Parents hail staff at hospital for saving their baby

A FATHER has praised hospital staff for saving his newborn baby’s life after he was born with back to front veins on his heart.

Millie and Graham Rae were delighted when little Austin came into the world at Aberdeen Maternity Hospital on February 13.

But the couple’s joy was short-lived because maternity staff quickly noticed there was a problem with his health and rushed him away to a doctor.

The proud parents were then informed that Austin needed specialist care in Glasgow and he was rushed down to hospital in an ambulance. Scans were then carried out which revealed that he was suffering from a heart condition.

Mr Rae, of Aberdeen, said: “When he was born, he started to turn blue, so he was rushed away to the baby doctor.

“We were told his veins on the back of his heart were back to front and he would need to be taken to see specialists at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Glasgow.

“Our whole world turned upside down, it was like a nightmare.

“After some scans, the surgeons told us he had a condition called Total Anomalous Pulmonary Venous Drainage (TAPVD) and he had to have emergency open heart surgery just 18 hours after being born. He is a lot better now.”

Mr Rae said little Austin was taken off a ventilator on Tuesday. The couple are still in Glasgow staying in accommodation provided by the Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC), but hope to get home in two weeks.

Mr Rae said: “We would really like to thank the NHS staff for acting so quickly and finding out what was wrong.”