Gracie had a stent procedure in hospital and now requires heart surgery.
A fundraiser has been set up to help the parents of a Lincoln baby who requires life-saving heart surgery.
Gracie Johnson is nine-and-a-half months old. When her mother Paige Jackson was 25 weeks pregnant she found out that her daughter has Tetralogy of Fallot, which is four congenital heart defects.
Gracie was born five weeks early on May 5 last year and had to spend three weeks in ICU at Nottingham City Hospital as she needed more specialist care.
Gracie has spent a lot of time in hospital since she was born in May 2020.
Her mother was by her bedside, but her father Mitchell Johnson was only allowed to stay at the hospital for around a week due to the coronavirus restrictions.
She was finally allowed home after four weeks, but her condition started to deteriorate and she was very unsettled.
Gracie has been under the care of Glenfield Hospital in Leicester, but at one point when Paige couldn’t get through to them in June last year, she phoned 111 and an ambulance was sent for Gracie.
She had to be put straight onto oxygen and put on the highest dose allowed because her levels were so low. She was admitted to hospital.
Gracie with her mum Paige Jackson (left) and her dad Mitchell Johnson (right).
Gracie was put on a life saving drug to help her heart while the hospital team decided on the best course of action.
A stent procedure was carried out and she was in intensive care for another three days before being put onto a ward.
Gracie Johnson needs major heart surgery.
Gracie had a few complications, including an absent pulse in her leg, and needed a blood transfusion from her mum, as well as being put on a ventilator for 48 hours. She stayed on the ward at Glenfield for two-and-a-half weeks.
She is on a lot of medication and her parents have been given basic life support training and carry out home monitoring that needs chartered daily.
Paige, 24, is a self-employed hairdresser and has been unable to work due to the coronavirus pandemic and caring for Gracie. Her father Mitchell is a self-employed dryliner, which is supporting the family but they are worried about future costs.
Paige’s cousin Becca Jackson set up a GoFundMe page to raise money for the family if accommodation is needed in Birmingham whilst Gracie is in hospital and to help maintain home life ready for Gracie’s return.
Over £1,400 has so far been raised – click here to make a donation.
Gracie with her parents Paige Jackson and Mitchell Johnson.
The family went back to Glenfield Hospital on February 24 for an ECHO scan, ECG and consultation. The cardiologist was worried about Gracie as her pulmonary artery is blocked and she kept going blue.
Birmingham’s Children Hospital were contacted to try and push the 12-hour operation forward and Paige told The Lincolnite: “We should find out a date for the operation on Friday for sometime in the next week or so.
“I have to keep checking her oxygen levels throughout the day, which I have been shown how to do, and we have open access at the local hospital in Lincoln who can support her when needed and transfer her to Birmingham if her condition gets worse.
“I want to say a massive thank you (to the staff at Glenfield Hospital and other hospitals) for trying to save our daughter. We can’t thank them enough as without them she wouldn’t be here.
“They are unbelievable and go above and beyond, they are so family orientated and care for us and not just her.
“I am happy that she is getting sorted, but am nervous and feel very anxious. She is the light of our lives she’s amazing.”
Gracie’s mother said “she is the light of our lives”.
Becca told The Lincolnite: “Paige and Mitch have been amazing since the moment Gracie got her diagnosis. The strength and courage they have shown at every obstacle has been nothing short of inspirational.
“Gracie is such an amazing and brave little girl, and if this gives her mum and dad one less thing to worry about at such a difficult time then it’s done its job.
“We are behind them all the way and I’m truly overwhelmed at the kindness and generosity people have shown so far, at what is a difficult time for everybody.”
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There have been 88 new coronavirus cases in Greater Lincolnshire and one COVID-related death on Monday as restrictions eased across the UK as part of the PM’s roadmap out of lockdown.
The government’s COVID-19 dashboard on April 12 recorded 58 new cases in Lincolnshire, 16 in North East Lincolnshire and 14 in North Lincolnshire.
On Monday, one death was recorded in Lincolnshire and none in Northern Lincolnshire. This figure includes deaths both in and out of hospitals, as well as residents in hospitals outside the county.
NHS England reported no changes to the hospital death figures across the region, which still stands at 1,300 from a week ago.
Nationally, cases increased by 3,568 to 4,373,343, while deaths rose by 13 to 127,100.
In local news, North Kesteven has the most over 50s vaccinated with the first dose of a COVID-19 jab in Lincolnshire, whereas Boston has the least.
However, South Kesteven has the most 18 to 49 year olds vaccinated in Greater Lincolnshire with Lincoln having the least, according to research by Sky News.
There were 398 coronavirus cases in Greater Lincolnshire and 10 COVID-related deaths last week — a 43% drop in cases and 23% fewer deaths compared to the previous week.
Hundreds of people queued outside Debenhams and at several barbers and salons in the city as Lincoln, and the rest of England, entered the next stage of the roadmap out of coronavirus lockdown on Monday, April 12. The pubs and bars had a good day too.
The latest rules allow for the retail sector to fully reopen its doors for customers again, two weeks after the previous lockdown easing on March 29 which resumed outdoor socialising for up to six people – see the list of rules here.
Coronavirus data for Greater Lincolnshire on Monday, April 12
Greater Lincolnshire includes Lincolnshire and the unitary authorities of North and North East (Northern) Lincolnshire.
58,722 cases (up 88)
40,909 in Lincolnshire (up 58)
9,226 in North Lincolnshire (up 14)
8,587 in North East Lincolnshire (up 16)
2,182 deaths (up one)
1,610 from Lincolnshire (up one)
304 from North Lincolnshire (no change)
268 from North East Lincolnshire (no change)
of which 1,300 hospital deaths (no change)
808 at United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust (no change)
41 at Lincolnshire Community Health Service hospitals (no change)
1 at Lincolnshire Partnership Foundation Trust (no change)
450 in Northern Lincolnshire (NLAG) (no change)
4,373,343 UK cases, 127,100 deaths
DATA SOURCE — FIGURES CORRECT AT THE TIME OF THE LATEST UPDATE. POSTCODE DATA INCLUDES DEATHS NOT IN HEALTHCARE FACILITIES OR IN HOSPITALS OUTSIDE AUTHORITY BOUNDARIES.
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