what they suspect she is suffering from. Trixie suggests to Matthew that they bring Jonathan in to be with Fiona as her stay was longer than first envisioned. When she sees him again she laughs with happiness.
Unfortunately Fiona is diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia, a very severe form of blood cancer. Fiona takes the news stoically and asks for her son. Fiona’s condition deteriorates and Mr Scarisbrick arranges for a transfusion but it doesn’t seem to have helped. When Trixie speaks to Lucille Anderson about the case they comment that no amount of money can make her better and at times they’re all as rich and poor as each other.
Fiona decides to write a letter to Matthew but she is just too weak to write herself and Trixie takes dictation for her. Not long after her parents are called to what is now to be her death bed, Fiona dies not long after. Trixie gives Matthew the letter but he can’t read it yet. Trixie and Matthew stay in contact and after a few months Trixie offers to read the letter for him.
Dearest Matthew, If I had written this letter a year ago it would have been all about my love for you, it would have been all about my fears for you. I would have put the recipe in it for my special bread sauce so no never have to go without bread sauce at Christmas, you’re going to have such a lot of Christmases without me, darling Matt. But we have had a baby. Nothing is ever going to be all about you again and once all this tiresome departure business is over not much is going to be all about me It’s all right my love, you have to write Jonathan’s story now. People will say that Jonathan is my legacy That he is the thing I left behind. But I want him to be the thing that grows, that runs ahead into the future Find some other way to remember me, and if all else fails and you really can’t think of anything to do but put a picture of me in a silver frame that’s fine just make sure I’m smiling, darling.
In the end Matthew decides to pledge £1000 a year to Nonnatus House (£23,834.46 pounds today) in her memory. Sister Julienne then puts a picture of Fiona smiling in a silver frame, creating a lasting legacy for a Fiona Aylward.