They have been through a great test since birth, but their bond is unbreakable. Amanda Thomas, 34, gave birth to twins Harper and Gunner, now one, almost three months prematurely at Monmouth medical centre in Nᴇᴡ Jᴇʀsᴇʏ on 18 December 2019. Harper weighed a tiny 2lbs 10oz, whilst Gunner was just 2lbs 11oz. Amanda said: “When I saw them for the first time they were all ʜᴏᴏᴋᴇᴅ up on wires and machines. Harper wasn’t growing or feeding properly so they thought it was something wrong with her ɪɴᴛᴇsᴛɪɴᴇs. Instead they found she had ᴀ ʜᴏʟᴇ ɪɴ ʜᴇʀ ʜᴇᴀʀᴛ and she had to have sᴜʀɢᴇʀʏ. It was terrifying, I just wanted them to sᴜʀᴠɪᴠᴇ.”
Harper was taken to Columbia hospatal, New York, US, to have the ʜᴏʟᴇ sᴛɪᴛᴄʜᴇᴅ. The pair spent weeks ꜰɪɢʜᴛɪɴɢ ꜰᴏʀ ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ʟɪᴠᴇs in separate hospitals but their healthy gradually improved. And when they were nearly a month old, their mom was able to cuddle the newborns for the first time. The twins were reunited on January 12 and reached out to clutch each other’s hands as they were cradled by Amanda. Amanda, a primary special education teacher from Nᴇᴡ Jᴇʀsᴇʏ, US, described them as “fighters”.
She said: “That moment when they held hands was the moment it hit me that I had twins. It was the first time I was able to hold them both at the same time. When they went to hold hands, I realized these two have such a special bond and even a month apart from each other didn’t make them forget that bond. I knew they would pull each other through.”
Amanda and husband, Shawn, 36, a public works director, had sᴛʀᴜɢɢʟᴇᴅ to ᴄᴏɴᴄᴇɪᴠᴇ naturally so chose to try I.V.F and were ecstatic when they found out they were expecting twins after their first round having spent nearly thousands of dollars to do it. Amanda added: “It was all we ever wanted.” The ᴘʀᴇɢɴᴀɴᴄʏ was going well until Amanda felt ᴜɴᴡᴇʟʟ at 27 weeks. She was told by doctors at Monmouth medical centre that she had ʜɪɢʜ ʙʟᴏᴏᴅ ᴘʀᴇssᴜʀᴇ and they needed to keep her in for observation.
Gunner was discharged on February 19 – a day before their original due date – but Harper had wasn’t able to go home until March 30, after spending 103 days in hospital and being fitted with a temporary ꜰᴇᴇᴅɪɴɢ ᴛᴜʙᴇ. Amanda said: “I was so glad to have him home but at the same time it was horible that Harper was still in hospital. The twins are now thriving and get on famously with each other, according to their mom. She said: “Harper especially went through a hard time and I am so grateful that they are both home and safe. Their little personalities are now shining through. Harper is so sassy and Gunner is laid back – they are perfect.”
In the end, she didn’t have to suffer as her children fought for their lives. Now she could caress them tenderly and above all they had an inseparable bond. “The moment they held hands was the moment I realized I had twins,” she describes her feelings. Gunner’s condition improved significantly and he was able to go home. But Harper is in ᴅɪʀᴇ sᴛʀᴀɪᴛs. She spent an incredible 103 days in the hospital on a ꜰᴇᴇᴅɪɴɢ ᴛᴜʙᴇ. Now both are safe and husband and wife cannot have enough. They consider them a miracle. She said: “I was ᴍɪsᴇʀᴀʙʟᴇ, and I just wanted my babies to be ok. At 30 weeks Amanda’s ᴡᴀᴛᴇʀs ʙʀᴏᴋᴇ and she had to be taken for a ᴄ-sᴇᴄᴛɪᴏɴ to deliver the babies on 18th December 2019. They are a ʟɪᴛᴛʟᴇ ᴅᴇʟᴀʏᴇᴅ and ʜᴀᴠᴇ sᴘᴇᴇᴄʜ and ᴘʜʏsɪᴄᴀʟ ᴛʜᴇʀᴀᴘʏ but they are incredible, They are our little miracles.”
