Bonded for Life: Conjoined Twins Embark on Kindergarten Journey at Age 6
Against all odds, six-year-old conjoined twins, connected from the sternum down, are now successfully navigating kindergarten with their shared body. Despite doctors giving their mother a five percent chance of survival, these twins have defied expectations and are thriving.
Despite physicians warning Chelsea that her daughters might not survive the first few weeks of their lives, Callie and Carter are thriving six years on, and they recently achieved a significant milestone by starting kindergarten.
While the girls each have their own heart and stomach, they share a liver, intestinal tract, and bladder. Remarkably, each of them can control one leg and two arms.
Despite being warned by physicians that Callie and Carter might not survive the first few weeks of their lives, the twins are thriving six years on.
"Their anatomy is like two waves that crash together," their mother explained to KTVB recently. "They have two separate stomachs, and everything starts to get jumbled in the intestines, which they share in their bottom half."
According to Chelsea, her daughters are just like any other little girls, each with their own distinct personality, likes, and dislikes.
"I want people to understand that they are just two normal kids," she said. "Yes, they are in an unusual circumstance, but treat them as normal. They go to school, attend physical therapy, and enjoy typical activities like riding bikes."
Chelsea shared with the Today show that Callie is "really girly," while Carter is the opposite. Like any siblings, they sometimes get tired of each other's company.
"We try to give them their own time, even though they're kind of stuck together," she revealed, adding that they give them headphones and let them watch TV on their tablets if they request alone time.
"Even though Callie and Carter are two individuals joined together, it's essential to remember that they are individual children with their own personalities."
The girls are currently in perfect health, relying on a wheelchair for mobility. They are actively engaged in physical therapy to learn how to walk by coordinating their movements.
Chelsea faces challenges when it comes to finding suitable clothing for their unique situation. She ingeniously creates their outfits by cutting and sewing two items of clothing together.
Early on, she had to obtain a custom car seat from a children's hospital in Salt Lake City when they were born, but they have since outgrown it. Unfortunately, she will have to wait until September to acquire a new one, which can be frustrating.
Despite the challenges, Chelsea remains optimistic, knowing that her daughters will overcome any obstacles because they have each other for support.
Chelsea is dedicated to raising awareness about conjoined twins and has become a popular social media figure, amassing over 205,000 followers on TikTok. She frequently shares videos showcasing the girls enjoying everyday activities, such as swimming, biking, playing at the playground, and simply cherishing life.
Opening up about her daughters' story wasn't easy, but Chelsea has grown more comfortable discussing it over time. Her willingness to share their journey has brought understanding and empathy to their unique situation.
Upon learning that she was pregnant with conjoined twins in 2016, Chelsea expressed feeling devastated initially, but she never considered ending the pregnancy.
"When they were babies, it was challenging for me. People would stare and take pictures," she shared with the outlet.
"I even ended up smashing someone's phone. It was just easier to conceal them under a blanket."
However, from the very beginning, Chelsea was determined to keep the babies. She had a C-section at 36 weeks, and the girls were born in January 2017. Although the initial plan was to have them undergo surgery for separation, doctors advised against it due to the high risks involved.
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"They don't know any other way of life," she explained. "When people ask if they want to be separated, they respond with confusion, wondering why anyone would suggest that."
After spending five weeks in the NICU under intensive observation, they were finally given the green light to go home.
"The doctors said, 'Nothing is wrong with them; they are perfect, healthy. Take them home and treat them like normal kids.' So, that's exactly what we did," Chelsea recalled.
Both girls have not shown any interest in being separated, and Chelsea mentioned in an interview with Today that the surgery would be extremely risky.
However, she emphasized her willingness to consider the option in the future if it's something the twins desire.
"They don't know any other way of life," she explained. "When people ask if they want to be separated, they're puzzled and wonder why."
"If they express a desire to be separated, we will explore it. I will advise them to carefully listen to what the doctors say, to understand the risks involved. If they are determined to go through with it, I will support their decision," she added in her interview with KTVB.
"For now, the decision is not mine to make. The surgery is highly risky, and I won't impose my choice on them. To me, they are not broken; they are perfect as they are."
