A former Acadiana couple is getting their life back in order after welcoming conjoined twins. The twins are home safe and sound now, but the family is facing more surgeries and medical bills.
Opelousas native Andre Pitre and his wife, Angie, gave birth to conjoined twins Jesi and Remi on May 15, 2018. Doctors separated them in July and they were both home in December.
I’ts been a long eight months for the Pitre family.
“It’s still not normal, but at the very least we are all living in the same house now,” Andre Pitre said. “We’re not running back and forth to hospitals or other cities.”
Remi and Jesi’s liver, small intestines and diaphragm fused together when they were born. The children have undergone seven surgeries.
According the recent medical reports, theres about a one in 200,000 chance of twins being born conjoined.
“Right now their abdominal muscles are on the side of their abdomens,” their father said. “They basically have a big hernia in the front. So it’s just skin over all the organs.” And the medical bills are piling up.
The twins need round the clock care as they’re hooked up to oxygen machines and feeding tubes.
But the family doesn’t qualify for Medicaid or any government programs.
“It’s like we’re a family of six and here is what it takes just to pay the bills in a modest little home,” Pitre said. “Just to keep the lights on, you’re telling me I can’t keep my lights on but I don’t qualify for any kind of assistance and I’m working three jobs.”
Andre is now stepping back from his career to watch the twins full tome as because they can’t afford full-time help.
Angie went back to work Monday after being on unpaid leave. They plan to use her medical benefits for the family.
“Financially the numbers don’t really work but at this point we don’t really have another choice,” Andre Pitre said. “Emotionally, we’ve always been people of very strong faith. I always know God has my back so long as I do the things I need to do and grind as hard as I can.”
Ride to Give has established a fundraiser to help get the Pitre family back on their feet and help keep the twins healthy.
You can find more information on the fundraiser, here.
The twins will still been more surgeries within the next couple of years.