Bond not skin deep Healing twins stay close, with no timeline for return home
NO FIRM timeline is set for Nima and Dawa Pelden’s return home to Bhutan, although the twins are recovering well from their complex separation, according to surgeons.
RCH head of paediatric surgery Dr Joe Crameri yesterday said discussions were continuing among the 16month-old twins’ Australian and Bhutanese medical teams about what condition Nima and Dawa would have to be in to return home.
“We would love to have them home before Christmas, which would be about six weeks, but the reality is they go back when they are right to go back – and if that is three months, six months, then it is that timeframe, but I am hoping it is not that long,” Dr Crameri said.
“In reality, the girls have got to be well, we have to have all their attached tubing out before we send them back to (the Children First Foundation retreat) Kilmore, and we are still a little way off that at the moment.
“Home (Bhutan) is a broader question. Life being separated is a new experience for them.
“I think we would all like to see them become a little more independent in how they move and get better strength with their muscles and ultimately be confident in sitting up and even moving around on their feet a little.
“But I think they are very long-term goals and we will set goals with Dr Karma (Sherub) and the Bhutan team to see what they can do at home, and what we need to do to get them on that process.”
Providing an update on Nima and Dawa’s medical recovery six days after their sixhour separation surgery, Dr Crameri said their health was tracking very well.
“The good news is that there is no news,” Dr Crameri said. “We are very happy and especially mum is very happy and continuing to smile.”
The twins’ mother, Bhumchu Zangmo, spoke for the first time on Wednesday of her elation at seeing them separated, as well their determination to remain by each other’s side – with the sisters becoming upset if they are more than 40cm apart for more than a few minutes.
As they laid in the same bed at the Royal Children’s Hospital yesterday, the two continued to reach for the other’s face, pat the other’s head with hands and feet, and play all the same games they did while joined together.
Bhumchu said she was overjoyed at how devoted to each other they remained.
“I am extremely happy and excited with the outcome of the surgery that my twins went through,” she said, with the help of a translator. “I find it hard to get the right words to express my feelings of happiness and gratitude.
“When I first saw them after the successful surgery, I was overwhelmed seeing them as individuals in different beds. I could not even figure out which one was Nima or Dawa.”