ST.BREAKING NEWS: “Wake up, sunshine” hits different today as Hunter Alexander wakes up alert and fighting for his hands
“ᴡᴀᴋᴇ ᴜᴘ, sᴜɴsʜɪɴᴇ” ᴜsᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ʙᴇ sᴏᴍᴇᴛʜɪɴɢ ʏᴏᴜ’ᴅ sᴀʏ ᴡɪᴛʜᴏᴜᴛ ᴛʜɪɴᴋɪɴɢ.
ɴᴏᴡ, ɪɴ ʜᴜɴᴛᴇʀ ᴀʟᴇxᴀɴᴅᴇʀ’s ʜᴏsᴘɪᴛᴀʟ ʀᴏᴏᴍ… ɪᴛ sᴏᴜɴᴅs ʟɪᴋᴇ ᴀ ᴠɪᴄᴛᴏʀʏ.
sʜʀᴇᴠᴇᴘᴏʀᴛ, ʟᴀ. — ɪɴ ᴀ ʜᴏsᴘɪᴛᴀʟ ʀᴏᴏᴍ ᴡʜᴇʀᴇ ᴛɪᴍᴇ ʜᴀs sᴛᴏᴘᴘᴇᴅ ᴍᴇᴀɴɪɴɢ ᴡʜᴀᴛ ɪᴛ ᴜsᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ, ᴛʜᴇ sᴜɴʀɪsᴇ ᴅᴏᴇsɴ’ᴛ ғᴇᴇʟ ᴏʀᴅɪɴᴀʀʏ ᴀɴʏᴍᴏʀᴇ.
ɪᴛ ғᴇᴇʟs ᴇᴀʀɴᴇᴅ.
ɪᴛ ғᴇᴇʟs sᴀᴄʀᴇᴅ.
ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜɪs ᴍᴏʀɴɪɴɢ, ɪᴛ ᴀʀʀɪᴠᴇᴅ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴛᴡᴏ ᴡᴏʀᴅs ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴀʀᴇ ʙᴇɢɪɴɴɪɴɢ ᴛᴏ ᴄᴀʀʀʏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴡᴇɪɢʜᴛ ᴏғ ᴀ ᴍɪʀᴀᴄʟᴇ:
“ᴡᴀᴋᴇ ᴜᴘ, sᴜɴsʜɪɴᴇ.”
ғᴏʀ ɪɴᴊᴜʀᴇᴅ ʟɪɴᴇᴍᴀɴ ʜᴜɴᴛᴇʀ ᴀʟᴇxᴀɴᴅᴇʀ, ᴛʜᴏsᴇ ᴡᴏʀᴅs ʜɪᴛ ᴅɪғғᴇʀᴇɴᴛʟʏ ɴᴏᴡ — ʙᴇᴄᴀᴜsᴇ ᴡᴀᴋɪɴɢ ᴜᴘ ɪsɴ’ᴛ ɢᴜᴀʀᴀɴᴛᴇᴇᴅ ᴄᴏᴍғᴏʀᴛ. ɪᴛ ɪsɴ’ᴛ ɢᴜᴀʀᴀɴᴛᴇᴇᴅ ʀᴇʟɪᴇғ. ɪᴛ ɪsɴ’ᴛ ᴇᴠᴇɴ ɢᴜᴀʀᴀɴᴛᴇᴇᴅ ɢᴏᴏᴅ ɴᴇᴡs.
ʙᴜᴛ ɪᴛ ɪs ᴘʀᴏᴏғ ᴏғ ᴏɴᴇ ᴛʜɪɴɢ:
ʜᴜɴᴛᴇʀ ᴍᴀᴅᴇ ɪᴛ ᴛʜʀᴏᴜɢʜ ᴀɴᴏᴛʜᴇʀ ɴɪɢʜᴛ.
ᴀɴᴅ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ʙʀᴜᴛᴀʟ, ᴜɴᴄᴇʀᴛᴀɪɴ ᴡᴏʀʟᴅ ᴏғ ᴄᴀᴛᴀsᴛʀᴏᴘʜɪᴄ ᴇʟᴇᴄᴛʀɪᴄᴀʟ ᴛʀᴀᴜᴍᴀ ʀᴇᴄᴏᴠᴇʀʏ, ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴀʟᴏɴᴇ ɪs ᴀ ᴠɪᴄᴛᴏʀʏ.
