End of Summer

This summer has been full of milestones and surprises.  In spite of the rough patches we experienced, we are so thankful for both the challenges and the blessings this summer held.  We are now approaching the 3-month anniversary of Maliyah's kidney transplant.  This accomplishment is particularly important, as it marks the date Maliyah can begin to go to indoor public areas.  Recently, an antibody test was performed on the kidney-- and there are no signs of rejection whatsoever!  No antibodies are trying to attack the new kidney.  Thank you for all of the prayers and support that were offered during the process of the transplant and during recovery.

Kendra has recovered from the infection in her rod.  This infection happened in mid-June, following a surgery to repair the broken VEPTR (Read this post to learn more). After several days in the hospital, Kendra was able to go home with a PICC line.  This PICC line provided a direct path for antibiotics to travel directly into the outgoing arteries.  Kendra became very skilled in the art of entering antibiotics into her PICC line. The PICC line was removed a few weeks ago, after successful treatment and removal of the infection.

These past couple of weeks, both of us were able to swim together for the first time in over two years.  Maliyah's dialysis catheter had restrictions on swimming to avoid water entering her heart.  As soon as she got her dialysis catheter out, however, Kendra had surgery for her rod and then infection.  The stitches, coupled with the PICC line, made swimming a restriction for Kendra as well.  Since the removal of the PICC line, we have gone swimming together multiple times, and have had lots of fun with friends and family!

Along with the summer coming to an end, school starts next week.  We have made the decision to attend public school this year, rather than continue with online school.  This decision came after much thought and many conversations as a family.  We are nervous to start a new school year, but are thankful for all the adventures this summer has brought.

Check our YouTube Channel for another video this Wednesday!  In the meantime, watch this week's video to see some of the preparations we are making for this new school year.

Thanks for Reading,
Kendra & Maliyah
~The Herrin Twins~

Note: Upcoming Blog Posts will be published on Thursdays

All-New Website

Welcome Back, everyone!
We have a few topics to cover in this blog, but we will start with our big announcement.  Remember our old and outdated Herrin Twins website?  We have now redesigned it with updated information!  Check out herrintwins.com and explore the new website.  Our blog is also accessible from the website; along with our videos, social media, and other content.
Maliyah's transplant was over a month ago  and her recovery is going wonderfully. We are infinitely thankful for her donor giving of their own kidney so Maliyah could have renewed energy.  And she certainly does-- Maliyah is able to swim now that she has her catheter out, and rarely feels exhausted like she so often did during the two years we waited on the list.  The thing is, there are thousands of people still on the list-- and millions more who have two working kidneys.  They have what doctors today are calling a "spare". We, Kendra and Maliyah Herrin, urge you to donate your spare.  If you are above 18, you may be eligible to be a living donor.  Visit this site to learn more and save a life!
Kendra is recovering from a successful surgery to remove her infection.  She has learned to put antibiotics into her IV PICC line perfectly.   We are very thankful for the amazing medical care she received, and that we caught the infection on time.  On a different note, Ezra has learned how to crawl very well and pulling himself up to stand!  He is growing up so fast.
Be sure to check out tomorrow's video! (Wednesday is a holiday)
Love,
Kendra & Maliyah
~The Herrin Twins~

Kendra’s ER Visit

   I had back surgery 3 weeks ago to fix my VEPTR/Rod that had broken. On Sunday night I started having back pain and only got 2 hours of sleep. When I woke up (from the 2 hours of sleep) I was in the worst pain. Worse then when I broke my rod. So my mom hurried and got me an X-ray to see if my rod broke again. After we saw the X-ray we knew it wasn’t the problem. 

   So for the rest of the day i was just laying in bed and didn’t really have an appetite. We had a little suspicion that it was an infection but kind of just pushed that theory aside because we didn’t want it to be that. We had taken my temperature and it had been normal until around 8:30 pm yesterday when I got a headache. I don’t usually get headaches so I took my temperature and it was 102.9. So I told my parents and we decided that we didn’t want to risk anything so we went to the ER.

    We got to the ER around 9 and usually when we go to the ER it takes 8+ hours to be admitted but yesterday they were really fast. I was able to be admitted in 5 hours. They drew blood and had to try for an IV twice. We didn’t see any abscess forming until after they did IV antibiotics. And it was huge. I don’t think we would have saw it for a while if we didn’t go into the ER. 

