A Fort William baby – dubbed the “wee hardy Highlander” – has finally been taken home by his parents after being born with organs outside of his body.
Seamus Simpson was so delicate at birth that doctors immediately wrapped him in clingfilm to protect his intestines, which escaped through a hole in his stomach.
For the next four days, Seamus had his bowel suspended in a plastic bag above him to allow it to fall gently back into his body.
He also battled life-threatening infections and still has a potentially dangerous cyst in his bowel.
But, after a marathon fight for life in hospital in Glasgow, the baby is now home with his parents Bryan and Laura.
The couple were given the option to terminate the pregnancy when a routine scan picked up the rare defect at 12 weeks.
Mrs Simpson, 32, said: “We’ve been to hell and back, but he’s come through it all.
“He’s such a fun, happy wee man and we love him to bits. He’s stubborn, determined and, just like his dad, does everything to 100%.
“He’s our wee hardy Highlander.”
As a means of thanking the charity which allowed them to stay close to Seamus during his five weeks in hospital, Mr Simpson, a 29-year-old process operator, has raised more than £3,000 for Ronald McDonald House by completing the Inverness half-marathon.
Seamus developed a rare form of hernia called gastroschisis, which meant the abdominal wall failed to develop properly in the womb, allowing the intestines to grow outside his body.
To make sure Seamus did not grow too big, for fear his intestines could be damaged, Mrs Simpson was induced just before she hit 37 weeks.
On November 8, 2016, he was delivered at Glasgow’s Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, weighing 5lb 4oz.
Seamus was then rushed to the hospital’s neonatal intensive care unit, where his intestines were hung in a plastic bag above him. The rest of the organ was pushed back into his body by surgeons during a two-hour operation when he was five days old.
Scans later showed Seamus had a cyst in his bowel, which will continue to be monitored.
His parents know if the cyst on his bowel gets any bigger, he will need further surgery.
But, right now, they are enjoying watching their happy, healthy six-month-old develop like any other baby.
