Breathing new life - Austons Heart & Lung Transplant Journey

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Breathing new life - Austons Heart & Lung Transplant Journey

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Born with Idiopathic Pulmonary Hypertension, Scimitar Syndrome and Eisenmenger Syndrome… it’s time to follow Auston through his pre and post Heart & Lung transplant journey ~ 18 years in the making!!

01/08/2025

Auston Update! 💪❤️

We were back at St Vincent’s today for Auston’s routine check-up with his incredible transplant team – and our boy just keeps on kicking goals! 🌟

He’s recently battled Influenza B (because why not throw a flu into the mix!) and, true to form, he kicked arse – only suffered mildly and is recovering really well. 💥👏

We’re still working on getting his tacrolimus levels just right, and today he officially transitioned to a once-a-day dosage to see if that helps with stability.

Other than that, he’s absolutely thriving. His strength, resilience, and attitude continue to inspire us every single day. 💖

Thank you so much to everyone who’s cheering him on – your love and support mean the world! 💕

04/07/2025

💥 Update time for our legend Auston! 💥

Back at St Vincent’s today for routine check-ups with the transplant dream team — and we’re thrilled to report that everything is still going brilliantly for our boy! 🙌

His heart is ticking like a Swiss watch, and those new lungs? Absolutely thriving! 💓💨
His lung function is currently smashing expectations for this stage of recovery — even the doctors are doing happy dances (we assume… silently… behind their clipboards). 🕺🩺

Now, we’re still navigating the rollercoaster that is anti-rejection meds — lots of tweaking and monitoring — but the best news? No signs of rejection! 🎉

Kidneys? Still a bit grumpy, but holding steady — and in transplant world, that’s a win! 🥇

Outside the hospital bubble, Auston’s been making the most of life at 18 — friends, festivities, freedom, and finding his own rhythm again. After everything he’s been through, he’s absolutely earned every second of it. 🌟

Thank you for continuing to cheer him on — your support means the world to us 💛💙

And donuts. Just because 🍩

05/06/2025

For 18 years we’ve been driving the very long trip between Valla and Sydney for check ups!

Today, we fly!!

04/05/2025

It’s hard to put into words what the last several months have been like, but as I finally have a quiet moment to reflect, I wanted to share with you all a (not short 😅) video of our journey and give you an update on our incredible boy!

On October 11th, 2024, our lives were changed forever when Auston suffered a cardiac arrest at home and was rushed to Royal Prince Alfred Hospital. Just over a month later, on November 14th, he was placed on ECMO—a critical and intense form of life support. For 54 days, we lived moment to moment, holding on to hope.

On January 8th, we were given the most miraculous gift - a beautiful healthy heart and two incredible new lungs. A second chance at life for our beautiful boy. Now, nearly four months post-transplant, I can finally say those days feel a little further behind us.

Throughout it all, we’ve been lifted and carried by a community that spans the country—family, friends, and even strangers here on Facebook—who stood beside us with unwavering love, prayers, and support. Your kind words, messages, and generosity have meant the world to us 🫶

Because of your support, I was able to stay by Auston’s side through every moment—something I will never take for granted. Only last week did I return to work, and I know we couldn’t have made it through this time without your help. From GoFundMe donations, fundraisers, and personal contributions, we are forever grateful. Truly, from the bottom of our hearts—thank you ❤️

And now, for the best news!!
Auston’s latest biopsy showed ZERO signs of rejection. ZERO!
He’s living a normal teenage life - catching up with friends, and preparing to get his driver’s license!

Life has changed in a way we never could have imagined, and while the road was long and filled with uncertainty, we’ve arrived at today with hope, gratitude, and so much love in our hearts.

To everyone who’s followed his journey—you’ve helped write his story of survival and strength and we are so, so thankful.

With all our love

❤️

05/04/2025

✨SURPRISE welcome home gathering ✨

Hello beautiful people - we are heading down to the Nambucca Golf Club today at 3pm to hold a little “welcome home” gathering for Auston!

