My Journey from 5th May 1995 to 8th November 2005
Wow this isnt going to be in too much detail but here goes.
When we moved to Sydney I was grateful to have friends from when I was a young girl. Through my Aunty Georgia I met Jenny, Linette, Julie and through this family I was able to meet my Koumbara Carla & Steve, Tina, Anna, Trish and many more people in my life especially my god-daughter Georgia.
We often used to go out to the Canterbury Leagues Club for Trivia Nights with Pommy Andy and I loved it. We also rented out cottages in the Blue Mountains for the weekends, or go south to Berry. I really love having all these people in my life thanks for being there for the good times in my life and the bad.
We bought a Coffee Shop in 1995 till 1997 in Parramatta called DIMIS and we had the best 2 years ofour lives. We met so many people and made again may more friends. I remember when we sold the shop due to my fathers health all the customers were devastated. The long benchtop was covered with presents, chocolates etc. they didnt want us to leave but alas this was another life changing moment we had to take.
I have travelled all over the world, in 1996 my sister and I went to England and did an Insight Tour all over Europe, I cant remember but i think it went like this. Engand, Paris, Switzerland, Italy, Nice, Monaco, Germany, Vienna, Belgium, Amsterdam, Holland then back to England. We had so much fun and the bus was full of 40 Australians and 2 New Zealanders. I remember we were in Switzerland for my 27th Birthday it was so special. We went up a 10,000 ft mountain called Mount Titlis ( I thought personally I was on the wrong mountain cause that Im not) ha ha ha. After our tour finished we travelled to Greece and visited my mothers family in Kiato Corinthos. We also went to the Islands of Greece, Samos, Mykonos, Sanorini and many more. I would love to travel back to Europe again this time with my family.
I decided I wanted to learn how to massage so My sister and I applied for Diploma in Aromatherapy at ACNT. It went for 1 year then we had to complete 40 hours clinic time to gain the experience working with various clients. I loved it, I then attended a spiritual weekend and getting my Level 1 in Reiki (Spiritual Healing) with that I learnt to open issues in my life and deal with them so that I could have closure and therefore I could move on to the next stage of my life.
One of these issues was the past love of my life, we resolved these by talking about them and accepting that life has moved on and we are now 2 people who have experienced hardship and from this It makes you appreciate what you have. We are the best of friends and I can say that not many people are able to have the opportunity to do this.
I also learnt to release all the negative abuse that I coped from my ex husband and now a new chapter is opening.
My Life threatening Condition - Intercranial Venous Thrombosis 24th January 2004
In January 2004 I was diagnosed with having blood clots in the brain. The doctors said that if I had waited one more week that I would have been either brain dead or 6 feet under. I was one in a million to experience this and they found that I have an antibody in my body called ANTICARDIOLIPIN which can cause blood clotting and miscarrying. We went to berry on holidays and I was feeling very hot and irritated. I actually remember that I told my girlfriends that I felt like my brain was being fried. I started to feel nausea and vomiting, then I had massive pounding headaches. I saw a doctor who had diagnosed me with heat stroke and told me that I should feel better in 2 days. I got worse so bad that I couldnt even drive, I began to lose my eyesight. I thought there was something major going on and i needed extra help. I went to another GP closer to home. He told me it could be a viral infection and suggested that we do bloods. I was persistant in telling him that my eye felt very sore like there was pressure. He recommended that I see and optometrist as he has the equipment to see behind my eye. I made an appointment to see this Optometrist called Mark Koszek. When he saw me he did several eye checks and then he looked deep behind the eyes, and the look on his face, sound of his voice said it all. Effie he said ” I believe there is something severe happening thats causing your eyeball to swell this in turn is crushing your optic nerve which is why your having trouble seeing properly. He stated that it could be a tumour and that I should have emergency CT SCAN done urgently. I did as he requested, I went to the radiology dept and had the CT Scans done. Normally it takes 30 - 40 minutes before you get results. With me it took well over 1 hour i was so worried. My sister talked to the receptionist who then spoke to the radiologist and they decided to call me into the room so they could explain. I thought my life was over, thats it!! They confirmed that I had INTRACRANIAL VENOUS THROMBOSIS - 1 clot was running down the centre of my Brain and the other on the side. They sent me straight to hospital and I was put on Hepren which is a blood thinner. I had an MRI to see just how big the clots were, and let me tell you thay were massive. I was told that I could never go on the pill again as they believe the pill reacted with my antibody and thats why I have what I have. With lots of patience and time it took 6 months for the clots to drain from my brain and in tern I was on warfarin the whole time.