   When I was admitted it was 2am and my mom and I were exhausted. I got little 10 minute naps in the ER but my mom didn’t sleep at all. So when I got to my room my mom helped me out with getting situated into bed then left and got home around 3:30am. Now the most recent update is that they are going to have to operate to clean it out. I am actually glad because we caught it on time because it could be so much worse. Wish me luck!

Post Surgeries Update + Birthdays

Jake after his surgery

   It has been a little hectic for the Herrin family for the past few weeks. First update about Jake, he is doing great. He went back to work two weeks after his surgery. He is no longer in pain but he doesn't have a lot of energy and isn't able or allowed to lift heavy things. He has still been a huge help even though he can't do a lot.

Kendra at girls camp

   

   Next up is Kendra, her rod broke on the 21st of May. She had surgery to get it fixed on the 29th. That went really well because a week and half later she went to their church girls camp for a few days. She had lots of fun and wasn't in very much pain. She was able to stay the entire time.

   

Maliyah after getting her dialysis catheter out

   Maliyah's update is pretty long because she has the most healing to do. Last week on Sunday Maliyah came home. She was glad to be home even though she had a giant tube coming out of her bladder that was causing her pain. She really hates the hospital so she would rather be on an uncomfortable couch then be in that depressing place. On Wednesday she went back to the hospital with stomach pain and ended up staying the night so that they could make her feel better. She was having a really hard time with just being there. After being there so long it makes her feel like she will never leave, even if she knows it's only for the night. After she got home she was okay. She had her next appointment today (June 11th) where she got her dialysis catheter and foley out. She is really excited to start swimming and taking baths again!

On Sunday It was Justin and Austin's lucky 13th birthday. We ate cake yesterday and went to IHOP (Or should i say IHOB? ;) ) today.

Maliyah's Kidney Transplant

Before Transplant

Several weeks ago, we announced Maliyah was officially having a kidney transplant.  Though it has kept many of you in suspense, we are very happy to announce the kidney transplant has not only happened already, but that it went far better than we could have ever expected!

To preface, this kidney transplant holds particular importance because surgeons knew it would be Maliyah's last one-- only two kidneys can fit in a person's body, and this transplant would fill the last available spot.  In other words, this was Maliyah's last chance.  A kidney failure now would leave no other option-- you can imagine everybody's yearning that everything would go well.  Additionally, the length of the surgery would probably require Maliyah to have a breathing tube afterwards, a situation that makes recovery uncomfortable and speaking impossible.

Maliyah was admitted to the hospital the night before the surgery (May 23rd) so she could be monitored and started on important medicines.  Our friend Anabelle and her sister, Katelyn, came up to Primary Children's so Katelyn could braid Maliyah's hair.  That night, our Grandpa came up and stayed with Maliyah overnight.

Before Transplant

In the morning, Mom got a little anxious and accidentally left Kendra at the house since she was in such a rush to comfort Maliyah before surgery.  (Don't worry, Kendra got a ride from Grandma later)  Our friend Anabelle, our mom's parents, and our dad's mom all came up in the morning before the surgery.  Anabelle and Kendra stayed all day while Maliyah was in surgery.  The surgery was originally scheduled to start about 9 am and to end around 9 pm.  Before then, everybody talked quietly in Maliyah's hospital room and prayed for everything to go well.

Promptly on schedule, Maliyah was wheeled back for surgery around 8:20 am on May 24th.  Saying goodbye to Maliyah before surgery was difficult for everybody, and everyone cried.  We knew the surgeons would do well, though.  After that, everybody except Maliyah went to the waiting room expecting news.

At 9:20, surgeons made the first incision.  Around this same time, Anabelle and Kendra went to orthopaedics for Kendra's appointment.  Kendra's back had been bothering her since the beginning of the week, and she needed an X-ray.  The X-ray revealed Kendra had broken the rod in her back, though not too severely.  She goes in for surgery next week.

