Baby Oliver Richmond home for Christmas after ‘miracle’ heart surgeries

It’s the ultimate Christmas blessing a couple could only dream about six months ago: having their baby son home for Christmas.

Baby Oliver will spend his first Christmas at home after several heart operations at Queensland Children’s Hospital in Brisbane. Picture: Jamie Hanson

IT’S the ultimate Christmas blessing Brittany Richmond could only dream about six months ago.

Brittany, husband Will and their baby son Oliver will spend Christmas Day at home on Tuesday, thanks to the people they call “total miracle workers” – the cardiac team at the Queensland Children’s Hospital in Brisbane.

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Eight months pregnant with their firstborn, Brittany and Will, both aged 25, had to pack up their Perth rental house, put their furniture in storage and fly 3600km to Brisbane after Oliver was diagnosed with a severe heart defect while still in the womb.

Oliver had hypoplastic left heart syndrome – the left side of his heart was so deformed, he effectively had half a heart.

But the delicate surgery he would require to his walnut-sized heart soon after birth was unavailable in Western Australia and without it, he would not survive.

Brittany flew to Brisbane to give birth at the Mater Mothers’ Hospital and Oliver was transferred to the adjacent Queensland Children’s Hospital at South Brisbane just hours later.

Weighing 2.6kg, he had his first heart surgery at just six days old on July 31.

Within hours of the surgery ending, Oliver’s parents were called back to the hospital at 3am when their tiny son’s heart stopped beating. In a medical emergency, he had cardio pulmonary resuscitation for 14 minutes.

“They were still doing CPR when we arrived back at the hospital,” Mrs Richmond said. “They wouldn’t let us go in and kept us in the other room. That was the point when we didn’t actually think he would make it.”

But Oliver survived the cardiac arrest, had more surgery in late November and was allowed to fly home to Perth last week just in time for Christmas.

“I would have to say it’s the biggest Christmas present ever,” Mrs Richmond said.

“It’s been the most testing six months of our lives. It’s made us realise what’s important in life. Family is the most important thing. We’re just thankful that he’s still here and he’s a happy little baby. He’s just the biggest blessing to us.”

Oliver flew from Brisbane to Perth with his parents and a nurse on Thursday. He’s been admitted to the Perth Children’s Hospital but will be given a day pass to spend Christmas Day with family.

The five-month-old is expected to be discharged from hospital within weeks.

He will return to Brisbane for more surgery in a few years’ time.

Oliver is among about one in 100 Australian children born with heart defects.

To donate to the Children’s Hospital Foundation visit the website.