ᴀ ᴍᴏʀɴɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴀᴛ sᴛᴀʀᴛs ᴛʜᴇ sᴀᴍᴇ ᴡᴀʏ ᴇᴠᴇʀʏ ᴅᴀʏ: ʀᴇʟɪᴇғ ғɪʀsᴛ, ᴛʜᴇɴ ʜᴏᴘᴇ
ᴀs ᴍᴏʀɴɪɴɢ ʟɪɢʜᴛ ғɪʟʟᴇᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ʀᴏᴏᴍ ᴛᴏᴅᴀʏ, ʜᴜɴᴛᴇʀ ᴡᴏᴋᴇ ᴜᴘ ᴀʟᴇʀᴛ ᴀɴᴅ ʀᴇsᴘᴏɴsɪᴠᴇ, ᴀɴᴏᴛʜᴇʀ ᴅɪғғɪᴄᴜʟᴛ ɴɪɢʜᴛ ʙᴇʜɪɴᴅ ʜɪᴍ ᴀɴᴅ ᴀɴᴏᴛʜᴇʀ ᴄʀɪᴛɪᴄᴀʟ ᴅᴀʏ ᴀʜᴇᴀᴅ.
ғᴏʀ ʜɪs ғᴀᴍɪʟʏ, ᴍᴏʀɴɪɴɢs ʜᴀᴠᴇ ʙᴇᴄᴏᴍᴇ ᴀ ʀɪᴛᴜᴀʟ ᴏғ ᴇᴍᴏᴛɪᴏɴs ᴛʜᴀᴛ ʜɪᴛ ɪɴ ᴡᴀᴠᴇs.
ғɪʀsᴛ ᴄᴏᴍᴇs ʀᴇʟɪᴇғ.
ᴛʜᴇɴ ɢʀᴀᴛɪᴛᴜᴅᴇ.
ᴛʜᴇɴ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ғʀᴀɢɪʟᴇ, ᴛʀᴇᴍʙʟɪɴɢ ʜᴏᴘᴇ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ʜᴀs ᴛᴏ ʙᴇ ʀᴇʙᴜɪʟᴛ ғʀᴏᴍ sᴄʀᴀᴛᴄʜ ᴇᴠᴇʀʏ sɪɴɢʟᴇ ᴅᴀʏ.
ʙᴇᴄᴀᴜsᴇ ɪɴ ʜᴜɴᴛᴇʀ’s ᴡᴏʀʟᴅ ɴᴏᴡ, ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ ᴀʀᴇ ɴᴏ “ɴᴏʀᴍᴀʟ ᴍᴏʀɴɪɴɢs.”
ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ ᴀʀᴇ ᴏɴʟʏ ᴍᴏʀɴɪɴɢs ᴡʜᴇʀᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ᴡᴀɪᴛ ғᴏʀ ᴛʜᴇ ғɪʀsᴛ ʙʀᴇᴀᴛʜ, ᴛʜᴇ ғɪʀsᴛ ʀᴇsᴘᴏɴsᴇ, ᴛʜᴇ ғɪʀsᴛ sɪɢɴ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ʜɪs ʙᴏᴅʏ ɪs sᴛɪʟʟ ʜᴏʟᴅɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇ ʟɪɴᴇ.
ᴀɴᴅ ᴛᴏᴅᴀʏ… ɪᴛ ɪs.
ᴅᴏᴄᴛᴏʀs ᴡᴀᴛᴄʜɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇ ʜᴀɴᴅs ʟɪᴋᴇ ᴀ ᴄʟᴏᴄᴋ
ʜᴜɴᴛᴇʀ’s ᴍᴇᴅɪᴄᴀʟ ᴛᴇᴀᴍ ᴄᴏɴᴛɪɴᴜᴇs ᴛᴏ ᴍᴏɴɪᴛᴏʀ ᴛʜᴇ ᴛʜɪɴɢs ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴍᴀᴛᴛᴇʀ ᴍᴏsᴛ ʀɪɢʜᴛ ɴᴏᴡ:
ᴄɪʀᴄᴜʟᴀᴛɪᴏɴ
sᴡᴇʟʟɪɴɢ
ᴛɪssᴜᴇ ʀᴇsᴘᴏɴsᴇ
ᴀɴʏ sɪɢɴ ᴏғ ᴄᴏᴍᴘʟɪᴄᴀᴛɪᴏɴs
ᴛʜᴇ ғᴏᴄᴜs ʀᴇᴍᴀɪɴs ʟᴏᴄᴋᴇᴅ ᴏɴ ʜɪs ʜᴀɴᴅs — ᴛʜᴇ sᴀᴍᴇ ʜᴀɴᴅs ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴏɴᴄᴇ ᴄʟɪᴍʙᴇᴅ ᴘᴏʟᴇs, ɢʀɪᴘᴘᴇᴅ ᴇǫᴜɪᴘᴍᴇɴᴛ, ᴀɴᴅ ʀᴇsᴛᴏʀᴇᴅ ᴘᴏᴡᴇʀ ғᴏʀ ᴛʜᴏᴜsᴀɴᴅs ᴅᴜʀɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇ ɪᴄᴇ sᴛᴏʀᴍ.
