Formerly Conjoined Florida Twins Heading Home After 7 Surgeries
Follow CBSMIAMI.COM: Facebook | Twitter
APOPKA (CBSMiami/AP) — Formerly conjoined twins Jesi and Remi Pitre are coming home in separate car seats seven months after they were born attached at the belly.
The babies were born to Angi and Andre Pitre on Mother's Day, and have undergone seven surgeries at Gainesville's UF Shands Children's Hospital.
Doctors suspected something was amiss on one of the sonograms and confirmed their livers and small intestines were fused. After doing research, the Pitres chose to have the babies in Gainesville.
The Orlando Sentinel reports that Angi stayed in Gainesville while Andre and their two older children drove back and forth from their home in Apopka, near Orlando.
Angi eventually went on unpaid leave from her work in human resources to stay in Gainesville full time. And with the prodding of family and friends, the couple started a GoFundMe page, which has raised more than $10,000.
Andre works three jobs.
Remi was discharged first, but stayed in Gainesville for routine checkups. Jesi had breathing complications but was discharged Monday.
On Saturday, the babies are coming home to Apopka where the nursery is ready and waiting.
The twins still have to have at least one more surgery to close their abdominal walls. The surgery will happen in the next year or so.
(© Copyright 2018 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)