Hope you feel better, Rella.

AW, Neaksis LOL'd about your sweet little vampire bunny. Maybe because she has one year round? <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif" alt="" />

Here is one little excerpt from the War and Peace IM the Dervish dictated to his father. "And I like you when you get me toys. When are you coming home?" Sigh.

I'm not teasing, really I'm not. This is just a little note to myself to remember to tell you about AJ's Canadian elevator adventure, but tomorrow when I am awake. Right now I keep typing more typoes then currektlee spelt wurdz.

Neak, thanks. I am feeling better. I really did think about going home w/ that head/neck ache the other day. On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being fantastically fabulous and 10 being ready to go to the emergency room, I was about an 9 Wednesday. Today, I was about a 4. That's about as good as my neck gets.

We're twinseparable! Happy with his brother, the boy who refused to die


By LUCY LAING - More by this author » Last updated at 01:09am on 3rd November 2007

They say twins share a strong bond - but the one between Gabriel and Ieuan Jones was unbreakable.

When doctors found that Gabriel was weaker than his brother, with an enlarged heart,and believed he was going to die in the womb, his mother Rebecca Jones had to make a heartbreaking decision.

Doctors told her his death could cause his twin brother to die too before they were born, and that it would be better to end Gabriel's suffering sooner rather than later.

Thriving: Gabriel, right, with his twin brother Ieuan, is now a healthy 12lb 6oz at seven months

Mrs Jones decided to let doctors operate to terminate Gabriel's life.

Firstly they tried to sever his umbilical cord to cut off his blood supply, but the cord was too strong.

They then cut Mrs Jones's placenta in half so that when Gabriel died, it would not affect his twin brother.

But after the operation which was meant to end his life, tiny Gabriel had other ideas.

Although he weighed less than a pound, he put up such a fight for survival that doctors called him Rocky.

Astonishingly, he managed to carry on living in his mother's womb for another five weeks - until the babies were delivered by caesarean section.

Now he and Ieuan are back at home in Stoke - and are so close they are always holding each other's hand.

Mrs Jones, 35, a financial adviser whose husband Mark, 36, is a car salesman, said: "It really is a miracle. Doctors carried out an operation to let Gabriel die - yet he hung on.

"It was unbelievable."

"When I felt him kicking madly the morning after the operation, I suddenly knew that he was going to hang on.

"The doctors couldn't believe it when they could still hear his heartbeat the next morning."

Rebecca Jones: 'It's a miracle'

Mrs Jones learned she was expecting twins when she was ten weeks pregnant. She said: "When they told us we were over the moon."

But at her 20-week scan, doctors had some devastating news. One of the boys was half the size of his brother.

They didn't know what was causing it, but somehow he wasn't getting enough nutrients.

Then doctors said his heart was three times normal size and it was likely he would have a heart attack or a stroke in the womb.

Mrs Jones said: "They told us that if he died, it could be life threatening for his brother.

"We had to decide whether to end his life and let his brother live, or risk them both."

They said it would be impossible to keep him alive afterwards as he was so poorly.

It would be kinder to let him die in the womb with his brother by his side than to die alone after being born.

"That made my mind up for me. I wanted the best thing for him."

At Birmingham Women's Hospital, when Mrs Jones was 25 weeks pregnant, doctors tried to sever Gabriel's umbilical cord to cut off his blood supply and allow him to die.

But the cord was too thick, and they could not cut through it.

As a last resort they divided Mrs Jones's placenta so that when Gabriel died, it would allow Ieuan to survive. Mrs Jones said: "I put my hands on my stomach thinking of Gabriel. It was devastating. I had said my goodbyes."

But the next morning Mrs Jones felt Gabriel kicking. A scan showed his heart was still beating. She said: "No one could quite believe it."

Gabriel hung on, and his enlarged heart started to reduce in size. He also gained weight.

Mrs Jones said: "They thought it may be because the placenta had been divided. Inadvertently, it had evened out the distribution of nutrition between them, allowing Gabriel to survive.'

