Our beautiful daughter, Annie, was born last July. At just four days old, she was transferred from Geelong to the Royal Children's Hospital for assistance with her breathing.
After extensive testing and evaluations, Annie was diagnosed with Pierre Robin Sequence, a condition that caused her airway to be obstructed due to her small jaw. She spent 11 weeks in the NICU, going on and off breathing support. At just eight weeks old, she underwent jaw distraction surgery. That day proved to be the most challenging in our lives. Following a five-day sedation period post-surgery, we were overjoyed to see her finally breathe on her own for the first time.
The team at the RCH—including nurses, consultants, surgeons, midwives, social workers, physiotherapists, speech therapists, occupational therapists, music therapists, and all other staff—were nothing short of incredible. They went above and beyond to ensure that Annie, as well as Mum and Dad, felt comfortable and supported throughout this emotional and challenging journey.
We are eternally grateful for the care and support we received, which continues to be invaluable. We feel so fortunate to have access to such a world-class facility right in our community.