The first daughter in a set of separated conjoined twins is happily home with her family in Texas. James Finley and Amanda Arciniega are the proud parents of JamieLynn and AmieLynn Finely. The girls were born in October 2022, conjoined at the chest and sharing a liver. Doctors separated the twins in January during an intense 11-hour operation. Today, the girls are thriving.
Good Morning America reported that the twins were born via C-section in the fall at Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital in Fort Worth when Arciniega was 34 weeks pregnant. Conjoined twins occur only once in 50,000 to 60,000 births, but the news program noted that conjoined twins who remain viable after delivery are rare. In other words, the Finley twins are miracles.
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The news that the couple was going to have conjoined twins was completely unexpected.
Arciniega admitted in a video shared with Good Morning America that seeing their babies on the ultrasound was jarring. The family knew the best chance for the twins to live was to separate them.
"On the ride home, we were quiet and it was kind of sad. We were thinking, 'Why us, out of everybody?'" Arciniega said. "It's a lot."
The surgery was scary for the family.
As the parents prepared for surgery, they understood that there could be significant complications and they could lose the twins.
"It was very scary and emotional, but you've got to just keep going and get through it," Finley told Good Morning America. "It was a scary journey because we didn't know what was going to happen."
According to a news release, Cook Children's Medical Center announced in January that the Finleys were the first conjoined twins separated at the hospital. Doctors said the surgery was a success.
"Doctors are optimistic as the girls heal. Their primary focus will be breathing support and pain control in the next few days," the news release reads.
The medical team prepared tirelessly for the surgery.
"Good Morning America" noted that more than 50 staff at Cook Children's spent three months getting ready for the separation surgery. The team included surgeons, nurses, anesthesiologists, and neonatal specialists.
"In order to prepare for this, it's a lot of practice, practice, practice and more practice, trying really to think of every possible scenario so that we're not surprised by anything," said Dr. Chad Barber, a neonatologist at Cook Children's told the news program. "There's always going to be unexpected things, but if you're prepared for the worst possibilities and the most unlikely outcomes, then you can at least hopefully not get caught too off guard."
JamieLynn got to go home at 5 months old.
Two months after surgery, JamieLynn headed home with her family on Tuesday. In a news release from Cook Children's, a photo of the beaming family shows the joy of her homecoming.
AmieLynn is still in the NICU, but doctors expect her home in the next month or so. The family picked up JamieLynn at the hospital, where she was loaded in her car seat with mom, dad, and three older siblings.
"We're excited that we get to get her home," Finley shared in the release. "We'll have some good bonding time, but at the same time, Amie is still up there so it's kind of a double-edged sword. We're happy Jamie is coming home, but they're not going to be together for a bit."
The girls took a final outing together down the NICU hall riding in a red wagon before JamieLynn's release.
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Finley shared a sweet update on the children earlier this week as he was able to hold them together.
"Finally got to hold them both together.. Feels like it's been forever.. I know they're all healthy and separated but it's still a piece of me that misses them together but just know if they fight they will get put in the same T-shirt like my mom did me and my brothers when we fought," he wrote on Facebook. "Aaand Jamie should be coming home Tuesday!! We're gonna have a welcome home shower after Amie comes home."
A special account was set up for the family to aid with medical bills.
Even though the girls' surgery was a success, there is still much to consider in the coming years. EEUC Community Foundation set up a donation site where contributors can help the family with living expenses and medical bills.
"While this is an exciting next step for the twins, the Finleys need our help! Caring for the twins will be complex, and your donations will support not only the twin's needs, but also the rest of the family," the site reads. "Even a small donation will go a long way."
