Micro-preemie Giselle: the Miracle Baby
“She has fought against all odds to be here today. She is a precious gift … a miracle – a soul touched by God.”
All parents-to-be wait in anticipation for the day their little bundle of joy arrives, but when your baby arrives 98 days too early, you wish that you had the opportunity to wait a bit longer.
After spending three weeks in hospital, Giselle van der Walt’s mother went into premature labour as a result of unidentified complications.
Giselle was born weighing 800 grams and was smaller than an outstretched adult hand. She was also unable to breathe on her own and suffered from patent ductus arteriosus (PDA), which is a persistent connection between the large blood vessels near the heart.
The connection is normal for an unborn baby, but should close when the baby is born and begins to breathe, Giselle’s connection did not close, with the result that there were two circulatory systems trying to run simultaneously in her little body. She also suffered from respiratory distress syndrome (RDS), as most micro-preemies have difficulty breathing after birth. RDS is treated with respiratory support and medication. As if that was not enough, Giselle also had an intraventricular haemorrhage (IVH), as a result of the fragile blood vessels in her brain which ruptured and suffered a Stage 2-3 bleed.
“We prayed … a lot,” said dad Jacques van der Walt, “despite what anyone said and expected, God held Giselle close to his heart and from the day of her birth, she was known as the ‘Miracle baby’”.
86 days later, and after a number of scans, Giselle had defied the odds sufficiently well to be discharged from hospital. Her lungs are still under-developed and she will be using a home oxygen device for the next few weeks.
Jacques would like to say a special thank you to all the NICU staff at the Netcare Krugersdorp Hospital.
“We had never before met medical personnel who are so passionate, dedicated and committed. Keep it up and thanks again for literally holding our hands!” he said.
Read more about miracle babies:
Undiagnosed and unpredictable: baby Blake still fighting
Baby boy born at police station
[PHOTOS] Brave little cancer fighter with big smile
