A BABY born prematurely is facing a vital brain operation after his family’s life was changed in “the blink of an eye”.

Kobi Crolla is expected to undergo brain surgery within a matter of weeks after being born by emergency C-section at just 29 weeks and four days.

The youngster, who is still in intensive care at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, has been diagnosed with a stage four bleed on the brain – the most severe end of the scale – a pneumothorax (collapsed lung), and has had a stroke on the right side of his brain.

Mum Kirsty Grandison, who has not left the hospital since her son was born on July 17, spoke to the Courier from the hospital:

She said: “It has turned our lives upside down. Our whole lives have changed in the blink of an eye.

“It has been a massive learning curve to say the least.

“The guilt as well when I think about my blood pressure and the amount of medication I was on. I was getting blood pressure readings of 208 over 110 and the nurses still talk about it.

“They had never seen anything like it – it was just so out of control.”

Kobi Crolla is battling hard in hospital alongside mum Kirsty Grandison (Image: Contributed)

Twice, Kirsty and partner Daniel Crolla, of Prestonpans, have been told to get family to the hospital because it was feared that the youngster, who weighed just 3lbs 3oz when he was born, might not survive the next 12 hours.

Kirsty, who works as a carer, never left his bedside.

She said: “That feeling of hearing those words twice over… the first time, I did not even cry.

“My body started shaking and it was obviously the initial shock of hearing those words.

“I had a C-section and had to be wheeled round in the bed.

“We had to wait a week before we could even have cuddles because he was so poorly.

“Hearing those words twice over was absolutely horrific and having to get the kids and the family in and tell them about it was probably the most traumatic thing I have had to deal with in my life.

“It will haunt me for the rest of my life and I am so scared for the operation going forward.”

Bleed on the brain

Thirty-three-year-old Kirsty went into hospital two days before her son was born.

She had been experiencing high blood pressure and pre-eclampsia, which can affect women, usually during the second half of their pregnancy or soon after their baby is born.

Kobi was born with “eyes wide open and making noise” but was put onto CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) to help with his breathing.

However, Kirsty was woken by a consultant telling her that her new arrival had “fallen really ill” during the night and suffered a collapsed lung, leading to him being ventilated.

A drain was fitted to take fluid from his lung but a later scan revealed that he had a bleed on the brain.

A drain was fitted to Kobi Crolla's chest when he was just 32 hours old (Image: Contributed)

An operation is now being planned to help with a blockage in his brain.

Currently, it is unknown how severely the various complications will have affected Kobi, who is expected to remain in hospital for a number of weeks.

The couple, who have also endured two miscarriages, are trying to balance life with the new arrival alongside caring for Hope (nine), Kai and Orla (12), Junior (14) and 18-year-old Josh.

Kirsty added: “Kobi being born early, right now, I should be 32 weeks pregnant.

“It has not been easy and I know it is going to be a rough ride ahead.

“We are focusing on the day to day, how well he is doing at the moment and how he responds to that.”

Kobi Crolla wearing his 'I'm a little miracle' onesie (Image: Contributed)

An online fundraising appeal has also been launched to help Kirsty and Daniel, who is a bus driver with Lothian Buses, as they navigate a challenging period.

In the meantime, their focus is on little Kobi.

Kirsty added: “The nurses are like: ‘He is a little champ!’

“He has taken everything in his stride.

“For how poorly he was to how he looks now – he is a very, very strong wee boy.”

To help the family and to make a donation, go to www.gofundme.com/f/kobi-the-brave