AT 24 weeks pregnant, most mums-to-be are only just starting to consider what kind of pram they’d like to buy, what colour they might want to paint the nursery, and making a list of things they need to buy for their bub’s arrival.
But for Mildura’s Jasmin Ford, the 24-week mark of her pregnancy saw the dramatic arrival of her micro-preemie son, George, who made his unexpectedly early debut into the world weighing less than some loaves of bread at a mere 699 grams.
He was about the same size as a mobile phone.
Ms Ford said she was living “every mother’s worst nightmare” when told by specialists that George’s early arrival couldn’t be stopped, and his prognosis for survival was not good.
“At my 20-week scan the doctors were concerned that my cervix had shortened, so I was put on partial bedrest,” she said.
“But four weeks later, I was dilated and in labour, and while the doctors tried many different things to delay the labour and his birth, in the end there was nothing left for them to do.
“They tried to prepare myself and my husband Daniel for the worst-case scenario.
“They told us that the outcome for babies born this early is not good and said the most likely scenario was that George would not survive the birth, and if he did, he may only live a few hours.”
Ms Ford had no choice but to be flown to Melbourne to give birth to George, with the first-time mum recalling a feeling of “sheer terror”.
“There was talk of doing a C-section, but he was so small and so fragile it was deemed too risky,” she said.
“It was happening whether I liked it or not.
“The room was full of doctors, they were everywhere, and I remember trying so hard to listen to see if he had cried or made any noise at all – but he hadn’t.
“They whisked him away to the other side of the room and there was so much hustle and bustle, and I was straining my ears desperately trying to hear a noise from him to tell me that he was OK.
“Finally I heard the tiniest, faintest little sound, like a kitten, and it was the bloody best sound I’ve ever heard in my life.”
But while George had survived the birth, his extreme prematurity meant he faced a host of life-threatening health issues including chronic lung disease, kidney failure, viral infections, vision and bowel problems, and brain bleeds.
The Ford family were in for a long, uphill battle, with George requiring 174 days in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at the Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne, seven surgeries on his brain, four on his bowel, 14 blood transfusions and multiple infections.
But Ms Ford said the most terrifying time was when the family were told George was receiving “comfort care” – an end-of-life medical treatment that focuses on providing comfort, quality of life and dignity instead of extending life – on three separate occasions.
“We were told three times that we only had a few hours left with him,” Ms Ford said.
“But each and every time, George pulled through, and if he wasn’t going to give up, then neither were we. We were going to fight just as hard as our little boy was fighting.
“We were told that only one in six babies born this early would survive – there were five other micro-preemie babies with George in the NICU and he is the only one to have survived, so sadly, that statistic turned out to be true in this case.
“You become close with the other mothers in the NICU, you can all relate to one another on a deeper level because you are all going through the same thing, and you become so invested in each other’s children that it’s heartbreaking when a loss happens.”
While the Fords were in Melbourne dedicated to the care of their son, the bills were piling up back home and Ms Ford’s sister Casey decided to take matters into her own hands, creating a GoFundMe to help support the family.
“We were chewing through our savings with little to no money coming in, but the world keeps turning whether you have a sick child or not – the bills still need to be paid, and that was putting another huge stress on our shoulders,” Ms Ford said.
“The money raised through the GoFundMe and also the RCH Good Friday Appeal absolutely saved us, not just financially but also knowing how many people supported us by donating or sending their well wishes, it makes you feel a little less alone, especially when you’re so far away from home.
“Having resources like the Ronald McDonald House was amazing.
“To be honest I didn’t know much about it before we needed to use it ourselves – I always assumed it was only for financially disadvantaged people to use – but it’s also for rural people like us, and it was an absolute godsend.”
Despite having a long road ahead of him, little George was finally able to come home to Mildura last week, with an army of family and friends eager to welcome their little fighter.
“Carrying him through the door of our home for the first time – there is no feeling quite like that in the world,” Ms Ford said.
“Yes, he has a lot of work ahead of him, but he’s our little miracle and he is a fighter.
“We are just happy and grateful to have him home so we can start our lives together as a family.”
