Frank’s fighting on

It is hard to fathom the toddler weighed in at just 601g when born to parents Amie McGillivray and Florio Skratulja.

Following the couple’s fifth round of IVF, Amie became pregnant with twins in December 2021.

Just 24 weeks into her pregnancy, she had a bleed, and was flown to Melbourne from Bendigo for monitoring.

One week later, Amie went into labour, undergoing an emergency C-section at Mercy for Women Hospital, giving birth to extremely premature baby boys.

“It was scary,” Amie said.

“We just didn't know what was happening... they were going to try and deliver them naturally, and then Frank's heart rate dropped and Luka’s was right up, so then I had to have an emergency Caesarian and get knocked out.

“I (woke) up from the anaesthetic and had no idea what had happened, whether they had survived.”

Both of them were admitted to the NICU, Frank at Mercy and Luka — who was 746g — at the Royal Children’s Hospital.

At eight days old, experiencing brain bleeds and a bowel perforation, Amie, Florio and Amie’s daughter, Tori, said goodbye to Luka.

“We got to transfer Luka back to the Mercy where I had him,” Amie said.

“It was beautiful, like the nurses and everything, they were so kind.

“They were like family, they were just crying with you... it was nice.”

The day of Luka’s funeral was Frank’s sickest day, and an extremely tough day for the whole family.

Paying Frank a visit in the morning, Amie and Florio sat anxiously through Luka’s service.

“The doctors were all there with 100 per cent oxygen, not knowing whether he was going to survive,” Amie said.

“You’re just sitting there, at his brother’s funeral, unsure, just waiting on a phone call.”

The time that followed was up and down for Frank, spending a total of five-and-a-half months in hospital, undergoing a bilateral inguinal hernia repair and laser treatment for retinopathy of prematurity (ROP).

Amie was blown away with the support of the staff at the Mercy and at the RCH.

“When Frank had the surgery at five-and-a-half months, Luka’s paediatrician came in to see us,” she said.

“They just go out of their way.

“Us being really anxious about (the surgery), she came back in — she wasn’t on, but she came back in — and spoke to us.”

Eventually, the family left the Mercy on October 21, 2022, 150 days since Frank and Luka were born, but Frank still needed specialised support outside the hospital walls.

“He was on oxygen until eight-and-a-half months,“ Amie said.

“So we had home oxygen for four months... I think it was like 19 months he was tube fed to.”

After a few months staying close to care in Altona, Amie, Florio and Frank arrived back in Torrumbarry in January 2023.

Despite the fear of being away from their medical team in Melbourne, the family has felt supported by local doctors in Cohuna.

Frank’s time in hospital did not stop in October 2022, visiting the RCH with pneumonia, for check-ups on his eyes, and for a tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy with an orchiopexy last month.

He also regularly has paediatrician and dietitian appointments at Sunshine Hospital, and visits his allied health team in Echuca.

“He still sees physio, OT, speech,” Amie said.

“The language and cognitive is well above where it should be, and he lets you know too.

“He’s so funny, and so easy. He makes the journey so much easier for us.”

Each year, the Torrumbarry community gets behind the Good Friday Appeal including with the CFA collection.

In 2024, $18,885 was raised for the cause.

This year, Gunbower Family Hotel will be holding a raffle, supported by Torrumbarry Fishing Club.

A range of prizes have been donated by local businesses for the event, set for Thursday, April 17, with the raffle drawn at 8pm.

“You don’t realise how much you do need the hospital until you’ve been there,” Amie said.

“And your story’s nothing compared to some of the others.”

To donate directly to Torrumbarry’s Good Friday Appeal fundraising page, head to fundraise.goodfridayappeal.com.au/fundraiser/Torrumbarry