Gaynor & Michael Smith, Hartlepool

Me, my hubby Michael smith and 2 daughters amber and Emily  ( 8 & 11 at the time ) live in hartlepool. My little boy Daniel was born in July 2012 at 28+4 weighing 1lb 10ozs via emergency c-section.

He was on the ventilator for 2 days and on that day he literally had his hands on it trying to pull it out, he amazed the Drs and nurses with how strong he was. He had a bit of a longer time trying to get from high flow to low flow, he also got very tired and needed 2 blood transfusions think they were our hardest times.

He was on the ward for 9wks but 2 wks into that time I collapsed with blood clots on my lungs followed my pneumonia and ended up in intensive care myself. During this time my hubby and daughters would go and visit Daniel and help do cares the nurses and Drs helped them to bond with Daniel my daughters were very overwhelmed with it all, the nurses even offered to do Daniels washing as my hubby was exhausted.

Daniel was ready for home before me but the nurses and Drs kept him on the ward until I was ready to join him ( how fab ). He came home on oxygen not very much though and came off it was he was nearly 5 mths old. Daniel has gone from strength to strength he’s now 3 and just started nursery a very happy, healthy boy x