Twins’ independent journey begins
NIMA and Dawa Pelden have ventured out of the Royal Children’s Hospital separated, healthy and ready for the next phase in their remarkable journey.
From today the formally conjoined 16-month-old Bhutanese twins will continue their rehabilitation at the Children First Foundation’s Kilmore retreat to adapt the enormity of life separated.
The sisters and their mother Bhumchu Zangmo were given a rock star farewell from hospital yesterday as they said goodbye to their RCH carers and saviours, 17 days after separation surgery and 56 days since a mercy flight from their Himalayan home.
Yesterday’s celebration even had the royal seal of approval when a letter from Bhutan King Jigme Singye Wangchuck arrived at the RCH thanking the team for its amazing effort.
As Nima and Dawa left his care, RCH head of paediatric surgery Dr Joe Crameri said the girls had been given a future thanks to the caring community and a massive medical team.
“The twins have made an excellent recovery, They are now starting to act independently and move around,” Dr Crameri said. “The staff on the ward have seen a remarkable two girls, girls that we have watched over this journey, girls who started off attached and bonded to one another but (were) ultimately frustrated with one another.
“We saw them become incredibly anxious after the separation when they knew their other twin was not immediately in front of them.
“But ultimately, over the last couple of weeks, we have seen them gain confidence, we have seen them gain independence, we have seen them gain a lot of strength.
“It has been incredibly re- warding to watch how the girls have recovered and to watch their interaction now — the joy of being young, and the joy of newness and seeing how the world can be when you are actually separated.”
The twins were born joined as a mirror image of each other from the lower chest and through their abdomen. A team of more than 25 Melbourne specialists separated the pair after a year-long effort to bring them to Australia.
In the coming weeks and possibly months, Children First Foundation will use physiotherapy and nursing services to build Nima and Dawa’s strength, co-ordination and movement.
The girls are beginning to sit for the first time and build strength so they may soon be able to try standing.
No timelines have been set for the sisters’ return to Bhutan, but Ms Zangmo and her daughters had to farewell their closest companion, with Bhutanese nurse Tshewang Choden returning home today.
Ms Choden, 32, has barely left the girls’ side since escorting them from Bhutan and said she was overcome with the joy of seeing her job through, but struggling with the prospect of being half a world away.