LEECH HORROR
AS well as defining the laws of gravity, Sir Isaac Newton also worked for the Royal Mint.
He took his role of Master of the Mint so seriously he used to trawl bars and pubs undercover to gather evidence of coin counterfeiting.
His work led to 28 “coiners” being prosecuted and hung, drawn and quartered as punishment. THROAT surgeons expecting to remove a tumour blamed for a woman’s migraines in Ha Giang, Vietnam, instead found a 3in live leech.
TINY twins born no bigger than an iPhone are now thriving.
Jayden and his brother Gene arrived three months early after mum Lisa Worman went into labour at 27 weeks.
They weighed just over 2lbs each at birth.
Both boys battled breathing difficulties as their lungs were not properly developed. Gene was also diagnosed with a heart murmur and a bleed on the brain.
Now the pair have finally gone home after 60 days in hospital.
Mum Lisa, 31, said: “It’s the best feeling in the world to have them home. There were times when we couldn’t see the light at the end of the tunnel.
“They were so tiny – about the same size as an iPhone, the same as their dad’s palm.
“But they are such fighters and we’re now settling into normal family life.”
First-time parents Lisa and Wesley Lester-Green, 39, were separated from the twins after they were delivered by caesarean section.
Dental nurse Lisa said: “As the doctors were worried about infection, they decided not to give me an epidural. In the end they had to knock me out completely.
“I remember thinking before I went into theatre, ‘please let me wake up to two babies’.
“It was very surreal waking up knowing they weren’t in my tummy any longer but not knowing how they had come out or where they were.
“We didn’t actually get to see or hold them until the next day as they were so poorly.”
Her pregnancy was going well until her waters broke 10 weeks before most twins would ideally arrive. Lisa was rushed straight to St Mary’s Hospital in Paddington, west London. She said: “I was terrified. There were five or six consultants and specialists crowded around my bed.
“I tried to stay calm but it was hard. I felt totally out of my depth.”
The emergency caesarean was a success and Jayden and Gene were born at 10.38pm and 10.39pm on October 20.
The little boys were put in an intensive care baby unit, meaning neither Wesley, a security consultant, or Lisa got to see their boys until 24 hours later.
Lisa said: “They were all wrapped in plastic bags and had wires all over. Their skin was transparent – it was horrible.”
Over the next four weeks Lisa and Wesley stayed by the boys’ sides. Wesley refused to leave his family even for a sleep and dozed in a chair.
He said: “I hated the idea that Lisa and the babies would be alone, so I just stayed.
“It was a really difficult period but we were so thankful to the friends and family who rallied round us.
“We set up a Go Fund Me page for the twins which raised £4,000 in two weeks.”
The proud dad from Croydon, south London, added: “My two boys were such fighters. I knew they would pull through in the end.”
Jayden and Gene were moved to Croydon University Hospital in November before being allowed home.
Lisa added: “They had literally spent no time together since leaving the womb, so we’ve been gradually letting them get to know each other again.
“At first they weren’t sure and would nudge each other out the way. But they seem to be getting used to it and will now move about so their heads are touching. It’s very cute!”