Grandparents Of Conjoined Twins Say No To Separation Surgery [Video]
The idea of having conjoined twins may seem appalling and overwhelming to many moms-to-be, but one Thailand couple has come to terms with the unusual situation. So much so, in fact, that they have never had plans to separate the conjoined twin girls. Even when doctors brought up the topic of separation as something deemed a possibility, the grandparents refused.
Their grandma says she never thought to separate the conjoined twin girls.
“I’ve never wished to see them separated, even if they could. It has never crossed my mind.”
Completely on the same page, her husband says while it might sound nice for the girls to have their own separate bodies, he would not dream of taking the girls apart.
Why would loving grandparents deny their conjoined twins the possibility of living a “normal” life?
The answer is quite simple, actually. The twins do not want to be separated from each other.
Like so many conjoined twins, Pin and Pan say they would never want to be separated. https://t.co/JPbGwEZBmF
— Sonya Mukherjee (@sonyamukherjee) May 3, 2016
For this family, having conjoined twins is normal, although that was certainly not always the case. The twins’ grandma, Noknoi Pongchumnan, said at first it was a great shock to learn the twins were conjoined, reports The Sun.
“The first time I saw them, it was a shock. I didn’t expect my grandchildren to be conjoined.”
Sanay Rompyen, proud grandpa of the conjoined twins, confirms his wife’s reaction, saying she returned from her first visit to the hospital in tears. Now, however, the way the girls are is normal to them.
Seven-year-old conjoined twin girls Pin and Pan are joined at the hip and each one has control of one leg. The girls have their own torsos, heads, and arms. They have learned all the life skills of other young girls such as eating, dressing, playing, and even walking, although they have to use their hands to get around. They have even taught themselves to ride a tricycle.
We Good: Conjoined Twins DO NOT Want To Be Separated [Video]:
CONJOINED twins Pin and Pan’s bond is so stron… https://t.co/rBMJDZuzne— * (@iPROMO808) May 2, 2016
The staff at the twins’ school, Nakhonsawanpunyanukul Special School for disadvantaged children, echo the grandparents’ opinion that they are very happy little girls. Their teacher, Prateep Suthat, says the twins thrive in the school environment.
“The other pupils thought Pin and Pan were different at first. In the classroom, they were asking, ‘Why do two people have one body’? They wanted to get a closer look. But after they spent time together, they realized Pin and Pan are the same as any other children, and now they all play together.”
Watch the heartwarming video of how the conjoined twins coordinate their arms as the rest of us would use our legs to walk.
Their grandmother’s fondest wish is for the conjoined twins to grow up to be doctors, so they can help other children in similar situations. She puts no limitations on the girls based on their unique physique.
Noknoi explains that while the girls are as happy as typical children, they are as different as night and day.
“They love singing, eating ice cream, helping each other with dressing up and giggling together.
“One likes wearing her hair short in a pixie style, while the other prefers her hair at a longer length. One enjoys eating noodles, the other doesn’t.”
Incredible life of Siamese twins, Pin and Pan : BRIGHT Volunteers https://t.co/gacc9GStVM
— We cafe (@cafe_we) April 4, 2016
The heartwarming and inspirational story of these conjoined twin girls proves that one does not need to be “normal” to be happy.
How do you define normal?
[Image credit: Kendra Goering/Flickr]
