AARON Chalmers’s exhaustion was palpable after he received a surprise 4am wake-up call today.
The unwanted alert followed a long day by his ill son’s bedside in hospital.
The Geordie Shore star, 36, has dropped everything to be there for his son Oakley, one, who was left in a coma after complications from a planned procedure.
There have been promising developments in recent days and Oakley, who has Apert Syndrome, is conscious once again, much to Aaron and ex-girlfriend Talia Oatway’s relief.
Dad-of-three Aaron had hoped to get a good night’s sleep yesterday having spent 13 hours in hospital, but it wasn’t to be.
He told his Instagram followers this morning: “You could not write this, the hotel has just rang my phone at 4 saying it’s a wake-up call, and I say ‘I didn’t ask for one’, and they’ve got the wrong room, so now that’s me up on three hours sleep.
“Honest to God, you could not f***ing write this. It’s going to be a long, long day.”
He looked more sprightly come 6am as he arrived back at hospital for another day with Oakley.
Yesterday, he told fans he was the last one to leave his son as he returned to his hotel room at 10pm.
There was no chance to grab a hot meal though and he turned to sugary treats to see him through.
He laughed: “So I had all plans of coming back and having some food and I’ve ended up with f***ing jellies. I’m living on coffee, jellies and Red Bull.”
It’s been a scary week for the reality star-turned-MMA fighter, but it appears his son has turned the corner.
Oakley is now breathing on his own and continues to recover from a deadly infection, though Aaron warned he “isn’t out of the woods yet”.
His health had deteriorated hours after his pre-booked operation and he was rushed to surgery to drain fluids from his brain.
He needed a tube to breathe and was placed in an induced coma.
After seeing his son emerge from the coma, Aaron said: “I swear to God seeing him without the bandage on, he looks amazing.
“He has been so swollen with the infection it hasn’t looked like him. But he’s 100 percent on the right path.
“I feel like there is a weight lifted. I’m hoping and praying that’s the worst over.”
Worried Aaron and ex-girlfriend Talia, 32, have updated their followers every day and asked fans for prayers.
Talia revealed how Oakley had opened his eyes and she was allowed to hold him for the first time in days.
She said: “Three operations my boy is awake and doing amazing.
“My heart could burst with pride. Son you are the meaning of strength. Thank you to everyone who had wished for Oakley.
“Lets get on the road to recovery baby. Im sharing our journey as a family and to raise awareness.”
Oakley was born with the rare genetic disorder Apert Syndrome.
It causes bones in the skull and face to fuse and they do not grow in proportion, according to Great Ormond Street Hospital.
The condition is said to occur in one in every 65,000 to 88,000 births and a child’s outlook can vary greatly depending on the severity of symptoms.
Aaron, and Talia share three children together: Romeo, four, Maddox, three and one year-old Oakley.
The pair previously split up in December 2022 after five years together following a series of rows.
APERT syndrome, also known as acrocephalosyndactyly, is a rare disorder that is named after the doctor who first discovered it in the early 20th century.
It is a genetic condition and is caused by a mutation of the FGFR2 gene.
This affects how cells in the body – namely bone cells – grow, divide and die.
It can increase a child’s risk of hydrocephalus, which results in pressure building on the brain, and it can also cause Chiari malformation, where the base of the brain is squeezed.
Other complications include breathing difficulties and heart problems, which require life-long monitoring.
