When doctors saw no way for my son to live past a few more weeks in my belly, I not only told them that we have faith in our almighty GOD… I showed them. I was not going to give up on my son. I was not going to allow anyone else to give up on my son. I knew how strong my son was. I knew how smart he was.

When he had less than 5 centimeters of amniotic fluid in his sac, my son, a genius of a not-yet fully formed infant, turned his entire body around, facing his twin sister. Between him and her, there was a space from his face to chest that had the last droplets of amniotic fluid. My genius of a son, stayed in this position until birth. His twin sister, being the lifesaving brother’s keeper that she has become, stayed in her position, same as his. She stayed in this position as if she were giving him a pep-talk through the duration of the pregnancy. “Look at me brother, keep your eyes on me. We will make it through.”

On June 22, 2014 doctors conducted our second in-utero surgery. I was almost 30 weeks along. My son had lost the amniotic fluid that was infused into his sac just 3 weeks prior. Our son was diagnosed with Posterior Urethral Valves. That means there is a blockage in his urethra and all the urine and fluid that he produces is stuck in his bladder and then refluxes back into his kidneys.

At this point in our pregnancy, his kidneys had become cystic. But doctor’s proceeded with surgery  to place a shunt in our son’s bladder in hopes that he would drain consistently and it would give his lungs time to grow. During the shunt placement, doctors also added fluid into his sac with an amnio-infusion. But that wasn’t all. Doctor’s did something that has never been done before at that hospital.

I had never heard of it being done anywhere in the world. In fact, I believe it was something that our doctor just thought up and made up one day when trying to figure out how to save my son. My son had no amniotic fluid left in his sac. He NEEDED  a lifesaving procedure. Whatever it was… we were game!!

The doctor went into, during the shunt placement and cut small slits in Matthew’s and Callia’s amniotic sacs. Callia’s amniotic fluid flowed freely into Matthew’s sac. The doctor thought that it would at first just kind of trickle into Matthew’s sac. But what had happened was it was like a gush of fluid. They immediately became one. How their sacs did not break and empty from my body completely, is where a big part of our miracle occurred. How can this be?? Only God knows…

So out twins went from Di-Di twins to Di-Mo twins. (Dichorionoc/Diamonitoc to Dichorionic/Monoamniotic Twins) I have searched all over the place for any similar procedure… but nowhere can I find anything about this.

The twins survived like this for a week until Matthew’s placental abruption. They were separated for the first time. The next time the twins were reunited was in August 2014, the night before Callia was discharged.

To this day, Callia absolutely LOVES her brother. She is very protective over him. When he cries for any reason, she immediately goes to him to find out why he is crying. She gives him kisses and hugs him to make him feel better. When we return from dialysis, after a long day from being gone, she goes straight to him and kisses him and hugs him to welcome him home. He is learning a lot from her. It is almost as if she understands that he is sick or special. She knows that he is not as fast as she is. She is an amazing sister.

When he crawls to go somewhere, she would sometimes crawl with him, or she will walk slowly behind him and slap him on his butt to go faster…lol. She shares her toys with him. But she also fights with him. When there is something that she wants, and he has it, she will try to take it from him. Until he starts crying then she will give it right back and kiss him. I don’t think she likes to hear him cry. She is usually the first one to console him when he cries or is hurt. She pats him on his back and rubs his back… just like a mother would do. We laugh because, although Matthew is technically older, Callia acts like the big sister. It is really very sweet. Matthew strives to be like her.

I remember when we first found out we were having twins, I was so confused. I didn’t understand at first. But now here we are… I get it. And I am so incredible thankful to God for how everything has turned out. I am so grateful for the miracles He has created. For all the we have been blessed to witness. And I am so amazed at how close the twins are. And especially with the older sisters. They are amazing. Our kids are so amazing!!

Just so grateful, thankful and blessed.

xo