Miracle Gilbert Twins

*A heartfelt thank you to those who have donated so far! These funds have helped cover beginning medical bill costs. Adam and Traci are extremely grateful

for the financial relief and for the many prayers said for their family!*

These two precious girls are true miracles. Despite all odds, despite the doctors telling us they most likely wont make it, despite the long awaited days being monitored, praying for angels to protect these little blessings...God granted us the best Christmas gift we could have asked for, our beautiful neices!

Mono/mono twins (or momos for short) are very rare, <1% of all twin pregnancies and are considered extreme risk. Treatment during Traci's pregnancy included being monitored in inpatient care since 26 weeks, 24 hours a day to watch for decelerations in heart rates (decels). Without inpatient monitoring, chance for survival was 50%. Traci beat the odds by making it to week 34 and gave birth to Kinzie Jo and Kylie Beth Gilbert Monday, December 21st via c-section. Praise the Lord!

Since birth, it was evident Kylie and Kinzie each have separate, long journey's towards health in front of them. Kylie received a Christmas miracle of her life on Earth continuing after her health deteriorated rapidly the day before Christmas Eve. We attribute the miracle of her proving doctors wrong and not only living through that night but improving ever since to the many prayers said by family, friends, and acquaintances. She continues to make improvements each day powered by prayer!

(**Update**) Kylie is on oxygen and likely will be past her first birthday due to lung issues. Both girls have NG tubes in which they receive their feeds through. They are working on bottle feeding with each feed time but the tubes are needed to provide nutrition until they are both able to fully bottle feed. Kinzie's heart condition is extremely tricky. She continues to stump a team of the best heart doctors in the nation as they try to create the best possible plan for Kinzie's heart to function. Kinzie has endured multiple heart caths (exploratory surgeries) and one open heart surgery. She is set to have her next open heart surgery around the beginning of May. During this surgery (to put it simply...) the temporary shunt will be removed and blood flow will be re-routed. Each step is celebrated as this journey is long. Each step forward is a large victory. Adam and Traci were able to go home with both girls March 24th. This was after each were discharged separately from the NICU and then had their own set of medical/appointment hoops to jump through to make the 3 hour trip back home. Traci had not been home in 5 months. Although they are grateful to be home, being 3 hours away from appointments and the medical teams weighs heavy financially and emotionally.

The girls are in great hands with their medical teams in Cincinnati. The amount of care needed before and after birth has accumulated to two large medical bills out of pocket. They met their max out of pocket amount of $13,000 in the last months of 2015 and quickly met their max out of pocket amount of $10,000 in January, 2016 (totaling $23,000). These large bills are piled on top of the expenses of providing typical newborn needs for the girls (formula to added nutrition, diapers, wipes, equipment), decreased income from time off work, as well as the expenses accumulated on each trip back to Cincinnati for appointments (gas, housing etc.). The Ronald McDonald house has been a HUGE blessing to the family. However, they do not always have a room available for each expected or unexpected night in Cincinnati-which results in hotel and food bills. We would like to give friends and family the opportunity to bless Adam, Traci and their two little girls financially to help reduce the cost of the medical bills. We appreciate any financial contributions, prayers, and words of encouragement for Adam, Traci and the miracle Gilbert Twins.

For updates from Traci and Adam, please visit:

Caringbridge.org and search: Traci Gilbert.

Proverbs 3: 5-6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.

With Love,

The Gilbert Siblings (Amanda, Andrew and Sarah)