Conjoined twins Jadon and Anias McDonald are now 13 months old and preparing to be separated by Dr. James Goodrich. Although the McDonald parents have been working toward and preparing for this procedure since their twins’ birth, its imminent date has them both feeling more fearful than ever before.
Jadon and Anias are joined, not just by the head, but also by 1.5 to 2 inches of brain tissue. Since their birth, they’ve already undergone three operations to cut more and more blood vessels connecting their heads.
Now, Dr. Goodrich has determined that it is the right moment for Jadon and Anias to finally be separated. He and his team of surgeons have studied and practiced the procedure on 3-D printed models of the twins’ brains and skulls in preparation.
But even now, after the preliminary operations and all this practice, there’s no guarantee that Jadon and Anias will survive the procedure.
The mother, Nicole, is distraught. “I could almost keep them like this,” she admitted.
Over the past 13 months, it’s clear that both boys have developed their own distinct personalities. While Jadon is more active and rambunctious, Anias is quieter and more thoughtful – and has also suffered more health complications than his brother.
"They're so perfect," Nicole explained. "They're beautiful, and they are so funny and so happy." She and her husband “like them the way they are,” even though they know it’s best for their sons to have the opportunity to live their lives independently.
In the final days leading up to the surgery, Nicole has been treasuring her bedtime ritual with her sons: leaning over their conjoined heads, alternatively cuddling one and bottle-feeding the other, all while singing them off to sleep.
Her husband, Christian, “can't wait to see them as two separate little boys.” He explained, “That's what excites me the most. I really just want to know my boys.”
We all hope that we’ll hear good news from the McDonald family soon.
