‘It’s special to have him here’: Nurse celebrates Father’s Day after nearly losing baby boy

This is not nurse Luke Glassington’s first Father’s Day as a dad, but it is likely to be the most special one he will ever share with his family. READ WHY >>

THIS is not nurse Luke Glassington’s first Father’s Day as a dad, but it is likely to be the most special one he will ever share with his family.

His now 11-week-old son, Asher, deteriorated so quickly at their Howden home a month ago, Mr Glassington feared he may lose his youngest son.

“He wasn’t himself,” Mr Glassington told the Mercury.

“Something didn’t feel right. Something was up.”

The father works at the Royal Hobart Hospital but was enjoying a Sunday off when his normally smiley son lost colour in his lips and became severely dehydrated.

Registered nurse Luke Glassington and his 11-week-old son Asher. Picture: Chris Kidd

Mr Glassington and his wife, Jen, who is also a nurse, had a gut feeling their baby boy required urgent medical attention and rushed him to the hospital.

Within moments of arriving to the emergency department, Asher was taken from them to the “resus” area to receive lifesaving treatment.

“Whenever you’re in the emergency department, you probably fear the worst,” Mr Glassington said.

“We’re usually at the bedside, being … the caregiver, so being on the other side was quite hard.”

Asher was suffering from a life-threatening viral illness, which his immune system was struggling to overcome, but the couple were confident in the staff at the RHH.

“We know how awesome the staff are and what the quality of care is like,” he said.

Ms Glassington added that as soon as Asher was in the care of the nurses and doctors at the RHH, she knew he was going to be OK – and not because her husband works there.

Registered nurse Luke Glassington and his 11-week-old son Asher. Picture: Chris Kidd

“The bottom line is, when they need to react, they will react to the sickest person,” she said.

“And they did that, promptly and efficiently and that’s why Asher is OK.

“I can’t fault the RHH.”

The then 6-week-old spent five days on the paediatric ward before returning home to his two siblings.

“His older brothers are just besotted with him,” she said.

“They adore him from dawn until dusk.”

Mr Glassington said he will celebrate a “low key” Father’s Day in Howden, after the family travelled up to Agfest and camped last weekend.

He said they would likely spend Sunday enjoying some “family time”, which may look like a coffee and a walk along Kingston Beach.

But ultimately, it does not matter where they are or what they do.

“It’s special to have him here. It’s special to have a family,” he said.

“We all get to enjoy this amazing life that we have together.”

Originally published as ‘It’s special to have him here’: Nurse celebrates Father’s Day after nearly losing baby boy