ɴᴏᴡ ᴛʜᴏsᴇ ʜᴀɴᴅs sɪᴛ ᴀᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄᴇɴᴛᴇʀ ᴏғ ᴀ ʟɪғᴇ-ᴀʟᴛᴇʀɪɴɢ ғɪɢʜᴛ.
ᴅᴏᴄᴛᴏʀs ᴀʀᴇɴ’ᴛ ᴘʀᴏᴍɪsɪɴɢ ᴏᴜᴛᴄᴏᴍᴇs.
ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴀʀᴇɴ’ᴛ ᴏғғᴇʀɪɴɢ ɢᴜᴀʀᴀɴᴛᴇᴇs.
ʙᴜᴛ ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴀʀᴇ ᴇɴᴄᴏᴜʀᴀɢᴇᴅ.
ᴀɴᴅ ɪɴ ᴀ ᴄᴀsᴇ ʟɪᴋᴇ ʜᴜɴᴛᴇʀ’s, ᴇɴᴄᴏᴜʀᴀɢᴇᴍᴇɴᴛ ɪs ɴᴇᴠᴇʀ ᴄᴀsᴜᴀʟ. ɪᴛ’s ɴᴇᴠᴇʀ ᴇᴍᴘᴛʏ.
ɪᴛ’s ᴀ sɪɢɴ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ʜɪs ʙᴏᴅʏ ɪs ʀᴇsᴘᴏɴᴅɪɴɢ ɪɴ ᴀ ᴡᴀʏ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ɢɪᴠᴇs ᴛʜᴇ ᴛᴇᴀᴍ ʀᴇᴀsᴏɴ ᴛᴏ ᴋᴇᴇᴘ ᴘᴜsʜɪɴɢ ғᴏʀᴡᴀʀᴅ.
ʜᴏᴘᴇ ɪs sᴛɪʟʟ ᴀʟɪᴠᴇ… ᴀɴᴅ ɪᴛ’s ɴᴏᴛ ᴊᴜsᴛ ᴡɪsʜғᴜʟ ᴛʜɪɴᴋɪɴɢ
ʜᴜɴᴛᴇʀ ʀᴇᴍᴀɪɴs ɪɴ ᴘᴀɪɴ — ɴᴏ ᴏɴᴇ ɪs ᴘʀᴇᴛᴇɴᴅɪɴɢ ᴏᴛʜᴇʀᴡɪsᴇ.
ʙᴜᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴍᴀᴛᴛᴇʀs ᴍᴏsᴛ ɪs ᴛʜɪs:
ʜɪs ʙᴏᴅʏ ɪs sᴛɪʟʟ ʀᴇsᴘᴏɴᴅɪɴɢ.
ᴀɴᴅ ʜɪs sᴘɪʀɪᴛ ɪs sᴛɪʟʟ ᴜɴʙʀᴏᴋᴇɴ.
ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴇᴅɪᴄᴀʟ ᴛᴇᴀᴍ ɪs ᴄᴏɴᴛɪɴᴜɪɴɢ ᴄʟᴏsᴇ ᴍᴏɴɪᴛᴏʀɪɴɢ, ᴀᴡᴀʀᴇ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴇᴠᴇʀʏᴛʜɪɴɢ ᴄᴀɴ sʜɪғᴛ ǫᴜɪᴄᴋʟʏ. ᴏɴᴇ ʙᴀᴅ sɪɢɴ ᴄᴏᴜʟᴅ ᴄʜᴀɴɢᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ᴇɴᴛɪʀᴇ ᴘʟᴀɴ. ᴏɴᴇ ᴄᴏᴍᴘʟɪᴄᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ᴄᴏᴜʟᴅ ғᴏʀᴄᴇ ᴀ ᴅᴇᴄɪsɪᴏɴ ɴᴏ ғᴀᴍɪʟʏ ᴇᴠᴇʀ ᴡᴀɴᴛs ᴛᴏ ғᴀᴄᴇ.
