Sydney Children’s Hospital patient Lani brought home for Christmas
Lani Daniel has spent all 17 months of her short life in hospital after being born severely premature at 24 weeks and no bigger than a tub of butter but now in a Christmas miracle, her mum Emma has taken her home.
NSW
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It's nothing short of a Christmas miracle that it's time to go home for baby Lani Daniel.
The 17-month-old has spent her whole life at Sydney Children’s Hospital in Randwick, after she was born severely premature at 24 weeks and no bigger than a tub of butter last year in March.
Lani was also born with chronic lung disease, as well as a bowel obstruction that required her to undergo surgery, and her mother Emma Hutchinson was desperately praying that their newborn would make it to the end of each week.
“Lani was meant to come home for Christmas last year but she ended up getting sick and spent the next year in hospital,” Ms Hutchinson said.
“Finally in October this year, she was discharged from hospital and even though she went back in after getting sick, she will be home this time for Christmas which will be very special because it is her first one home.”
Now weighing 10.6 kilograms, the best present came early and Lani’s family are ready to share the excitement on the morning of Christmas with big brother Hayden, 4, and sister Layla, 6.
“On Christmas Day we will be at home and enjoying it because we are altogether. At least I can enjoy waking up at home with the kids,” she said.
“All the kids are excited to all be together for once and it is just going to be really nice and Lani is at an age where she won’t understand it’s a present, but can still rip it up.”
Ms Hutchinson added: “Lani has gotten stronger and will still go to hospital check ups, it’s just not as often as before.”
Originally published as Sydney Children’s Hospital patient Lani brought home for Christmas