Channel 7
Felicity and Michael could never have predicted what 2017 would bring them.
As Australia watches them try to fix their broken relationship, they’ve been dealt a very cruel blow – their toddler Orlando was diagnosed with epilepsy.
Opening up to New Idea, the mum-of-two admits that ever since Orlando’s prognosis, she has daily anxiety attacks.
‘I get so anxious now when I put him to bed, because most of his seizures happen when he is asleep,’ she explains.
‘Every morning when I go to his room to wake him up, my heart drops a little through fear. Or if I hear him cry out in the night, I panic and run straight to his room.’
The nightmare began in February when Orlando, two, was rushed to hospital after suffering a severe seizure. After weeks of tests, epilepsy was confirmed in the middle of April.
‘I had Orlando with me the day I found out his results from his paediatrician,’ Felicity recalls. ‘I drove him back to preschool and dropped him off. Afterwards, I bawled my eyes out for about three hours. I didn’t want him to see me because he’s so young, he doesn’t really understand.’
Initially overwhelmed by the news, Felicity, 25, who had no real knowledge of the condition, had to educate herself.
‘I was devastated and angry that this was happening to my beautiful little boy. It didn’t seem fair and I didn’t really know anything about it,’ she says. ‘During his last seizure, he completely lost consciousness.
‘It’s the worst thing to watch, because you can’t do anything but put him on his side and let it finish. It’s the most heartbreaking thing to watch.’
Felicity appeared on Seven Year Switch in an attempt to mend her relationship with fiance Michael, 30.
However, Felicity admits all those late nights at the hospital and attending appointments has changed the couple’s outlook.
‘It made us realise what was important,’ she says. ‘We want to create a healthy, positive environment for our children. Regardless if we decide to stay together or not, we know we really have to work like a team and be united with our parenting.’
For the full story, see this week’s New Idea – Out now.
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