When Mrs Jones reached 31 weeks doctors carried out a caesarian to deliver the twins. Ieuan weighed 3lb 8oz and Gabriel 1lb 15oz. Both were kept in hospital, but since going home they have thrived. At seven months, Ieuan weighs 15lb and Gabriel 12lb 6oz.

Mrs Jones said: "The boys are so healthy, they have huge appetites too. Ieuan is the noisy one, while Gabriel is always laughing, it's like he's just so happy to be here.

"There is such a strong bond between them.

"They are always holding hands and if one cries, the other reaches out to comfort him."

"Doctors tried to break their bond in the womb, but they just proved it couldn't be broken."

If you go to Twins , there are pictures, but they didn't transport. I've decided I have a brain tumor. At least it will keep me from complaining so much about my foot! <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif" alt="" />

t&l

Do hair products qualify as hygiene products? Well, they are feminine, sort of, at least, the doo-dads are.....

So, I just went to the beauty supply place and spent $50 on hair 'tools' - brushes are dying so I got new brushes. I lose hairpins - yup, I'm the last woman in my office wearing her hair up. Combs. Ponytail holders, etc. Enough supplies for 3 - 2 of whom are woman-type creatures.

Hi there all

T&L loved the twins story, I went all motherly and clucky <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />and then ....
Mikey got up.... I put him back, <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />
Mikey got up.... I put him back,
Mikey got up.... I put him back, <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" />
Mikey got up.... I put him back,
.... <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/eek.gif" alt="" />
....
.... <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" />
.....
..... <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" />
Mikey got up.... I put him back, and its 9.39 and I think he's actually asleep <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

My sons fiancee is here <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> , with my DD right now, visiting us while my oldest son is off being a soldier somewhere, what a surprise <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif" alt="" /> . Mum took her shopping while DD was at uni today. When she and her family lived a few doors away when they were kids she lived in our house as much as her own. I am glad they want to take their time though. They are still keen as mustard for each other so thats good. <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

I kinda like the full house. <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Tomorrow is Melbourne Cup day, a horse race where the whole nation just stops for it. I'm cooking right now Mexican chicken with salsa & a tub of sour cream to bring in .. yum

Hair doo-dads are fine I think rella <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/pfft.gif" alt="" />

That twin story is wonderful. Those baby boys are adorable. Strangely, I'd just been reading another twin story from the UK where a 22 yr old mother (jehovah witness) refused a blood transfusion and died hours after giving birth to twins. How sad.

AW - the expat Aussies are very excited about the big race tomorrow. I've been invited to a breakfast function where they are all dressing up in posh clothes and hats! I've got to work so I can't make it, which is just as well cos I don't have a thing to wear!

I have a twin story:

A couple I know recently had twin girls.

Within days of birth, one baby had a massive stroke that severely affected both hemispheres of her brain and left her severely brain damaged.

The other baby had three small holes in her heart and will need surgery when she is 6-9 months old. Then, she had a small stroke and had some brain damage.

A day or two before they were to be discharged from the hospital, they did MRIs on both babies. The radiologist was totally baffled by what he found. The brain damage on the baby with the holes in her heart was gone. There was one small spot on the MRI and they thing that is an inconsequential pocket of fluid. Nice, normal brain. The other baby's MRI was almost totally normal, also....no evidence of the brain damage.

The doctor had no medical explanation for why the MRIs were so different from the previous ones. However, the babies' parents believe it was God's healing.

The babies are Ruthie and Maddie Sullivan. Pray for them as they grow.

What a neat story! God is so wonderful! <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Mr. C's handy definitions: swellery adj. engorged, swollen to an extreme. Bug bites caused me to become swellery.

The Dervish's favorite movie: The Scarlet Pimper aka Pimple

Well, as long as you're talking about Mr. C's definitions, here's one I forgot to tell you. When we brought you those roses now sitting in your kitchen, he spent most of the drive breaking thorns off the stems. I told him to cut it out because I didn't want any thorn debris in the car where somebody might sit on it. He said he was going to take them home and bury them out back. I was mystified, needless to say, and asked him whatever for. He replied, "I'll bury them really deep and after the decompshun I'll have oil."

So if you ever hit a gusher out there by the septic tank, don't worry. <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif" alt="" />

t&l

It's so nice to come here and get a chuckle....so very nice.

