The day Caleb was born was one of the happiest days of my life

By Beck 

The day Caleb was born was one of the happiest days of my life. He was the final piece of our family puzzle. My daughter was two and a half at the time, and I felt so lucky to have my pigeon pair. We were over the moon. 

Caleb was born via emergency C-section and taken straight to the special care nursery. The next morning, I was getting ready to see him when the nurses came in and told me the medical emergency call, I’d heard earlier was for Caleb. He’d started having seizures.

At first, doctors suspected meningitis. They tried spinal taps, but they weren’t successful. Eventually, the decision was made to fly Caleb to the Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne. Because I’d just had surgery, I wasn’t allowed to go with him. That was one of the hardest moments - watching my newborn leave without me. 

When I finally arrived at RCH the next day, Caleb had an MRI. That’s when we found out he’d had multiple strokes before he was even born. 

I broke down. I remember thinking, “What did I do to cause this?” But the doctors and nurses were incredibly kind. They reassured me that it wasn’t my fault - that sometimes these things just happen. Still, the uncertainty was heartbreaking. No one could tell me what it meant for Caleb’s future. Would he walk? Talk? Would he have a good life? 

We spent a long month at RCH. Some days felt hopeful, and then something new would come up - more tests, more waiting. But Caleb is a fighter. He just wanted to go home. 

When we finally boarded the plane back, I was so emotional. I knew we were close. After two more nights in the special care nursery, Caleb was discharged. I could finally take him home! 

Now, Caleb doesn’t let anything hold him back. When I see photos from those early days in hospital, I’m amazed at how far he’s come. It’s been a rollercoaster - the scariest one I’ve ever been on - but he continues to amaze me and everyone around him, every single day. 

As Christmas approaches, I’ve been reflecting on how far we’ve come - and how important support is for families like ours. Around 120 babies and 400 children have a stroke in Australia each year. By sharing Caleb’s story, I hope to bring a little hope to families who are just beginning this journey. 

If you’d like to bring hope to families like ours this Christmas, you can donate here.