May 10, 2011: One body two heads

[DanaC]

Originally Posted by Sundae

Exceptionally large population = more chances of billion-to-one outcomes.

I feel sorry for the parents most of all.
The little girls are as yet unaware that they are one of nature's cruel jokes, the parents are fully cognisant. And probably looking back with nostalgia on the days when the local hillside was an option.

[/insensitive]

Apparently the parents chose to give the twins up pretty much as soon as they were born. They said they couldn't afford to look after such severely disabled children.

Also, according to the report Doctors believe it is extremely unlikely that there would be any way of successfully separating them.

[Sundae]

Originally Posted by DanaC

Apparently the parents chose to give the twins up pretty much as soon as they were born. They said they couldn't afford to look after such severely disabled children.

Also, according to the report Doctors believe it is extremely unlikely that there would be any way of successfully separating them.

I still feel sorry for them. The death of a newborn is traumatic enough - but giving birth to a live baby with such an extreme mutation and knowing you've left it alive with strangers could at least equal that.

And no, I honestly can't believe they could be separated.
Even if they decided one human brain had more value than the other - some Doctors have to make those choices after all - the sheer task of replumbing would be prohibitive. I don't mean to be glib, just couldn't think of a better way to describe the diverting and restructuring of all the various vessels and muscles and tubes etc.

Left alone the child must surely die; one heart two brains - how could the circulatory system cope? It seems to me the kindest thing to do is let it go gently into that good night.