Bhutanese twins Nima and Dawa, who were successfully separated after a surgery in Australia in early November last, were reunited with their father in Bhutan on Thursday.
Welcoming the twins to Bhutan on their official Twitter handle on Thursday, Tourism Bhutan stated: “Welcome home Nima and Dawa! We are happy to have them back home after their separation surgery in Australia.”
The 20-month-old toddlers were conjoined at birth, but were separated by a team of surgeons from the The Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne last November.
Also read: Separated Bhutanese twins Nima, Dawa leave Melbourne hospital
Though they have been separated, the formerly conjoined twins are still very close. They shared a plane seat on their flight home to Bhutan four months after their separation
Welcome home Nima and Dawa! We are happy to have them back home after their separation surgery in Australia. ??? #tourismbhutan #HappinessIsAPlace #Bhutan pic.twitter.com/5YM2DDG0BY
— Tourism Bhutan (@tourismbhutan) March 7, 2019
The 20-month-old Bhutanese girls — who shared a liver and were connected from chest to pelvis — were successfully separated in November by a team of about 18 medical staff in a six-hour operation, reports ABC News.
In the journey of the twins towards their home in Bhutan with their mother Bhumchu Zangmo and accompanied by two helpers, took around 22 hours.
According to the report, the twins, who intertwined their legs to maintain contact after the critical surgery, are now learning to walk, but they still sleep in one bed.
The report quoted Deb Pickering of Children’s First Foundation, as saying: “Nima’s walking and Dawa’s not far from walking, so they’re doing everything they should be doing and more.”
Pickering added: “They do still like to be together, they both sleep very well, they have a morning and afternoon nap and they sleep all night through.”
“They’re much the same as they were when they were together, we’ve got one that’s very much more outgoing and one that’s more placid — Nima’s the outgoing and Dawa’s the more placid,” Pickering further said.
It has been reported that the twins mother, Zangmo, arrived at Melbourne airport’s departure terminal pushing her daughters in a double pram and accompanied by members of the Children’s First Foundation, which funded the surgery and their time in Australia.
The report quoted Zangmo as saying: “Thank you everybody … Nima and Dawa [are] so happy, and [I’m] happy, thank you.”
Zangmo also said that she was overwhelmed by the care and support doctors provided to her daughters.
The report also quoted Pickering as saying: “Bhumchu just wanted to thank everybody from the bottom of her heart for everything that’s been done for her and especially her two little girls.”
“She’s excited to be going home, but a bit sad to be leaving everyone behind, her new family,” added Pickering.