While Anabelle and Kendra were scheduling her surgery and picking up medicine from the pharmacy, everybody else received the news that the kidney was just walked over from the donor, and the arteries and veins all looked perfect for Maliyah.  Soon after, at eleven in the morning, everybody received the astonishing and absolutely wonderful news that surgeons were able to remove Maliyah's old transplant and reconnect the new kidney in the same place.  This means Maliyah has another chance-- that there was no ultimatum or shortage of options for the future.  The fact they were able to reconnect it in the same place was a genuine miracle.  Our grandparents left the hospital around this time.

Maliyah Recovering

Further, at 1 pm, surgeons announced the surgery was going much more quickly than originally estimated, and that Maliyah would not need a breathing tube.  Following that news, everybody found out Maliyah's intestines were scarred together in a way that made it so they would "wake up" more quickly after the surgery.  She would not have to go for quite so long without eating and drinking.  One of the main surgeons, Dr. Cartwright, drew a diagram for everybody of the surgery up until that point.

At 4:30, surgeons informed everyone the surgery could not have gone better, and that it would only be about 10 minutes before they started to close her up, an hour before she was out of the operating room, and two hours until she was awake and able to see everybody.  At 5:48, she was officially closed up, and at 6:20 we received the surprising call that Maliyah was already wide awake and even asking for everybody to come see her.  Everybody quite literally ran to the recovery room, where Maliyah was in a lot of pain, but okay.

Yesterday, Friday, was a difficult day for Maliyah in terms of pain.  Although recovery will be long, we are so thankful for the opportunities this new kidney will give Maliyah.  She will be able to have the foods she missed (particularly chocolate milk), have an extra 9-12 hours every week without dialysis, and even be able to swim again!  Thank you all for your support on this journey with us.

Love,
Kendra & Maliyah
~The Herrin Twins~

THE BIG NEWS!

Yes, it's official.  Maliyah is receiving a kidney this summer!  This journey began on February 26, 2002, when we were born conjoined and sharing one kidney. Thankfully, our mom (Erin) was able to donate her kidney to Maliyah when Kendra got the shared one at separation.

But as many of you know, Maliyah's road to complete recovery hasn't been quite as simple as that first transplant.  For several years, our mom's kidney did well.  Slowly, the lab results started to look less promising.  It was determined the kidney was in T-Cell Rejection.  The initial treatments didn't work, but finally a treatment known as IVIG allowed gradual improvement.  Soon after, in March of 2016, Maliyah had a heart surgery which did not go as planned, puncturing her heart.

The stress on the rest of her body as her heart struggled led to complete kidney failure.  Two years of waiting on the kidney registry and repetitious dialysis treatments have followed.  For two years, our family has waited for Maliyah's kidney.

On April 2, just last Monday, we received the news.  Maliyah is getting her kidney this summer*, and we could not be more thrilled.

There are thousands more on the registry for an organ donation though, and many of them have not yet received a donor.  Maliyah's kidney will change our lives so much-- you, too, are capable of making this kind of change in somebody else's life.  Organ donation influences so much more than the person who is receiving the actual transplant.  Because somebody decided to give, Maliyah has been given the gift of life and energy, and each of our family members and friends are forever thankful.

"I feel like I will be free," Maliyah said after receiving the news.  "I will be able to be with my friends and family without dialysis being in the way.  I will get to swim, and I'll have more energy!"

Thank all of you for your support during our journey over the last two years and also during the last sixteen years.  Our hearts are full as we share this news with you, our biggest cheerleaders.  Here's to this triumph, and to many more to come!

As always, we hope you will continue to stick with us over the next few months as we tell our story.
Love,
Kendra & Maliyah
~The Herrin Twins~

 *We do not want to be contacted by news stations or other organizations regarding this topic.  We would like to maintain the privacy of the donor throughout this process.

Spring Break + BIG NEWS

Spring break was this past week!  We had so much fun together this week, and received some AMAZING news (see bottom of post).  

Fish at the Aquarium

Maliyah's Manicure

We went to an interactive aquarium as part of our break.  Maliyah even had a fish manicure there, where garra rufa fish smooth out a person's hands.  We got to feed exotic tropical birds as we sat in their enclosure, feed stingrays, and look at dozens of incredible marine species.  It was definitely one of the highlights of the break!

We also went to the recreation center with a couple of our friends and swam in the pool.  We used diving flippers to swim extra fast and raced on a floating obstacle course, then relaxed in the hot tub for a while.  Later, we dried off and ate a few snacks.

