BRAVE Brooke Docherty was given just 30 minutes to live when she was nine days old - after she was born with six major heart defects.
The newborn, now 15-months-old, had appeared in perfect health until her lips turned blue and her mum, Kierran Reid, rushed her to accident and emergency.
Within minutes puzzled doctors said she was “the sickest baby to come through the hospital doors” and her devastated mum was told to say goodbye to her only child.
The newborn’s dad, Barry Docherty, had gone off-shore the previous day and had to be told the heart-breaking news over the phone.
Brooke, whose lungs collapsed more than 10 times during her five-month fight for life, was so ill doctors had to drill fluid directly into the bone in a desperate bid to stop every organ in her body from shutting down.
Miss Reid, 23, from Inverness, said: “I couldn’t believe what was happening. It was totally out of the blue. We had her at home for six days and she seemed fine, like a normal newborn. We had photos taken of her just 24 hours before and she was lovely and pink.
“Then I was told she only had 30 minutes to live and was taken through to say goodbye to her. I was in complete shock.”
Medics initially thought Brooke had pneumonia but scans confirmed the battling baby had six major heart defects.
Less than 12 hours later the tot was airlifted 200 miles for a risky 12-hour operation, which went ahead when she was only 11 days old. Her heart was only the size of a walnut.
Now 15 months on, the toddler, who also spent three months on a ventilator, survived multiple blood clots and had to be tube fed for 50 weeks, is a picture of health.
Her parents know that Brooke will need a second heart operation in the near future, but right now they are enjoying having their lively, cheeky baby home.
Miss Reid, a part-time administrator at Raigmore Hospital, said: “She’s meant to be here. She has fought every obstacle in her path and on her first birthday she came off all her medications. She’s such an inspiration and I’m so proud to be her mum.”
Brooke’s tiny heart had to be stopped as surgeons battled to correct the deformities, including closing two large holes and repairing her short aortic arch with piece of Goretex.
They also had to widen her aorta - the main artery that supplies blood to the rest of the body - and fix and widen a deformed valve.
The left side of her heart was also much smaller than the right and, at first, experts were unclear if they could repair her heart to work as a whole or if they would have to rewire it so everything ran of the right side.
Complications also saw Brooke battle back from the brink when her lungs collapsed more than 10 times in three months, due to a build up of fluid.
The tot also suffered multiple blood clots, which if left untreated could have caused a stroke.
So when she finally got home five months after her open heart surgery, her devoted mum had to inject her twice every day for almost four months with blood thinning medication.
Miss Reid, said: “I used to pass out every time I saw a needle. But I knew I had to do it for Brooke.
“Now you would never tell all that she has been through. She’s meant to be here, that’s for sure.”
Miss Reid is now supporting Yorkhill Children’s Charity’s pledge to boost the coffers of the cardiology fund at the new Royal Hospital for Children in Glasgow in a bid to help save more babies like Brooke.
“I’m just in awe of these people,” said Miss Reid. They’re just amazing and without Yorkhill, Brooke wouldn’t be here today.”
To donate £5 to the fund, text YORKHILL to 70555 or visit www.yorkhill.org.
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