For nine months, Abigail and Micaela shared almost every moment of their lives side by side.

Born as craniopagus twins, an extraordinarily rare condition in which twins are connected at the head, the sisters faced a medical journey that few families ever experience.

But after months of preparation, more than 30 medical specialists, and an incredibly complex operation, the moment their parents had been praying for finally arrived.

Abigail and Micaela were successfully separated. 🥹💕

“It felt almost impossible to separate them, but God and the doctors and nurses at UC Davis made it possible,” their mother, Liliya Miroshnik, said.
Liliya first learned that her daughters were connected at the head when she was just 11 weeks pregnant.

Already a mother of three boys, she was overwhelmed by the news.

“It was very difficult. I was in complete shock. I couldn’t process it.”
But when she returned home, her husband, Anatoliy Bachinskiy, reᴀssured her that they would face whatever came next together.

“These are our children, and we already loved them.” ❤️
Liliya was referred to the UC Davis Fetal Care and Treatment Center, where specialists closely monitored the pregnancy and helped the family prepare for the extraordinary challenges ahead.

Meanwhile, medical teams began preparing for the twins’ arrival.

Because craniopagus twins can share critical blood vessels and other structures, even delivery can involve significant risks.

Doctors practiced for numerous possible scenarios, determined to give the sisters the safest possible start. 🏥

On December 30, Abigail and Micaela were born.

The sisters spent their first seven weeks in the hospital’s NICU before eventually going home with their family.

But their journey was far from over.

As the girls grew, doctors carefully monitored the structures they shared.

Eventually, the medical team determined that the time was right to attempt separation.

Waiting too long could allow shared blood vessels and other structures to become larger and more complicated, potentially increasing the risks of surgery.

So the preparation began again. 🩺✨

Doctors created detailed 3D models of the twins’ connected skulls and used mixed-reality technology to study their anatomy and plan the procedure.

Custom tissue expanders were also placed beneath the skin of their scalps to encourage additional skin growth, helping provide enough tissue to reconstruct their heads after separation.

Then came the day everyone had been preparing for.

More than 30 surgeons, nurses, anesthesiologists, and other specialists came together for the incredibly complex operation.

Every member of the team had a specific responsibility.

The procedure required doctors to carefully separate shared veins and brain tissue, reconstruct the girls’ skulls and scalps, and repeatedly reposition the twins during surgery.

Blood transfusions were also required along the way.

The medical team described the operation as almost like a carefully choreographed performance, with every possible complication anticipated and planned for. 🙏

And then, at 3:28 a.m., something extraordinary happened.

For the first time in their lives, Abigail and Micaela were two separate little girls. 👧🏻👧🏻💗

After months of preparation, the moment everyone had hoped for had finally arrived.

For the medical team, it was an emotional milestone.

For their parents, it was something even more profound.

“Everything went well,” Liliya said. “We are so thankful.”
The sisters are now recovering in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, surrounded by the doctors and nurses who have cared for them since birth.

Their future remains uncertain because their journey is unlike that of almost any other child.

But their family is choosing hope. 🌈

Liliya says the support from the hospital staff has meant everything to her family.

They have received guidance, encouragement, and care throughout every stage of their daughters’ journey.

And through it all, she continues to hold onto her faith.

“No one knows exactly what the future holds because their journey is so unique. But I truly believe everything will be okay.”
For the doctors who cared for them, the goal has always been about more than simply completing an extraordinary operation.

It was about giving two little girls the opportunity to grow, develop, and eventually experience lives of their own.

And now, for the first time, Abigail and Micaela can begin that journey as two separate little girls. 💕👶👶

Their story is a powerful reminder of what can happen when extraordinary medical expertise, preparation, determination, and love come together.

Two babies who once shared one extraordinary beginning now have the chance to write two beautiful futures. 🌸✨