As most of you know my Sister Kimberley, Brother in-law Scott and their little boy Leeuwin are expecting Identical twin girls at the end of November.
On Wednesday night the 12th of August after a scan that same afternoon, Kimberley’s obstetrician called with some disheartening news. Our twin girls had developed a rare pregnancy condition called Twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS).
TTTS occurs in pregnancies where twins share one placenta and a network of blood vessels that supply oxygen and nutrients essential for development in the womb. Sometimes the vessel connections within the placenta are not evenly dispensed and there is an imbalance in the blood exchange between the twins. One twin - the donor twin gives away more blood than it receives in return and runs the risk of malnourishment and organ failure. The recipient twin receives too much blood and is susceptible to overwork of the heart and other cardiac complications.
Kimmy was flown by the Royal Flying Doctors Service on Thursday to the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Sydney. Due to the Queensland boarder closures they would not accept them at the Mater in Brisbane and even if they did Scott would need to hotel quarantine for 14 days before he could be by her side in hospital.
Early Friday morning Kimmy and Scott were given 4 heart wrenching choices to make to help save their little girls. By Friday midday they were having an endoscopic laser ablation surgery, which is performed in the utero to help correct the blood-sharing imbalance caused by TTTS.
As Kimmy is only 24 weeks pregnant this surgery can cause complications such as early labour. The next 24hours are crucial in the hope our girls hold on tight in that beautiful belly and grow grow grow!
I know Kimmy & Scott would never expect any financial help but they will now be staying in Sydney until the girls are born and going forward from there, until they are are both strong enough to fly home to Ballina. As well as paying their mortgage at home they will be paying for accommodation in Sydney for the next 3-4 months, unforeseen medical expenses and Scott will also need to be flying home regularly to see little Lewy back home in Ballina.
Any donations would be greatly appreciated.
Keep Kimberley, Scott, Leeuwin & most importantly our Girls in your thoughts ♡ We love you all so much.
Thinking of you, Brown family. You are strong enough for this, and when you are not - we will be strong for you. ? xx