Feeding Birds at the Aquarium

At the beginning of the week, we got a bit of a scare when one of our best friends, Anabelle, was in a rollover car accident.  We are so thankful she and her family are all okay.  (See pictures below)
We went to dialysis with Anabelle on Friday, which was fun!  We played a few board games and built an elaborate castle with kinetic sand while we were there.  Our family went to the temple and did service a few hours later, which was a really rewarding and fulfilling experience.  Helping others is always a great way to feel happy!

On Friday night, we went to IHOP for dinner.  Later that night, two of Courtney's friends came over with their babies.  All three babies were under 4.5 months old-- we were in heaven with all the adorable babies! 

THE BIG ANNOUNCEMENT will be released tomorrow at 4 pm (Mountain Time Zone) on this blog.  Be sure to watch for it!  We are beyond thrilled to share this news with you!
Until Tomorrow,
Kendra & Maliyah
~The Herrin Twins~

Frequent Surgery

We have each had around 100 surgeries in our lifetime.  This past Tuesday, Maliyah just had her biannual back surgery (Click here for a back surgery recap from 18 months ago).  Since our separation, we have both had them every six months, but Kendra probably won't have to have another one unless something goes wrong with her VEPTR (Vertical Expandable Prosthetic Titanium Rib, a titanium rod that runs the length of our spines).
For us, surgery isn't everyday, but it is a routine which influences our overall lifestyle.  We want to share with you our experience with surgery and answer any questions you might have.

Kendra Before Surgery

Frequency: To preface, we usually have surgery about once every sixth months, but sometimes we need it more often for different things.  The reason behind our repeating surgeries is that our bodies need a little more help since they aren't like everybody else's.
What is frequent surgery like: We have had surgery often, but it is still exhausting every time.  Of course, pain is to be expected, but it is hard to remember how bad the pain truly is.  It can be difficult to get a good night's rest after surgery because the pain wakes us up.
Leading up to Surgery: Neither of us look forward to surgery.  One of Kendra's biggest fears is not waking up from surgery.  For both of us, the pain is something to dread.
Hospital Staff: The Hospital Staff is amazing and always takes great care of us.  A question that we have been asked is if everybody knows who we are when we walk into the hospital.  Surprisingly, not many know us well.  That being said, a few have had us as patients throughout the years and are able to recognize us quickly.
After Surgery: For larger surgeries, we stay at the hospital for a few days to a week.  For VEPTR expansions, we usually go home the same day unless the entire VEPTR is changed.  If that's the case, we usually only stay overnight.
Recovery Time: There is a pretty significant difference in our recovery times.  For Maliyah, it only takes about a week to a week and a half, even with a larger surgery.  For Kendra, feeling fully better can take anywhere between three weeks to a couple months.  This, of course, is because we are different people with unique preferences and pain tolerance.
Recovery Quality: Again, our experiences differ when it comes to how difficult surgery and recovery is for us.  For Maliyah, it has become easier as time has gone on.  For Kendra, the repetition and long recoveries have been difficult.  When she was little, just two weeks after separation she was jumping on the bed, but now it isn't easy just to get out of bed two weeks after surgery.

Maliyah After Surgery

We hope this post helped you understand more about our experiences and what frequent surgery is like.  If you or a family member happens to be going into a surgery within the next few weeks, don't worry too much!  It definitely isn't easy, and recovery can be gradual, but it is absolutely possible.  Ask any questions we missed by commenting here or on Facebook. 
Watch out tomorrow for a video featuring Kendra, pastry chef to be, decorating a cake!
Thanks for Reading,
Kendra & Maliyah
~The Herrin Twins~

Disneyland Magic!

We haven't been on a family vacation in over two years.  But this past week, we had the chance to visit Disneyland!

Dad, Courtney, Kendra, Austin, Justin, and Ezra went in the car all the way to California, while Maliyah and Mom flew down after dialysis last Friday morning.  Saturday, when we had recovered from our trip there, we visited the nearest mall and ate at Buffalo Wild Wings.  Austin ate ghost pepper hot sauce while we were there!

