One of the Hensel twins got married--but they are conjoined, so how does that work?
By Marie Coyle
@MarieCoyle (28615)
March 28, 2024 11:36pm CST
OK, I know...I am way, way too curious about too many things.
World famous conjoined twins, Abby and Brittany Hensel of Minnesota, who are school teachers (they both teach the same grade, same class, etc.) are conjoined from basically the waist down. They claim they have always wanted to marry and have children. Obviously, they have spent their entire lives together, sharing everything. They are not able to be separated, their parents said the doctors told them one would die, possibly both, so they did not attempt a separation.
It has come to light that Abby has married a nurse and Army veteran, Josh Bowling. OK, I get it. The girls both have their own brain and their own heads, etc. They can both think for themselves. I think this would be so, so hard. As one article put it, since they share all of their reproductive system, if a baby is born, who is the mother, Abby or Brittany?
Since those of us who have given birth know the pain involved, another question--they each have a brain. When labor takes place if and when there is a baby, which brain actually feels the pain?
What if you have a big disagreement with the person you are forever connected to? It's not like you can stalk off and slam the door. You're stuck.
I suppose it's just hard to picture this scenario since most of us have never been connected to someone else like that. They get mad because people stare at them, and are curious...but in a way, that's normal. People are interested in the unusual.
Do you think this marriage will work?
https://nypost.com/2024/03/28/lifestyle/conjoined-twin-abby-hensel-of-tlcs-abby-amp-brittany-is-now-married/
https://www.today.com/parents/family/conjoined-twin-abby-hensel-married-rcna145275
18 people like this
17 responses
@MarieCoyle (28615)
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29 Mar
Yes, they are indeed a package deal! And what happens if Brittany finds a life partner? Oh dear…never mind!
3 people like this
@crossbones27 (48434)
• Mojave, California
29 Mar
I think what that is protective. All family does it but this is rare case where they supposedly feel each other. Own brains is right, but why they can despise each other. No one ever explains brains are always different even if similar. They want to live their life their own way but they so close they still want to be together themselves. Be my friend without disappointing me. Number one problem in all families is can you be friends. I have to look out for you. In that regard I am not your friend.
2 people like this
@MarieCoyle (28615)
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29 Mar
I have read about the twins, they have their own personalities and personal preferences about many things. I realize that it would take quite a bit of compromising. But that’s basically all they have ever known so to them, I’m sure it’s just normal.
3 people like this
@crossbones27 (48434)
• Mojave, California
29 Mar
@MarieCoyle Its very interesting and confusing real quick. It shows how its all connectedd like astronauts go to space and they can see and feel how its all connected. Its pretty scary how we may not have our own thought I am sure we do but all those battles makes us question.
2 people like this
@MarieCoyle (28615)
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29 Mar
@crossbones27
I the case of these ladies, I’m sure they probably wish they could have been born separately or that they could have been successfully separated. Just my guess, but they seem to want to just blend in, and that’s sort of impossible.
3 people like this
@MarieCoyle (28615)
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29 Mar
Yes, they do deserve to be happy. I hope that they are.
2 people like this
@LadyDuck (458309)
• Switzerland
29 Mar
@MarieCoyle
Well, the man who accepted to marry "them" must be also a weird person. I cannot understand how a man can marry "one of them" only.
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (28615)
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29 Mar
I would hope if they planned on marriage they would openly discuss their feelings, but I think it would still be very difficult.
1 person likes this
@Fleura (29126)
• United Kingdom
29 Mar
It is a very complicated situation isn't it? But not unprecedented - the original 'Siamese twins' Chang and Eng married two sisters in the 19th century
In this case though Abby and Brittany are more closely joined, so they basically have one body from the mid-chest down. If they have children I guess they would both be the mother. They are of course genetically identical anyway so it wouldn't make any difference in that respect, but legally could be difficult.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chang_and_Eng_Bunker
1 person likes this
@Fleura (29126)
• United Kingdom
29 Mar
@MarieCoyle If Chang and Eng were born today they could be easily separated. That's not the case for Abby and Brittany though. They each have a heart but otherwise share almost everything else - they have only one shared set of ribs, for example, three lungs between them I think. They have separate nervous systems though, so feel different parts of their shared body, at least on the outside.
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (28615)
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29 Mar
@Fleura
I find it just fascinating that Abby and Brittany each control one arm and one leg. They walk, play softball, ride bikes, drive—all with this incredible ability to make their limbs coordinate with each other.