I would like to thank my GP Dr Emad Makary and all the staff at All Saints Medical Centre !!
Thanks and Big Hugs to Dr Mark Koszek my optometrist for assessing me correctly for without you diagnosing me when you did , I would have either died or been brain dead, I owe you so much Mark as you saved my life 
To all the Doctors and Nurses at St George Public Hospital in the Stroke Unit for all their support and guidence along the way. Big Big Thanks to Dr Boars Neurology Team, for giving me my life back!!
Thank you and Big Hugs to Professor Sturgess Rheumatology and team including Wendy for all your support in the last 4 years, for giving me the inspiration to move on in my life. I would like to send a special thanks to Dr Peter Kyle Haematology team for monitoring my blood counts and supporting me when I was pregnant with Elizabeth.
One more huge thankyou and big hugs go out to Dr Jen Sandbach - my Neuro-Opthamologist. Thanks so much Jen for fitting me into your busy schedule and giving me back my eyesight. I really appreciate your support and Honest advice along the way. I cannot express to you how grateful I am and I was under so much pressure and you made me feel so relaxed. My heartfelt thanks to you and your family. If I have forgotten any names please forgive me, thank you all !!!!
Meeting My Soulmate Leslie
My friend Tina had met Ben and they were going to get married in June on Hamilton Island, My doctors told me that it was best that I didnt fly until I was cleared from all clots. I was chatting on the net for a while and met some really nice people. Big Hi to Michael who is born on the same date as me, hope you and the kids are well.
Then one day in June 2004 I met the Most Georgous Man Ever - Leslie from Melbourne. It was destiny that I didnt go to Hamilton or I wouldnt have met you. Leslie and I talked for ages on the phone and played games on the net. Our conversations were nice and clean. We just got on so well it was like we were soul mates. Leslie wanted to meet me and I did too but I wasnt able to get on plane so therefore Leslie came here. I remember I was at Carlas house having coffee and passing the time away until you arrived in Sydney.
I was hiding behind the pole as I saw you coming out and our eyes met I swear thats when I new that we were meant to be together. I was so excited as I know you were too, so we went to the beach to have a chat before we got home. We instantly hit it off, like somewhere somehow we knew eachother. I had had my fair share of internet mettings but this one was it!!! We spend the next 3 days in the city of Sydney exploring the sights and eachother. We then went to the blue mountains and spent more time togther, it was then that we decided we wanted to be together forever. Leslie decided to stay in Sydney and find work here so that we didnt have to travel all the time. We were getting more and more serious and one day we talked about starting a family. As soon as I was told that the blood clots had cleared in the brain in August I was told o stop taking the Warfarin in September and therefore our dreams of starting a family can happen. In January we all went on holidays to Manning River and this is when we Conceived and I was officially Pregnant with our baby in March. Our little bundle of Joy was due on the 11th November 2005.
I had the best pregnancy - no morning sickness nothing. Just a little pubic pain but I coped. I was always having test done given my past medical history. I was told to take Clexane just as a preventative for clotting.
Elizabeth’s Journey into life !!!
It was now the 9th November 2005 the time 10.13pm as our baby come out the doctors uttered the words ” Its a boy 
oh hang on a minute its a girl ” and Leslie taped our beautiful Elizabeth being born then cleaned up and monitered by the other doctor Elizabeth’s Weight 4.102 kilos, Height 52cm. The caesarian was all a bit of a blur to me as I was in a daze. However I did see our daughters face for a split second, and all I could hear in the background was its ok, keep breathing little one. I had a feeling that something was wrong. When Elizabeth come out she didnt cry straight away and she was blue and floppy. She was then taken to the special care unit to be monitered. At the time the doctor thought that it was her lungs as she wasnt breathing very well but Dr. Michelle felt it may have been her heart. I still had not held my baby in my arms and when I came back from the op theatre she wasnt there. They told me she was still in special care and they would let me know how she is. It wasnt until my Husband and family went home that a nurse came into my room and asked where is my hubby. I told her that he had gone home and that if there was a problem with Elizabeth to call him at home as he would rush back up here. She tried to reassure me that nothing was wrong but as a mum you know when anything is wrong with your child.
We were then told that she may have a heart condition and that Elizabeth would be taken to Sydney Childrens Hospital to have xrays. My Husband and I were speachless, I still had not held my baby and was so distressed. They brought her into the ward for me to see before they took her away, I wasnt able to hold her but just seeing her from a distance made me feel so happy and sad at the same time as I wouldnt see her until the hospital could transfer me. My husband went with Elizabeth and called later on in the morning to inform us that she has whats called Transposition of the Great Arteries(TGA) and she also has Ventricular Septal Defect(VSD) as well as Pulmonary Atresia. These heart conditions are common however its a one in a million chance that you would get all three conditions at once.
