A mum has spoken of her battle with a children's hospital to be allowed to bring her baby home. Rowan-George Woodruff has been confined to a ward in Manchester Children's Hospital for much of his young life after being born with a condition in his throat called an atresia.
Rowan was forced to undergo a tracheotomy soon after birth after medics discovered that he was born with no upper airway or windpipe The rare condition meant that doctors had to construct an airway using his ribcage and through his voice box.
Ashleigh Bamber, 28, has told of her "absolute hell" over the past year as she has battled to get her son home as medics have insisted that he needs constant monitoring and two-to-one care at all times. The mum of two believes that doctors are 'scared' to discharge him and previously telling Ashleigh her baby could return home with a care package in place.
Ashleigh told Lancs Live: "He's such a rare case. They’re so frightened of him being discharged.
"I just want him home with his family. This has made me feel like a very lonely person. My body says you’ve had a baby and craves your child when you’re not with them."
Rowan has only been allowed home for brief visits meaning Ashleigh has had to travel from Preston to Manchester - a 35-mile journey daily - to see her son. Her partner Aaron Woodruff who is self-employed has had to support the family after the mum quit her job to be able to care for Rowan and her eight-year-old son Cameron Tymon, who has autism.
She said: “I have an autistic eight-year-old and maintain a house. Manchester isn’t around the corner from me so it’s a long way. I go five to six times a week but it’s not enough, he’s my child, my baby.”
Ashleigh has so far spent £5000 adapting her home after doctors told her that he could return home as part of a discharge package - but says the hospital then refused to discharge him. She said: “He had all the equipment at home.
"But at the last minute the hospital said it wasn’t going to be enough and he needed two carers, not one. It’s absolutely heartbreaking – I’ve got all of his equipment here, all of his clothes and he’s not here.
“He’s my son and I just can’t have him. I know he misses me because as soon as he sees me, he’s happy and gets all excited and can’t get to me quick enough. I understand the hospital has done so much - they’ve saved his life and I appreciate everything they’ve done.
"But since the surgery there’s so much they’re forgetting to do. They leave him on his own and don’t play with him – every night there’s not a cuddle at bedtime, no kisses or comfort. The hospital says, ‘We don’t want you to be left alone, he needs two people at all times’.
"What they’re concerned about is if the tracheotomy is blocked or removed. Then, he has no airway and there is a big possibility he could die. I'm very aware of that. But we are more than prepared to sit and be with him all the time. I know you can’t just nip out and make a brew."
Ashleigh claims the hospital will only fund one carer for 145 hours a week, leaving Rowan-George without a carer for 23 hours a week. She says they are unable to pay for a carer for 23 hours a week themselves, and says she would be required to be the second full-time carer - meaning she would be around her son 24 hours a day, leaving her unable to return to work.
A spokesperson for Manchester Children's Hospital said: “We aim to get all our patients back home as quickly as is safely possible and, with several family members now trained in Rowan-George's care, everyone's very pleased that he could enjoy Christmas at home.
"We'll continue to support Rowan-George and his family towards a successful discharge. A fully-funded care package has been agreed for him by the NHS and recruitment is now taking place for his carers."
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