Nothing formal, just a space for all his mates and people who’d love to see his gorgeous face to come say hey in a casual setting!

It’s a beautiful day and Austons feeling well so if you’re out and about and would like to come say hey, everyone’s arriving around 3 and we will be there around 3:15!

We just ask that you don’t come if you are feeling or have been unwell 🙏

Ps. So far no one had let it slip to Auston!
I know he has a few of his friends on this page so let’s keep it hush hush!! 😅 thanks guys!

❤️

02/04/2025

✨ Guess who’s home?!?!? 🤩 We are!!✨

After six long months in Sydney, we are so incredibly grateful and overjoyed to let you guys know that Auston and I are finally back home in beautiful Valla Beach!

It’s been such a long journey, we’re slowly settling back into normal life, finding our feet and embracing being back with our beautiful family!! 🥰

Auston is doing amazing – his recovery is going better than we could have ever hoped for. We truly feel blessed to see him thriving and living his best life!

That being said, our journey isn’t quite over.. We’ll still be traveling to Sydney every two weeks for appointments with the transplant team to ensure everything continues going smoothly. This will continue for the foreseeablee future..

Next week, Auston will be having a biopsy of his lungs to check for any signs of rejection, but other than that, we’re celebrating his amazing progress!

To all of you – our amazing family, friends, and Facebook followers – your love, support, encouragement, and well wishes have meant the world to us throughout this entire journey. We honestly couldn’t have done it without you.
This day, this moment of coming home, is something we’ve all worked so hard towards, and your unwavering support has been a huge part of that. 🫶

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts. We’re looking forward to this next chapter with hope and gratitude in our hearts. 💕

So much love from both of us xx

Ps. Can’t wait to share the incredible pictures with everyone shortly!!

25/03/2025

Being immersed in the daily rollercoaster of hospital life, it’s easy to forget just how vast and impactful this experience has truly been.

What an incredible and mind-blowing journey it’s been as a parent. I can barely fathom what it has been like to walk this road in Auston’s shoes. 💙

I’ve been sharing my updates with you all from a place of optimism and hope—because that’s the mum hat I wear. But to be completely honesty —there have been days that felt far from hopeful but as we approach the end of our “post-transplant” journey, I find myself reflecting on the past 6 months.

I scroll through photos, in awe of how life can change so quickly, so completely - not just for Auston, but for all of us as a family. Life will forever be changed for us Babula’s.

I can’t wait to share the pictures with you all that tell the story—from the beginning to the incredible end of this life-changing journey 📸✨ that honestly wouldn’t have been the same without you all on team!

We appreciate you.

Watch this space 🤩

23/03/2025

⭐️ Only TWO more weeks until we say goodbye to these medications!

Auston’s blood thinning journey started back in the coronary care unit at RPA, where he spent a lot of time resting and receiving daily Heparin injections to prevent blood clots 🩸 💉

As things progressed, it turned into a 24/7 Heparin infusion once he was on ECMO, then transitioned to Bivalirudin when multiple clots started forming in the ECMO machine and a significant clot appeared in his right femoral artery.

Since then, he’s been on a mix of Heparin, Bivalirudin, Warfarin, and now daily Clexane injections to manage the clot in his leg. We’re so relieved to hear that, after his final biopsy in a few weeks, he can finally stop these medications! It’s been a long journey, but the finish line is in sight!

19/03/2025

✨⭐️🌟💫

Today was an incredibly special day as Auston returned to Royal Prince Alfred to reconnect with the amazing staff from ICU, CCU and the ECMO team, along with his brilliant cardiologist who played such a vital role in his journey to transplant.

After spending 89 days as an inpatient at RPA, we will forever be grateful for the unwavering support, expertise, and compassion shown to us by the entire staff. Their dedication made Auston’s transplant possible, and seeing how far he has come today brought tears of joy to our eyes.

