Two days later, my husband called me at 7:30 am to tell me that Isabel’s condition had deteriorated and she would need surgery that morning. I was then discharged from hospital and made my way to the Royal Brompton just as she was going to the operating theatre. I was dying to meet my baby, and every time I was close to seeing her she was going again, I felt helpless and didn’t know which way to turn.

Five hours later, we were told the news that the operation was a success and we would be able to see Isabel very soon. I finally felt I could breathe again.

The next day Isabel was doing amazingly well, and the doctors were able to take her breathing tube out. For the first time, I could give my beautiful baby girls a cuddle, and it was the best feeling ever!

On day 2 after her operation, she was still doing brilliantly and with most of the tubes now removed, she was fit enough to move from Intensive Care over to Rose ward.

By day 5, she was breastfeeding and doing really well, you would never have known what this beautiful little girl had just been through.  On day 7, the doctors told us we could take her home.

I cried my eyes out; it was all over, and she had amazed all of us. She was a warrior, she is our hero, and she’s still doing fantastically well. This is all down to the staff at Royal Brompton; without them, she wouldn’t be here today, we are so grateful to to all involved!