We had a meeting with the Surgeon and Cardiologists to discuss Elizabeths conditions. There will be 3 operations to take place, the 1st one was done on the 11th November. This is called the shunt operation and will keep the blood oxygenated as Elizabeth was born without a duct and would die if the operation was’nt done urgently. She was supported by the another duct that eventually dissolves after birth. The 2nd Operation will be performed when Elizabeth is about 6-18months this is called the glenn procedure and the last op at around the age of 5 just before school.
Being given all this information at the time was all confusing, trying to understand all the conditions Elizabeth has. We both wanted to know more but to find out info about all 3 conditions as one was extremely difficult. I guess we are all given situations in life and we are more than capable to deal with them. Sometimes it can be hard to accept but othertimes it makes you appreciate all that you have in life. Elizabeth is a miracle baby and her Guardian Angel Eliza will take care of her for all the days of her life.
For more Information on Elzabeth’s Journeys go to www.heldzingen.com/elizabeth
Elizabeths 2nd Operation
What an adventure Elizabeth has been through this last week !!!
Elizabeth was admitted to Sydney Childrens Hospital on the 22nd November and at 7.00am on the 23rd November 2006 we walked her up to the operating theatre to be prepped for the Glenn Procedure. We were greeted by all the Doctors, Surgeons and the very nice Anesthesiologist called Allan. Daddy waited at the door as Mummy took Elizabeth into the room and sang Twinkle Twinkle Little Star as Elizabeth drifted off to sleep.
Daddy, Mummy, YiaYia, Papou & Nona sat in the Star Cafe waiting patiently for the phone call to say that Elizabeth would be okay. Even Nono was calling to see if we heard any news as he too was worried for Elizabeth. The clock was ticking and the time felt like it stood still. When finally my mobile rang, we all nearly jumped out of our seats. It was the Anesthesiologist to inform us that the operation started off wonderful, they then had to stop the operation half way.
Elizabeths Pulmonery Pressures in the heart were way too high and this would mean that if they had gone ahead with the op Elizabeth would not have coped and may have had brain damage in the process. They are not quite sure if it was a mild cold that had caused this pressure or if in fact it was damage to the lungs. We met the team in the CICU Unit for further discussion and to release some emotions at the same time. Wow what a roller coaster ride Elizabeth is riding on.
Mummy for the first time her life cried infront of the doctors, she just couldnt hold back the tears as did Daddy and the rest of our family. As a parent is it hard coping with the fact that your child is going through so much pain but on the other hand we appreciate the fact that we have fantastic Doctors doing the best they can for our little Angel Elizabeth. I must say that the Team was very informative and we felt a sence of relief.
We then called Grandma Feather who was anxiously awaiting our news in Merlbourne and we tried to call Pop in China but we kept missing calls as our mobiles had to be switched off in CICU. Grandma Feather and Pop, this message comes from Elizabeth to let you both know that even though you cannot be here with her she can feel you here in her heart and she doesnt want you to worry she loves you both very very much Elizabeth also wants to Thank Aunty Leonie, Uncle Brian and her cousins Michael, Perry, Ella and Romana for coming to visit her in Hospital Elizabeth loved the company and is going to miss you all when you move back to Melbourne at the end of the Year 
The next step we are going to take is in 3 months time Elizabeth will have another Cardiac Catheter done at Westmead. Exactly 2 weeks later depending on the results she will then either undergo the Glenn Procedure as planned or go to Plan B which is to remove the BT_Shunt that was inserted when when she was 2 days old and connect another High Pressured Shunt.
We will meet with Dr Murphy in 6 weeks time to organize and talk more about Elizabeths upcoming operations. I would like to personally thank Dr Murphy, Dr Grant, Dr Amir, Dr Rubenstein and all the team who had operated on our daughter. A big thanks to all the CICU Team for doing such a great job on Elizabeths quick recovery. Thanks to all the nurses and staff from C2 South
Our final thanks go out to Family and Friends for calling and texting us continuously as they were all concerned for Elizabeth. Big Big thanks to the Mothers Group We formed and their children Baby Harry, Baby Daniel, Baby Shari, and to the smiley Britney who was Elizabeths room buddy. Britney kept smiling and sang songs and played PEEK-A-BOO to Elizabeth as they both Clapped their Hands We want to let you all know that supporting eachother made the our stay in Hospital more exciting and considering all our children had different conditions we were all feeling the same emotions. Thanks for the laughter
Elizabeth was discharged on the 28th November 2006 only 5 days after having such a major incision in her chest. What a tough little girl our Cookie is, she has the will to fight and has such a high pain threshold. Keep up the Fighting Spirit Sweetheart and remember that Daddy and Mummy love you so very much.