It was truly heartwarming to witness the smiles and hugs exchanged as everyone celebrated Auston's progress! Although, thanks to the hair cut, weight gain and the beautiful pink juicy face, he’s almost unrecognisable!! 😅🤩

We couldn’t be more thankful for the incredible care he received during those challenging days. Your hard work and commitment to your patients do not go unnoticed, and we are eternally grateful for each and every one of you.

❤️❤️❤️

18/03/2025

Welcome to our new normal - Austons always been on a lot of meds but this is next level!! 😬🫠🫣

Every Tuesday, we head to our clinic appointment with the transplant team where Auston’s medications get a full review after blood work is done. Based on the results, some meds go up, some go down, and sometimes new ones are added or swapped out. It’s a never-ending, ever-evolving process! 💊

Today, we’re making a switch back to Mycophenolate after trying Azathioprine for a few weeks. Azathioprine has a significantly higher risk of causing skin cancer, so the doctors prefer to avoid it long-term when possible. While that’s a relief, Mycophenolate might’ve been the culprit behind some of Auston’s terrible gastrointestinal issues a while back. Luckily, he’s been feeling much better since being off it, so we’re hoping for the best as we go back on it today! 🤞

We’ll be crossing our fingers that everything goes smoothly this time—because honestly, it’d be a real shame to stop Auston from eating me out of house and home every day! 😅😅

Thank you all for your ongoing support, and we’ll keep you posted on how things go. Here’s to hoping for an easy adjustment! 💙

16/03/2025

What an absolutely WONDERFUL weekend we’ve had here on the harbour!

🌟 Auston got to experience all the incredible things this city has to offer, spending quality time with good mates who travelled down from home too see him and living that normal teenage life that he so deeply deserves 🥰

Watching him walk around for hours —up and down hills, surrounded by a crowds —without a single struggle… it’s truly mind-blowing! 🤯 and in true Auston fashion, wearing a jumper on a 35 degree day 😅

For those who know Auston, you’ll understand how life-changing this moment is. To see him free from the debilitating disease that has defined so much of his life and cheated him of his independence… well, this feels nothing short of miraculous. 🙌

I’m sure it’ll take some time for this mama’s anxiety to ease every time he heads out the door, but it’s worth every single grey hair to see him happy and healthy!

And a huge shout out to our family friends who gave us the opportunity to stay at their beautiful home on the harbour which really made the weekend something special!!

❤️❤️❤️❤️

12/03/2025

✨✨✨✨✨✨✨

Hello to our amazing 431 friends, family and followers!!!

After some much-needed downtime with my beautiful boy, I’m beyond excited to share all of our progress and good news from the past few weeks!

Since being discharged from the hospital and settling into our new city digs, Auston has shown incredible improvement in every aspect of his life!

We’ve been attending appointments with doctors and physiotherapists at the hospital every other day, and the transplant team is thrilled with his progress!

Each blood test continues to show amazing improvement in his kidney function, and his daily lung function tests keep assuring us that his brand-new lungs are working perfectly! 🤩

There have been no issues with his beautiful new heart, and after starting some new medications and adjusting others, Auston’s stomach has finally stopped doing backflips! Along with big doses of steroids, he’s rediscovered his love for food, gaining over 6kgs in just the last 2 weeks!

This progress is so welcomed and such a positive sign as we prepare for our time here in the city to come to an end. If all continues on this same upward trajectory, we should be home well before Easter!! 😍

Of course, with the good days come the hard ones. The emotional rollercoaster is real, but through it all, Auston and our family are filled with immense gratitude for the donor and their family—this life-changing gift of a new heart and lungs is beyond words. 🫶

Nothing could have prepared us for what we’ve experienced as a family over the last 153 days, but my goodness, I am so proud of my incredible child. 🥰 Not only for his strength, perseverance, courage, and sheer determination, but for his unbeatable stubbornness to succeed. What a legend 💪

I’ve said it before, but I’ll say it again..
I am just so proud to be his mumma
❤️❤️❤️

Address

Valla Beach, NSW

Website

https://www.gofundme.com/f/austons-new-heart-and-lungs-to-be-born-again?utm_medium=customer&utm_source=copy_link&utm_cam

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