When Julius was born on May 15 at the University Hospital of North Durham, he seemed like a perfectly healthy baby.
But his parents, from Langley Moor, County Durham, soon began to worry when they noticed their newborn son’s hands looked purple and the area around his nails black.
Antonia Mulhall and Scott Rothwell’s excitement turned to sheer horror when they learned Julius was in fact born with a ‘back to front’ heart – and they could lose him only hours after bringing him into the world.
Antonia Mulhall and Scott Rothwell’s (both pictured) excitement turned to sheer horror when they learned their newborn baby son Julius (also pictured) was in fact born with a ‘back to front’ heart
Julius’ parents began to worry when they noticed their newborn son’s hands looked purple and the area around his nails black
Julius was immediately taken to Newcastle’s Royal Victoria Infirmary for further tests.
There, doctors diagnosed him with transposition of the great arteries – a rare condition which affects between two and three babies in every 10,000.
The defect occurs when the two main arteries going out of the heart – the pulmonary artery and the aorta – are switched in position.
‘When I saw his colour I mentioned it to a nurse, but it can take a little while for oxygen to reach the hands and feet so we didn’t think too much of it at first,’ said salon owner Antonia, 37.
She added: ‘But when they were checking him over to see if we could go home, his SATS readings were extremely low.’
‘We were told he needed to have open heart surgery to switch the valves round. The success rate for the surgery is extremely high but you always think your baby might be that one that doesn’t make it.
Julius (pictured healthy now) was immediately taken to Newcastle’s Royal Victoria Infirmary for further tests
His defect occurs when the two main arteries going out of the heart – the pulmonary artery and the aorta – are switched in position
‘Everything we had been through, carrying the baby, having him, then all of a sudden your world feels like it’s crumbling because you think you might lose them.’
Julius was transferred to the Freeman Hospital, where surgeons planned to operate on him in two weeks’ time.
But when he was just two days old, Julius’ heart rate shot up by almost double and he was rushed in for surgery two days later.
Antonia said: ‘By this point we were at an all-time low seeing our gorgeous new child nil by mouth waiting for his operation.
‘Luckily the surgery went really well and from then on he’s been doing fantastically.’
After two long weeks, Antonia and hairdresser Scott, who have five other children between them, were able to take Julius home.
To say thank you, they held an afternoon tea fundraiser for the Children’s Heart Unit Fund in honour of the surgeons who saved Julius’ life.
After two long weeks, Antonia and hairdresser Scott, who have five other children between them, were able to take Julius home
She said: ‘That time in hospital was the worst two weeks of my life. It was the most traumatic thing we’ve ever had to deal with, but it was made so much easier by the staff at the Freeman.
‘From the porters to the surgeons who saved his life, they made our pain somehow bearable.
‘It’s unreal to think what Julius went through now – he’s a fighter and he’s nothing like he was three months ago.’