Miracle Mum, Rachel went into labour at 24 weeks and faced a tough five month hospital journey. She shares the story of her Mighty Mason.

"At 24+2 weeks into my pregnancy I woke to some minor spotting and cramping. I'd had some bleeding throughout the pregnancy so didn't think too much of it. I worked in a Doctors’ surgery so as soon as I got to work I got checked out. My doctor decided to send me to King Edward Memorial Hospital to be on the safe side.

When I arrived with my husband Graeme at the hospital I was informed I was 4cm dilated and that my son would be born that day. We were informed of the odds of survival, major and minor disabilities and to prepare ourselves.

Five hours after arriving at the hospital my son was born via C-Section weighing 740grams and 32cms long.

I already had three teenage sons at home who were born at 38, 37 and 36 weeks. I had not prepared for 24 weeks.

At ten days old Mason became septic and was deteriorating rapidly. He was admitted as a surgical baby to Princess Margaret Hospital where he remained for the next five months.

Mason had two bowel surgeries, his first at 28 weeks weighing 860grams. It was risky but he did really well. He had numerous blood and platelet transfusion. It was always one step forward, two steps back but eventually our son was able to come home on oxygen. He remained on home oxygen for eight more weeks.

The whole journey was tough on the entire family. My husband took six weeks off work. I stopped working and we had to rely on family and friends a lot to help keep some normality within the home for our other kids. I drove an hour there and an hour back every day to spend time with him in the hospital. I suffered severe anxiety and PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder).

At two years of age Mason went in for minor heart surgery to close a hole in his heart (Patent ductus arteriosus - PDA). Unfortunately our son had an abnormality which caused problems, causing the coil they were using to close his heart to tangle which resulted in emergency open heart surgery. He underwent three surgeries within 24 hours. Thankfully he bounced back in no time and was home a week later.

He is monitored yearly by his Gastroenterologist, the Respiratory team, Cardiologist and Opthamology. Last week at 4 1/2 yrs of age he got the all clear that his eyes are perfect. He is a little trooper who keeps ticking all the boxes and he proved everyone wrong the day he was born when we were given little hope.

Mason was diagnosed at age one with Global Developmental Delay, which we were told he would outgrow around school age. He is currently about six months behind his peers and is a petite child, but nothing holds him back or slows him down. He is our Mighty Mason who has touched so many hearts."

(Patent ductus arteriosus - PDA).

Global Developmental Delay

PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder).

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