Walt Disney's Star

The next day, we went to Los Angeles and visited Griffith's observatory.  There, we took pictures and looked through a truly enormous telescope.  Later in the afternoon, we walked on Sunset Boulevard and saw Walt Disney's star.  Since the Oscars were going on that day, the rest of the street was closed.  On our way back, we stopped to see the Menendez brothers' house, which is the spooky site of a murder in the 1980s. 

On Monday, Maliyah had to go to dialysis in the morning.  While she did that, everybody had the chance to swim in the pool.  Later that day, we all got ready for Disneyland by visiting downtown Disney and getting Mickey ears and t-shirts.  Later that night, we went to the pool with Ezra.  It was his first time in a pool, and he absolutely loved it!

Maliyah Ready for Disney!

Kendra with Minnie Ears!

On Tuesday, we arrived in Disneyland.  That day was full of bad luck, but was still fun.  On the bright side, we rode all of the rides and stuffed ourselves with food.  Maliyah's favorite ride from the whole trip was Monsters, Inc. in Disneyland.  Mixed in with the happiness of the day, though, were a few rough spots.  When we went on the Indiana Jones ride in the morning, the bouncing and bumpiness of the ride led Maliyah to bruise her chin and bump her chest.  As we were walking out of the park later, Maliyah ran over Courtney's foot with her scooter and it wouldn't stop bleeding.  When we finally got Courtney and everybody else to the car, it wouldn't start and park security had to jump it.  We found out later we need an entirely new battery.

Ezra bonding with Sulley

When we tried to start the car the next day, the radiator started to steam, but luckily we made it to Disney California Adventure.  Kendra's favorite ride was Radiator Spring Racers.  We went with Justin and Ezra to meet Sulley from Monsters, Inc. while everybody else was waiting for a ride we didn't want to go on.  Ezra loved Sulley's fluffy, soft fur.

Maliyah, Justin, and Ezra with Sulley

Thursday, we swam all day and had pizza for dinner.  We visited a small island on Friday, got ice cream, and walked along the beach.  Saturday, we went to the mall and got some souvenirs for a few of our relatives.  We also spent some time just browsing through stores.  On Sunday, we all squeezed into the car for the long drive home.

Even though we didn't have any videos or blog posts this past week, be sure to look out for a new video on Wednesday on our channel and a new blog post next week!  Feel free to ask us any questions or leave comments below.

Thanks for all your support,

Kendra & Maliyah

~The Herrin Twins~

SWEET 16!

Today is our sixteenth birthday! 

Sixteen is a huge milestone.  Starting today, we can officially date and legally drive!  We are so thankful for these amazing sixteen years.  They've been positively full of miracles and of incredible people.  

Today, we aren't doing anything huge to celebrate-- just having cake.  On Saturday, our friend Anabelle had her birthday and we stayed up until midnight watching movies together to celebrate both of our birthdays.  Our big present is DISNEYLAND! We will keep you updated on our adventures!

We haven't been on any vacations for a couple of years, so this will be exciting!  Maliyah, our mom, and Ezra are flying down after dialysis the day we leave. Everybody else is making the long road trip down to California-- wish us luck!

Sidenote: Kendra dyed her hair purple! Let us know what you think.

Keep an eye out for Wednesday's video!

Love,

Kendra & Maliyah

~The Herrin Twins~

Contact Us!

Today's blog post is a little unique-- we want to reach out to our readers!  We want to know what you are interested in.  Message us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, or comment here on Blogger!
Tell us about you, and let us know what you want to see, both in our videos and in our blog posts.
We hope everybody had a fantastic President's Day here in the US!  For those of you who are international, we hope you had a phenomenal day despite still having work and school.
Love,
Kendra & Maliyah
~The Herrin Twins~

ORGAN DONATION

We hope you are all having a fantastic day!  Today, we want to talk about what organ donation means to us.

Maliyah prior to kidney transplant

As many of you know, we both have a very personal experience with organ donation.  When we were conjoined, we shared one kidney, meaning only one of us would get the kidney when we were separated.  Kendra got the kidney, so Maliyah had to have a kidney transplant.

Clearly, organ donation means an infinite amount to both of us.  Without it, Maliyah wouldn't be able to survive, and we may have made the decision not to get separated, meaning likely would have both run into severe problems due to dependence on just one kidney.

