(Uskings.us) Twins Lupita and Carmen Andrade, 18, were born joined from chest wall to pelvis. Connecticut sisters share ribs, a liver, their digestive and reproductive systems. And, this is their extraordinary story.
Carmen and Lupita Andrade are twins who have a closer bond than most. They were born conjoined from the chest to the pelvis, and were given just three days to live when they were born in Mexico in 2002. Unlike some sets of conjoined twins who can be surgically separated, Lupita and Carmen share too many vital organs to ever be parted. The sisters share a spinal cord, a bloodstream, both reproductive and digestive systems, and one set of legs. Lupita has two arms, while Carmen has control of one.
“I control my right leg. [Lupita] controls her left leg and basically, everything is split down the middle for feeling,” Carmen said.
With each twin, separately moving her own leg, they had to find the right “rhythm.”
“We started waling around four or five years old, but it was mostly like wobbly and had to use a walker or like something around us so we don’t have to fall and then we would be in a stroller or wheelchair, so we don’t get too tired,” Carmen said.
The twins said they had a much easier time walking on their hands. It took years of physical therapy to master the perfect timing, balance, and seamless coordination necessary to walk on their own two feet.
Theirs is a life lived in tandem that is so practiced, the girls say it’s instinct now. When they are in a cafeteria, one will reach for lunch and it’s almost always just what the other wants too; in the evening when they choose an outfit for school the next day, they seldom differ on what to wear.
But the twins also have markedly distinct personalities. Carmen is a strong student, witty, sharp-tongued and ambitious. Lupita is quieter, has trouble with reading comprehension and takes modified versions of tests, but like her sister can be quick with a pointed, often humorous remark.
The twins celebrated their 20th birthday on June 5, and they are students at Northwestern Connecticut Community College. Lupita and Carmen are set to graduate in 2021.
The pair vlogs on YouTube, and they have nearly 70,000 subscribers. They’ve posted videos about the biggest misconceptions that people have about conjoined twins and some of the nasty comments they’ve received over the years.
At their Connecticut home, Carmen and Lupita’s family has a set of goats. The twins often showcase their dog, Toby, on their vlogs. They are active on their respective Instagram accounts and they discussed wanting to stay single to focus on themselves.
According to inews.co.uk; wfsb.com and distractify.com. Source of photos: internet
