Larissa Stowers with baby Lennox (14 months) excited to spend Christmas at home together for the first time. Photo / Jason Oxenham
Larissa Stowers with baby Lennox (14 months) excited to spend Christmas at home together for the first time. Photo / Jason Oxenham
A cheerful toddler who was born with a hole in his heart will unwrap his presents at home with his family this Christmas after spending a year living at Auckland's Starship Hospital.
As Lennox Stowers bounced up and down in his cot in the family living room, his mother LarissaStowers spoke to the Herald about how far he has come since being born.
"He spent his first two weeks in NICU (Newborn Intensive Care Unit) and his heart rate just kept going up and up," Stowers said.
The Stowers family from left - Larissa (mum), baby Lennox (14 months), Scarlett (3) and Solomona (dad), are excited to spend Christmas at home together for the first time. Photo / Jason Oxenham
At three weeks of age he had open-heart surgery to close a hole in his heart.
"It was extremely scary for us because when he went in for open heart surgery we didn't get the chance to say goodbye and we didn't know if he was coming back alive," Stowers said.
The tough wee fighter did come back with his heart successfully repaired, but he faced another hurdle. Lennox was also born with an abnormal ribcage which didn't connect to his spine and meant he was dependent on a ventilator to help him breath.
Lennox after open heart surgery at just three weeks of age. Photo / Supplied
Just one week before Christmas last year, Lennox had a tracheostomy, which is a surgical procedure involving a breathing tube, called a track tube, being placed through a hole in the front of the neck and into the windpipe.
For the next 10 months, including last Christmas Day, Lennox was monitored at Starship, with his mum spending eight hours of every day by his side.
Larissa Stowers with baby Lennox (14 months) excited to spend Christmas at home together for the first time. Photo / Jason Oxenham
"I would take his sister [Scarlett] to the hospital in the morning then go back with my husband at night. It was really tough but you do it for the love of your kids," Stowers said.
Thanks to training given by the Douglas Starship Simulation Programme, the West Auckland parents were able to take Lennox home in September.
"It's the best feeling ever to have him home with us knowing that we won't have to spend all that money on petrol and be juggling everything all the time," Larissa said.
The family will spend this Christmas together in the comfort of their own home.
Baby Lennox will get to open his presents with his sister Scarlett (3) at home this Christmas. Photo / Jason Oxenham
"Scarlett will be able to open her presents with Lennox, and she loves having him here. We will be able to get our first family photo with Santa too. We are really happy and thankful to Starship for everything they have done."
This year as many as 180 children will spend Christmas in Starship, including around 50 fragile little New Zealanders in Starship's Paediatric and Newborn Intensive Care Unit.