But becoming an organ donor is such a long process, right?  It takes too long, and nobody has the kind of time to sign up for that.  It's easier than you think, and there is more than one way to sign up:
1. Go to your local DMV and check "yes" on organ donation
2. Better yet, visit https://registerme.org/ and sign up within seconds

It's really that simple!  Organ donation is indescribably important-- in the United States alone, there are over 115 thousand people in need of a lifesaving transplant, and millions more around the world. One organ donor can save EIGHT lives.  So what are you waiting for?  Sign up now!
To learn more about organ donation, click here.

March is national kidney disease month!  Show support by putting green ribbons around your house or yard, and don't forget to send us a picture by messaging us on facebook, we will respond and feature them in an upcoming video.  Those of you out of the country, don't hesitate to join in and make this an international celebration of awareness!

Thanks for reading, and don't forget to spread the word about organ donation and national kidney disease month!  Leave comments and questions for us below.

Love,
Kendra & Maliyah
~The Herrin Twins~

Our Conjoined Twin Story

Yesterday, February 4th, we uploaded our Conjoined Twin Separation Story Exclusive.  For a while now, we have been wanting to use our influence to move in a more positive and uplifting direction.  With this new video is the beginning of a new, more inspirational start.  So, without further ado, we want to tell you our story.

Fifteen years ago, when we were born, our parents faced a difficult decision.   They could keep us together-- a situation that might create risk because of our one kidney-- or separate us, an equally dangerous option.  If we were kept together, we would never be able to sit on two separate chairs, spend individual time with our family or friends, or even go out while the other stayed home.

Our parents decided to separate us, which would allow for our separate personalities to flourish.  Due to our unique one-kidney situation though, doctors decided it would be best to wait until we were four and our bodies were more developed.  Leading up to the surgery, our parents discussed the procedure with countless surgeons to determine how and if it could be done.

At the time our parents started to mention this to us, we were only three.  We didn't exactly understand the risks at the time, but we grasped very clearly that we wouldn't be "stuck together" anymore.  Before we started attending the hospital regularly, we visited the zoo, went swimming, and tried to spend as much time together as a family as possible.

When we had to go to the hospital to prepare for the surgery the first time, we woke up early in the morning.  As our mom fixed our hair and got us dressed, Kendra asked, "Is it cut apart day?" 

"No, but we are going to the hospital for cut apart day soon," Our mom replied.  Every week after that, we would get tissue expanders under our skin to stretch it.  This would make it easier for the doctors to stitch us up after separation.

In the months before our separation surgery, the hospital staff treated us like royalty.  We had our own play room in the hospital, and the nurses let us squirt them in the face with syringes.  The staff gave us hospital dolls that they had sewn together like us.  We each were given a pair to cut apart when we felt ready for the surgery.  Kendra cut hers apart right away, while Maliyah waited until after the surgery.

While we were staying in the hospital, we received fan mail from all of you!  It lifted our spirits to see all the kind letters and well-wishes people had sent.  We still have them, and your words continue to mean so much to us.

On the day of the surgery, the hospital staff gave us a scavenger hunt looking for numbers on the ceiling.  When the numbers had reached 12, it was time for surgery.  Although we had felt confident about the surgery until that moment, it was hard to leave our parents.  Everybody was crying, and saying goodbye was hard.  

When the surgery happened, we were obviously asleep.  A couple of weeks later, we woke up.  Maliyah was very out of it from some medicine, and uncharacteristically sharing with Kendra, something she hadn't liked to do before the surgery.  We were in the hospital for 90 days before, during, and after the surgery.  When we got to go home, we took Polaroid pictures (featured in the video) and got ready to leave the hospital.

As we left, news crews were following us out of the hospital.  To lighten the mood, our dad made a joke: "What are these people doing here, and why are they following us?" When we got home, everybody we knew was outside our house welcoming us back.  When we got to our room, we had separate beds!  It was a huge moment for both of us, because we had always shared a bed at home until that moment.

Looking back on this experience, we are immensely grateful for the decision our parents made to separate us.  Although life still has its challenges, we are able to sit in two different rooms, go two different places, and express our own personalities in the way we would like.

Click here to see the video.

Let us know what you think about this new direction!  What videos and articles would you like to see?  We will reply to comments and questions.

