[VIDEO & PHOTOS] Undiagnosed and unpredictable: baby Blake still fighting.
After trending on Twitter when Krugersdorp had a recent power outage, baby Blake is still struggling for his life everyday, waiting to find out what's wrong with him.
He came into this world fast asleep – and has stayed in hospital for four months after birth.
Now baby Blake Liam Lowe is finally home, but doctors still don’t know what’s wrong with him.
And to make matters worse, an unexpected power outage shut down Blake’s life support, leaving his mother Michelle Lowe in a panic to help him breathe.
“I posted on the Facebook group, Please help Blake Liam, about my situation and the reaction was tremendous,” Michelle said.
Former News journalist Jacobus Myburgh assisted Michelle by bringing her in contact with Riaz Aziz and staff from Vitalmed. Both these parties joined hands and got an inverter, an unconventional generator, at Michelle’s home before the end of the night.
“Eric Nicollas and his wife Siobhan from Vitalmed delivered the second inverter, covering all Blake’s oxygen needs as well as offered their services when and if Blake needs to go back to hospital,” Michelle explained.
The following day, Kyle Bekker, owner of Eurogrid electrical, donated another inverter to Michelle.
“I saw the post shared by a friend on Facebook. I was able to help, so I did,” Kyle said.
Michelle told the News that she is extremely grateful.
Since Blake’s release last Friday, her life is in a bit of a crisis.
“The hospital phoned me on that Wednesday and said that he will be released on Friday and I jut started a new full-time job to support both my children. So I was not prepared for what happened on Monday night at all.”
After four months of intensive testing, two magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans, sweat tests, newborn screening and three lectroencephalogram (EEG) tests, baby Blake has undergone a series of traumatic experiences. Michelle can feel it in the way he pushes away when you pick him up or turns his head when you want to kiss him. But he has allowed more attention over the last few days.
“Yet they still don’t know what is wrong with him. We even tested him for cancer.”
Between Netcare Garden City Clinic and Netcare Krugersdorp Hospital, Michelle’s medical aid is completely depleted. Now, she relies on her salary and donations form family and friends to make ends meet.
“Sometimes I am too proud to ask for help, but I do need it.”
Patti Woods, Michelle’s adoptive mother, is helping her with Blake and is Michelle’s greatest supporter.
“She has been there since the beginning at every doctor’s visit,” Michelle said.
Michelle aid that she will continue to provide Blake with the best medical care that he needs. Because if his life support runs out like it did on Monday, baby Blake will slowly suffocate.
After Blake has already stopped breathing in his mother’s arms, went into many seizures, had various panic attacks and even entered a coma-like state for an entire day, he is still fighting for his life one day at a time. And his mother can do nothing but smile and be strong for him.
For more photos of baby Blake, click here.
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