Twin babies Chrysi and Nefeli woke up in their own home for the first time since they were born five months ago. The twins suffered from a condition known as Twin to Twin Transfusion Syndrome, a fatal condition that affects ten per cent of twin pregnancies whilst in the womb.
While Nefeli was being pumped with dangerous level of blood and nutrients, the other twin Chrysi was literally being starved to death.
“There were many times for both of them that we thought that one the other, or both will not survive, nothing was ever a given, it was very very difficult,” says mother Helen who along with her husband George spent many restless nights going between the Royal Children’s Hospital – where Chrysi was – and the Royal Women’s Hospital- where Nefeli was – hoping beyond belief for a miracle.
Due to their condition, both twins were born 25 weeks and one day; Chrysi was born weighing 504 g, and Nefeli weighed 674 g. Since their birth, the twins had to stay in hospital where they were on ventilators for several hours and following developed chronic lung disease. Chrysi required heart surgery, bowel surgery but has miraculous pulled through and went home for the first time this week to join her sister who was already home.
“It has been very hard and it is something that you probably hear about but you will never understand it unless you go through it and we’ve gone through it by praying,” Helen tells Neos Kosmos.
“I think that out of all the negative and difficult things it put our lives in perspective and I hope we never loose that perspective again. We need to appreciate what we have, we need to appreciate that we are here and we are healthy and not worry about, silly, little materialistic things.
