Siamese twins from Siberia to be baptized before surgery

The doctors originally believed that the twins had one single spine, one pelvis, one liver and one single digestive system

Doctors conducted a detailed medical examination of the conjoined girls and concluded that it would be possible to separate the Siamese twins. The girls' mother pins all her hopes on doctors' skills and God's mercy.

When the doctors scanned internal organs of the Siamese twins, they found out the bodies of the twins were joined with the help of muscular tissues only. The twins have separate internal organs, which makes the separation surgery quite possible.

Two babies, Veronica and Christina, were born three months ago in the town of Chernogorsk, the Khakasia republic of Russia's Siberia. The twins were born with conjoined lower parts of their bodies as it can be seen on the photograph. Doctors originally believed that the twins had one single spine, one pelvis, one liver and one single digestive system.

The doctors convinced the 18-year-old mother of the need to leave the Siamese twins at hospital and go home, but the young woman (named only as Tatiana) returned a week later and said that she could not live without the girls. Tatiana has been spending her entire days taking care of the twins. Her love saved the girls from death: they are developing and growing like normal kids. The babies' father has not taken even one look at the twins: “I do not blame him. We are not married, I delivered the babies for myself,” Tatiana said.

When the medics concluded that the separation surgery was possible, the young mother burst into tears. Khakasian doctors have never performed similar operations before, although Tatiana believes that Moscow surgeons will be able to help her daughters.

”It took me certain time to learn how to handle the babies. I had to learn how to swaddle them, how to carry them in my arms. I can't buy a baby carriage, though,” Tatiana says. “The girls do not bother each other. When Veronica cries, Christina keeps silence and listens. It may also happen that one of the girls sleeps soundly, while the other one cries. They may cry for food differently as well,” the mother said.

”We live in a small town, there are about 2,000 people living here. When I go out for a walk with the girls I hear people whispering behind my back. It is hard for me to live like that, of course, but I believe that everything will be fine in the long run,” Tatiana said.

Tatiana's stepmother, Olga, does her best to help the mother of unique children. She knits them clothes and makes meals. Olga promised to design special clothes for the babies for the upcoming winter season: winter temperatures in the republic of Khakasia drop to 40 degrees below zero. “We do not need anything from the father of my babies. Relatives help, God will help up too. When the girls grow, I will baptize them in the most beautiful church in the town,” the hopeful mother says. “I originally thought that it would be possible to baptize them only after surgery. But then I decided to do it before the operation: the girls' have two souls after all,” said she.

Sayana Mayerkova