Being able to carry a baby in your tummy is miraculous in itself. Delivering the baby is also a miracle that can only be conceived by God. It is always fate that decides what we will accept when we deliver.
In spite of the unusual nature of triplets, many believe it is impossible for a conjoined twin to exist among them.
This kind of birth occurs once every 200,000 live births, according to scientists!
The doctors were left in a quandary when a couple of drug addicts had them after skipping prenatal appointments.
To give the babies a better chance of surviving, the couple decided to place them for adoption. It was a blessing that another couple intervened and offered assistance.
It has always been Darla and Jeff Garrison’s pleasure to care for foster children with delicate medical needs. They had always hoped for girls who would stay with them for a considerable amount of time, but the arrangement was not long-term.
Tyler, Matt, and Luke are their three biological children; however, they long to expand their nuclear family with daughters.
Their wish came true twenty years ago when they welcomed a special set of triplet girls into their family, two of whom are conjoined. In December 2002, the triplets were conceived.
Madeline was taken in by the family when she was just four days old, and then Macey and Mackenzie, the conjoined twins, at the age of four weeks.
The conjoined twins, who weighed 2.2 pounds each at birth, were born intertwined in the intestines and attached at the pelvis. They had to share a third non-functional limb despite each having a leg.
Under the supervision of pediatric surgeon James Stein, Macey and Mackenzie underwent a 24-hour, multi-stage separation procedure at the Children’s Hospital Los Angeles on September 10, 2003.
Their skin was prepared by stretching them out beforehand so that it could be stitched and flapped over their wounds with ease.
Although it was a delicate and difficult process, it was necessary. The girls would frequently reassure and soothe each other, according to Darla.
Fortunately, the procedure went well, and after six weeks in the hospital, Mackenzie was the first to go home. Macey was then released a month later.
To the delight of their brothers, Darla and Jeff began the adoption procedure as soon as they had moved in. The Garrisons received the green light from the law to adopt the three two years later.
In order to give them a childhood they would never forget, Darla and Jeff decided to move them to a farm in Indianola, Iowa. “The girls have succeeded through hard work and the commitment of their family,” Dr. Stein said. Their development is wonderful and motivating.
The two have different personalities, despite the fact that they once shared nearly identical genetic makeup and physical characteristics.
According to their mother, Macy is “softer around the edges” and prefers to stay at home. On the other hand, Mackenzie is more extroverted and adores the outdoors.
They overcame a variety of obstacles as they grew up, such as the need to move around with crutches and a prosthesis.
They have family, which is what matters most; they can depend on it no matter what. Additionally, each of them has an ostomy bag that needs to be changed frequently.
They were still able to have a typical childhood filled with chores despite these obstacles!
According to Linda Kontis, co-founder of the foster care organization where the triplets were raised, children with disabilities who are raised in a setting where they are treated like normal children also perceive themselves that way, which may account for the triplets’ success today.
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