From there to here with our little man Zachary

Zachary was on a ventilator and a zillion drugs to keep him going, and after a few days it was necessary to do a complete blood transfusion, and I was firm about being present for this procedure. I am an idiot, because it was the worst thing I have ever seen. One syringe of blood going in, one coming out. After 2 syringes, I ran from the room crying. This procedure was successful and his next achievement was going to be to poo. He also had a haematoma.

The time had now come for me to go home and leave my babies behind. It was the hardest day of my life. My husband sat at the wheel and my two beautiful daughters sat in the back and I howled all the way home. I cried and cried. I remember pushing my girl’s beds together and sleeping in the middle that night, but my husband Adrian needed me too.

Next was a routine of getting up, putting breast milk on ice, dressing and feeding the girls, and going to the hospital. Our girls were part of the furniture in the hospital crèche, and their world had changed significantly too. One particular day, I remember skipping into the hospital with Adrian after being told Zachary had finally poo'd. After walking through the doors with big smiles we were asked into the doctor’s room for a chat.

Our happiness was short lived because we were then told our little man had a coarctation of the aorta.