Little Loki fighting for life
A TOWNSVILLE mother and her son, born 16 weeks premature and weighing just over 500g, are “lucky to be here” after a frightening month in hospital.
Shikarah Baynham and her partner Matthew Raines rushed to Townsville University Hospital last month for the birth of their baby.
Miss Baynham gave birth to Loki on April 12, who was developing for just over 24 weeks and had stopped growing.
Miss Baynham, who runs Lustful Lashes and Beauty from her home, had an emergency C-section to deliver Loki.
He was just 536g when he was delivered.
Loki had a collapsed lung just 10 hours after being born and has since had a further two collapses.
Since birth he has been attached to an oscillating ventilator, which makes him breathe 600 times a minute.
Miss Baynham said there was still no guarantee Loki would overcome his battle, but she was staying optimistic.
“He’s had countless steroids, a lot of morphine, antibiotics and and 28cm plasma transfusions,” nham said.
“He’ll have three or four months left in hospital before he can come home and he will most likely come home on oxygen because of his chronic lung disease.
“There is no guarantee we can take him home at the moment. It’s been a crazy road.
“At the moment it’s a day at a time. We would be so excited to have him home but don’t want to get our hopes up too much.”
The 28-year-old mother said they would have to “totally clean our house and get rid of the cats” if
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Loki did make it out of hospital. “He will have a few problems growing up,” she said.
“We are going to have to be very careful of sickness. Most kids will be able to get over it but he will be the type who will end up in ICU.”
Miss Baynham had numerous serious health scares during the birth and is still bound to a wheelchair.
She was in hospital for a week and couldn’t hold Loki for nearly two weeks after she gave birth.
“To be able to hold him after 11 days was the best thing in the world. It was very emotional, there were a lot of tears. He’s just so tiny, you don’t want to move or breathe.
“He’s got so many cords on him so you’re pretty much a statue while you hug your child.”
The proud mum couldn’t speak highly enough of the staff in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.
“It’s a totally different world. You step in there and you’re a part of the NICU world and not the real world.
“The staff are amazing, they’re the best team.
“I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for Townsville hospital. We’re both lucky to be here.”