Having a baby is always a profound experience, but when your child arrives, it can feel like a true miracle. No one understands this more deeply than the parents of Isabelle and Abby Carlsen.
These two beautiful girls were born more than ten years ago, conjoined at the chest and abdomen. They shared a liver, small intestine, and had two interconnected hearts.
Their birth at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, was nothing short of miraculous, and the world watched in awe.
As doctors prepared for the delicate task of separating them, their parents faced an incredibly tough decision.
The stress and anxiety were immense. At the time, the survival rate for such operations was only 60%. On May 12, 2006, a team of 17 doctors performed the intricate surgery, which lasted 12 hours. The most nerve-wracking moment came when they had to separate the shared liver.
The family endured a long and tense wait, but fortunately, everything went well. Both girls survived, though they spent the first six months of their lives in hospitals.
Today, it’s hard to believe that Isabelle and Abby were once conjoined. They are thriving and hardly recognize themselves in their baby photos.
“Every night we look in the mirror in our room, and we’re like, how do people get us mixed up?” Abby said, as reported by CBS News.
Their teacher, Tiffany Moos, described them as fun-loving girls who enjoy gymnastics, have many friends, and excel academically.
While both are very independent, they still occasionally hold hands when walking together.
In the video below, Abby and Isabelle share their remarkable story.
These two amazing girls are true miracles, and the surgical team that made their separation possible deserves great praise.
Please share their inspiring story and spread the love!
