Conjoined Twins Are Perfectly Healthy And Have Bubbly Personalities

Conjoined twins Callie and Carter Torres continue to thrive together – despite expert doctors giving them just 24 hours to live. Callie and Carter were born attached by their pelvis area, sharing all organs from the belly button down and having a single leg each. The girls, who reside in Blackfoot, Idaho, are described as omphalo-ischiopagus twins that make up less than five percent of conjoined twins throughout the world. Still to this day, just 40 to 60 percent of all conjoined twins manage to survive past birth. But with their second birthday approaching in the new year, Callie and Carter’s health continues to improve, much to the delight of parents, Chelsea and Nick Torres.

Their mom says that it is incredible that they have separate hearts, separate stomachs, separate heads and separate personalities too! Their dad adds that in the very beginning they thought abortion would be the best option. They thought they would die as soon as they entered world but now, from this perspective, they are just so pleased they stuck with their gut. After the crazy first 24 hours after they were born, they were doing good. They didn’t have any issues. They were perfect. As the parents say that pressure was removed from them since their babies were perfectly happy.

Chelsea and Nick admit that their lives were 'flipped upside down' when they first heard the news that their babies were going to be conjoined. And whilst separation surgery was, and still is, an available option for the family, Chelsea and Nick have always decided against it. They don’t feel comfortable separating the twins at this point.

They add: “The only way we would consider it is if Callie and Carter have sudden health issues that arise or if they want to be separated when they are older. We are going to give them that option, but we must make sure they completely understand the risks involved.”

Chelsea and Nick are currently trying to help their girls walk together for the very first time – with coordination being something that all conjoined twins struggle with. And recently, the girls have started to develop very different personalities, which could also pose a few problems in the future. They have grown to have different personalities, for sure. Carter, for the lack of a better term, is a little bully. If she wants something, she will take it. And if she doesn’t want Callie to have something, she’ll make sure she doesn’t get it.

Ordinarily simple tasks have become much more complex for Chelsea and Nick over the last two years – and that includes getting their hands on specialized clothing for the girls. Thankfully for Chelsea and Nick, they have another little helper on hand to make sure Callie and Carter are always okay – their five-year-old big brother, Jaysin. “The three of them all get along pretty well,” Chelsea said. “If the girls are crying and one of us is busy, Jaysin will go in there and play with them until we are done.He will bring them food, he’ll share everything with them. He’s been really great.”