Miracle Mum, Kate's heart, body & mind were absolutely broken watching her baby's condition go from bad to worse. She shares the story of Ziggy's fight.

"After a beautiful pregnancy & labour our darling Ziggy was born at 7pm on a Friday evening at 37.5 weeks. He was grunting & quite blue upon arrival, my attempts for him to latch were unsuccessful & he was whisked away for oxygen & observation.

Whilst I was being tended to in a post labour hormonal haze, I thought Ziggy was totally fine, being wrapped and weighed. Ziggy was experiencing PPHN - persistent pulmonary hypertension neonate - resulting in respiratory distress, but the cause wasn't clear. I had laboured in the country so Ziggy was moved into their neonatal unit, given oxygen & was observed overnight by RNSH via videocam.

I was told by Paeds if he didn't improve overnight, we would be flown by helicopter to RNSH for further treatment. I am an eternal optimist, so I thought 'No way will we be going to Sydney in the morning he will be fine & we will be home together'.

Ziggy's oxygen requirements were escalating & the decision was made for us to fly to Sydney. I hadn't slept for 3 days, laboured for 2.5 days & the anxiety of Ziggy's health really set in. The wonderful NETS team arrived at 11am Saturday morning, sedated my beautiful baby, intubated him & we were flown to RNSH. Upon arrival Ziggy was excubated & suffered another round of PPHN. He was intubated once more & then given nitric oxide to open his arteries for oxygen to pass through his little body.

Monday morning arrived; his blood results arrived from country pathology. Ziggy was nearly septic from a fungal blood infection. He was treated via pickline for 2 weeks, on oxygen for 5 days, I didn't hold him for 4 days. My heart, body & mind were absolutely broken. A state I can never completely express. Our stay was quickly brought into perspective by all the families in the unit with tiny babes that were by their bedsides for 30, 50 & some 100 + days.

The day we got the ok to go home was a day of such overwhelming emotion, it's quite difficult to put into words. I'm sure every family who has lived life in the NICU has felt it & can resonate wit it.

My mum took me home a #Miraclemama card to frame, though sadly she passed away when Ziggy was 8 weeks old, I have the card sat on a shelf. Thank you Miraclemama for the platform to unravel & put into words such an overwhelming human experience.

Little (Big) Ziggy is 8.5 months now & absolutely thriving (obviously)."

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