Dad of Formerly Conjoined Twins Hopes His Girls 'Stay Close': 'I Always Tell Them That'

It’s been a year since JamieLynn and AmieLynn Finley were separated during 11-hour surgery — and both sisters are doing well

• Amanda Arciniega and James Finley are marking one year since their twin daughters were separated
• JamieLynn and AmieLynn Finley underwent an 11-hour separation surgery at Cook Children’s Hospital in January 2023.
• Amie required additional surgery after the first procedure, but is on the mend along with her sister, according to their father

A pair of former conjoined twins is doing well a year after successful separation surgery, according to their parents.

JamieLynn and AmieLynn Finley were successfully separated during an 11-hour surgery in January 2023, four months after they were born joined at the liver and chest, Cook Children’s Medical Center previously said.

Mom Amanda Arciniega and dad James Finley took their daughter home almost three months later and later threw a special baby shower.

Now, a year later after the surgery, both girls are doing well and recently had their feeding tubes removed, their father told ABC affiliate WFAA-TV. “They’re just so beautiful and I’m just thinking, ‘How am I going to deal with this when I get old,'” Finley joked.

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Amanda Arciniega and James Finley with their daughters JamieLynn and AmieLynn Finley.

Cook Children’s Health Care System

Amie is doing particularly well as she underwent additional chest surgery before she and her sister left the hospital.

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James Finley with his daughters JamieLynn and AmieLynn Finley.

Cook Children’s Health Care System

The twins also have quite different personalities, according to their father. “Aime is a kind, gentle soul, it just shows in her eyes,” Finley said.

“And Jamie, she’s my little firecracker,” he added.

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JamieLynn and AmieLynn Finley.

Cook Children’s Health Care System

This spring will mark one year since the girls left the hospital, even though they came more than two weeks apart. JamieLynn was discharged from the hospital on March 21st, while AmieLynn returned home on April 7th.

Despite this, Finley and Amanda Arciniega, the girls’ mothers, are looking forward to what the future holds for their daughters.

“I just hope they stick together, stay close, be sisters,” Finley told WFAA-TV. “I always tell them that.”

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Source: HIS Education