Aaron fights
to win
By Renee Cutrupi
LITTLE Aaron Franks-Lehane has a tough road ahead of him.
Four weeks ago, meningococcal disease almost claimed the sprightly
three year-old's life.
The frightening bacterial infection - which took hold of his
healthy body with lightning speed - sent him spiraling into
cardiac arrest and on to life support.
Doctors at Canberra Hospital's intensive-care unit told Aaron's
parents that he would probably die.
But after 10 excruciatingly long days, Aaron opened his big,
brown eye's and smiled.
Despite meningococcal disease turn-ing his feet and most of
his fingers black there were no complaints from the little boy
with the fighting spirit - just a cheeky grin for mum and dad.
"We are so proud of him," Aaron's mother Michelle
Lehane said. "At one stage they were telling us that he
only had about a 25% chance of pulling through so to have him
back with us is just a miracle.
"We're so grateful. Aaron does have a tough time ahead
of him, there will be amputations and prosthetics, but we're
positive he will learn to adapt. He's already starting to find
ways of getting around. Even with the [computer games] he's
found a way to use his thumbs instead of his fingers to play."
Most of Aaron's fingers will have to be removed to the knuckle
because they were so badly infected by the disease, while specialist
are considering the options for his feet.
After Aaron's discharge from hospital on Thursday night, he
was back home at Higgins playing with his big sister Mikayla,
7.
Ms Lehane said it was a beautiful moment seeing her two children
together again in the lounge room, giggling and mucking about. |
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Photograph: Melissa Adams |
