Published: Wednesday, 28th July, 2010 2:00pm

Twin was dead for 13 minutes

A MIRACLE baby was brought back from the dead by medics after her heart stopped for 13 minutes.

Doctors had to open Olivia Caldwell's chest for emergency treatment after she suffered a massive heart attack following major surgery.

Her dad Frank told the Tele: "They opened her chest with a pair of scissors on the ward. They spent 13-and-a-half minutes getting her heart going again. During that time we were told she wouldn't survive. But she did."

Since being born 12 weeks prematurely, Olivia has beaten a flesh-eating bug and MRSA, battled through 15 operations and suffered a brain haemorrhage.

Now the plucky 10-year-old has been nominated for our Kids of Courage competition by identical twin Lucy who, although born prematurely like her sister, is fit and healthy.

LITTLE FIGHTER: Olivia with sister Lucy.
Pic by: Kris Cairns

Lucy said Olivia first needed surgery, on her stomach, when she was just five days old.

She told the Tele: "After that, bad news kept coming. When she was 10 days old she caught a stomach flesh-eating bug and MRSA. Against all odds she survived but she was then diagnosed with complex congenital heart disease.

"When she was four months old she went in for major heart surgery. She had a heart attack and died — but doctors were able to bring her back."

Frank, who, along with wife Kelly recently retired from the army, told the Tele of the day they nearly lost their daughter: "During her second big operation she had a cardiac arrest. The surgeon was on his way home and he came back to hospital and got there in time. They opened her on the ward because they couldn't get her back to surgery.

"It has been non-stop surgery since then — different heart procedures, some major and some minor."

In total, Olivia has had 15 operations on her heart and one on her stomach. Five of the heart surgeries have been major and the other 10 have involved more minor procedures. The brain haemorrhage has given her left-side hemiplegia — weakness to the left side of her body — and cerebral palsy and she continues to attend Yorkhill every six months for check-ups.

Lucy said: "At five years old Olivia went in for another major heart surgery. This time there was another complication. They severed the coronary artery. Since then she has gone on medicine and will be on it for the rest of her life. She is now a happy 10-year-old but is a bit slower than the rest as her heart does not work as fast and she gets tired. She will have to have more surgery in the future and we have to test her blood every week at home."

The twins attend Inverkip Primary and share an incredible bond. They both dream of becoming vets and will often choose the same outfits without knowing.

Devoted sister Lucy said: "I am proud of her and she deserves this."

Recently the youngster finally realised her dream of riding a bike — but at a price.

Mum Kelly said: "She constantly cycled and it exhausted her. Her heart rate is half the rate of a normal child so she was falling asleep. It was a great victory but it came with its downside because it exhausted her heart."

Olivia, who faces further heart surgery in the future, is touched by her sister's gesture. She said: "I like the fact she decided to nominate me. It was nice what she did."