could,’ the doctor said. It was too much to bear. The baby in the incubator didn’t look like our Theo. His chest was still open from surgery, he was swollen and pale. I felt so helpless from the other side of the glass. After three months in hospital and a terrifying brush with sepsis, in July 2017, we were finally allowed to bring Theo home. But it was tough. He needed 30 types of medication a day and we were terrified of him having another
heart attack. ‘Please be OK,’ I said to him. At least we were at home, where Our star! Steven, Theo belonged. I Theo and me took him to a local mother and baby group and to heart stopped for 12 friends’ houses to play. minutes. Medics struggled After months of to resuscitate him. arrhythmia, when the heart But yet again, our little rate spikes to dangerous soldier made it through. levels, Theo was readmitted He spent his first to hospital for six months. Christmas in Intensive Care. Then, on 21 December, We thought our bad luck he had his biggest was up. But on 31 January heart attack 2018, Theo yet. His suffered 25 heart attacks. Almost died. His consultant told us he’d never seen a child have so many cardiac arrests in such a short space of time. All Steven and I could do was watch as the resus team worked on him, performing countless chest compressions. ‘I don’t know how much more he can take,’ I cried. The stream of attacks led the doctors to carry out another high-risk operation. Despite all the scans and bonny My tests, the doctors explained boy, aged 2 that they couldn’t be certain what was happening to
Theo until they opened him up and saw for themselves. He was unlikely to survive such invasive surgery at such a young age. But we had no choice. It was Theo’s only chance. Preparing for the worst, we spent 10 hours pacing the corridors. And then... ‘It’s gone well,’ the doctor said. ‘He’s a true miracle.’ Theo was taken off life support the next day. He had colour back in his cheeks and he looked like a completely different baby. After three months, we took Theo home. Now, he’s coming up to his third birthday. He’s such a lively and outgoing toddler, so cheeky. To look at him, nobody would know what he’d been through – and, amazingly, he’s completely healthy now. I can’t think of a better reason to celebrate.
In just one day, he suffered 25 heart attacks
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WORDS: FIONA KINLOCH, ANN CUSACK. PHOTOS: FOCUS FEATURES
rave eart heo
