EVERY day is precious for Marianne Mills and son Oliver.
The eight-month-old is facing an 'uncertain future' due to an enlarged and weakened heart.
The rare condition, dilated cardiomyopathy, was brought on by multiple viruses and catching any illness could prove fatal.
A check-up on Wednesday showed he is improving but he still has to be given eight types of medication a day and mostly kept away from other children.
However Marianne is determined to give him a 'full and normal life'.
The 36-year-old said: "Oliver is a happy healthy little boy to anyone but sadly the future for him is uncertain.
"We have to keep him as well as possible as any illnesses can be potentially life threatening for him.
"This can prove difficult when meeting up with friends or going to baby groups where there may be a risk of him catching something."
Despite the stress of coping with his condition, Marianne, from Brockworth, has set about paying back the charities which are helping the family cope with it.
He spent two weeks in Bristol Children's Hospital when he was 18 weeks old and the family stayed at Ronald McDonald House so they could be near him.
The Brockworth resident and her friends and family have raised more than £960 with a pamper evening at Castle Hill Primary School.
Oliver may need a heart transplant in the future and she is now planning further fundraising.
She said: "I just really felt like I wanted to give something back.
"I never thought we would end up at hospital and hope we will never have to go back.
"But if we don't fundraise then the charities won't be there for others.
"It was such a lifeline for us being able to stay with Oliver in Bristol and not have to cope with the stress and expense of travelling back and forth."
The teacher, who works at New College in Worcester, said the school and community had also been incredibly supportive and another pamper evening was already being planned in Brockworth for October.
