Twins meet life's challenges with faith, together

Noreen Hyslop photo Bloomfield twins, Micaela and Miranda Griffin, together have conquered many challenges throughout their 13 years. The two had a combined birth weight of only four pounds and three ounces. [Click to enlarge]

Miranda and Micaela Griffin entered the world 13 weeks before they were expected on November 10, 1994, weighing two pounds, three ounce and two pounds, one ounce, respectively. The identical twins arrived 14 minutes apart at Barnes Hospital in St. Louis, but were immediately transferred to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at St. Louis Children's Hospital. Thus, the story began of the Griffin twins and their fight to survive, despite all odds.

"Miranda's health, especially," says Cindy Griffin, "was very fragile and when she was five days old, the doctors met with us and told us that Miranda might not survive."

"After a lot of tears, we turned Miranda's fate over to a Higher Power," Cindy continues, "and a couple of days and a multitude of prayers later, she turned around and began to thrive."

The first 82 days of the Griffin twins' lives were spent in the NICU at Children's, as they transitioned from critical condition through the ranks until they were deemed well enough to travel home. The day finally arrived on January 30, 1995.

"We learned a lot of new words in that interim," says the girls' mother, Cindy. "We became familiar with periventriclar leukomalcia and many other phrases that had been foreign to us before the girls came along."

When the twins were determined by a staff of physicians to be well enough, they were released from the hospital and sent home with Brad and Cindy Griffin to begin a life full of challenges, trials and tribulations and a multitude of victories, but most importantly to a home filled with love.

Miranda and Micaela frequented doctors' offices and medical facilities in those young years. Their father recalls, "Sometimes we got good news and sometimes not so good news."

As is often the case with premature births, both girls were affected with Cerebral Palsy, with Miranda being more dramatically affected than her sister. And one of the "not so good" news days came just after their girls' first birthday, when doctors told the Griffins that Miranda also suffered from Strabismus, an eye condition that results in the eyes not aligning properly with each other. The disease prevents its victims from bringing the gaze of each eye to the same point in space and prevents proper binocular vision, affecting depth perception.

"She faced her first eye surgery at 13 months old," Brad remembers, "and of course we had no idea how many surgeries would follow."

Over the years, the girls have received speech, physical and occupational therapy. What began at 18 months of age continues today and for Miranda, the physical challenges are more pronounced. The Cerebral Palsy affecting her body eventually took a dramatic toll on her joints. In August of 2000, doctors noticed that her right hip was literally coming of its socket, a result of the CP. She eventually underwent surgery to correct the problem, during which surgeons re-seated the hip joint, inserting a metal plate to hold the joint in place.

"Miranda was put into a spica cast," Cindy explains, "and when the cast was cut off in February and she underwent x-rays, we received the horrible news that the metal plate that had been inserted had broken. The surgery needed to be done all over again."

For the Griffins, it was one of the lowest moments they had experienced in dealing with the girls' health issues. Two days later, the surgery was performed once again and it was deemed successful.

Another surgery in the summer of 2005 involved the implantation of a $26,000 baclofen pump. Miranda's CP is termed as, "spastic quadriplegic dystonia," and simply stated, her body needs a drug called baclofen to relieve the rigidity and immobility of her joints. The pump, Cindy explained, releases the drug into Miranda's system on a slow drip basis, allowing Miranda more fluent muscle and joint movement. The arms that were once extended and rigid in appearance have become noticeably more mobile and functional since the implantation. Miranda returns to Children's twice annually to have the implant refilled with the drug.

Perhaps Miranda's greatest challenge, however, came this year when she underwent yet another surgery to correct the curvature of her spine, again a result of the CP. The surgery, performed at Children's Hospital in St. Louis, was a grueling procedure involving the insertion of metal rods and pins that run the entire length of her spine. The surgery required several days in the confines of the hospital and what followed was a sometimes excruciating six-month period of bed rest at home.

"We positioned the bed for her to watch television and we tried to keep her entertained, but although Miranda handled it like pro, it was very frustrating for her to lie flat on her back for six months," her father explains.

"We set up a hospital bed in the living room," her twin sister Micaela recalls, "and I slept on an air mattress on the floor, and dad and I watched over her."

The two sisters are that close. One anticipates the other's responses, and when Miranda goes through a painful procedure, Micaela, if only emotionally, goes through it as well.

Miranda began the current school year with her sister, although Miranda's mode of transportation involves a power chair most of the time.

"She'll become more mobile as she continues to heal form this last surgery," Cindy says.

The Griffin twins have faced some tough challenges in their young lives and their parents have faced many of those same challenges as well.

"We've always taught the girls," says Cindy, "that if they try to do something and can't because of their disability, that's OK. The important thing is to try. They will not be allowed to use their disability as an excuse not to try something."

The twins have many academic accomplishments under their belts, including consistent honor roll records and academic honors in nearly every subject. Micaela, in addition, has earned the annual Citizenship Certificate as a student at Bloomfield Schools, where both girls attend. She, as well, has a gift for song and was to perform at the 2006 Annual CP Conference held in St. Louis.

The hope of Brad and Cindy Griffin is that someday people will recognize Miranda and Micaela for the personalities they are.

"Hopefully one day people will be able to look beyond the braces, walkers and wheelchairs and see the big brown eyes and beautiful smiles. Then they will be able to understand why our family feels that we have been truly blessed with two exceptionally special girls."