Addy and Lily Altobelli are conjoined twins who were separated months after birth in a dangerous 10-hour procedure. Now, their parents are speaking out about how they trusted God during the harrowing journey.
Maggie and Dom Altobelli, the parents of the split conjoined twins, experienced a lot of uncertainty with their infant girls. From the time Addy and Lily discovered they shared a tummy, they were plagued by unanswered questions.
As a result, Maggie and Dom did everything they could manage. They gave it all up to the Lord and trusted Him to see them through the whole process. And He accomplished just that!
Maggie anticipated to learn the gender of her baby at her 20-week pregnancy check-up – single. But, to her amazement, she learned she was going to have twin daughters.
Maggie, on the other hand, was in for a far larger surprise when the ultrasound revealed something her doctor had never seen before. She was pregnant with twins that were conjoined.
The doctors said that their small tummies are linked.
The couple had not expected to be in this circumstance. But they opted to believe in God’s plan, even though it differed from theirs.
Maggie added that it was unexpected and frightening. But they just assumed God sent them these girls for a reason.
The couple consented to separate the conjoined twins following their birth. This implied leaving their home in Chicago and working with experts at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), who had expertise separating conjoined twins. Maggie and Dom, on the other hand, had no idea how long and tough the road ahead would be.
First, a battery of tests was performed to determine whether or not the separation was even conceivable. Doctors would be unable to attempt if the babies shared a heart. Even when physicians verified they could perform separation surgery on the conjoined twins, Maggie and Dom Altobelli were cautioned it would be extremely dangerous. ”Yes, this is a fortunate position,” they responded. ”It’s still a high-risk birth and operation, says the doctor,” Maggie reflected. It was scary not knowing what would happen to their infant daughters. Maggie and Dom, on the other hand, opted to take it “one step at a time” and trust God. During the pregnancy, they dubbed their conjoined twins Faith and Hope.
Maggie Altobelli was 34 weeks pregnant when she gave birth to Addy and Lily Altobelli. Maggie and Dom were pleased at the girls’ delivery, but the conjoined twins faced challenges right away.
Because the girls shared a chest, when Lily, the older twin, became agitated, Addy had difficulty breathing. “If Lily became agitated, she would (control) her breathing,” Maggie added. “At times, Addy had coded because she couldn’t breathe because Lily was unhappy.” Before they could be separated, the conjoined twins required time to grow and receive therapies that would prepare them for the approaching procedure. And, other than loving on their infants, all Maggie and Dom could do was hope for a favourable outcome while letting the medics handle things.
The day came to separate the conjoined twins not long before they turned one. Despite the fact that so many things may go wrong, Maggie and Dom completely gave up to God’s will.
The arduous treatment took physicians ten hours to complete, with Maggie and Dom receiving updates every two hours. Finally, they received word that the procedure had been a success.
Maggie explained, she simply collapsed to the floor. Everyone was crying and wailing. There was so much happiness.
Addy and Lily Altobelli spent the following two months in the hospital rehabilitating before being released. Finally, the split conjoined twins returned to Chicago with their parents. The babies continue to receive a variety of therapies, including physical, occupational, and speech therapy. They are also practising eating on their own, despite the fact that they are presently fed through tubes. And their futures are bright after surviving and conquering so many hardships.
“This is where we’re going. In many ways, it’s a one-of-a-kind one “Maggie Altobelli elaborated. “These girls will enjoy long and healthy lives. It’s quite remarkable and incredible that we’re here.” Finding tranquility in the midst of a storm is difficult. But if we can commit our hearts to God’s will, as we witness with these separated conjoined twins, there is no scenario He couldn’t utilise for good!
