CHRISTMAS is the time of year to spend with — and give thanks — for your family.
And the House family from Clydach have more reason than most to be grateful for their very own Christmas miracle. Eighteen years ago today, Jordan House was born at Singleton Hospital weighing a tiny 1.6 lbs, after arriving 15 weeks early.
In a further blow, his mum Julie suffered from preeclampsia, a complication following pregnancy which stopped her kidneys from functioning.
But thanks to the outstanding care they received at Singleton Hospital, both Julie and Jordan survived — and plan to mark his special birthday with a celebration this weekend.
Dad Terry, 56, said: "Every Christmas brings terrible, terrible memories for us.
"Jordan was the size of an action man when he was born. One of the worst days during that first week was when they took me to one side and christened Jordan, I was there with a priest and a nurse – Julie was fighting for her own life. In my mind he was read the last rites.
"Our other children, Camille and Nathan, were crying that Christmas Eve asking when we were coming home. We spent that Christmas Day in the hospital.
"But Jordan was put on a special ventilator and started responding to treatment. They started calling him the Christmas miracle."
Jordan spent four months at the special baby unit at the hospital and the family have forever been grateful for the love and care they were shown at such a traumatic time.
"The staff there were just fantastic," Terry, of Vera Road, Clydach, said.
"We send a Christmas card to them every year.
"If there are families out there in the special baby care unit at this time of year, we want them to know the staff there are absolutely wonderful."
Jordan, who is studying plastering at Neath Port Talbot College, added: "I am really looking forward to the birthday party. "I have got all the Evening Posts in the house still from when I was born. I want to thank them (the hospital staff) for everything they've done for me."
