Chelsea Torres, 22 years old, gave birth to conjoined twins Callie and Carter a couple of months ago even though doctors suggested that she should get an abortion early on. According to the doctors, the twins, who live with their family in Blackfoot, Idaho, were lucky to be healthy even though they primarily feared that they wouldn’t be able to live long.
According to Metro, Chelsea said, “I’m so happy I didn’t terminate Callie and Carter, they are amazing. I knew termination would not happen and I’m glad that little speck of thought I did have, I pushed away. The doctors say because the girls are so healthy, they do not recommend separation.”
Although she found the whole pregnancy not easy, Chelsea wanted to keep an optimistic view for the future. She said, “The labor was bad since I went for a planned C-section. They did the procedure and it felt really weird but when they were here I was extremely happy.”
Chelsea and her husband, Nick Torres, 22 years old, and their older son, Jaysin, three years old, first relocated to Houston, Texas to close the distance between the family and a specialist hospital. But when they went back to their home in Idaho, Chelsea said that she’s gradually getting used to the twins being conjoined.
Chelsea said, “Their clothing and car seats are completely different. We have to sew their clothing together and the car seat is custom made. We get some people who stare and we get some people who say they have been following our journey.”
The Torres family created a fundraising page to help with the twins’ medical expenses. In the page, Chelsea wrote: “We have Idaho insurance and as some of the amount is paid for, but a big percentage isn't covered for out of state care. The testing would consider an echocardiogram, MRI, and extensive ultrasound.
“From what the doctors have told us is there is two hearts, stomachs, and spines. From the ultrasound at the Boise MFM, we were told there was two pelvises, but with the recent ultrasound (14 weeks from MFM in SLC), we were told the pelvises might be fused or there is just one.
“We would need to go to Houston for better imaging and getting the correct answers we need with an experienced hospital. My husband and I are in our early 20's and don't have a lifetime of savings. Before the pregnancy, my husband was working part time as I was taking 16 credit hours in college while we switched off taking care of our 3-year-old son.
“Due to the nature of events that keep happening (subchorionic hemorrhages and needing a stress-free pregnancy) and the doctor visits, I am once again not able to be employed. To keep up with Callie and Carter's journey, we have a facebook page which we update after every appointment called ‘Beating the odds with Callie and Carter.’”