Ps: To view all the images taken of Elizabeth 2nd Operation click this link http://www.heldzingen.com/elizabeth/photos/
Elizabeths 3rd Operation - Glenn Procedure a Success
Elizabeth has overcome her 2nd Hurdle her Glenn Procedure Operation was a complete success. We cannot tell you how excited we all are. They gave Elizabeth this medication prior to giving her the gas so that she was calmer and more relaxed. This worked like a charm. We then took her up to the operating theatre at around 7:45am.
While we were waiting for the Surgeons and Anesthesiologist to arrive we spoke to a lovely man called Bill who assists the Anesthesiologist while in the operating theatre. Bill informed us that his daughter also had VSD and that she is doing remarkably well and that while reading Elizabeths file he had tears in his eyes from reading just how dedicated and how supportive our family is and this brought back alot of memories for him while his daughter had undergone a similar operation. He was such a nice man and we were grateful that he was going to be assisting our Spiritual and Dedicated Anesthesiologist Dr John Awad. We are so grateful for your constant support and very informative information regarding this Intense Operation. Just listening to you explaining it in full detail made us more positive and knowing that you have a nickname “John the Baptist” made even more special You are an Angel in Our Eyes.
They were ready to take her inside and this time Leslie walked in with Elizabeth until she was fully sedated. Elizabeths surgeon is Dr Grant and he is known to have Miracle Hands we thank you again so much for saving our daughters Life one more time. I know you hear this so many times but we are soooooooo grateful to have such wonderful skilled Doctors who know their work and who naturally work miracles just like you. The operation was going to start from 9:30am until around 12:30pm unless they came to any problems. The only thing that Dr Grant had a little problem was that when removing the BT Shunt that was inserted when Elizabeth was just 2 days old had been stuck to her lungs and with a little bit of a nudge they were able to remove it successfully.
We were all in the CICU waiting room for Elizabeths arrival and the anticipation of waiting for the phone call to say that all is well took soooooooooooooo long as we had no idea if the pulmonary pressures in the heart had increased from 1 month ago. when Dr John walked in at around 1:00pm to inform us that the Operation was a success and the Pulmonary pressures had not changed and were still 13 which was fantastic. What a relief phhhhhhewwwwwwww we at last can feel a little more relaxed even thought the first 24-48 hours are critical.
We were finally allowed to see Elizabeth at around 2:00pm. Again seeing her all attached to all the wires and drains was hard but our little girl is a fighter and she keeps us so strong. Elizabeth was in the CICU unit for only 4 days and she was then moved to C2 South for a further 4 days until he oxygen levels were averaging between 70-80 percent. Elizabeth also had to have chest xrays and ECO done aswell as blood tests before she was able to be discharged from hospital 4 days later. Elizabeth recovered remarkably well and very quickly, she was in hospital for only 1 week and has show us that she has the will to live
Elizabeth also made some new friends along the way. Big hello to Steven and Daniella, and Levi, thank you so much for your company and support along the way. Good luck and Elizabeth is hoping we all meet eachother in better circumstances.
Thank you to all the Doctors there are too many to mention however here goes, if I have forgotten any names please forgive me. Dr. Grant, Dr. Murphy, Dr. Cooper, Dr. Awad, Bill, Briony, Carson, and all who assisted in the operating theatre.
Thank you to all the staff of the CICU Intensive Care Unit who took great care of our precious little girl. Elizabeth wants to let you know that even though she cried at times when you were doing her obs she wants to send you all big hugs.
Thank you again to all the Staff at C2 South and thanks for being so supportive not only to Elizabeth but to Leslie and myself. For without eveyone that has been mentioned Elizabeth would not be alive today. You are all blessed and have healing hands.
Thank you to Sydney Childrens Hospital and all the sponsors who are so kind in donating and raising money to support Elizabeth and children with so many complexed conditions. We are so grateful to you all !!
We will see you all when Elizabeth has the Fontan Procedure at around the age of 4-5 years of age.
Kindest regards and Special Thanks
Elizabeth, Effie and Leslie Heldzingen