Loxley Bretag is a little miracle.
It’s just over 12 months since the grade one student had a major brain bleed that almost killed him.
It only took 15 minutes for the then five-year-old to lose consciousness after complaining of a sharp pain behind his eyes.
He was rushed to Biloela Hospital and then doctors called RACQ LifeFlight Rescue.
The RACQ LifeFlight Rescue Bundaberg helicopter crew treated and then flew Loxley to Queensland Children’s Hospital, so surgeons could drain his brain which reduced the swelling that ultimately saved his life.
His mother Kirsty McDowell flew with him on the helicopter and said that quick trip, meant the difference between life and death for her son.
“Loxley had a cluster of arteries and veins in his brain that exploded,” Kirsty said.
“That caused a catastrophic bleed that was putting a lot of pressure on his brain. Surgeons told me they weren’t sure whether he would pull through. We almost lost him.”
Kirsty said she was an anxious wreck during the flight but was comforted by the aeromedical crew who reassured and helped her understand what was happening to her son.
“They were making me aware of every single thing that they were doing,” she said.
“I just kept repeating in my head: ‘please don’t take him from me’.”
Loxley was in a coma for 10 days.
After the operation he woke with paralysis on his right side and some memory loss. He spent 14 days in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and more than two weeks on the ward.
After intense physiotherapy and speech therapy he’s now almost back to normal and last week celebrated his sixth birthday.
“He’s just gone from strength to strength,” Kirsty said.
“He’s so excited to be in grade one. He just takes everything in his stride and never complains. Without LifeFlight I would not have my beautiful boy.”
The Bundaberg-based RACQ LifeFlight Rescue helicopter and crew service the Wide Bay-Burnett region and beyond.