Conjoined Fargo twins made headlines across the nation recently.

Now, the attention is on yet another set of conjoined twins...the Fitterer girls from Bismarck.

Abbigayl and Madisyn are now six and a half weeks old, and as Lauren Kalberer reports, doing great...considering all they have been through.

(Lauren Kalberer, KX News) They we're born August 8th joined at the chest and upper abdomen.

"This is Maddy and this is Abbey."


This is big brother Nick.

"I take care of them"


(Lauren Kalberer) Abby and Maddy are in the hospital getting standard shots. Doctors say they're healthy and growing. Good news, considering just months ago, there were so many unanswered questions.

(Suzy Fitterer, Mother of Conjoined Twins) "There was a chance they wouldn't make it everyday. Everyday was...it was a hard thing to know."

(Lauren Kalberer) After the girls were born, they spent about a month in Minneapolis.

(Suzy) "Since we've been home, they've been growing better. It's nice to have them off a million machines and be able to just pick them up and love them."


(Stacy Fitterer, Father) "Oh ya, cross handed, work the right angles, do the best you can."


(Suzy) "We had the Carlsons and there's another family, the Buckles, that have been very kind to us and have helped us every step of the way because there is not a handbook on how to take care of babies like this, so if we can help somebody else. How to dress them, how to...diapering, general care and a shoulder."


(Stacy) The hardest part is the lack of sleep, twice as many diapers and twice as many bottles.

(Lauren Kalberer) Soon the girls will be heading back to Minneapolis. Doctors are mapping out where the girls are attached and what they're sharing. Then it's to the operating table for Abbey and Maddy.

(Suzy) "Were hoping by the end of the year..." (Is that a day you can't wait for?) (Suzy) "I keep thinking it can't come soon enough, but I'm sure once it's here...it's very scary." (Do you ever think, why my girls?) (Suzy) "These were meant to be our girls...we're pretty lucky."


(Lauren Kalberer) If the surgery goes well, the Fitterer family hopes to have their girls back home by Christmas...this time in separate cribs.

(Suzy) "They've got a lot of people praying for them. Don't ya?"


The Fitterers say they can't thank the community enough for all the help and support they've received since the girls were born. watch the video | save this article / add to your favorites list