Abby and Brittany Hensel’s Extraordinary Lives As Conjoined Twins

People have been increasingly interested in the Hensel Twins’ life mainly because photos of one of them marrying Joshua Bowling, a US army veteran and nurse, surfaced on the Internet. Abby and Brittany Hensel did not become famous overnight; their lives have been covered by major shows such as The Oprah Winfrey Show, Origin, and their own reality TV show, Abby & Brittany. People have many questions about how these sisters live their shared lives. In this article, you will learn how these conjoined twins function.

Medical Background of Conjoined Twins

Conjoined twins are twins that are born physically attached to each other in some portion of their bodies because they did not entirely separate prior to birth. There are various varieties of conjoined twins, and the Hensel sisters are dicephalus conjoined twins, the type that is linked at the chest or abdomen but has distinct heads and arms.

These types of twins are extremely rare, occurring only once in every 100,000 births. Unfortunately, not all conjoined twins survive delivery; approximately 60% do. Deciding whether to separate conjoined twins is a difficult decision that must consider a variety of factors, including how it will affect each twin’s health, the organs they share, and their future quality of life. The Hensel sisters’ parents decided not to separate them, and they have grown up and are doing well together.

Shared Anatomy and Daily Life
Organs

In an interview with Origin, Patty Hensel, the twins mother said “when the doctor came and talked to us, they said they each have a heart, they each have a set of lungs, that they each have a stomach. From the stomach comes the small intestine, they each have that, which joins into the large intestine and then they have just one bladder and the female organs.”

Movement and coordination

This is when things get insane with movement and synchronization. The Hensel twins share the same body but have distinct heads and necks, broader chests, two arms, and two legs. At birth, they had an additional arm between their necks, which was removed, leaving only the shoulder blade.

Abby’s head tilts slightly to the right, whereas Brittany’s tilts to the left, making her appear shorter. Brittany’s leg is somewhat shorter than Abby’s, and she frequently goes on tiptoes, which has resulted in one calf muscle being larger than the other. Brittany’s spine stopped growing prematurely, and Abby’s did as well. They had surgery at the age of 12 to fix their spine and chest problems.

Each twin controls one side of their body and only feels touch sensations on that side. They collaborate to use their limbs for tasks like walking, running, swimming, sports, music, typing, and driving.

Mental and emotional wellbeing

Being conjoined twins means they are always physically connected, which can make things like discussing daily activities or determining what to wear difficult because they must agree all the time. However, the Hensel twins have figured out a good way to communicate and comprehend each other. In the same interview with Origin, Abby stated that she and Brittany are very different, so they take turns assisting them with decision making.

Despite their connections, they each have their own set of interests and hobbies. For example, they became teachers, and Abby recently married. This shows that they have managed to live fulfilling lives despite their unusual circumstances.

Takeaway

Abby and Brittany Hensel were born with their chests joined, but they have led an extraordinary life. They’ve devised ways to communicate and work together, demonstrating incredible coordination. Despite the rarity of their predicament, there is optimism since doctors are improving their ability to separate conjoined twins and provide better care.

The Hensel twins’ experience demonstrates that even in the face of adversity, life can be enjoyable. They work as teachers, and one of them recently married, proving that they can attain their goals together. Their narrative encourages us to never give up, no matter how difficult things seem.