Outsourcing Funds
The parents were not in a strong financial position, and it took them the whole year to save up their money for the operation. They even started a GoFundMe page but it didn’t raise as much money as they hoped.
They would have to look at other avenues of income. The tension was getting worse at home between the once-loving couple.
It’s Almost Time
The worried couple had most of the medical plans in place by the time the twins were ready for the operation. The doctors told them that they had to be at least two years old and they were now 22 months old.
It was a life-or-death operation that needed to be calculated. Would the drained parents make the right decision?
Act Now
Another paediatric surgeon advised that it was in Amanda’s best interest to have the operation. Unfortunately, Emily’s little body was almost feeding off Amanda and causing distress to her.
The babies shared vital organs and shared one reproductive organ. They each had one functioning kidney. The joining at the abdomen was what was keeping them alive, but also slowly killing them. Joy questioned God’s intentions for making two innocent children suffer so.
The Right Decision
Joy and Roberto realized that their daughters’ condition did not define them and that they were just like any other children, with their own personalities, likes and dislikes, and their own special bond.
They were proud of their daughters and the life they had built together. But they couldn’t live with themselves if they didn’t try to give both the girls a normal life. They decided to go ahead with the procedure, no matter how risky.
Two Bodies One Life
The doctor told them that their twins were conjoined at the abdomen. This news devastated them. Joy and Roberto took time to absorb the news. They had never heard or seen conjoined twins before and didn’t know what to expect.
They were parents that had children with special needs. They didn’t look like other children. It was a lot of responsibility that they were not ready for, but they took it in their stride. What if something happened to one of them during the procedure? They would never live it down.
All Or Nothing
They were grateful for the love and support of their friends and family, and they were determined to give Amanda and Emily the best life possible. The couple decided to start making the necessary arrangements for the girl’s procedure.
They would go ahead separating their bodies from the abdomen. Even though there was a 50/50 chance they would survive. They were taking a big risk risking one daughter’s life for the other. Would Roberto be able to get everything ready in time?