Strangers donate $50k for girl's surgery

[qara_isuke]

A 12-year-old Texas girl who became morbidly obese after a rare illness triggered by brain surgery could get a potentially life-saving operation by February, thanks to a flood of donations from strangers

Comments

[chaya]

Jsyk your /lj-cut is missing its hyphen and therefor not working.

[qara_isuke]

Thanks.

[gambitia]

I'm curious why hormones aren't an option? I've heard similar cases reversed with hormone replacement.

I've heard way too many weight-loss surgery horror stories within my own family and from members of FA to be okay with WLS. I'm glad strangers were so generous and she'll be able to receive medical care, but I'm really uncomfortable with the decision for WLS. I hope her doctors are good ones and they're doing this because it truly is the only option, because I've heard lots of stories of jackass doctors who pushed WLS because they received kickbacks. Sorry to shit all over your good news, but it's a really sore subject for me.

[qara_isuke]

No, don't apologize. You're absolutely correct that there's a lot more we don't know about this case and that surgery isn't a magical fix.

If memory serves, another article which I will try to find mentioned a similar case that finally required surgery and had an excellent outcome. But absolutely, I hope her doctors explored all options before suggesting one this major.

[chaya]

What hormones could they give her that would curb the cravings?

[gambitia]

It's either leptin or ghrelin, I forget which. There was a brouhaha in the early 2000s, iirc, about one of those as a "cure for obesity!" except they found that fat people usually have normal levels of both hormones. The one case that it did cure was people who had faulty production of one of those hormones. Their symptoms were extremely similar to what's described here--parents having to padlock the cupboards because the child could not ever eat enough and felt like they were constantly starving.

I'm also just wondering, because they mentioned that the surgery to remove her brain tumor also damaged her body's ability to generate hormones, so somehow artificially regulating her hormones seems a better solution to me. But then I'm not a doctor.

[golden_bastet]

I'm glad they were able to make up the shortfall (and I agree that the *healthcare* should be the one to cover this or some meaningful alternative - has every alternative really been explored?), but I'm concerned about what happens afterwards. Will the surgery really address the underlying issue? And who will cover the aftercare, especially if she needs it long-term?

[shortsweetcynic]

what a beautiful girl. pulling for her to recover; i can't imagine how much she must be struggling.

[lolahead]

It's an age thing...she's only 12, a child, that's why they don't cover it, I can't imagine any insurance would...and there's a reason. She's still growing and gastric bypass is an extreme way to cut not just calories (in the hopes that she loses weight) but also nutrients (which she actually needs.) I agree with previous comments. Isn't there another medical option before they go straight to gastric bypass? I mean, she's still a child...

[chaya]

I think if the hunger center in your brain is on the fritz there are very few options on how to induce a 'fullness' feeling that will curb the urges to just continuously eat.

[leaf_kunoichi]

A friend of mine has huge issue getting Tricare to cover her 4 year old's diabetic supplies pretty much every month. Her husband's CO has had to step in from time to time.

Tricare can be very hit or miss.