For Jill and Michael Richards, embracing parenthood did not turn out as expected. The news of getting pregnant with twins overjoyed the family until they learned that their twin daughters might never be able to live independently, like other children, as they were conjoined. On December 29, 2016, the girls were welcomed into the family. At 35 weeks, the babies were delivered by C-section, as a natural delivery could be risky.
The following two years were all about patience. Most days were tough as both girls had to be catered to at once, from their food to cuddles from mom and dad. The twins, Anna Grace and Hope Elizabeth, were a blessing for the family, and the parents were grateful for them; however, the hope and wish that they would live independently was constant. The parents’ prayers and God heard them, as through a surgery at Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, the twins were separated.
As the babies were conjoined at the chest and abdomen, the surgery had significant risks attached as the blood vessels that connected their hearts were shared. The girl was not even that healthy, as together, they weighed 9 pounds 12 ounces, and observing and analyzing their condition for days after their birth in the NICU, made the doctors realize that if the operation had to be done, careful planning and going an extra mile when it was about effort had to be done. The procedure had to be done in steps with great care.
On November 6, the doctors performed the first procedure in which tissue expanders were placed under the skin. This procedure would lead to the best chances of the twins’ successful separation as the expanders’ function is to stretch and let the skin grow. Thus, after the surgery, rapid recovery could be expected. Although looking at how much pain the babies had to go through was heartbreaking for the Richards, they did not want to lose hope and faith as their condition required health, and for that, their parents could not give up so easily.
Then came the day everyone had been waiting for—the surgery day! A team of around 75 professionals, including medical specialists, surgeons, cardiologists, and even nurses from eight different specialties, performed the surgery together. Seven hours in, Anna and Hope were finally supported. The good thing was that their conditions were stable, and the chances were high that they could thrive in life! Looking at Anna and Hope separately, I see that the beds took time to process, as although the parents constantly prayed on some days, their hope dimmed. However, the feeling of gratitude was heavier than ever. The team of doctors was thanked, as for the parents, the successful surgery was no less than a miracle.
The cases of Anna and Hope were rare, so the Children’s Hospital shared images before, during, and after the surgery. They showed how emotional everyone in the room was when the girls were finally at peace and resting separately after the surgery. The hospital’s surgeon-in-chief, Dr. Larry, expressed appreciation for the team of doctors for making the surgery a success, as the surgery required was immense.
After countless meetings, simulations, and time spent preparing for emergencies, the surgery’s success brought great relief. The doctors look forward to caring for and looking after the twins while they recover.
The surgery’s success was not just a medical achievement for Richard’s family but also showed how important it is to continue working in modern medicine. Anna and Grace were given a chance to grow side by side, as individuals, and that is what the parents had been wishing for since day one.
