Little baby Grace makes miracle recovery
Jun 20 2009 by Joanne Butcher, The Journal
Four days later scans showed Grace had suffered "catastrophic brain damage".
"It was a bleak picture," Ms Ashurst said. "The doctors said they’d never seen a girl as poorly as Grace. She was baptised on the Tuesday. We came to the decision to switch off the machine on Wednesday. All the family came to say goodbye.
"Pete and I wanted to say goodbye on our own and we were told she might gasp for air before she died. They put her in my arms before they disconnected her. We had to say when we were ready for them to take the tube out of her nose. We held her in our arms and waited for her last breath."
Mr Vincent added: "It was like watching someone die over and over again. She would stop breathing for 15 seconds or so, and then start again. It was the worst time of all."
But at 4am, Grace was still breathing and even took her bottle and fed, amazing medical staff.
Ms Ashurst said: "We didn’t know what to say or do. We had prepared ourselves for the inevitable. It was like living in limbo."
Two weeks ago Grace was transferred to North Tyneside General hospital where doctors still gave her slim chances of survival. But yesterday she was discharged to her family’s continued amazement and joy.
Ms Ashurst, who also has a six-year-old daughter Megan from a previous relationship, said: "Her breathing has stabilised, showing that her brain stem is not damaged.
"Her heart rate has also stabilised. She takes her bottle well.
"She coos back at you, and she started crying three days ago which is a good sign. We thought we’d never hear that again.
"She has opened one eye but is still blind. Her pupils have begun dilating back to their normal size. If you touch her face she will lift a hand up to it.
"I do think it is miraculous in a way, given the experience of five weeks ago. We don’t look too far into the future and we are guided by Grace day by day.
"What she is doing now is amazing. Everyone has been calling her Amazing Grace. One thing I’d love is for her sight to come back. She used to love looking up when you were feeding her."
Mr Vincent added: "I think toughness runs in our blood. Grace has defied expectations, and defied science."
Dr Ki Pang, Consultant Paediatric Neurologist at Newcastle General Hospital was one of a team of doctors who helped treat little Grace. "It is good news that the baby is better," he said.
Grace’s touching story is spreading rapidly, and a catholic church in Buenos Aires now has a picture of her on its altar.
Her mother-in-law Leigh Brice, 48, a legal secretary, is taking part in a 14 mile walk from Bath to Bristol to help raise money for Meningitis UK this weekend along with Mr Vincent.
