Iran Twins' Adoptive Father Angry After Operation

Reuters ^ | July 8, 2003 | Parisa Hafezi

[Shermy]

TEHRAN (Reuters) - The man who brought up the two Iranian sisters who died on Tuesday during marathon surgery in Singapore to separate their fused heads told of his deep sadness -- but also bitterness and anger -- at their deaths.

Reuters Photo

"We shared a house for 27 years and I feel a great emptiness," said Alireza Safaian, who adopted twins Ladan and Laleh Bijani, as children.

A doctor himself, Safaian wept as he spoke to Reuters at his home in southwestern Tehran of his grief and distress at the decision of his daughters and the Singapore doctors to go ahead with an operation other surgeons had deemed simply too risky.

"When they took them to Singapore, I knew they would bring back their bodies. They took them there and killed them," he said, re-playing home videos of the twins playing as youngsters.

"Me and my brother, who is a doctor in Germany, we told everyone that this separation surgery was impossible.

"Nobody would listen to us."

But the twins, who had not been in contact with their adoptive family for 18 months, always said they knew the risk involved. Last month, the pair, both law graduates with career ambitions, said they were willing to face death for the chance to live separately after years of compromise and sacrifice.

But Safaian's son Ramin, their adoptive brother, said he felt his sisters had been ill advised to submit to surgery: "It was their own decision to go there. But they were not doctors or experts to understand. They just wanted to be normal people."

Safaian said his wife needed medication to calm her down when she was told that first Ladan then Laleh was dead.

Playing videos of the twins as young girls, with one riding a bicycle and one running alongside, he said: "When I adopted them, nobody wanted them, not even their real parents.

"I adopted them while they were not in good health and they were so skinny and weak. I am missing them so much.

"I wish they were here, even with the situation they had."

[Shermy]

Dr. Alireza Safaian, the stepfather of Iranian twins Laleh and Ladan, speaks with well-wishers in Tehran after the death of his step-daughters, July 8, 2003. Iran was plunged into shock and grief after the conjoined twins died during high-risk surgery aimed at giving them a chance to lead separate lives. (Raheb Homavandi/Reuters)

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[Shermy]

In the end, it was not to be (Surgery Details from Singapore paper)

[onedoug]

America will be blamed...somehow.

God bless and keep them, both.

[EggsAckley]

While my heart breaks for the family, the twins made it quite clear what their intention was, and this guy is out of line making these statements. Physician, heal thyself, or STHU.

[Inkie]

Get ready for a big lawsuit.

[andysandmikesmom]

These two young ladies, were determined to lead separate lives, they knew the risks, doctors had tried to discourage them from having this surgery, and they were willing to take the risk...

They had even stated, so I heard, that they did not wish to wake up from the surgery and find themselves still attached to one another....

These were two educated young ladies, who seemed to me, from watching them in various interviews, knew exactly what they were asking, and knew how dangerous this surgery was...

This separation was done, not just so that they could lead separate lives...doctors had said, it was also a health issue, that being connected as they were, the pressure in their brains, was twice what it should have been, and that continuing to remain connected, could eventually, in a short period of time, become life threatening...

Their adoptive father, surely knew all of this ...I understand his sadness and grief at losing these two women, but I think his anger is not justified...he seems to act s if the two women were misled, but I dont think that they were...they had been investigating the possibility of this surgery for many years, so determined were they to lead separate lives....These two women wished for this surgery, were happy to be having the surgery, and willingly risked death to have this surgery...

I was deeply saddened when I heard the news today, that these two women had died..

[Catspaw]

Um, let's see--he's their father. Wasn't it HIS responsibility to stop them if they needed stopping?

[Ichneumon]

and this guy is out of line making these statements. Physician, heal thyself, or STHU.

He's their father. Why exactly should he "Shut The Hell Up" about the death of his daughters? And what exactly has he said that you feel is "out of line"?

[Ichneumon]

Um, let's see--he's their father. Wasn't it HIS responsibility to stop them if they needed stopping?

They were adults. What do you suggest he should have done, kidnap them and lock them up?

[Catspaw]

Dad makes it seem like they were taken to Singapore against their will:

"When they took them to Singapore, I knew they would bring back their bodies. They took them there and killed them," he said, re-playing home videos of the twins playing as youngsters.

When it was their own free choice. They knew the risks and decided to go ahead with the operation anyway. I had great hopes they'd survive the operation, but there was a reason they kept getting refused: it was extremely risky. They decided to take the chance and, sadly, they lost.

[OldFriend]

You are so right. Getting the lawsuit ready!

[Shermy]

It's hard to get mad at dad. The daughters saw it different. Just misery all around.

The article linked above shows the Singapore doctor had experience with such cases.

[Catspaw]

Shermy, their desire to live separate lives drove this surgery, but the surgeons wouldn't have operated unless they thought there was a possibility they'd survive, slim though it was. No one could stop them. They probably would've got ahead with the surgery if they thought the possibility for survival was .000001%.

I'm sure their father is deep in shock and grief. But these marvelous, intelligent and educated women made their choice, and sadly, they died shortly after they were separated. The tragic irony....

[andysandmikesmom]

Catspaw...I agree with you....these two young women had researched the possibility of this surgery for many, many years...and they were turned down, many many times in the past, most doctors who they saw, felt they could not do the surgery...

But as we all know, ,different doctors have different methods, ,and different opinions...and these doctors who did the operation, fully informed these two women, that they were at best, having a 50-50 chance of success, of life...that also meant, a 50-50 chance of failure, of death...and they knew this, I am sure, better than anyone else...

They were not small children, where the father could have the last word about this surgery...they were 29 yr old women, one with a law degree, and the other studying the law...so they were educated and intelligent, and made their choice...

And finally, most doctors agreed, that further on down the road, ,these two girls were going to have medical problems, which would only worsen and could become life threatening, due to their being conjoined such as they were...

I think the doctors who did the operation, felt that truly there was a chance at separating these two women, and avoiding an emergency surgery down the road...

I think these two women took the chance to have what they wanted, in spite of their fathers wishes...it was their life, to do with as they wished, regarding this surgery....

Again, I am deeply saddened at their deaths, and had to hoped they could survive this operation...it was not to be...

[EggsAckley]

He should shut up because he is criticizing a group of physicians who went out of their way to help these women. And IT WAS THEIR WISH TO HAVE THIS SURGERY. Let him blame them, or better yet, blame himself for being out of the loop. He's a very UN-professional physician, IMO.

[Xenalyte]

A doctor himself, Safaian wept as he spoke to Reuters at his home in southwestern Tehran of his grief and distress at the decision of his daughters and the Singapore doctors to go ahead with an operation other surgeons had deemed simply too risky.

Sad as it is, it was not the doctors' decision. It was the twins', and they were fully aware of the risks.

God is holding them, happy and well and whole and two.

[Catspaw]

He's not speaking as a physican. He's speaking as a father, a father who has lost two daughters and is in deep pain and anguish. I'd probably lash out, too, given the circumstances.

[Pan_Yans Wife]

Could it be that he is overwhelmed with grief, at the moment? I wouldn't want to have to face his situation.

[EggsAckley]

Well, yes. But as a physician, he should be "doing no harm" like he is by speaking to the media. A little too much like a 15 minutes of fame event.

Sure, when my Dad died, I wanted to lash out at the doctors who I still believe killed him.......but I chose not to.