The Extraordinary Case of the Conjoined Hensel Twins: A Look Inside Their Lives
Every pregnancy is a miracle, but when a child pops out with six instead of five toes, even medical professionals consider the anomaly a marvel. Now imagine the instance of an expectant woman welcoming conjoined twins! Not even the scientific community has conclusive answers about this incredible phenomenon.
In the 1900s, Violet and Daisy Hilton rose to fame because of this unique condition. In modern times, Brittney and Abby Hensel command the attention after headlining a reality show aired on TLC. Their commendable decision to break barriers and broadcast snippets of their daily lives has taught us a lot about conjoined twins.
A Well-Adjusted Pair
Looking through the beautiful pictures documenting Abby and Brittany’s life, it is fair to conclude that they have had a fairly admirable journey despite the condition that they, unfortunately, have to live with. Even though they grew up with a rare medical condition that essentially joined them for life, the Hensel siblings have always lived their lives to the fullest.
They continuously overcome obstacles in their way, and perhaps the heartwarming bit is that they always have each other as a support system. Their active lifestyle shows that they are an extraordinarily coordinated pair, and they figured out how to navigate life as a team.
Uniquely Different People
While they are physically joined to the hip and share a single body, Abby and Brittany are two different people. They share arms, legs, and torso but have different heads and sets of internal organs. Twins still raise curiosity, and the interest is heightened in conjoined cases.
Naturally, these sets of unique individuals raise long lists of questions, and of course, some are awkward to ask. For instance, how do they go to the bathroom, and do the twins intend to pursue romantic relationships? Fortunately, the Hensel twins have offered answers to several of these questions through the years, and surprisingly, the answers are quite simple.
They are Truly Special
The chances of having identical twins are 1 in 250, but fertility treatments increase the odds. However, it is an even rarer occurrence to welcome conjoined twins, with the statistics placing the figure at 1 out of 200,000 births. Sadly, half the number of recorded conjoined births are stillbirths, and most don’t make it past their first day outside the womb.
For those who survive, their childhoods are often plagued by myriads of health issues which further lower their chances of survival. Hence, Abby and Brittany continue commanding attention because they are in tip-top shape and made it into adulthood.
Distinct Approach to Dressing
Often mistaken as one person, Abby and Brittany are two remarkably different young ladies. For starters, Abby is slightly taller than her sister. She stands at 5-foot 2-inches while Brittany is 4-foot 10-inches. The marginal height difference presents one of the challenges when shopping for appropriate clothes.
On top of that, they require unique outfits to dress their physique, and both have different tastes and preferences. Fortunately, they found a skilled seamstress who tailors the perfect ensembles for them. She fashions stylishly comfortable ensembles for the twins, featuring unique necklines. The pair still finds ways to express their sense of style through their accessories.
You must be logged in to post a comment Login