This is the story of my nephew, Nathan. I hope it is an inspiration to all of you with premature babies.
My sister in law's waters broke at 24 weeks, they offerred her an abortionas the baby would be stillborn. She said no, nature will take its course. She was told their would be enough water there to keep him alive, until she went into labour and had a still birth. 10 days later, at 25 and a bit weeks, she had an emergency section. My brother and his wife were told the baby boy would only live for an hour and he was put onto special ventilators etc. He was given injections to make his lungs grow etc. He weighed 2 pounds and 6 oz and could fit inside my size 3 shoe!
The day after, the doctor said it was a miricle he had survived overnight.
We called him Nathan because this name means a gift from God. The doctors then asked his parents if Nathan could go onto a special machine called an oscillator, only 1 baby in the UK had been on this before and had not survived, but it would be Nathans only chance. They said yes and the doctors could not believe the progress he started making. Over the coming weeks, his weight increased (had fallen to 2 pounds), he had 2 brain haemorrages and surgery to put tubes in his heart.
He ended up spending 5 months in hospital, we got him christened when he came home (despite the hospital calling priest to come and give him last rites several times). He got in the daily mail newspaper because the oscillator was pioneering technology at the time and had been the first baby to successfully use it.
Nathan is now 12 years old. He does have cerebral palsy, but has an excellent quality of life. He can walk, he plays football in a disabled team, he goes to mainstream school, where he has friends, He is like any other boy his age, addicted to football, playstations etc. but most of all, he has a passion for life as if he knows he is on his last chance. He is also so much loved by everybody who meets him, he always has a smile and a shine around him.
I want his story to reassure those going through what we went through with Nathan. We werent even allowed to touch him, nevermind cuddle, for 5 weeks. This was also 12 years ago and technology has moved on so much since then.
Love for all who need it!
Jo.
My sister in law's waters broke at 24 weeks, they offerred her an abortionas the baby would be stillborn. She said no, nature will take its course. She was told their would be enough water there to keep him alive, until she went into labour and had a still birth. 10 days later, at 25 and a bit weeks, she had an emergency section. My brother and his wife were told the baby boy would only live for an hour and he was put onto special ventilators etc. He was given injections to make his lungs grow etc. He weighed 2 pounds and 6 oz and could fit inside my size 3 shoe!
The day after, the doctor said it was a miricle he had survived overnight.
We called him Nathan because this name means a gift from God. The doctors then asked his parents if Nathan could go onto a special machine called an oscillator, only 1 baby in the UK had been on this before and had not survived, but it would be Nathans only chance. They said yes and the doctors could not believe the progress he started making. Over the coming weeks, his weight increased (had fallen to 2 pounds), he had 2 brain haemorrages and surgery to put tubes in his heart.
He ended up spending 5 months in hospital, we got him christened when he came home (despite the hospital calling priest to come and give him last rites several times). He got in the daily mail newspaper because the oscillator was pioneering technology at the time and had been the first baby to successfully use it.
Nathan is now 12 years old. He does have cerebral palsy, but has an excellent quality of life. He can walk, he plays football in a disabled team, he goes to mainstream school, where he has friends, He is like any other boy his age, addicted to football, playstations etc. but most of all, he has a passion for life as if he knows he is on his last chance. He is also so much loved by everybody who meets him, he always has a smile and a shine around him.
I want his story to reassure those going through what we went through with Nathan. We werent even allowed to touch him, nevermind cuddle, for 5 weeks. This was also 12 years ago and technology has moved on so much since then.
Love for all who need it!
Jo.
