TRUE STRENGTH
Aaron Chalmers’ ex Talia gives heartbreaking update on seriously ill son’s surgery
Talia listed the medical reasons why her son had been admitted to hospital for over a month
AARON Chalmers' ex Talia Oatway has shared a heartbreaking health update on their one-year-old son Oakley after five months in hospital.
Talia revealed earlier this week that her little boy had to go back into surgery after a hole was found in his skull, causing brain fluid to leak out.
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The influencer and model explained that Oakley has been receiving treatment in hospital for over a month now.
Talia listed the medical reasons why her son had been admitted for so long.
Alongside a sweet clip of her son in bed, the mum-of-three wrote: "My champ. Lots of messages regarding why we are here still.
"Oakley had the FOA on the skull on the 13th May.
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"He has had a lot of complications. CSF leaks, CSF infection which lead to sepsis shock.
"Two lumbar drains, a EVD drain (in the head), IV fluids and antibiotics, four surgeries in total (on this admission).
"He was in an induced coma for around six days to help his body while he was fighting the infection.
"We have been here nearly five weeks now.
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"Unfortunately with Apert Syndrome, the operations don't always go to plan.
"Oakley had to have this surgery to help his brain, development and to protect the eyes.
"This wasn't done out of choice."
Watch as emotional Talia Oatway gives health update on son with Aaron Chalmers
Talia concluded: "Everyday he shows me what true strength is."
Just yesterday, Talia admitted that she had been "struggling" and "crying a lot" after a tough week.
On Saturday, Talia told her followers that Oakley had to have surgery again to find out why his cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) was leaking.
She wrote on her Instagram stories: "Putting your child into theatre never gets easier. They are going to try and see where the leak of CSF is coming from. They won't put a shunt in yet as Oakley is still on strong IV antibiotics.
"There will be a meeting next week to discuss long-term plans if this carries on leaking. They mentioned he may have another drain fitted today."
She then updated fans today, explaining that Oakley was out of surgery and the cause of the leak had been found.
Talia wrote: "Another surgery last night. They found a hole under Oakly's skull which was leaking CSF. He's got a lumbar drain in for now to help drain the CSF.
"There will be a meeting on Monday to discuss the next step which will probably lead to another operation which could be a shunt."
Later in the day, she shared another picture with her pride and joy from his hospital room, calling him "the strongest little boy".
Oakley suffers from a rare genetic condition called Apert Syndrome, which affects how bone cells grow and divide.
Recently, Oakley was rushed into hospital with life-threatening sepsis, which occurs when the body's reaction to an infection affects the tissues and organs.
He underwent surgery at the time to drain the infection from his head.
Talia said at the time that she was "living a nightmare" and just wanted Oakley "safe and home."
"I'm not going to lie this week has been the worst week of my life. To watch my son be intubated, 2 surgeries in a matter of days, fighting sepsis, drain in his back, leaking fluid from his head, fluid resuscitation, blood transfusions, I am struggling here.
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"Oakley has a long road ahead, this is a lifelong journey and it isn’t going to be easy. But my boy, you have shown me how strong you are!
"You are brave and determined and I love you more than you’ll ever know. I hope that by sharing our journey I can raise awareness and support other medical families."
What is Apert syndrome?
APERT syndrome, also known as acrocephalosyndactyly, is a rare disorder that is named after the doctor who first discovered it in the early 20th century.
It is a genetic condition and is caused by a mutation of the FGFR2 gene.
This affects how cells in the body - namely bone cells - grow, divide and die.
Children born with Apert syndrome have a characteristic appearance, which is caused by the bones in the skull and face fusing and not growing in proportion, according to
It can increase a child's risk of hydrocephalus, which results in pressure building on the brain, and it can also cause Chiari malformation, where the base of the brain is squeezed.
Other complications include breathing difficulties and heart problems, which require life-long monitoring.
The condition is said to occurs in one in every 65,000 to 88,000 births and a child's outlook can vary greatly depending on the severity of symptoms
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