Hannah and Dan recently became parents and shared their story of fear and faith that they experienced throughout the fusion of their children from the chest to the pelvis at birth.
The babies have different hearts, but the same bladder, colon, and fused limbs. They will undergo an operation, during which doctors hope that the separation of their organs will be successful.
Even though they were mentally prepared, the parents stated that the birth was a seamless experience at that moment.
Hannah and Dan said that as new parents, they knew very little about conjoined twins. It was a new and strange experience for them when Annabelle and Isabelle were born to them.
The couple hopes for the best outcome.
Hannah recalled the early days of her pregnancy: “We went for an early scan, and there was a heartbeat, then we had a huge surprise – it turned out they were twins, and we had to consult a doctor at a local hospital.”
Then, as we were looking at the photo taken by the doctor, it suddenly dawned on us, and I asked, ‘Are they fused?’ The doctor replied, ‘Yes, I think so.’
Hannah stated that the babies had a strong will to live, and it seemed like a miracle to everyone when they finally reached the 35th week of pregnancy.
Now, this beautiful family of four has returned home to County Antrim, where they are preparing for their conjoined twins to undergo surgery.
When Hannah was asked about her feelings, she replied, “I think many things will only be revealed during the operation; we just have to trust.”
