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By Jack Beresford
Senior Reporter
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When an Illinois mom was told her two daughters needed surgery she was worried, but then something very special happened.
Haley, who is also a mom to 10-year-old Harper, knew she had to be strong for daughters Nora, 7, and Lily, 6, but told Newsweek that privately she was "very nervous" about the idea of them going under the knife. "I myself have never had surgery so it was very unfamiliar territory for me," Haley said. "Trying to be present for them both was something I was afraid of, but thankfully the hospital and staff were very accommodating."
Nora needed to have tubes placed in her ears due to hearing loss and an adenoidectomy. Lily, meanwhile, was due to undergo a tonsillectomy and an adenoidectomy to combat sleep apnea and breathing issues. The idea of either one of her daughters undergoing surgery was daunting enough, but the thought that one of them could potentially wake up and find themselves all alone in the hospital was too much to bear.
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That is what makes what happened next so special. The hospital staff hit upon the perfect solution: Nora and Lily would have their operations on the same day. "It was actually the hospital and surgeons idea," Haley said. "The team came together and thought it would be much easier and better for the girls to recover together."
It meant the girls would have each other by their side throughout the recovery process. "They are very close, best friends," Haley said. "They love to dress up and play with makeup; they call it ‘getting fancy.’ They dance together, spend hours coloring photos, and laughing at funny videos is a favorite."
The establishment of a strong sibling bond is of huge benefit to a child. It is a bond that the sisters will continue to reap the benefits from throughout their life. In 2019, a study published in the Journals of Gerontology saw 491 U.S. adults surveyed on how much they contact a sibling. Researchers found that those who enjoyed high levels of contact with a brother or sister reported greater levels of life satisfaction.
Nora and Lily are already close, but the experience of recovering together not only helped strengthen that bond, but also proved helpful to their mom and dad, who had been worried about how they would cope during this period.
"Being together for recovery was actually super-helpful," Haley said. They never felt alone and had each other to be with the entire time. When one was in pain, the other would comfort them. Eating Popsicles and ice cream every day was also fun for them to do together."
Haley posted a video to her TikTok, @hales1537, showing the efforts made to keep her daughters together. In the clip, Nora’s dad can be seen carrying her over to Lily’s bed, with the siblings cuddling up together. It is a sweet moment and one that resonated with viewers. At the time of writing, the TikTok video has been watched over 845,000 times.
"I decided to share it after asking the girls if it was OK," Haley said. "I just really thought it was a wholesome video and I wanted to show how strong a bond can be between siblings."
Now it is something the family watches back together, with Haley pleased to report both Lily and Nora are back to their usual selves. "They both recovered perfectly and are doing great," she said.
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