Muldersdrift mom tells the story of her twins
"As it was winter we unfortunately picked up flu and had to take our daughter to a nearby private hospital."
On 13 April 2018 Tania Stewart from Steynsvlei, Muldersdrift gave birth to her twins Kaitlyn and Murray at 28 weeks via caesarean section at Rahima Moosa Mother and Child Hospital.
It was a difficult time for Tania as one of the twins was in distress, but she remembers words of encouragement from the doctors and staff who assured her that her children would be fine.
“The twins were quite big after the delivery and in the recovery ward I was constantly told that both my babies were doing fine,” said Tania.
The new mom got to see her babies the next day and by that time Murray had been moved to high care as the doctors were investigating and later discovered that he had fungal meningitis.The condition is very serious and even worse for a premature baby. Fortunately, Kaitlyn was doing well even though she required oxygen.
After 22 days, Murray was moved to a normal ward and later that day rushed back to high care because he had stopped breathing again. He then spent a few more days in high care and returned to a normal ward next to his sister for the first time in their 28 days on earth.
After having recovered, Murray received a blood transfusion while his mother was in kangaroo care with his sister. However, the next day Murray was rushed back to high care while Kaitlyn was discharged and taken home by her parents. “I remember we brought her home but my little boy was still in hospital. As it was winter we unfortunately picked up flu and had to take our daughter to a nearby private hospital.
“Two days later Kaitlyn was extremely ill and not having funds for a private hospital we rushed her back to Rahima Moosa Mother and Child Hospital,? said Tania.According to Tania, when she arrived at the emergency unit her baby had turned grey and wasn’t breathing.
“They immediately suctioned her nose, put her back on oxygen and ran a battery of tests,” explained Tania.
A private doctor told the worried mother that her babies had chronic lung disease and would be in and out of hospital with respiratory problems for the first few years of their lives.The Stewarts felt like a complete family again when the twins were discharged after a further 10 days in hospital.
“The words of the doctors and nurses have stuck in my mind and encouraged me to have faith even when it seems like nothing is working. To date my children have never been admitted to hospital for any respiratory illness ? in fact my daughter has never been back to hospital again. My son has been back to hospital for normal baby health issues,” said Tania.