Thanks for Reading and Watching,

Kendra & Maliyah

~The Herrin Twins~

Week of Doctor Appointments

Ezra on Blessing Day

On Monday morning, Maliyah went to dialysis.  Kendra had to go to the doctor because she had a UTI.  On Tuesday, we did schoolwork all day.  Our sweet nephew, Ezra, had to go to the doctor because he got pink eye.  Later that night, we hung out with our friend Anabelle.  After she left, we watched Ellen's Game of Games, which was hilarious.  We highly recommend it!

On Wednesday, Maliyah and our grandpa went to dialysis.  After, they went to McDonald's and got chicken nuggets with ice cream.  Later that night, we went to our church youth activity.  We played Telestrations, one of our favorites, and ate lots of cookies.
On Thursday, Maliyah got a cold, and it was mostly a lazy day for both of us.  On Friday, Maliyah went to dialysis and spent some of the day sleeping since she lost a lot of sleep because of her cold the night before.  Later that night, we both went to the store to get some things.  After that, Maliyah started to get some chest pain, so our mom took her to the doctor just before they closed.  Thankfully, nothing was wrong, but Maliyah did have a slight fever of 100.3.
Saturday was a lazy day.  Our friend Anabelle came over again and we hung out for a couple of hours.  Sunday was Ezra's baby blessing.  In our church, babies get blessed when they are around two months old.  After the blessing, we went to our house with friends and family and celebrated.
Look out for a unique exclusive video on Sunday (February 4th) instead of the video this Wednesday.
Thanks for reading,

Kendra & Maliyah

~The Herrin Twins~

Baby Giggles, Snow, and Pretransplant

Ezra started laughing this week!

Snow

Sorry the post is up so late!  It has been a busy week, with lots of snow!  The weather has finally been getting colder, and snow really piled up this weekend.

On Monday, Maliyah went to dialysis as usual in the morning.  Later that night, our friend Emma came over to hang out.  On Tuesday, Anabelle came over to hang out with us after we spent some time with our grandparents.
On Wednesday, Maliyah went to dialysis at 6:00 am in hopes of being back in time for our cousin's homecoming from her LDS mission.  Unfortunately, Maliyah didn't quite make it, but she did get to FaceTime while everyone else was at the airport!  After her arrival home, we went to our grandma's house and had brunch.  We listened to all of her fantastic adventures from her mission.
On Thursday, Maliyah had something called "pretransplant." She isn't getting a kidney yet-- it is just a procedure they do every year Maliyah is on dialysis.  Our cousins also came over to watch Ezra on Thursday while we were out of the house.
Friday, I did dialysis and had pretransplant again.  On Saturday, we filmed a collaboration video for Wednesday.  Sunday, we went to our cousins' homecoming talk in church.  Maliyah and Courtney stayed at our cousin's house after everyone went home and watched a movie.
Tell us what you want to hear about on our blog or see in our videos!
Have a great day,

Kendra & Maliyah

~The Herrin Twins~

Chicken Crescent Roll Recipe

Happy Wednesday!
We are experiencing some technical difficulties uploading our weekly video, so we are doing a blog post as a temporary substitute.  We will attempt to have the video up within the next few days.
We have for you one of our favorite recipes, featured in our video for this week.  These Chicken Crescent Rolls are a hit in our family, and we both have the recipe memorized because of how often we make it!  We hope you enjoy and take some time to watch our cooking video once it's up!

Serves: 9
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients:
4: Large Chicken Breasts
2: 8oz packages of Cream Cheese
2: Crescent Roll Tins
2: Cups Italian Bread Crumbs

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375° Fahrenheit
2. Place the chicken in a pressure cooker, and fill with water until chicken is fully submerged.
3. Once the pressure regulator cap on top of the cooker starts shaking, set a timer for 20 minutes.
4. After the chicken is finished, shred the chicken and mix in cream cheese.
5. Open the cans of crescent rolls and place a portion of chicken on the wide end of each roll and wrap it tightly.
6. Roll the crescents in bread crumbs.
7. Apply cooking spray to a baking sheet.
8. Place the rolls on the baking sheet and bake in the oven for 15 minutes

Comment below about any videos or blog posts you would like to see in the future!

