Beating the Odds with Callie/Carter

My name is Chelsea and I am pregnant with conjoined twins named Callie and Carter. They are conjoined at the lower stomach and pelvic area. We had found on June 17th 2016 I was pregnant, a few days before my sons third birthday. We had an ultrasound at 5 weeks due to cramping and the doctor told me I was miscarrying. I left in tears and was completely torn, they watched my blood levels for 6 days. I got a call on the sixth day saying my blood levels were going up but we're low, they also told me my pregnancy was close to my cervix and wouldn't last. I waited for a miscarriage. Once 8 weeks hit we had an ultrasound at a different clinic and I seen the heart beat. I cried in excitement and told the tech I was crying because I was happy. I didn't watch the rest of the screen because I knew it would be measurement and I talked with my husband because I knew the baby was just a little blob still. The tech didn't say much, she left and the doctor came in. "Are you bleeding or cramping?" I answered no, I knew something was wrong.. "well your kids are stuck together", I wish I could tell you where my mind went, It was a blur after that.. The little information I retained was "you will miscarry soon". I went to a MFM in Boise two weeks after that basing it off a scare with mono mono twins. The MFM tech started the ultrasound and there they were, together. I waited for the doctor to come in before I worried myself more. He comes in and looks at the screen, talking to the tech "there's the bind" and I knew the "bind" wasn't something small. They gave me pamphlets, gave me options, and also gave me a chance to talk to a surgeon who was from Texas. We came back the following day to talk to the surgeon, he gave us about a 20-30% chance and the doctors gave us the option to terminate. If the babies did make it (which the surgeon was optimistic about it) we would go to Texas around 20 weeks for testing. There was no way I could terminate, the thought of termination for the three days after the appointment would bring me to tears. I cried about every hour those three days after the MFM appointment.

My husband is 22 and I am 23 years old. We have a three year old named Jaysin. After we found out about the babies, we knew that we would have to move from a place my husband, son, and I called home for 2.5 wonderful years, back to East Idaho to save money for the move to Houston. This is the only place my son has ever known and he's taking it hard moving from home. I put my career of a Veterinary Technician on hold, I was currently enrolled in a summer externship and applying for graduation when I found out about the pregnancy and the twins.

We are currently in Eastern Idaho and for our twins to have a fighting chance, we are needing to go to Houston for testing and delivery. We have Idaho insurance and as some of the amount is paid for, but a big percentage isn't covered for out of state care. The testing would consider an echocardiogram, MRI, and extensive ultrasound. From what the doctors have told us is there is two hearts, stomachs, and spines. From the ultrasound at the Boise MFM, we were told there was two pelvises, but with the recent ultrasound (14 weeks from MFM in SLC), we were told the pelvises might be fused or there is just one. We would need to go to Houston for better imaging and getting the correct answers we need with an experienced hospital. My husband and I are in our early 20's and don't have a lifetime of savings. Before the pregnancy, my husband was working part time as I was taking 16 credit hours in college while we switched off taking care of our 3 year old son. Due to the nature of events that keep happening (subchorionic hemorrhages and needing a stress free pregnancy) and the doctors visits, I am once again not able to be employed. To keep up with Callie and Carter's journey, we have a facebook page which we update after every appointment called "Beating the odds with Callie and Carter". Thank you for becoming apart of our journey.