Now Separated, Conjoined Twins Go Home, Require Constant Care

Their amazing story has made headlines around the world. Emmett and Owen Ezell, the once conjoined twins, whose parents lived in Guthrie, are now back home after spending the first year of their lives in a hospital.

Now, the family lives in Dallas, so News 9 went to visit them to see the extraordinary work that goes into tending to these tiny miracles.

Once you enter the Ezell home, the dining room looks more like a hospital. Nurses are on hand 24/7 and the hum of vital machines fills the air, with the two miracles, now one year old in the middle.

"The day typically starts at seven," said David Ezell, the twins' father. "Eight o'clock is bath time. Generally, we clean them up and get them ready for the day."

"They get their breathing treatments, their nebulizers," add Jenni Ezell, the twins' mother. "At 9 o'clock, they get their huge batch of medicines for the day."

Medicines and treatments they keep posted on calendars and charts. The parents say the morning routine is done around 11 a.m. and that's when they get out of their cribs and for the rest of the day it's play time. However, it's always under a watchful eye.

"When they start breathing raspy, they have a buildup of secretions in their lungs and we have to go in and suction that," said David.

5/14/2014 Related Story: Once Conjoined Twins Still Defying The Odds

Sometimes that's once an hour, while other times it's every 20 minutes, when a device is inserted into the windpipe to allow for the suction. It's also designed to force the babies to push air out their mouths and vocalize.

"They are so surprised by their own voice. It catches them off guard," said David. "But it's fun to watch them."

Emmett and Owen were born conjoined from the breast bone to belly button. Until their stomachs fully develop, each boy has a feeding tube going directly into their intestines.

"I feel like by the time they are five, they aren't going to have anything they are attached to," said Jenni.

The progress, though, can seem slow and the constant care, overwhelming.

"It's been more difficult than we were expecting," said Jenni. "I would say I have fewer breakdowns then I did before, but they are just as intense."

The smiles, though, are now bigger than ever, getting these parents through an always hectic day.

"To hear an expert say that this little guy is going to find his way to normalcy, it's a relief," said David.

"When they are mobile they are going to be everywhere. The nurses are going to be everywhere," said Jenni. "But at the end of the day, I can't wait, because it's one more milestone."

Until then, the Ezells will find time to get their rest when they can because while it may look like a hospital, it very much feels like home.

Follow the family’s blog.