When our second daughter Maria was born, everything was normal, full term, no complications but she was born with jaundice. The doctors and nurses said it was not serious and would go away in a week. They did a heel prick test which came back normal and advised us to keep her in the sunlight.
When Maria was 2 months old we were planning an overseas holiday. I took Maria to our family doctor for a check up. I was concerned about the colour of her skin and her stomach was a little big. The GP said everything was normal, all babies have large stomachs and to stop worrying.
A few weeks after arriving in Macedonia I took Maria to the doctor regarding a slight cough. In Macedonia the law is you must take a child to a paediatrician not a GP. I took Maria to paediatrician Dr Ana Mojsova in Kavadarci. While I was in the waiting room Dr Mojsova noticed Maria in my arms. She came over to me and said something does not look normal with Maria’s skin colour on her face. Later she called us into her consulting room and felt Maria’s liver.
She said it was too large for her age and asked us to do blood tests immediately. I told her that we are from Australia and all the doctors said everything was normal. I was in denial.
The next day I went back to Dr Ana Mojsova to apologise. She said I am not asking you this time, I am telling you you must do blood tests. The results were not good, the bilirubin was about 200 when normal levels are around 3.
Then it was on to The University Children’s Hospital in Skopje and more blood tests and ultrasounds. The director Dr Aco Kostovski called me into his office and told me the seriousness of the situation. He told me that they don’t have the facilities to treat Maria. He said “I don’t know where you are from but to save Maria you must get out of Macedonia urgently.” He told me to be prepared for the worst and best case scenario is a liver transplant. I was in shock.
I rang the Australian Consulate in Skopje to ask for assistance. They said they couldn’t help me and asked if I had travel insurance. At the time I forgot that I did, then I called Aussietraveller travel insurance. They were amazing. After explaining the situation they sent an Air Ambulance from Germany to take us to Frankfurt for more medical tests. The biopsy confirmed the original diagnosis from Skopje, liver cirrhosis and a liver transplant required. The travel insurance booked us on the next flight back to Sydney and even notified the children’s hospital of our situation.
From the airport it was straight to the children’s hospital for more tests. Maria was put on a waiting list for a liver transplant. We baptised Maria at the hospital because we were not sure if she was going to make it. Time was running out and my sister and I were considering being a living donor but our mother said “I don’t want to lose either of you.” A couple of days later we received the phone call that we had been waiting for.
This experience has changed our family forever but that was our fate. We will forever be grateful and remember our donor family.
We are the lucky ones in Australia because we have the children’s hospital at Westmead and the wonderful staff there. But if we are lucky, then Maria is the luckiest person in Australia because she was given the gift of life.
I ask you all to consider organ donation and discuss it with your family.
In 2004, 130,000 people died. Only 218 were Organ Donors.
HELP SAVE YOUNG LIVES
FUNDRAISER DINNER DANCE DATE:
SATURDAY 3rd JUNE 2017 TIME: 6.00PM
VENUE: THE GRAND ROXY
LEVEL 1
128 THE GRAND PARADE BRIGHTON LE SANDS
PRICE: $120 PER PERSON
3 COURSE DINNER AND DRINKS
GOAL: Our aim is to purchase IV pumps for The Gastroenterology Ward at The University Children’s Hospital in Skopje. I will purchase and personally deliver the IV pumps myself.
CONTACT: TONY 0416 753 082
EMAIL: tonykv01@optusnet.com.au
DIRECT DEPOSIT NAME: TONY MOMIROVSKI
BANK:NAB
BSB: 082342
ACC: 894868684
REFERENCE: CHILDREN
