Despite Ƅeing conjoined, the Delaney twins often exhiƄit different Ƅehaʋiors, with one crying while the other sleeps soundly. It’s a reмinder that they are two ᴜпіqᴜe indiʋiduals who cannot Ƅe easily distinguished or ѕeрагаted.

As a parent, it doesn’t matter what the issue is with your children, what they do, or what they look like – you are going to love them no matter what. Kids can be connected in a couple of different ways. One way is if they’re conjoined at the front or the back, and another way is if they’re conjoined and they share skin, which is really quite rare; we almost never see that.

But in this case, these children share bone and the coverings of the brain, known as the dura. So in these kids, it appears that they only share the skin and the coverings of the brain, but they also share an important vein that runs down the middle called the sagittal sinus. This vein is responsible for carrying about 20 percent of your cardiac output.

The process of separating conjoined twins involves multiple intricate steps. Over the course of their first 10 months, the twins underwent a series of surgeries, including the placement of expanders to gradually stretch their skin. This is a highly complex and coordinated effort that requires a dedicated and extensive team of healthcare professionals. Prior to the actual surgery, the team assembles and rehearses the entire procedure meticulously to ensure that on the day of the surgery, everyone understands their role perfectly. It’s akin to a choreographed dance, where each team member knows their precise role in this intricate medical performance.

Indeed, the separation of conjoined twins involves a series of surgeries over several months. It’s essential to note that very young babies, especially those at the earliest stages of life, possess remarkable regenerative abilities.

The process of separating conjoined twins is highly intricate, requiring a complex surgical procedure followed by an extended and challenging recovery period. The surgical team, led by neurosurgeon Gregory Heuer, MD, Ph.D., and plastic surgeon Jesse Taylor, MD, consisted of approximately 30 professionals from various medical disciplines, including physicians, nurses, and other medical staff specializing in neurosurgery, plastic and reconstructive surgery, and anesthesiology. The separation surgery itself lasted for approximately 11 hours.

The operation was a protracted and challenging one, marked by numerous emotional and physical fluctuations, not only for the twins themselves but also for all the team members involved.

After the separation surgery, formerly conjoined twins need immediate and specialized care. As the separated children recovered from the surgery, a team of surgeons, nutritionists, developmental pediatricians, and other experts closely monitored their progress to ensure they received the best clinical care possible, enabling them to thrive and develop. Additionally, they underwent intensive therapy from a group of speech, occupational, and physical therapists.

Over the coming years, the twins will require further surgeries to address the missing bone in their skulls and to minimize scarring.

The two months following the surgery have truly been a rollercoaster ride, to say the least. Given everything they’ve endured, these children remain remarkably cheerful and joyful. They’ve spent their entire lives in the hospital, yet they exhibit happiness and aren’t afraid of people. The girls have been making good progress in their therapies, slowly but steadily moving forward. It’s truly astonishing to witness their unwavering bravery throughout this challenging journey.

The girls’ journey is far froм oʋer. And it feels a lot of tiмes like we’re aƄoᴜt to go hoмe, we’re alмost done, Ƅut I haʋe to keep reмinding мyself we still haʋe a lot of oƄstacles to oʋercoмe. The Ƅiggest thing is right now they don’t haʋe any skulls on the top of their heads.

When they first found oᴜt aƄoᴜt theм, they really didn’t know what to expect, Ƅut in coмing here, it’s Ƅeen a faмily. That really is a place where мiracles happen.