PETALING JAYA: It has been weeks of agony for the mother of the premature conjoined twins who were separated in a landmark surgery on March 19.

Deborah Anne Vince had to undergo surgery twice and recuperate from Covid-19 just days after giving birth to the twins on March 2.

As the conjoined twins were undergoing surgery to be separated, Deborah was also under the knife to close her Caesarean-section wounds. It had leaked as she was travelling back to her hometown in Taiping after having given birth.

“I was only left with prayers and hope as my twins were in for their surgery,” she said.

Her twins, named Daelan Hope Marshall and Daevyn Hope Marshall, were successfully separated through surgery at Hospital Tunku Azizah (HTA).The successful landmark surgery of 17-day-old conjoined twins Daelan Hope Marshall and Daevyn Hope Marshall is nothing short of a miracle. But the journey to that day was not without constant prayers as mum Deborah Anne Vince recalls the post-partum health scares, tears and fears she endured so that she can shower the boys with her love. > See report on page 3 by DIYANA PFORDTEN” src=”../../backup/files/images/thumbs/600/2022/03/28/1529932.jpeg” style=”width: 400px; height: 603px;”></p>
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<p>The surgery was led by paediatric surgery consultant specialist Datuk Dr Zakaria Zahari on March 19.</p>
<p>The operation on the 17-day-old boys made news as it was historic for such young infants to be successfully separated.</p>
<p>Dr Zakaria had previously explained that such operations are usually conducted when the babies are at least three to six years old.</p>
<p>The boys, who shared a liver, had to be operated on urgently as they were “exhibiting extrauterine twin-to-twin transfusion, pushing one twin to develop cardiac failure”, according to reports.</p>
<p>Their other organs are normal.</p>
<p>Sharing her anxiety, Deborah said: “I was crying and praying to God every second that the operation would go well.”</p>
<p>Deborah, who works as a clinic assistant, said the infants are still recovering in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).</p>
<p>“The older twin, Daelan Hope, is progressing well, his wounds are healing and he no longer needs to be incubated,” she said, adding that he is currently using a nasal prong for oxygen support.</p>
<p>However, younger brother Daevyn Hope, is progressing rather slowly and is still incubated.</p>
<p>Deborah said her Category 1 Covid-19 infection after childbirth had prevented her from seeing the twins and her seven-year-old daughter Demetria Glory Marshall.</p>
<p>“It was a difficult time for me but I’m thankful to have had the support from my family who took care of me and my daughter in Taiping,” she added.</p>
<p>Deborah, who is still in confinement, said she goes to the hospital to visit the twins every day for 15 to 20 minutes.</p>
<p>“I will see and hold them one after another,” she added.</p>
<p>She foresees more challenges in taking care of the twins once they are out of the hospital.</p>
<p>The twins are likely to be discharged once their conditions stabilise and they are able to breathe on their own without oxygen support and are able to be breastfed.</p>
<p>“They are likely to be discharged sometime in April,” she said.</p>
<p>When she first knew that she was having conjoined twins, she said her 34-year-old electrician husband had been concerned.</p>
<p>“He was praying everyday. He believed that God was going to give us the best,” she said.</p>
<p>Deborah said she was very grateful to the doctor in charge, Dr Zakaria, and his team who made the surgery a success as well as Dr Maneet Kaur from Hospital Raja Permaisuri Bainun (HRPB) Ipoh who took care of the twins for two weeks after their birth.</p>
<p>“As I can’t be by my sons’ side, I am thankful to the doctors and nurses at HRPB and HTA’s NICU for taking care of them,” she added.</p>
<p>Deborah said she was eagerly waiting for her sons to be discharged so they could all return home to Taiping as a family.</p>
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