But, after a long stay in hospital, the plucky youngster pulled through and is now hitting his milestones, as Emily, from Southampton, tells us here.
“George was six days old and we woke that morning to find he had slept through from 10pm to 6am without waking for a feed. The previous feed he had been woken for, so something didn’t sit right with us.
“We phoned our local maternity unit and they suggested a trip to the GP, just to be on the safe side.
“After a temperature check, which recorded 38.2, the doctor immediately advised us that George should go to hospital and she rang for an ambulance.
Our world fell apart
“When we arrived at the hospital George was whisked away from us and tests were carried out. A short while later a lumbar puncture revealed he had meningitis and our world fell apart.
“Although serious, the prognosis was good. However, within 48 hours he had developed myocarditis as a result of the infection and was in heart failure. He was immediately placed on a ventilator and our hearts shattered once more as we were told to prepare for the worst.
“George then spent a further two months in intensive care and much to everyone’s surprise became stable enough to transfer to the cardiac ward, where he spent three months before being discharged home at the end of February 2020.
Effects are lifelong
“The after-effects of George’s meningitis and myocarditis are lifelong, affecting his heart function. The future isn’t promised, but he has fought this far and we are grateful to watch him grow into the incredible little boy he has become.
“Now 15 months old, he is hitting milestones and proving all the statistics wrong. Our hearts are full and we are incredibly thankful for the ongoing care he still receives.”
