Twin baby girls separated in NICUs at 2 Boston hospitals. Parents pleading to get them back together.
Premature twin baby girls are separated, hospitalized in two different neonatal intensive care units in Boston. The parents, from Canton, Massachusetts, say they know the babies are getting the vital care they need, but it's nearly impossible to support both girls equally when they're apart.
"It's difficult. They're in a glass enclosure with feeding tubes and breathing tubes. As a parent it's the worst feeling in the world, to not be able to help them. So, all you can do is sit there, look at them and pray," said dad Mike Kennedy.
Any parent who's had to leave their baby in a NICU knows this father's pain and has whispered those same prayers. Mike and Kelsey Kennedy's twin girls came early, born at just 24 weeks. Juliette went upstairs to the Brigham and Women's NICU. Kendall, born with spina bifida, was rushed into surgery at Boston Children's. That was five weeks ago.
"The doctors and the nurses have all been in our corner. They've been trying to get them together. There are studies that show twins together, it helps them heal," Kennedy said.
The couple raves about the care their girls have received at both hospitals. But the parents aren't just pulled between two NICUs, they also have two other young kids at home in Canton. Then, adding to their stress, a letter informing them of the scheduled Brigham nurses' strike.
"Now with the strike that comfort and that reliability that we had with the team we knew is gone," he added.
Juliette was even just taken to Children's for heart surgery. Still, she was transported back to the Brigham to recover. WBZ asked the hospital about the parents' wish to transfer to be treated together.
The hospital wrote in a statement:
"Brigham and Women's Hospital's neonatal intensive care unit works closely with partner institutions to ensure babies receive the specialized care that best meets their individual needs. Decisions regarding transfers are based on multiple factors, including a baby's medical condition and stability, clinical needs, parental wishes, and bed availability at each location. We cannot comment on any specific patient due to patient privacy, but our teams work closely with families and partner institutions to coordinate care based on each baby's individual needs and circumstances."
Boston Children's Hospital did not respond.
When so much feels out of their control, the Kennedys say the rest of the year in just one NICU would feel like such a win.
"We take every little thing as a win. An ounce here, an ounce there, that's a win to us. A good day is a win. Every single day we've had with these babies, the good and the bad has been a win," the dad said.
