TINY Taylor Gardner, who made headlines around the world when she was fitted with an external adult-size pacemaker after being born at just 25 weeks, reached an important milestone this month.
A team of Monash Medical Centre doctors hooked her tiny heart up to an external pacemaker in May in an operation that, it is believed, had never been done on a baby weighing just 540 grams. Last Wednesday, the doctors reported the device had kept Taylor alive for 130 days until they could install a permanent pacemaker.
Neonatologist Alex Veldman said
the next steps would be to withdraw Taylor's respiratory support and increase normal feeding so she can go home in coming months.
Taylor's mother, Rebecca Gardner, said she cried with happiness when she saw her daughter emerge from surgery without wires connected to her heart.
Among other things, it meant she could hold her baby more freely.
"If she's home for Christmas, I've already told people that I will put a bow on her and put her under the Christmas tree. She will be my Christmas present."
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