An article in the News Tribune left several questions unanswered about the mother of recently born octuplets.
If she was "obsessed" with having children since the age of 14, as her mother was quoted saying, why was her obsession not treated? And why was she instead given repeated in vitro fertilization procedures?
If she was not married, who paid for the procedures? Who will pay for the post-natal care of the babies? And who will help support the mother and her now 14 children?
What doctor or medical team decided it was in the best interest of the mother's health to administer multiple in vitro fertilizations instead of referring her to a qualified therapist to address her obsession? Who is going to pay for the massive medical team involved with the birth of the octuplets?
Where will the enormous amount of working families who have lost or are in the process of losing their jobs and health coverage going to get medical care?
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How is this story any different than the Wall Street debacle? Isn't this a medical debacle?
I read that California is undergoing a financial "state of emergency" and state employees are being forced to lose two days' pay per month to somehow lessen the fiscal impact. I wonder how they feel about this birth.
I am retired and had to pay in excess of $10,000 last year for my and my wife's health care and insurance. I expect it to be even more in 2009, and the money is fast running out.
It would be nice if future articles addressed these and other questions.
ERNEST SCHULTZ
BUTTERNUT, WIS.
