I received seven (7) responses from males and thirty-six (36) responses from females. These categories included: name, male/female, identical/fraternal, age lost twin, circumstance of loss, and present age. Using a speadsheet, I categorized all of the data I got from other twinless twins. I was sent numerous emails from twinless twins and I was able to use the 43 surveys and stories I received to complete the study of twinless twins and the impact the loss has on their lives. After exchanging emails, I sent them six to nine questions (depending on what ages they lost their twins), including how it is for them to know they are twins and what happened when their twins died. I searched online for twinless twins, and when I found names and messages (posted on online guestbook websites), I emailed them. Volunteering at the ICN is important to me because it gives me opportunities to help other premature babies fight for their lives and to step outside myself and share my gift of life and love with others. I volunteer at UCSF Intensive Care Nursery (ICN), which shared physicians with Mount Zion (where I was born). Meeting other twinless twins has been amazing because they “understand” me completely and accept me as I am.Īs a result of Jacqueline’s death, I am extremely compassionate towards others. Learning about some of the diseases my twin and I endured has helped me tremendously. I decided to locate some of the doctors and nurses who fought so hard for the survival of my twin and me. This is a loss that will be with me forever. Yet, losing my twin has been very difficult for me half of myself is gone. I have wondered why I am here and she is not.Īt birth, there were many complications and doctors told my parents I would probably not survive and that if I did, I would have serious medical problems it is amazing I am alive and healthy. My twin, Jacqueline, was 1 lb 14 oz, and I weighed 1 lb 4 oz at birth (and then was less than 1 lb at a week old). My identical twin and I were born just under 26 weeks. I pursued this project because of a personal experience. My hypothesis is while no matter when someone’s twin dies, it is an extremely difficult loss however, because Adult loss twins had the time to develop and nurture their relationships, their losses have a greater impact than Early loss twins’ losses. This project covers the differences in ages of twins when the separations occur. “Two in One: Once a Twin, Always a Twin” discusses twin separation. If you would like to connect with Robin, she can be reached at Purpose/Hypothesis At the encouragement of a special teacher in her life, Robin has written her story. Robin has struggled to understand why she survived and her sister did not and her feelings around the loss of a special relationship with Jacqueline.

Phelpsįrom Lynda: Robin is a 17-year old monozygotic young woman who lost her twin sister, Jacqueline, shortly after their birth. Two in One: Once a Twin, Always a Twin, a study written by Robin A. The common denominator among all twinless twins is that they feel significant losses in their lives and many limit themselves to talking to few people outside of the Twinless Twins Support Group. Most of the adults who lost their twins later in life went into a deep depression. Early loss twins have always felt that something is missing from their lives and they find it difficult to talk to their parents about the loss of their twins.

Through this twin loss study, it is evident that all twinless twins feel a significant loss in their lives. I contacted hundreds of twinless twins and emailed them questionnaires about how it was to interact with their twins and what the affects of losing a twin are, among other questions. The purpose of “Two in One: Once a Twin, Always a Twin” is to study the effects of a twin losing his or her twin and to investigate the differences of the impact based on when the twin loss took place (Early loss, Childhood loss, Teen loss, Adult loss).

Lost twins achievements