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Show "Wednesday, Aug. 30,2006.31 The Utah Statesman Campus News' Separated twins moved out of intensive care BY JENNIFER DOBNER Associated Press Writer SALT LAKE CITY (AP) - Three weeks after a marathon surgery to separate them, once-conjoined 4year-old twins have been moved out a hospital intensive care unit — a sign that they are well on their way to healing, their father said Monday. Kendra and Maliyah Herrin were born in February 2002 conjoined at the mid-torso, sharing multiple internal organs, including just one kidney and a pair of legs. Separation surgery for the girls was delayed until this year because the shared kidney presented numerous medical complications. "They're spirits are very high, they're happy as can be," Jake Herrin, 26, of North Salt Lake said at a news conference Monday. "This morning they had a water fight with syringes," he said. "They were squirting me, they were squirting nurses, they were squirting each other." Doctors at Primary Children's Medical Center successfully separated the blonde, blue-eyed girls in a 26-hour surgery that began Aug. 7. Their single pelvis was split and reconstructed. Each girl kept one leg. Kendra kept the single kidney and Maliyah was placed on dialysis in preparation for a transplant later this year. Dialysis treatment has gone better than expected, Jake Herrin said, and is only being administered every-other day. Dr. Rebecka Meyers, who led the eight-member surgical team, has said the separation is believed to be the first successful surgery on conjoined twins that shared a kidney. Overall, Kendra and Maliyahs extensive surgical wounds appear to be healing well, with only minor setbacks, primarily for Maliyah, who reacted poorly to a combination of seven pain medications and also had to have surgeons replace the first implanted dialysis catheter. "I thought there would be bigger bumps in the road, but weVe not really had anything too serious," Jake Herrin said. "We couldn't have asked for a better outcome." It's unclear, however, when the twins might be ready to leave the hospital, their father said. The decision will depend on how the girls heal, and how well they eat. Heavy medications have curbed their appetites, and they rely on feeding tubes for nourishment. The family is making some preparations for a homecoming: buying a second bed, a second car seat and some additional clothes for the girls, Jake Herrin said. •WAISTLINE From page 3 7 The girls seem emotionally accepting of their separation, although their father said it has highlighted their different personalities and their emotional interdependence. Kendra has always been more dominant and more eager for separation, while Maliyah was quieter, seemed more hesitant about separation and has always looked to her sister to "make things OK," he said. "Kendra has said she misses (being conjoined)," Jake Herrin said. "But we talk about it and tell them that when they go home, they can put their old shirts on and pretend they're still stuck together. They think that's funny." their choices. The same should be done with obesity. Levi said that a lot of the things that the government tells people to do about their weight aren't realistic, which makes obesity a societal problem, not just a personal problem. "If we're urging people to walk more, and their streets are not safe, that's an unrealistic expectation," Levi said. "If we're urging people to eat more fresh fruits and vegetables, and they don't have access a supermarket or the On the Net: to cost is beyond Lheir capachttp://wrvxv.Herrintwins.com ity, then we're not asking them to take responsibility for something they have control over." The report says the health costs associated with obesity are in the billions of dollars annually. Citing a sored the original legislation creating the Cuyahoga Valley park, Ohio's 2004 report, the advocacy group said $5.6 billion only national park.. could be saved when it Scarlett and Simpson said the grants eventually will total $97 mil- comes to treating heart disease if just one-tenth of lion by 2009. "More visitors enjoy our parks and Americans began a regupublic lands each year, and this pro- lar walking program. gram provides an additional tool to help enhance the visitor experience," On the Net: Scarlett said. Trustfor America's Health: The Cuyahoga Valley park, located http://healthyamericans. between Cleveland and Akron, drew org more than 2.5 million visitors last Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: http:// year. www.cdc.gov America's national parks will get transit assistance PENINSULA, Ohio (AP) — Federal officials on Monday announced 42 grants totaling almost $20 million to reduce traffic in America's national parks and public lands by providing alternative transit including trains, shuttle buses and bicycle trails. The goal of the Alternative Transportation in the Parks and Public Lands program is to reduce pollution and congestion and preserve parklands and wildlife areas while increasing access for visitors, including the disabled. The grants were announced at $4.7 million to buy rail cars for the 33,000-acre Cuyahoga Valley the Chugach National National Park by "^^^••— Forest in Alaska, Deputy Interior $1.4 million for proSecretary Lynn pane-powered buses Scarlett and Federal for Maine's Acadia Transit Administrator You need to know National Park and $1.2 James Simpson. The On the Web: million for a replaceofficials climbed ment boat dock at aboard the park's his- Federal Transit administration: h ttp-J/www. fta. dot.gov Glacier Bay National toric train for a tour Park and Preserve in after the announceAlaska. ment, which included Interior Department: http •J/www.doi.gov $898,000 in grants Grants in the fourfor upgrades to the year program "will rail. have a nationwide impact," said Rep. The biggest of the grants included Ralph Regula, R-Ohio, who co-spon- Quick Facts m - • # * I i The Best Photo I Took All Summer Content! £ Deadline for submissions: Sept. 15, 5 p.m. £ Submit digital files (.jpg, tiff, PS) to: statesman@cc.usu.edu, subject line "Photo Contest." ^Categories: I) Landscape/Scenic, 2) People/Activities, 3) Bizzare/Unusual. You pick the category for which you want your photos to be considered. SEND THEM TODAY! THE You took some GREAT photos this summer. Time to Show Them Off! UTAH STATE UNIVERSITY Jib, tkeuau Ptj#eA/ LUuuuZA will l&ceiu-e, Qufjt C&tttfalcaUA to Local ^eAtauJtajvbt I |
