So Much Fail, So Little Time
So it seems that the mother of the octuplets has six other children. That’s right: SIX (she’s a single mom who lives with her parents, by the way….with her SIX other kids. It’s hard enough to raise one kid alone, let alone 14). My question is this: At what point did she, or her family, think it was a good idea to undergo fertility treatments? I’m reminded of the line from Juno: “They’re just greedy little bitches”.
You have SIX children. You really don’t need another, let alone EIGHT more. I understand how difficult it would be to face the decision of selective reduction. And that speaks volumes about the doctor who implanted the embryos in the first place. Eight at a time is excessive by any stretch, and certainly so for a woman who already has SIX children (did I mention she has 6 kids?).
And that brings up the next issue: It’s going to cost $2.5 million to provide these 8 kids with just the basics. That doesn’t include things like education or Christmas presents or specialized medical care which some of those kids will most likely need, either, just food and diapers and clothing. And, oh yeah, she still has those other six kids to worry about, too. Who’s going to finance that? And more importantly, how is it going to affect the quality of life for those kids?
I honestly don’t believe she’s choosing not to speak to the media because she’s trying to protect her privacy; I think she’s rightfully afraid of the public backlash and ensuing ethics discussion. I’m not bashing her right to have a family; God knows there’s nothing I want more than to be a mother. And this isn’t sour grapes, either. We’ve chosen a path that’s right for us. But I really want to understand what her doctors were thinking when they implanted 8 embryos into a uterus that had already birthed six other babies. A woman who lives with her parents. A woman who plans on bringing those babies home to a three-bedroom house which will seem pretty small with 17 people living in it (and I’m pretty sure that violates some zoning laws).
Vagina: It’s Not a Clown Car.