Christmas joy with toddler home after 221 days in hospital

Battling toddler Evie Wilshusen home at last.

GIFT: Evie Wilshusen is back at home after spending 221 days in hospital. Spending time with her sisters Isla (left) and Lillian and dog, Trev.

A RARE medical condition means life for little Evelyn Wilshusen is a daily battle, but after 221 consecutive days in hospital, her family is just happy to have her home for Christmas.

From the age of about six weeks, Evie's mum AmyWilshusen knew something was terribly wrong with her girl.

A worried Mrs Wilshusen took Evie to hospital because her daughter was not eating, crying constantly and had a bloated tummy.

Two-year-old Evie suffers a complex medical condition, brain abnormality, seizures, and heart and stomach issues.

During Evie's recent lengthy stint in the Queensland Children's Hospital, she has beaten sepsis, fought through metabolic shock, been anaesthetised seven times, had four central line insertions, a lumbar puncture, input from 10 different specialists teams, and undergone countless scans, X-rays and tests.

She requires parenteral nutrition to give her essential nutrients to live.

"Evie is OK,” a relieved Mrs Wilshusen said as the family settled back into their home at Walloon.

"She will have ongoing challenges because her condition is chronic, meaning it will never go away.”

Mrs Wilshusen and her sister Sarah have been specially trained to administer Evie's parenteral nutrition at home.

With dad Jerry working long days running the family business, it's up to Mrs Wilshusen to provide care for Evie whenever she needs it, along with helping to look after her two older daughters.

"We were willing to do whatever it took to bring her home,” Mrs Wilshusen said.

"She wasn't easy to care for before but it is a big workload and it is stressful. In the same breath, it is nice to be home.

"It is not the end of the world; we still have her here with us and she has the chance to be happy and healthy and grow.

"A lot of other families we met in hospital weren't that fortunate.”

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