May 14, 2006 8:40 pm US/Central
Mother's Day Wishes Pour In For Twins' Parents
Minneapolis (AP) ―
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Jesse and Amy Carlsen, pictured with their daughters before Friday's separation surgery.
Courtesy Mayo Clinic
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Doctors separated Abbigail and Isabelle Carlsen at 4:28 p.m. on Friday. Isabelle can be seen at the top of the image; Abbigail is at the bottom.
Courtesy Mayo Clinic
Mother's Day greetings flowed in from around the country Sunday for the parents of Abbigail and Isabelle Carlsen, the formerly conjoined twins who are recovering after separation surgery at the Mayo Clinic.
The girls were still doing well Sunday following nearly 12 hours of surgery Friday, Mayo spokesman John Murphy said. As expected, they remained in intensive care.
"Abbigail and Isabelle Carlsen remain in the ICU this morning with breathing assistance from ventilators," the Rochester, Minn. clinic said in a statement. "Their vital signs continue to improve, and the care team is continuing to monitor them closely with standard tests related to the post-operative healing process."
By Sunday evening, more than 124,000 visits had been recorded on the family's page at www.caringbridge.org, a Web site that helps keep families, friends and other well-wishers connected when a loved one is receiving care.
More than 380 people had posted new messages for the family pushing the total of posts to over 3,000. New postings seemed to pop up every couple of minutes. Many wished a happy Mother's Day to the girls' mother, Amy Carlsen, of Fargo, N.D., often using exclamation points and capital letters for extra emphasis.
"Happy First Mother's Day to you," wrote Hope Stout, of Fargo, N.D. "You will have many more in your lifetime but this is definitely one you will never forget. It couldn't have been more perfect."
The sisters were born Nov. 29 attached at diaphragm, pancreas and liver, and shared a common bile duct and part of an intestine. They spent their first months with their noses just inches apart.
On Friday, they were separated by a medical team of 30 people. The separation itself took nearly seven hours, with the entire procedure lasting nearly 12 hours.
Their story has been spread by news reports, the Internet and word of mouth. Michelle Peterson, of Denver, Colo., wrote that she learned of the site from an aunt in North Dakota.
"What an AWESOME Mother's Day!" she wrote. "I read your story and the tears just started rolling down my cheeks. Here you have been blessed with two BEAUTIFUL daughters, and now they are going to be able to express themselves as the individuals they are."
While Sunday was Mother's day, Nancy McHale of Maple Grove, Minn., didn't leave out the girls' father, Jesse Carlsen.
"HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY and a wonderful upcoming FATHER'S DAY to a very loving and devoted family. Your girls are absolutely beautiful, and your story has touched many hearts around the world," she wrote.
The parents responded with their own Mother's Day message.
"Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers who feel like Abby and Belle have become their own," the Carlsens said in a statement issued through Mayo. "Thank you for your continued prayers and support."
(© 2006 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
Slideshow: Abby And Belle Carlsen
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