The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
‘Warrior’ Blake may soon be back in Dundee
Youngster fighting rare illness battles back off life support in Edinburgh
A Tayside boy with a rare condition is to come back to Dundee after showing improvement following life-saving treatment in Edinburgh.
Five-year-old Blake McMillan, from Carnoustie, has MECP2 duplication syndrome and cannot walk, talk or eat.
He recently had an operation at the Royal Hospital for Sick Children in Edinburgh to install a feeding port so he could be fed via a tube into his stomach.
But just hours after the procedure, Blake became seriously unwell.
His stomach began to swell and doctors found that the vast majority of his large bowel was dead.
His mum Jenny, 40, had to make the heartbreaking decision to risk his life and allow medics to remove the organ.
Two weeks on, however, Blake is no longer in a drug-induced coma and is making steady progress. Jenny hopes he can be transferred to Ninewells Hospital in the near future.
In an update on the Blake McMillan Facebook page Jenny says: “This amazing wee miracle of a human being is off his life support.
“I’m not saying he is trouble-free yet, and no doubt we have a few more battles to fight and hurdles to overcome but he is through the worst. I’m always incredibly proud to be this wee boy’s mum, but today I just reached a new level of pride.
“The staff here are wonderful. I am eternally grateful to each and every one of them.
“Blake has the desire to live, but they made it possible for him to fight. They are worth their weight in gold, and so much more.”
A later post added: “Although today, he’s been very, very tired and his oxygen levels aren’t too good. “He also has a bit of a wound infection. “There was a video conference today between Edinburgh sick kids and Ninewells hospital.
“It went really well and Ninewells are preparing to have him.
“So the plan is that he is on an emergency list on Friday’s theatre and he will hopefully get a Hickman line inserted under anaesthetic.
“This is for his TPN feed as his line in his neck won’t be able to stay in for as long as he requires it.
“If that all goes ahead and there are no setbacks, we hope to have him transferred to Dundee next Tuesday. “So proud of my little warrior.” Hundreds of people have been following news of Blake’s fight and have been cheered by the signs of improvement.
Katie Edwards said: “Over the moon to read such positive news. Keep fighting.” Sheila Lumgair said: “I’m so pleased for you all. What an amazing wee fighter.”