A 24-hour intense surgery separated the 9-month-old conjoined twins, Abigail and Micaela Bachinskiy, joined at the head. And even though the historic surgery initially seemed impossible, God had His hand on these two precious girls!
At the 11th week of pregnancy, doctors discovered something very unique about Liliya Miroshnik’s daughters. They were craniopagus twins, which means their heads were fused.
“It’s a very, very rare anomaly,” said Dr. Michael Edwards, the lead pediatric neurosurgeon at UC Davis Children’s Hospital in Sacramento. “There are very few births worldwide in a year that have this anomaly, and of those, only a much smaller set where the anatomy is fortuitous enough to attempt a separation, and luckily, it came out with two healthy babies.”
At the beginning, the news of having conjoined twins overwhelmed Liliya, who already had three years. But her husband, Anatoliy Bachinskiy, helped ease her worried heart.
“It was very tough. I was surprised. I couldn’t process it,” Liliya recalled. “When I got home and told my husband that everything would be fine, we will overcome this. These are our children. We already love them.”
After the initial shock passed, the couple prepared as much as possible for their daughters’ rare condition. But in reality, the only option was to trust in the Lord to guide them.
The doctors at UC Davis Children’s Hospital dedicated a lot of time to preparing for the arrival of Abigail and Micaela Bachinskiy. They conducted many simulations, trying to anticipate each and every one of the possible complications that could arise during their birth.
Finally, the day of the surgery arrived. And the conjoined twins, joined at the head, made it through safely!
The girls spent several weeks in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of the hospital before finally returning home. As they grew, the doctors knew that at some point, they would have to separate their heads.
In their pursuit of beauty
“As they grew older, there were more risks that the blood vessels and shared organs would become larger or more intertwined. The upcoming flu season, COVID-19, and RSV were also causes for concern,” explained Dr. Grainger Wong, the lead plastic surgeon.
At 9 months of age, the medical team was ready to operate on the conjoined twins joined at the head. They had spent months using various forms of technology to plan the procedure.
The historic surgery lasted for a tense 24 hours and involved a large team of 30 surgeons, nurses, anesthesiologists, and other key surgical staff working together. And they did it wonderfully.
Exactly at 3:28 a.m. on Sunday morning, Abigail and Micaela were separated.
“It was like a choreographed dance,” said Dr. Wong, alongside Rajvinder Dhamrait, the director of pediatric anesthesiology, adding, “It was flawless, with all contingencies covered.”
Miraculous Results
The wait must have been unbearable for the parents, Liliya Miroshnik and Anatoliy Bachinskiy. But they put their faith in the Lord.
Finally, they could breathe a sigh of relief. The surgery was successful. The doctors managed to safely separate the conjoined twins joined at the head!
UC Davis Children’s Hospital
Of course, carrying out the risky procedure left the medical team for Abigail and Micaela in awe.
“This is a historic surgery for us at UC Davis Children’s Hospital,” said Dr. Michael Edwards.
And it’s a moment that none of those involved in helping these precious girls will ever forget.
“After 10 months of preparation, we witnessed what we had all imagined for the girls, and it brought tears of emotion and joy,” said Aida Benitez, director of nursing at the Children’s Surgery Center. “I will never look at 3:28 on a clock again without thinking of the moment when Abi and Mica became two separate babies.”
A Beautiful Blessing
Just like the body of Christ, all these different doctors and medical personnel came together to do something incredible. The hand of God guided every step of the way. And it’s a blessing that Liliya Miroshnik and Anatoliy Bachinskiy will be eternally grateful for.
“Everything turned out well,” said Liliya. “It seemed almost impossible to separate them, but God and the doctors and nurses at UC Davis made it possible. We are very grateful.”
With the surgery behind them, Liliya and Anatoliy are taking their daughters’ recovery one day at a time and putting their trust in the Lord.
“Everything is in God’s hands,” says Liliya. “It’s not even in the doctor’s hands. That’s what I feel.”
We have no doubt that the Lord has great plans for these two little miracles. What a beautiful reminder to trust in God in all things!