ᴛʜᴀᴛ’s ᴡʜʏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴘʜʀᴀsᴇ ᴋᴇᴇᴘs ʀᴇᴛᴜʀɴɪɴɢ ɪɴ ᴇᴠᴇʀʏ ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ:
ᴇᴠᴇʀʏ ʜᴏᴜʀ ᴍᴀᴛᴛᴇʀs.
ᴇᴠᴇʀʏ sᴍᴀʟʟ ᴄʜᴀɴɢᴇ ᴍᴀᴛᴛᴇʀs.
ʙᴇᴄᴀᴜsᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴀʀɢɪɴ ʙᴇᴛᴡᴇᴇɴ ʀᴇᴄᴏᴠᴇʀʏ ᴀɴᴅ sᴇᴛʙᴀᴄᴋ ɪs ʀᴀᴢᴏʀ ᴛʜɪɴ.
ʜᴜɴᴛᴇʀ’s sᴘɪʀɪᴛ sᴛɪʟʟ ʜᴀsɴ’ᴛ ᴡᴀᴠᴇʀᴇᴅ
ᴅᴇsᴘɪᴛᴇ ᴇᴠᴇʀʏᴛʜɪɴɢ, ʜᴜɴᴛᴇʀ ɪs ғᴀᴄɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇ ᴅᴀʏ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴛʜᴇ sᴀᴍᴇ ǫᴜɪᴇᴛ ᴅᴇᴛᴇʀᴍɪɴᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ʜᴀs ᴅᴇғɪɴᴇᴅ ʜɪᴍ sɪɴᴄᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴏᴍᴇɴᴛ ʜᴇ ᴡᴀs ɪɴᴊᴜʀᴇᴅ.
ᴛʜɪs ɪs ᴛʜᴇ ᴘᴀʀᴛ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ʜᴀs ᴄᴀᴘᴛᴜʀᴇᴅ sᴏ ᴍᴀɴʏ ʜᴇᴀʀᴛs.
ʜᴜɴᴛᴇʀ ɪsɴ’ᴛ ᴊᴜsᴛ sᴜʀᴠɪᴠɪɴɢ.
ʜᴇ’s ᴇɴᴅᴜʀɪɴɢ.
ʜᴇ’s ʜᴏʟᴅɪɴɢ ʜɪs ɢʀᴏᴜɴᴅ.
ʜᴇ’s ʀᴇғᴜsɪɴɢ ᴛᴏ ᴍᴇɴᴛᴀʟʟʏ sᴜʀʀᴇɴᴅᴇʀ ᴇᴠᴇɴ ᴡʜɪʟᴇ ʜɪs ʙᴏᴅʏ ғɪɢʜᴛs ᴛʜʀᴏᴜɢʜ ᴘᴀɪɴ ᴀɴᴅ ᴜɴᴄᴇʀᴛᴀɪɴᴛʏ.
ɪᴛ’s ᴛʜᴇ ᴍɪɴᴅsᴇᴛ ᴏғ ᴀ ʟɪɴᴇᴍᴀɴ.
ᴀ ᴍᴀɴ ᴛʀᴀɪɴᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ᴡᴏʀᴋ ɪɴ ᴅᴀɴɢᴇʀ.
ᴀ ᴍᴀɴ ᴡʜᴏ ᴅᴏᴇsɴ’ᴛ ᴘᴀɴɪᴄ ᴡʜᴇɴ ᴄᴏɴᴅɪᴛɪᴏɴs ᴛᴜʀɴ ʙʀᴜᴛᴀʟ.
ᴛʜᴇ ᴇᴀʀʟʏ ʜᴏᴜʀs ғᴇᴇʟ ʜᴇᴀᴠʏ… ʙᴜᴛ ᴀʟsᴏ ʜᴏʟʏ
ʜɪs ғᴀᴍɪʟʏ sᴀʏs ᴛʜᴇsᴇ ᴍᴏʀɴɪɴɢ ʜᴏᴜʀs ᴄᴀʀʀʏ ᴀ ᴜɴɪǫᴜᴇ ᴡᴇɪɢʜᴛ.
ᴛʜᴇʏ ғᴇᴇʟ ʜᴇᴀᴠʏ — ʙᴇᴄᴀᴜsᴇ ᴇᴠᴇʀʏᴏɴᴇ ᴋɴᴏᴡs ᴡʜᴀᴛ’s ᴄᴏᴍɪɴɢ.
