Brave little fighter Harrison is finally home
They call him their little fighter - an apt name for a tiny boy who has defied the odds.
Born on February 3, 11 weeks early, and weighing just one-and-a-half pounds, Harrison Jordan's life was touch and go during his early days.
Twice his parents Melanie and Tim said their goodbyes and had him blessed by the hospital chaplain, and on both occasions he pulled through.
Now the youngster, who was as small as a £10 note when born, is back at home in Kingswinford and continuing to get stronger, currently weighing seven lbs five oz.
And on Sunday, surrounded by family and friends, he was christened - a day that his parents never thought they would see.
"It was amazing, and very emotional," said Melanie, aged 40. "It felt like we would never get to that point with Harrison.
"We always had hope, but he was such a poorly little boy.
"So it was a really happy day."
The ceremony was performed at The Church of the Ascension in Wall Heath, with a celebration after in the Kingfisher Hotel where Melanie and Tim married six years ago.
In the first months of Harrison's life, he called Russells Hall, New Cross and Birmingham Children's Hospitals home.
He was on an incubator for eight weeks when he was first born, which happened suddenly by Caesarian section after Melanie had attended a routine blood pressure check.
He had immature lungs, and nearly died twice after having a bleed on his lungs. It was about a month before his mother and father were allowed to hold him.
After coming out of the incubator Harrison was kept in hospital, in a cot, on oxygen.
But eventually he was finally allowed home on May 15.
Melanie, a medical secretary, said: "It was amazing, because again we didn't think he would ever be coming home.
"Right up until the very last minute we didn't know whether or not he was coming home."
Although he is back home, Harrison is still on oxygen, and could be for up to his first birthday. Both Melanie and Tim also had to take a resuscitation course in case anything should happen.
But despite this, his parents are now confidently taking care of him, and he is continuing to get stronger at home.
Melanie added: "He has chronic lung disease still, but that should get better by the age of four or five."