Thanks for Reading,

Kendra & Maliyah

~The Herrin Twins~

Being Sick

Courtney with Ezra

Happy Martin Luther King Jr. Day!
Tuesday, we did our regular game night with Mimsi and Sharon, who have been out of the country for several weeks.  It was great to get back to our normal rhetoric.

Cookie Buttercream Frosted Cake

On Wednesday, Kendra made a cake with Swiss meringue cookie buttercream frosting.  That night, Maliyah went to our youth activity, where wooden model cars were being raced in the Pinewood Derby.
Friday after dialysis, Maliyah received a new antibiotic medication through her IV.  It made her sick, and kept her throwing up all day Saturday and into Sunday.  They switched to an oral medication instead of the IV from now on.
On Friday night, since Maliyah was sick, Kendra went to our friend Emma's house and watched movies with her.  We took all of our Christmas Decorations down on Saturday and then filmed Courtney's video for this upcoming Sunday.  Courtney also took a photoshoot with Ezra at our cousin's house.  Check out her channel here.
On Sunday, we took Ezra to church with us even though Courtney didn't come.  My mom always wants to hold Ezra!  She's a fantastic grandma.
We watched America's Funniest Home Videos Sunday night together.
Tonight, we went to a Utah Jazz Game in a suite.  At half time, they brought in a dessert cart with limitless possibilities!  It was truly delicious.
Kendra is recovering phenomenally well from her abdominal surgery a few weeks ago.  Thank you to everyone who kept her in your thoughts!
Stay tuned for a new video on our channel this Wednesday.  Comment below about videos you would like to see or what you want us to write about on our blog.
We look forward to hearing from you,
Kendra & Maliyah

Courtney's Story: 17 and Pregnant

Courtney with Ezra

Monday this week, it was New Years, so it was a lazy day for the most part after staying up so late.  Maliyah didn't go to dialysis until Tuesday because of the holiday.

Ezra after a bath

On Wednesday, Kendra and our Grandpa went with Maliyah to dialysis.  Afterwards, we went to a baking supplies store.  Maliyah almost passed out while we were there-- her face turned red and she felt very weak.  Dialysis sometimes makes patients feel this way.  When we got home, Kendra baked a gigantic Peanut Butter Cup.  Later that night, we went to our church youth activity (toting along the giant peanut butter cup as a treat) and played bingo.  We also posted our brand new channel trailer on YouTube.  On Thursday, we did school work and watched Ezra.  We took him on a walk through the neighborhood because he was fussy.

On Friday, Maliyah went to dialysis again.  Our parents went to a wedding reception in the afternoon.  Since they weren't home, Austin and his friend Hayden played the challenge game Wet Head outside in subfreezing temperatures!

Giant Peanut Butter Cup

On Saturday, we filmed Courtney's pregnancy video and edited it.  Like so many other girls, Courtney had an unplanned teen pregnancy.  She wants to help others in her difficult situation through it.  Click the link to watch her story and to hear a few details about how she handled her own life while preparing for a new baby.
On Sunday, we went to church.  That night, we played a Cover your Assets as a family.
This Wednesday, look for a new video on our channel.  Good luck on all your New Years' Resolutions!
Thanks for Reading,
Kendra & Maliyah

Maliyah with Ezra

Kendra with Ezra

Ringing in the New Year

Conjoined Twin Reunion 2017

Happy New Year!  Because today is a holiday, we will keep this post brief.  Thank you for all of your support throughout these last 12 months and long before that.  

The New Year is a perfect time to set new goals for yourself.  We have a few resolutions we want to share with you all:
Maliyah wants to more actively spread the word about organ donation, starting today.  As many of you may know, Maliyah is in need of a kidney.  Unfortunately, a person can only receive 2 kidney transplants, and Maliyah has already received one, so this kidney needs to be in truly perfect condition so her life can be long and fulfiflling.  Maliyah isn't the only one in need of an organ.   Whatever country you are from, think about donating a kidney to somebody who needs it.
Kendra wants to avoid any more surgeries this year, by staying healthy and active.  It's possible that this most recent abdominal reconstruction surgery could be the last one for a long time.
We hope your 2018 is a fantastic year!  Tell us about your favorite moments from 2017 and any goals you might have for this year in the comments below.
Until Next Week,
Kendra & Maliyah