MICRO MIRACLE
Tiny fighter Faith beats odds to celebrate first birthday after being born at just 24 weeks weighing only 1lb 2oz
A MIRACLE baby, born weighing just 1lb 2oz only 24 weeks into her mum’s pregnancy, has celebrated her first birthday.
Tiny tot Faith Johnstone suffered a hole in the heart, bleed on the brain, chronic lung disease, bleeding in her bowel, needed laser surgery to save her eyesight and faces the prospect of partial deafness.
But this week, her proud parents Caroline and Johnny told of their delight at seeing their daughter overcome the odds to survive and reach her celebration.
Caroline, from Carluke, Lanarkshire, said: “This is a day we never thought we would see.
“Medical staff at Wishaw General maternity and neonatal unit, where she was born, didn’t hold out much hope and kept telling us to prepare for the worst.”
Caroline saw active service in the Iraq War but says being a soldier was “a walk in the park” compared to what she and her family have been through.
The couple watched Faith battle “one life-threatening event after another” against the odds.
Caroline, 38, said: “Faith is what is called a micro premature baby and staff told us only four in 10 survive – and two of them will have severe brain damage.”
Johnny, 47, said: “I’ll never forget the first 10 minutes after Faith was born, as the emergency crash team battled to get her breathing and on to a ventilator.
“Time stood still and it was the most terrifying wait of my life. The first six weeks were hell. There was one life-threatening event after another.
“Medics stabilised Faith’s breathing but then came the bombshell that she had a hole in her heart, and blood instead of air was flooding into her damaged lungs.”
Caroline, who is now a nurse, added: “They said she needed an emergency operation to close the hole.
“But they couldn’t risk transferring Faith to the Queen Elizabeth hospital in Glasgow for surgery as she was too fragile.
“Instead, they treated her with ibuprofen to try to close the hole – but it didn’t work.”
But Faith battled hard and is now bouncing along at around the 15lb mark and is improving all the time.
Caroline said: “The nursing staff were not only looking after Faith, they were a tremendous support to us too.
“We would like to send heartfelt thanks to everyone – from the cleaner to the consultants. We’ll forever be in your debt and will never forget our time in Wishaw General maternity and neonatal unit.”
Johnny added: “It’s been a tough fight. Especially for Faith. But her strength got us through it all and made Caroline and me stronger as a couple.”
Lyn Clyde, head of midwifery and operational manager for the neonatal unit, said: “It is wonderful to hear Faith is thriving and that she has celebrated her first birthday. Staff build a special bond with parents and babies in the neonatal unit and our best wishes go to the family.”
JOHNNY JOHNSTONE