In a subdued hospital ward conditioned to hushed voices, a Wagga mother has run down the halls crying with elation.
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Stacey-Lee Snow was filled with relief when she was told earlier today that she and her twins were being released from Royal North Shore Hospital in Sydney.
It has been a tumultuous three months for Mrs Snow and her family.
She was flown to hospital in Sydney for pre-term labour on February 4 when she was only 24 weeks pregnant with her twins.
On February 15, Mrs Snow gave birth to Edie-Jayne and Tobias Snow, at just 25 weeks.
They were breathing on their own but were placed on a CPAP machine to keep their lungs open.
Their heart rate, oxygen levels and feeding have been monitored for the past 11 weeks.
The twins started suck feeding four weeks ago, an indication they were nearing being ready to come home.
Mrs Snow has been in hospital alone for the past four weeks without her husband Clinton or 20-month-old son, Corbin.
“Every day, there’s a new stress,” she said.
“You’re constantly on edge.
“Having my husband there to support me and share the burden and having him to talk to instead of doctors and nurses, it’s all I wanted.”
The twins were cleared to be transferred to Wagga Rural Referral Hospital (WRRH) last week but the family was told that due to a lack of beds, the twins were to remain in Sydney.
Every day since has brought confusion and anxiety as the family patiently waited for news of when their lives would return to normal.
After a push from The Daily Advertiser on the status of Mrs Snow’s transfer, the hospital responded that it was working to ensure safe care of the babies.
Hours later, Mrs Snow was greeted by a nurse mid-afternoon showing her a text message saying “prepare the Snow twins for transfer.”
“I’ve been running around the ward, crying and smiling and bouncing,” she said.
“Life begins tomorrow … and I can’t wipe the smile off my face.”
The twins will be flown at 9am to WRRH, where they will be tube fed once or twice a day until they are feeding by themselves.
The first thing Mrs Snow will do is hug her eldest son.