VANCOUVER -- An Abbotsford mom who gave birth by emergency C-section while battling COVID-19 has been brought out of an induced coma and has finally met her baby boy.
An update posted on the family’s GoFundMe page says doctors eased Gillian McIntosh out of sedation late last week and she no longer requires a ventilator, although she remains in the ICU.
McIntosh tested positive for COVID-19 on Nov. 6, while nearly 36 weeks pregnant, and was admitted to hospital a few days later.
On Nov. 10, with her condition deteriorating, doctors decided she needed a ventilator.
The emergency C-section was performed that night and her newborn son spent the first 15 days of his life in the NICU while his mother was in a coma in the ICU.
On Nov. 25, father Dave McIntosh was able to leave the hospital with his newborn son while his wife continued to fight for her life.
At the time, McIntosh told CTV News the family wouldn’t be sharing the baby’s name publicly until Gillian was able to meet him.
“Over the weekend, Gillian was finally introduced to her son, Travis Len,” the family reported on the GoFundMe page in an update Wednesday.
“Gillian remains in the ICU for now, requiring critical care monitoring, but remains stable. Once ready, she is expected to be moved to another unit to further her recovery.”
The family also expressed gratitude to medical staff who worked with both Gillian and little Travis Len.
"We would like to extend our sincere appreciation to the medical staff at Abbotsford Regional Hospital for their outstanding care of both Gillian and our newborn son,” the update said. “The cruel and unforgiving nature of COVID-19 has put our family through so much this past month, but for the many months of the pandemic now, our front line healthcare workers have endured so much more.”
Although Gillian has shown promising signs of improvement, the family stressed they still don’t know how much longer she will be in hospital, and what long term effects of COVID-19 she may continue to live with when she is eventually released.
