22 Kids and Counting star's hospital dash over 'stroke' fears after adoption heartbreak

Daily Mirror

2 days ago

An argument over an adoption issue in this weeks 22 Kids and Counting led to a terrifying hospital dash as Millie Radford's husband Harley Passmore appeared to be having a stroke
This week's episode of 22 Kids and Counting sees Millie Radford distraught when her husband Harley Passmore is rushed to hospital with a suspected stroke. The couple - who got married last year - have been experiencing a rough patch as they try to decide if he should adopt her daughter Ophelia.
‌
Millie was pregnant with Ophelia when she and Harley started dating with her biological dad not around. Since then Harley has raised her as his own daughter and in the show is seen keen to legally adopt the four-year-old who he co-parents with Millie alongside their kids, Chester, three, and Elodie, one.
‌
He says in the show, 'Obviously Millie did have Ophelia when we first met. I have been in Ophelia's life since she was six months old. Obviously, she's not my biological daughter, but I do treat Ophelia like she's my own.
‌
'I do want people to look at me and Ophelia like 'oh they're father and daughter.' Ophelia doesn't have the same name - Millie, does, Chester does, Elodie does. I felt like, well, we can't leave Ophelia there out, and when she gets a bit older, she'll start understanding, like, why is my name different to Chester and Elodie's and mummy's and daddy's?'
However, Millie is concerned that the adoption could cause issues for Ophelia. She says, 'I've been worried for Ophelia. I'm worried just because we haven't told Ophelia that Harley isn't actually her biological dad. 'Ophelia is only four, and it's a lot to handle and cope with at such a young age.'
She then raises further concerns later in the show as she adds, 'I think the worry was that it can turn a lot of hatred towards Harley from Ophelia when she finds out that Harley isn't actually her biological dad and she has another dad.'
Millie and Harley are seen having a blazing row which culminates in him being taken ill and rushed to hospital. Scenes show Millie calling her mum Sue Radford as she explains, 'I'm in an ambulance with Harley. One half of his face has all gone lopsided.
'It looks like he's had a stroke. He's slurring his words. He's really panicking, I'm panicking.' Sue and Noel then bring the couple's three children to their house as Millie sits at Harley's bedside in the stroke ward at the hospital, admitting she is in 'shock' from the 'scary' ordeal.
‌
She says, 'I felt guilty straight away wondering if it was arguing that had caused it. If something happened to him how would I feel then? I've pretty much done my whole motherhood with Harley, I can't imagine him not there.'
Eventually, after an antagonising wait, they discover that Harley hasn't had a stroke, but is suffering from Bell's Palsy. The neurological disorder causes the sufferer to develop paralysis or weakness on one side of their face.
‌
The condition can have devastating consequences such as sight loss, and while many patients recover fully from the paralysis, not everyone does. Harley says, 'They came in with my results, my MRI results were totally fine which means I didn't have a stroke.'
Following the scary ordeal Millie decides to rethink her stance on Ophelia's adoption. She says, "'When I thought Harley was having a stroke, it was really scary. He was worried as well, and I was worried because of the paralysis side of it.
'What if he would never have been able to cope with the three kids again after that, or handle his life before that? I'm filling in the forms for the process of Harley adopting Ophelia.
'It's made me change my mind, because if anything was to happen to Harley, I know that Ophelia would have loved Harley to be her dad, so that is what I'm going to make happen.'