Yes, they share many organs and only have one reproductive system. I do find it very interesting to read about how they coordinate everything they do.
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (28615)
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29 Mar
It was a shame about Chang and Eng, I have read that they were just barely conjoined. I do remember reading about them and their getting married and having children.
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (28615)
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29 Mar
It’s truly wild to think about it all. But it truly is all that they have ever known.
1 person likes this
@AmbiePam (85541)
• United States
29 Mar
I read about that yesterday. I do not know how that works at all. While I have a hard time imaging that lasting, it’s certainly possible. I really hope he’s grasped the magnitude of it all because that would be devastating for his wife to have a hint of acceptance only for it to be taken away.
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (28615)
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29 Mar
They are definitely all in uncharted waters. None of us have ever imagined such a scenario. I wonder if it can last, as well.
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (28615)
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29 Mar
I hope that they can make it work if that is what they want.
1 person likes this
@RasmaSandra (73473)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
29 Mar
I read about that, I think it is rather ridiculous but to each their own. I do not even want to know how that works, They are also talking babies,
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (28615)
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29 Mar
Well, it's not a situation any of us have ever been in. I understand they want children. It just seems really strange to all of us, of course, I get that. But they do have the right...there was a marriage, the girls are educated and have a job, and so on. So, there's that, anyway.
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (28615)
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29 Mar
My son was here with me and we were discussing this. He felt like the new husband would be extremely overwhelmed no matter how well he thought he was prepared for marriage.
But as you said, there is someone for everyone!
1 person likes this
@Fleura (29126)
• United Kingdom
29 Mar
@MarieCoyle Apparently they were actually married in 2021, so he must be used to it by now and hopefully they are all managing to get along ok!
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (28615)
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29 Mar
@Fleura
Yes, I read that. How they ever managed to keep that from the paparazzi is a true mystery!
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (28615)
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29 Mar
I don't' think it went to the gutter any more than anyone else's did, Pony. It's basically like 2 women marrying one man in a way, even though the women share a body. It's something none of us have observed before, naturally we are curious. 
@Hannihar (129481)
• Israel
29 Mar
@MarieCoyle
I do not know them so do not if the marriage will last or not. Thank you for sharing the story with us.
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (28615)
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29 Mar
The Hansel twins were introduced to television when they were little girls. If you get a chance maybe you can read the highlighted article attached, there are pictures of them in that article. Once you see what they look like it will probably make more sense.
Take good care, Hanni.
1 person likes this
@LindaOHio (156271)
• United States
29 Mar
I've heard of situations such as this working out before. There have been scenarios in which both women are married. I wish them all the luck in the world.
1 person likes this
@Kandae11 (53679)
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29 Mar
Marriage is already a union which takes a lot of hard work to make it stay alive. The fact that someone out there is willing to take on an impossible sounding task like marrying cojoined twins , gives hope to the many single ladies out there desperately wanting to be married. There is someone out there for you too.
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (28615)
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29 Mar
Is this a generalization that there is someone out there for everyone, or directed towards me as the OP? I am only asking as I am not looking for a husband/partner at this time. I will just say no to all of the men lined up wanting to be married, they will be crushed but I will have to do it. 
@wolfgirl569 (95261)
• Marion, Ohio
29 Mar
That is a strange setup. I hope it works for everyone involved
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (28615)
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29 Mar
Eva, definitely not a thing we read or hear about. So, it does draw a lot of interest.
1 person likes this
@xFiacre (12597)
• Ireland
29 Mar
@Mariecoyle I can’t imagine what the arrangements might be. Now it’s going to stick in my head. Thanks!
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (28615)
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29 Mar
Hey, I’m sorry. Didn’t mean to give you nightmares!
1 person likes this
@jnrdutton (2562)
• United States
29 Mar
My thinking is they'd both be mothers to any children, and they'd likely both feel birth pains since they're conjoined. Things I read previously, had them quoted as saying "We're getting married" I'm sure they had lots of discussions beforehand about how it would work.
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (28615)
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29 Mar
They seem smart. The reason I wondered who might possibly feel pain and who wouldn’t, is that each girl has control of some motor skills on each side. I thought possibly that could mean that it could mean they felt different pains.
I know I can be overly curious until I figure out the ‘why’s’ of something!
