Big Brother winner Reggie Bird shares an emotional update after her son with cystic fibrosis was hospitalised: ‘We’ve done everything’
Reggie Bird has shared several heartbreaking updates after her teenage son was hospitalized earlier this month.
The two-time Big Brother winner, 49, shared with her 47,800 Instagram followers earlier this month that her 13-year-old son Lucas – who has cystic fibrosis – had been suffering from a ‘s**t cough’ since Christmas.
He was admitted to Queensland Children’s Hospital at the time of her post.
‘We did everything we could to get over it!! But it doesn’t change,” she wrote in her caption at the time.
On Wednesday, Reggie shared another update that Lucas had another PICC (peripheral central catheter) line inserted, which he has had many times over the years when he was very sick.
Reggie Bird has shared several heartbreaking updates after her teenage son was hospitalized earlier this month
“Everything went well with the piccline,” Reggie shared on March 12. “His arm is a little sore and he had two subways this afternoon.”
Another post showed her former Big Brother co-star, farmer Dave Graham, visiting the mother and son in hospital.
‘A special visitor came to see me and Lucas here at the hospital tonight. I love you buddy,” Reggie shared.
Reggie’s latest update revealed Lucas had been transferred to Gold Coast Hospital.
The Big Brother winner shared with her 47,800 Instagram followers on March 8 that her 13-year-old son Lucas – who has cystic fibrosis – had been suffering from a ‘s**t cough’ since Christmas
On Wednesday, Reggie shared another update that Lucas had another PICC (peripheral central catheter) line inserted, which he has had many times over the years when he was very sick.
“Hey everyone, just an update for those concerned about Lucas, he has been transferred to Gold Coast Hospital where his father is with him,” she wrote.
‘He’s doing fine, just before a service, nothing to worry about… It’s normal for people with Cystic Fibrosis to have admissions many times during their lifetime.’
Reggie concluded, “This gets them back on track, it’s like having a grease and oil for your car.”
Last year, the reality star admitted she feels “guilty” over her teenage son’s cystic fibrosis diagnosis, which she unknowingly passed on to him.
‘I’ve always felt guilty that I gave Lucas this disease, so I feel guilty that I passed this on to him and I would do anything to take that away, but I can’t. It’s depressing,” she admitted on the radio Dr. Golly and the experts podcast in October.
Another post showed her former Big Brother co-star, farmer Dave Graham (right), visiting the mother and son in hospital
Lucas was diagnosed with the genetic condition when she was four weeks old, and since then Bird says she has waged an “unrelenting” battle to keep her 14-year-old son alive.
“It affects the whole digestive system and it affects the liver, the kidneys and everything in their body,” she explained.
Lucas requires daily physiotherapy and must take medication, which can amount to thirty tablets a day.
She said the condition has taken a toll on her family, and she now regrets not spending more time with her eldest daughter Mia, 16.
Bird also has her own health problems is legally blind after being diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa, a rare degenerative eye disease that causes severe visual disturbances.
Reggie made history when she became the first reality star to win Big Brother twice, first in 2003 (pictured) and again in 2022
She also has Usher syndrome, a rare genetic disease that affects both hearing and vision.
Reggie made history when she became the first reality star to win Big Brother twice, first in 2003 and again in 2022.
Despite taking home $250,000 in prize money from the 2003 and 2022 seasons of Big Brother, the TV personality has struggled financially over the years.
She previously hit back in an interview at her critics who doubted her poor health TV week.
“A lot of people say, ‘Oh, she’s faking it.’ Who would want to pretend to be blind?’ she told the publication.
The former fish and chip shop manager, who says her view now is like looking through straws, added: ‘They don’t know me or the challenges I face every day.
“I think people who leave comments like that have problems.”