ʙᴜᴛ ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴀʟsᴏ ғᴇᴇʟ sᴀᴄʀᴇᴅ.
ʙᴇᴄᴀᴜsᴇ ᴇᴠᴇʀʏ sᴜɴʀɪsᴇ ᴍᴇᴀɴs ʜᴜɴᴛᴇʀ ʜᴀs ᴍᴀᴅᴇ ɪᴛ ᴛʜʀᴏᴜɢʜ ᴀɴᴏᴛʜᴇʀ sᴛʀᴇᴛᴄʜ ᴏғ ᴛɪᴍᴇ ᴡʜᴇʀᴇ ᴀɴʏᴛʜɪɴɢ ᴄᴏᴜʟᴅ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ʜᴀᴘᴘᴇɴᴇᴅ.
ᴀɴᴏᴛʜᴇʀ ɴɪɢʜᴛ ᴏғ ᴜɴᴋɴᴏᴡɴs.
ᴀɴᴏᴛʜᴇʀ ǫᴜɪᴇᴛ ʙᴀᴛᴛʟᴇ ʙᴇʜɪɴᴅ ʜᴏsᴘɪᴛᴀʟ ᴅᴏᴏʀs.
ᴀɴᴏᴛʜᴇʀ ᴛᴇsᴛ.
ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜɪs ᴍᴏʀɴɪɴɢ, ʜᴜɴᴛᴇʀ ᴘᴀssᴇᴅ.
ᴛʜɪs ɪsɴ’ᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ᴇɴᴅ… ɪᴛ’s ᴛʜᴇ ᴘᴀᴜsᴇ ʙᴇғᴏʀᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ɴᴇxᴛ sᴛᴏʀᴍ
ɴᴏ ᴏɴᴇ ɪs ᴄᴀʟʟɪɴɢ ᴛʜɪs ᴛʜᴇ ғɪɴɪsʜ ʟɪɴᴇ.
ɴᴏ ᴏɴᴇ ɪs ᴅᴇᴄʟᴀʀɪɴɢ ᴠɪᴄᴛᴏʀʏ.
ᴛʜɪs ɪs ɴᴏᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ᴇɴᴅ ᴏғ ʜᴜɴᴛᴇʀ’s sᴛᴏʀʏ.
ɪᴛ’s ᴛʜᴇ ᴘᴀᴜsᴇ.
ᴛʜᴇ ʙʀᴇᴀᴛʜ.
ᴛʜᴇ ᴄᴀʟᴍ ᴍᴏᴍᴇɴᴛ ʙᴇғᴏʀᴇ ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴄᴏᴍᴇs ɴᴇxᴛ.
ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ɴᴇxᴛ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ɪs ʟᴏᴏᴍɪɴɢ.
ʙᴇᴄᴀᴜsᴇ ᴍᴏɴᴅᴀʏ ɪs ᴄᴏᴍɪɴɢ.
ᴀɴᴏᴛʜᴇʀ ᴄʀɪᴛɪᴄᴀʟ ᴅᴀʏ.
ᴀɴᴏᴛʜᴇʀ ᴛᴜʀɴɪɴɢ ᴘᴏɪɴᴛ.
ᴀɴᴏᴛʜᴇʀ ᴍᴏᴍᴇɴᴛ ᴡʜᴇʀᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ᴇɴᴛɪʀᴇ ᴏᴜᴛᴄᴏᴍᴇ ᴄᴏᴜʟᴅ sʜɪғᴛ ɪɴ sᴇᴄᴏɴᴅs.
ʙᴜᴛ ᴛᴏᴅᴀʏ, ᴀs ᴛʜᴇ sᴜɴ ʀɪsᴇs ᴏᴠᴇʀ sʜʀᴇᴠᴇᴘᴏʀᴛ, ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ ɪs sᴏᴍᴇᴛʜɪɴɢ ʜᴜɴᴛᴇʀ’s ғᴀᴍɪʟʏ ʜᴀsɴ’ᴛ ᴀʟᴡᴀʏs ʙᴇᴇɴ ᴀʙʟᴇ ᴛᴏ ʜᴏʟᴅ ᴏɴᴛᴏ:
ʜᴏᴘᴇ.
ʀᴇᴀʟ ʜᴏᴘᴇ.
ɴᴏᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ᴋɪɴᴅ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ɪɢɴᴏʀᴇs ʀᴇᴀʟɪᴛʏ… ʙᴜᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ᴋɪɴᴅ ᴛʜᴀᴛ sᴜʀᴠɪᴠᴇs ɪɴsɪᴅᴇ ɪᴛ.
ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜɪs ᴍᴏʀɴɪɴɢ, ᴛʜᴀᴛ ʜᴏᴘᴇ ɪs sᴛɪʟʟ ᴀʟɪᴠᴇ.
sᴛᴀʏ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴜs.
ʙᴇᴄᴀᴜsᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ғɪɢʜᴛ ɪsɴ’ᴛ ᴏᴠᴇʀ.
ʙᴜᴛ ᴛʜᴇ sᴜɴʀɪsᴇ ᴄᴀᴍᴇ ᴀɴʏᴡᴀʏ.
ᴀɴᴅ ʜᴜɴᴛᴇʀ ᴡᴏᴋᴇ ᴜᴘ ᴛᴏ sᴇᴇ ɪᴛ.
🚨 JUST IN: A 22-week scan changed everything for Samantha, beginning her baby’s journey with a serious heart condition ⚡.jj
James has pulmonary atresia with VSD, but he also has MAPCAs, as the pulmonary artery hasn’t formed properly, so the heart has created two vessels that are doing the job his pulmonary artery should be doing. James was diagnosed when I was 22 weeks pregnant, and I was transferred to a specialist hospital, where they explained what was wrong with him, along with the possibility of DiGeorge syndrome.
They offered me an amniocentesis test, but I didn’t want to take it, as it came with possible risks of early labour, and I wasn’t willing to put James in any potential danger. It was hard to wrap our heads around the fact our baby was going to have a serious health condition — you always hear about it happening to others, but never think it’ll happen to you.
Time went on, and I had more scans. Then, my care was transferred to a bigger hospital at 30 weeks, where they carried out a full, thorough scan to examine everything to do with James. It was so scary, especially as they looked at him in 4D and saw that his fingers were overlapping. They told us this could be a sign of Edwards’ syndrome, as he was appearing smaller, had a cardiac issue, and I was carrying a lot of fluid with no clear explanation. They were piecing all of these things together.
I was offered the amniocentesis test again, along with the option of a termination. But by that point, I said, “No way.” He’d made it this far, and if he did have Edwards’ syndrome, I still wanted to meet him. So I decided to wait and find out when he was born.
I was so scared, though, as I had no idea whether he was going to survive. We were then put in contact with Claire House, where they talked us through different scenarios and even made a death plan, just in case he had Edwards’, as they explained that if he did, they wouldn’t be able to operate. That meant we would have had to wait for him to die.
It was very traumatic, especially as my daughter had no idea what was going on — she was just so excited to have a little brother. It was near Christmas, too, so trying to put on a brave face in front of her was extremely difficult.
The 10th of January came, and my planned C-section took place. The hospital staff were AMAZING! I honestly cannot fault them for the support they gave me through all my anxieties and worries, not only about James, but also about the C-section, as I had given birth to my daughter naturally. I was just so scared and had no idea what to expect.
James was born, and I felt a huge weight lift off my shoulders when I heard that cry. He needed CPAP shortly after, and I got to cuddle him for a couple of minutes before he was taken to the NICU. He was there for a day and then transferred to a specialist hospital, where his care continued.
The specialist hospital was incredible. Every single person there has touched my family’s hearts. I cannot fault the care James has received — they have truly been outstanding. He has had a really tough time — in and out of hospital — and he’s only five months old. But he has proved everyone wrong. They said he’d need surgery within the first two weeks of life, but here he is, five months later, and he still hasn’t had any surgery yet.
He’s been admitted to A&E three times, another hospital twice, and the specialist hospital three times, and he is still fighting! He has become so alert and is such a smiley, happy little boy.
He’s due to have his first surgery this year and is booked for a catheter test to check how his heart is working and to help the team decide what needs to be done in surgery. He may be small, but he’s mighty. I call him my little Iron Man because he has the most special and rare heart — it may not work the same, but it still beats strong. He is simply amazing.
I didn’t think I’d ever meet my hero — until he was born.
The support we’ve had has been amazing, both in hospital and at home. We’ve also had support through Tiny Tickers by reading other people’s stories. It brings a lot of comfort to know other children have overcome such major heart conditions and are still going strong — it gives me hope that James will be okay.
Tiny Tickers is here for every heart family. Access our support services here.
