Reid celebrates 7th birthday thanks to NETS
When Reid was born, his mum, Nicole, wasn’t sure he would make it through the night. Today he is celebrating his 7th birthday.
Reid was just one hour old when his breathing and oxygen saturation began to rapidly deteriorate. In a matter of hours, Reid was transferred from Calvary Private Hospital to Wagga Wagga Base Hospital to try and figure out what was wrong.
By the time Reid was 24 hours old, the NETS teams had been called and were on their way to help. When the teams arrived, Reid was critically ill with Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension of the Newborn (PPHN) - a dangerous condition that can cause a baby to not get enough oxygen after birth. He needed Nitric Oxide to survive.
Without a moment to lose, the team organised for this lifesaving gas to be flown in from Sydney, all the while working on Reid to help keep his little heart going until it arrived.
“We thought we may need to say goodbye to Reid but the doctors said ‘we won't give up while he continues to fight'," Nicole said.
"Then, at approximately 6pm, the nitric oxide arrived and began to work. It was a miracle - every person in the room was cheering."
Reid was transferred to the NICU at Centenary Hospital for Women and Children in Canberra, where he spent just under three weeks recovering before coming back home to Wagga Wagga.
“We cannot ever thank the NETS team enough for what they did for Reid. We are forever grateful that they saved our son’s life,” Nicole said.
“Reid's improvement was a miracle and Brady and I know for certain that he would not be with us if it were not for the NETS retrieval team.”
Reid was later diagnosed with cerebral palsy, a complication of his condition, but true to his ‘never give up’ attitude, he doesn’t let anything stop him. With the help of his physio, Luke, Reid has grown into a determined, funny and inspiring young man, who is kicking goals, both at home and at school.