A little girl with 'half a heart' is facing her toughest fight yet due to major complications following her latest life-saving surgery.
Caitlin Wright, five, who was born with Shone syndrome and other complications, had already endured five open heart surgeries, but a further batch of procedures has left her the "sickest she's ever been".
What was intended to be her last operation on January 16 at Freeman Hospital in Newcastle to keep her healthy caused her blood pressure to drop and a loss of blood supply to her colon.
This began to cause potentially fatal sepsis while another op to remove dying tissue meant a stoma bag needed to be fitted, reports the Chronicle Live.
A fungal infection then entered Caitlin's blood before scans then revealed she'd suffered a stroke.
The schoolgirl's mum Nicky Wright said: "We just feel like, 'for God's sake, is there anything else?' Just give her a break. We take one step forward and then we go two steps back."
The 43-year-old from Brandon, County Durham, said after three weeks in hospital "it's not getting any further" and admitted yesterday the "next 48 hours are crucial".
"Last Tuesday, for example, she was really good, she was watching Moana and trying to sing along, even though she's ventilated so she can't make a sound, but then she just goes back," said Nicky.
"She's very tough, but it's hard. I think it's four times now that I've been told 'she's very sick, she might die'.
"Yesterday her doctor told me she's the sickest she's ever been - he said, we're not giving up on her, we're doing everything we can. The next 48 hours are crucial."
Five different factors, including the infection in her blood, must improve quickly for a heart transplant that will give Caitlin a chance.
Nicky has been at her side ever since she first arrived in hospital, and with her daughter in intensive care, she is sleeping in the Sick Children's Trust's nearby Scott House.
But the desperate ordeal has put a huge strain on the family.
Caitlin's dad George is at home looking after his other daughters Megan, eight, and Amelia, three, and with only one car he has to get two buses and a train to the hospital.
While Nicky is missing her other daughters desperately who continually ask where Caitlin is.
She said: "Amelia keeps saying 'are you coming home, you're taking ages?' - she says she misses Caitlin and she knows she's here but she doesn't really understand what's going on.
"I try to go home once a week, and video call my other kids, but it has been very hard."
Nicky has been unable to get to work due to spending so much time at the hospital, and she can only claim a small amount of statutory sick pay.
Universal Credit, meanwhile, to support the family will arrive a month later than it is needed, so Nicky has set up a fundraising page on Facebook.
She hopes friends can help support her and her family in their hour of need.
She said: "I've never asked for anything in my whole life, I've always just pushed on, but we thought anything people could give would help. We only set a target of £200 but people have been so generous, it's amazing - we've had donations from people I don't even know."
Brandon Primary School pupil Caitlin's experiences in hospitals have left her wanting to be a doctor when she grows up.
The youngster has already dealt with more operations and health scares than most adults, and has taken them all in her stride.
Now, her family are simply left hoping she will be able to get through the next two days and her condition will improve.
Her mum said: "Because she's only got half a working heart, she gets breathless quite easily, but she wants to do everything the same as everyone else. Her school have been amazing, they've really allowed her to do that, and if she wants to do something, she knows her limits but she's determined she will do it.
"I remember one time when she came home after having open heart surgery, and she just wanted to go on the trampoline straight away.
"Everyone loves her to bits, she's so caring, she looks after the younger ones, or the ones who are a bit shy, at her school, she's like a little mother.
"Everyone says she's just the bravest person they've ever met, she takes everything in her stride. She's amazing."
Donations to support Caitlin and her family can be made by clicking here.