My computer is tweaking on me, right when I was trying to save my story to a memory stick in case something happened. <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif" alt="" /> AJ has his computer rigged so it will go online now, but I don't know how to make mine mind yet.

Well, I fell asleep several hours ago and only woke up so I could get the rest of the way into bed.

Note to self: you still have not told on AJ yet - do not forget to do this!

could you send him an email?

Happy Saturday! Happy Sabbath!

Someone needs to pass the headache remedy. Nope, all I had to drink last night was milk or water. This is because I didn't drink enough water yesterday or it is related to my neck. Didn't have it when I went to bed.

Happy Sabbath! I can only email me when he lets me on the computer, lol. My computer is still having trouble. It will go online when plugged in directly, but my story is having problems.

Grandpa is sick today so we are home with him. I made chocolate mint pies again, sans raccoon, and had red for lunch. Enchiladas, sweet potato, and Spanish rice. It was a fabulous, beautiful-looking plate, all the same fabulous color. <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Last night I fell asleep on the couch about 8:30. Mr. C had been desperate enough to stay up that he volunteered to rub my feet. So.....a short time later I briefly awoke to find myself having fallen asleep, and Mr. C down at the other end of the couch, keeled over, still holding onto my foot.

I'm being paged, but hope you feel better Rella, and hellos and love to all.

Headache better - not gone.

Sorry you can't email AJ and tell him your computer is making you crazy.

Cute story about Mr C

A plate of red is better than a plate of white.

Sometimes I end up with a plate of white. <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" /> It is almost always an accident. Once in a great while I do it just to be funny.

Mr. C strikes again: Mom! Quick! Can you help me make a sodium barbaric mixture?

I can only assume he meant bicarbonate.

My children went on a hike w/ the church youth group today. Good thing I didn't go too. We went right after eating at a Mexican buffet. Can't you imagine how everyone must feel. Then, Prince CatLover didn't pay attention to the instructions and forged ahead of everyone else. Somehow, he went off the track and fell, farting all the way, down a hill. He was LOST. Long enough for one of the adults to call 911. After a while, he found the group. They called 911 back and reported him found. He says he has learned.

We'll see.

But, I'm glad I wasn't there for the trauma and drama.

No one wants to see their child roll down a hill, covered in a giant cloud of methane. <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/eek.gif" alt="" />

Grandpa is getting his endoscopy done, and we'll see what happens to him from there; he was just about due to have one anyway. He's been gone since 11:30, and oddly enough, I haven't retched since then, either. Mom & AJ are with him, and will doubtless call with an update when they are able.

Neaksis had jury duty today, and wasted most of her day, but didn't get chosen. She is feeling cheated for not even having the chance to tell them she couldn't do it, lololol.

While AJ is gone, I will tattle about the Canadian elevator, too.

He got back to his hotel from the meeting, and had a most urgent need to spend a long stretch of quality time in the bathroom. To make matters worse, he was afflicted with the need to release flatulence, but there were so many people around, and then the elevator was full.

He thought they would never get out in time, but at last he was only a few floors away from his room, and the elevator was empty. Should he? What if someone came? But oh, it was empty now! Torn, he finally opted for release.

As soon as he did so, his burning eyes saw with horror that he was stopping. Several elderly couples got on the elevator with him. The poor unsuspecting tourists soon had their eyes watering, too, trying hard not to impale AJ with a steely and knowing glare, since they all knew it already smelled like that when they stepped in.

AJ thinks it may have taken several years after that to get to his floor. When the doors opened, he made his escape with as much speed and subtlety as he could. Running to his room, he tried not to think of the tourists behind him as the doors swished shut, trapping them in the fetid moving box, wishing to see the sun one last time.

I am so glad I was not there. They might have thought it was me.

Has anyone ever considered the fact that, while everyone, flatulates, human males are probably a leading cause of methane. Probably close in quantity to those cud-chewing cows.

I am so sorry, Neak, that the Biblical narrative fiction that you write doesn't allow for scenes such as this one. It's such a vivid word picture--almost scratch-and-sniff, even! <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

t&l