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Baby Douglas' Fight for Life

CASTLE KENNEDY mum Clare Stroyan this week told of the night she feared her 14-month-old son was going to die.

She and her husband Tom rushed unconscious baby Douglas to the Garrick Hospital where doctors fought successfully to stabilise him until a crash team of consultants called from Glasgow, arrived to take over.

Now, amazingly, just two weeks later, Douglas is the picture of health and has no idea of his parents’ anguish during his fight for life.

Little did Clare, who is a nurse at the Health Centre in Stranraer, realise the drama that lay ahead when Douglas developed what seemed like a cold at home at 21 Aird Crescent, Castle Kennedy.

By 10 p.m. he was unconscious and Clare and Tom raced into the Garrick with the little boy in their car.

At home in bed, sisters Catherine (8) and Angelina (3) were unaware of the fight to save their little brother.

While the consultant paediatrician and consultant anaesthetist sped through the night from the Yorkhill Children’s Hospital the 100 miles to Stranraer, two local doctors worked to stabilise Douglas.

Around midnight the consultants arrived with their portable intensive care equipment and within four hours, Douglas was fit enough to make the ambulance journey to Glasgow, followed by his anxious parents in their car.

Clare recalled:
"It was a very frightening time, very traumatic for the whole family. We thought we would lose Douglas at one stage. He was gravely ill".