Facebook, Prayers for Carter & ConnerBeing a parent is not easy. Having a child doesn’t only mean giving birth to a human, but it also means accepting them and fighting for them through any circumstance and challenges that may come.
Devastating News
PexelsIn 2014, Michelle Brantley and Bryan Mirabal found out their twin boys were conjoined at the sternum and that their survival wouldn’t be guaranteed so they were presented with the choice to terminate the pregnancy.
Their Decision
Facebook, Prayers for Carter & ConnerThe couple decided against it, and Carter and Conner Mirabal were born on December 12, 2014.
A Long Fight
PexelsThe twins shared a liver, intestinal tract, and abdominal wall. When they survived their initial organ repair surgery, they remained in the NICU for 5 months so they could have separation surgery.
Their Team
Facebook, Prayers for Carter & ConnerIn May 2015, a team of 17 surgeons and staff scrubbed in for their separation surgery. On Friday, May 6, 2016, Carter finally went home to join Conner and his parents.
Years After
Facebook, Prayers for Carter & ConnerThe only surviving conjoined twins from Jacksonville lived happy years with their family. In May of 2020, the brave twins celebrated their pre-kindergarten graduation.
Tough Moments
PexelsDespite the family’s efforts to give the twins a normal life, there are still tough moments they have to face. In January, their parents posted a call for prayers that says, “Conner just keeps waking up crying, telling us his back hurts. And Carter wants to rip everything off himself. He has been a little bit more irritable.”
Further Operations
Facebook, Prayers for Carter & ConnerUp until recently, Carter and Conner still had gastrointestinal tubes in their little bodies, but their doctors experimented with removing them in October, and they both did great.
The Fight Continues
Facebook, Prayers for Carter & ConnerThe doctors said that if they don’t lose weight, the twins may be able to go without their gastrointestinal tubes for the foreseeable future and be able to spend more happy moments with their family.
Watch how a typical day in Carter and Conner’s life goes in the video below.
Watch Video Here:
