Rebecca Jones: 'It's a miracle'
Posted on 11/03/2007 8:00:20 AM PDT by Daffynition
They say twins share a strong bond - but the one between Gabriel and Ieuan Jones was unbreakable.
When doctors found that Gabriel was weaker than his brother, with an enlarged heart,and believed he was going to die in the womb, his mother Rebecca Jones had to make a heartbreaking decision.
Doctors told her his death could cause his twin brother to die too before they were born, and that it would be better to end Gabriel's suffering sooner rather than later.
Mrs Jones decided to let doctors operate to terminate Gabriel's life.
Firstly they tried to sever his umbilical cord to cut off his blood supply, but the cord was too strong.
They then cut Mrs Jones's placenta in half so that when Gabriel died, it would not affect his twin brother.
But after the operation which was meant to end his life, tiny Gabriel had other ideas.
Although he weighed less than a pound, he put up such a fight for survival that doctors called him Rocky.
Astonishingly, he managed to carry on living in his mother's womb for another five weeks - until the babies were delivered by caesarean section.
Now he and Ieuan are back at home in Stoke - and are so close they are always holding each other's hand.
Mrs Jones, 35, a financial adviser whose husband Mark, 36, is a car salesman, said: "It really is a miracle. Doctors carried out an operation to let Gabriel die - yet he hung on.
"It was unbelievable."
"When I felt him kicking madly the morning after the operation, I suddenly knew that he was going to hang on.
"The doctors couldn't believe it when they could still hear his heartbeat the next morning."
Mrs Jones learned she was expecting twins when she was ten weeks pregnant. She said: "When they told us we were over the moon."
But at her 20-week scan, doctors had some devastating news. One of the boys was half the size of his brother.
They didn't know what was causing it, but somehow he wasn't getting enough nutrients.
Then doctors said his heart was three times normal size and it was likely he would have a heart attack or a stroke in the womb.
Mrs Jones said: "They told us that if he died, it could be life threatening for his brother.
"We had to decide whether to end his life and let his brother live, or risk them both."
They said it would be impossible to keep him alive afterwards as he was so poorly.
It would be kinder to let him die in the womb with his brother by his side than to die alone after being born.
"That made my mind up for me. I wanted the best thing for him."
At Birmingham Women's Hospital, when Mrs Jones was 25 weeks pregnant, doctors tried to sever Gabriel's umbilical cord to cut off his blood supply and allow him to die.
But the cord was too thick, and they could not cut through it.
As a last resort they divided Mrs Jones's placenta so that when Gabriel died, it would allow Ieuan to survive. Mrs Jones said: "I put my hands on my stomach thinking of Gabriel. It was devastating. I had said my goodbyes."
But the next morning Mrs Jones felt Gabriel kicking. A scan showed his heart was still beating. She said: "No one could quite believe it."
Gabriel hung on, and his enlarged heart started to reduce in size. He also gained weight.
Mrs Jones said: "They thought it may be because the placenta had been divided. Inadvertently, it had evened out the distribution of nutrition between them, allowing Gabriel to survive.'
When Mrs Jones reached 31 weeks doctors carried out a caesarian to deliver the twins. Ieuan weighed 3lb 8oz and Gabriel 1lb 15oz. Both were kept in hospital, but since going home they have thrived. At seven months, Ieuan weighs 15lb and Gabriel 12lb 6oz.
Mrs Jones said: "The boys are so healthy, they have huge appetites too. Ieuan is the noisy one, while Gabriel is always laughing, it's like he's just so happy to be here.
"There is such a strong bond between them.
"They are always holding hands and if one cries, the other reaches out to comfort him."
"Doctors tried to break their bond in the womb, but they just proved it couldn't be broken."
What a load of junk ... like they were going to leave him on a table in a room alone after they delivered him??? Some folks will say anything to justify an abortion.
And I'm also calling BS on the inability to sever the umbilical cord. It is possible to cut steel cable with relative ease if you have the proper tool. I'm just not buying this claim.
Having said all that, those boys are beautiful and I am thankful that they both survived.
Wow, great story, great pic!
What a HORRIBLE story with a GREAT ending!! Hope he never finds out what they did to him.
Life snatches victory from the jaws of a hideous death.
Both of these boys will have a deep-seated fear of betrayal, but I’m sure they’ll get a good upbringing and will constructively deal with it.
That's a slippery use of the language.
I was thinking exactly the same thing.
“Ieuan”
Is this some Welsh spelling of Evan, or what? I swear, sometime I think they make these names up from alphabet soup.
Heh, looking at mum, she can keep an eye on both twins at once!
Great ending to the story.
The mods pulled the thread.
To: armymarinemom
Beautiful boys.
Life will find a way. God bless the little fellow.
3 posted on 11/03/2007 1:07:58 PM EDT by mware (question)
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To: mware; TigersEye
I wonder if she knows how blessed she is.
I think she must. Prayers for the twins. ~P~
4 posted on 11/03/2007 1:08:56 PM EDT by pandoraou812 ( Its NOT for the good of the children! Its BS along with bending over for Muslim’s demands)
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To: armymarinemom
The boy who refused to die.
Hmm, I wonder if that mades the doctors Lord Voltamore???
5 posted on 11/03/2007 1:09:40 PM EDT by mware (question)
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To: mware
I am sure she does. What a wonderful story. God bless them all.
6 posted on 11/03/2007 1:10:42 PM EDT by donnab (saving liberals brains....one moron at a time.)
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To: mware
Mrs Jones said: “It really is a miracle. Doctors carried out an operation to let Gabriel die - yet he hung on. It was unbelievable.”
No, Ma’am, your doctors “carried out an operation” to kill Gabriel. They failed. Fits well with much I’ve read lately on the competence and consience of Britain’s Nationalized Health Service.
7 posted on 11/03/2007 1:13:04 PM EDT by flowerplough (La Tolteca in Rehoboth, Delaware: They probably cater Fiesta Night in Heaven)
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To: mware
“They thought it may be because the placenta had been divided. Inadvertently, it had evened out the distribution of nutrition between them, allowing Gabriel to survive.’
I wonder how often it happens that one twin grows much faster than the other and whether this might become the standard treatment for that.
8 posted on 11/03/2007 1:18:25 PM EDT by KarlInOhio (May the heirs of Charles Martel and Jan Sobieski rise up again to defend Europe.)
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To: flowerplough
The brother’s bond was stronger than the doctors of death.
I am amazed that they tried a second time to destroy the baby. After the second time, I think their conscience finally must have got to them.
9 posted on 11/03/2007 1:20:13 PM EDT by mware (question)
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To: KarlInOhio
Yes, i wonder about that too. In any case the thing they thought would kill the child may have just saved him.
10 posted on 11/03/2007 1:21:50 PM EDT by mware (question)
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To: KarlInOhio
this is what we have to look forward to with hillary care.
11 posted on 11/03/2007 1:24:51 PM EDT by television is just wrong (deport all illegal aliens NOW. Put all AMERICANS TO WORK FIRST. END Welfare)
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To: retrokitten
“The boy who didn’t die” ping...
12 posted on 11/03/2007 1:28:08 PM EDT by null and void (No more Bushes/No more Clintons)
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To: mware
I wonder if she knows how blessed she is.
Perhaps she realizes her blessings now. But, this part of the article makes me wonder:
It would be kinder to let him die in the womb with his brother by his side than to die alone after being born . . . “That made my mind up for me. I wanted the best thing for him.”
I never understand it when a person says that killing a fetus is the “best thing” for the baby.
13 posted on 11/03/2007 1:29:20 PM EDT by RightField
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To: mware
“It would be kinder to let him die ...”
“That made my mind up for me. I wanted the best thing for him.”
There’s a mindset to watch for.
14 posted on 11/03/2007 1:33:10 PM EDT by meadsjn
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To: mware
WOW!
What a heartwarming story!
15 posted on 11/03/2007 1:36:02 PM EDT by nmh (Intelligent people recognize Intelligent Design (God) .)
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To: meadsjn
Yeah ...
“That made my mind up for me. I wanted the best thing for him.”
That’s the “compassionate” stance for abortion too ... .
16 posted on 11/03/2007 1:36:44 PM EDT by nmh (Intelligent people recognize Intelligent Design (God) .)
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To: nmh
Weird how is enlarged heart actually reduced in size.
Wonder if they are aware of the irony of naming the baby Gabriel, “God’s messenger”
17 posted on 11/03/2007 1:40:14 PM EDT by mware (question)
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To: mware
“It would be kinder to let him die in the womb with his brother by his side than to die alone after being born.”
Huh??
Anyway, this sounds like it might be a case of Twin to Twin Transfusion Syndrome (TTTS). The surgery they performed to separate the placentas probably saved this baby’s life. There is a new technique that was just developed to save TTTS babies- it is called fetoscopic laser coagulation, and has been very successful. Not sure if the article procedure and this procedure are the same, however I’m just very glad that we don’t have England’s health care system (yet!!).
18 posted on 11/03/2007 1:41:49 PM EDT by Reddy (VOTE CONSERVATIVE in ‘08!)
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To: nmh
Who knows maybe, just maybe this event changed the minds of some of the doctors who do abortions.
19 posted on 11/03/2007 1:42:02 PM EDT by mware (question)
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To: Reddy
Thanks for that information Reddy, I was wondering if it was a procedure used for twins when one of them is in a life threatening situation.
20 posted on 11/03/2007 1:44:20 PM EDT by mware
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To: mware
I was watching a program on Discovery Health, a few nights ago, which dealt with uneven distribution of nutrients to twins. There is a physician who runs tests to see if a woman and her babies fit a specific criteria for treatment. The treatment consists of maping the circulatory system of the placenta(s) and then cauterizing some of the vessels so that the nutrients are then evenly distributed.
Apparently when this particular disorder occurs, one baby has more amniotic fluid than the other. The one with the low fluid is endangered. Also, the vessels causing the nutrient problems are enlarged. When they sever some of those vessels, it causes the smaller infant to produce more urine thereby increasing the amniotic fluid and it causes the larger baby to slow down to normal so things begin to even out.
I’m wondering if by severing the placenta like they did in the OP case, if they caused the abundance of vessels to do what the described procedure above, does. Seems like a hugely risky thing to entirely sever a placenta!! I wonder where this happened? The syntax in the article suggests a Great Britian type place.
21 posted on 11/03/2007 1:44:45 PM EDT by PrairieLady2
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To: mware
Interesting ... God answered someones prayers here ... it sounds like a miracle!
22 posted on 11/03/2007 1:47:16 PM EDT by nmh (Intelligent people recognize Intelligent Design (God) .)
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To: PrairieLady2; snugs
Daily Mail is a UK paper.
Says the family lives in Stokes.
Maybe one of our UK FRiends can help us out.
23 posted on 11/03/2007 1:48:29 PM EDT by mware
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To: Reddy
Don’t you remember the earlier abortion arguments?
It’s more “compassionate” to abort than have this child be UNWANTED, UNLOVED and turn into a criminal? If no one wants him/her, then end it now and spare the child this pain. THAT is what I was referring to.
24 posted on 11/03/2007 1:48:46 PM EDT by nmh (Intelligent people recognize Intelligent Design (God) .)
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To: mware
What a fanastic story. The whole family is Blessed.
25 posted on 11/03/2007 1:49:08 PM EDT by BnBlFlag (Deo Vindice/Semper Fidelis “Ya gotta saddle up your boys; Ya gotta draw a hard line”)
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To: Reddy
Thanks for your posting.
I love to read FR daily as I always learn soemthing new!
BTTT
26 posted on 11/03/2007 2:01:32 PM EDT by ASOC
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To: Reddy
Reddy, how new is that procedure.One would think the doctors would have attempted that procedurers first instead of starting with attempting to induce the death of the baby.
I guess that is not covered in NHS plans.
27 posted on 11/03/2007 2:07:57 PM EDT by mware
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To: mware
the thing they thought would kill the child may have just saved him.
Exactly! Which just goes to show that doctors don’t know everything even though they think and like you to think that they do. Whenever a doctor says that there is no hope and urges you to give up, keep that in mind.
28 posted on 11/03/2007 2:18:52 PM EDT by Iwo Jima (”Close the border. Then we’ll talk.”)
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To: armymarinemom
They are way too cute.....God spared their lives.
29 posted on 11/03/2007 2:19:48 PM EDT by Kimmers
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To: NYer
ping
30 posted on 11/03/2007 2:21:50 PM EDT by mware
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To: mware
Great Story. I am disappointed in the mother. She let the doctors play God, and found out they were not. Oh well...I hope her story is used for much good.
31 posted on 11/03/2007 2:33:39 PM EDT by Revel
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To: mware
Maybe it was intentional. God was sending a message - this baby is to live.
32 posted on 11/03/2007 3:03:04 PM EDT by tbw2 (Science fiction with real science - “Humanity’s Edge” - on amazon.com)
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To: KarlInOhio
I wonder if this was some form of twin-twin transfusion syndrome - although the growth-retarded twin isn’t usually the one with the enlarged heart - the big twin is.
Physicians can attempt to cauterize or clip the shared vessels causing the problem. What the doctors did here sounds like a real quick and dirty method, running a good chance of killing both, because the placenta is so vascular, like a liver. Maybe they did separate the blood vessels carefully and the article didn’t make it clear.
33 posted on 11/03/2007 3:07:16 PM EDT by heartwood
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To: Revel
Gabriel will grow up knowing Mummy tried to euthanize him and failed. What a special lady.
34 posted on 11/03/2007 3:18:37 PM EDT by silverleaf (Fasten your seat belts- it’s going to be a BUMPY ride.)
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To: mware
Haven’t cried like that in a while...
35 posted on 11/03/2007 3:33:46 PM EDT by TheThinker (Bigots come in all shapes and colors.)
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To: mware
I have mixed feelings on this story. On the one hand, I am thrilled that what the doctors did to try to kill Gabriel actually ended up saving his life.
On the other hand, how is this (now) estatic “Mum” going to explain that Gabriel was supposed to die in order to save his brother, and that she agreed to the killing?
36 posted on 11/03/2007 3:52:10 PM EDT by Siouxz ( Freepers are the best!!!)
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To: mware
They mention Birmingham which is in the Midlands, Stoke on Trent is also in the Midlands which as the name suggests is in the middle of England
37 posted on 11/03/2007 3:54:25 PM EDT by snugs ((An English Cheney Chick - Big Time))
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“Wasn’t this the name of one of Tony Blair’s kids?”
Dunno, I’m not keeping track of his kids either. I guess we should be glad it wasn’t some faux arabic name.
Me too. Happy ending, but you can't get around the fact that the mother let these doctors persuade her to let them kill her kid. I'm glad she is happy, but I hope she was also very sorry for what she tried to do. And you can't blame it all on the doctors. She agreed to it.
This needs something like Christian contrition and forgiveness to resolve it, or it is likely to fester down the line as these kids grow up and read this newspaper account.
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