Sweet Fellowship: Duggars and Friends (aka the Bates Family and Other Featured Families Thread)

[Sew Sumi]

I wonder if Stevehovah will make Chelsy give up her Instagram. She was very active on it in the years preceding her wedding. 

[Heathen]

If I'm correct, the Maxwells have married off four sons and zero daughters? And one son (Christopher, I think) had a failed courtship, so there have been five Maxwell son courtships and zero for the daughters? 

[Temperance]

19 minutes ago, Sew Sumi said:

I wonder if Stevehovah will make Chelsy give up her Instagram. She was very active on it in the years preceding her wedding. 

Does John work for Steve?

[Sew Sumi]

The marriage stats are correct. Poor Sarah is 35 now. No way she's leaving the homestead. She's there to take care of her parents in their dotage. I wonder how well Stevehovah has budgeted for retirement? Although with the conference circuit all dried up, I guess it could be said that they're already in semi-retirement. 

Now Anna and Mary are a different story. They're still plenty young enough to be married off, if Steve is so inclined to let them go. Someone has to take care of all of those grandkids, and Anna seems to have a knack with the littles. Anna also cooks. I think Mary is the most expendable and will be the only girl to marry should Steve find some gullible rube who will willingly be absorbed into the Maxhell borg. 

eta: Not sure what John is doing these days. No clue whatsoever how he makes a living. And as I noted above, Steve is in semi-retirement, so I don't know how much work there really is to do for him. 

Edited January 4, 2018 by Sew Sumi

[Temperance]

I think they had two courtships that didn't work out including one that ended right before the wedding. Since then Steve has been trying to not tell anyone about a relationship before they get married.

[Sew Sumi]

That's also correct. Both Chris and Joseph had failed relationships, one a courtship, the other pretty much a runaway bride. She bailed a week before the wedding at her bridal shower. 

I bet Steve almost had a stroke when the Boatrangers blew the lid on the engagement via Instagram/blog. 

[Heathen]

2 minutes ago, Sew Sumi said:

That's also correct. Both Chris and Joseph had failed relationships, one a courtship, the other pretty much a runaway bride. She bailed a week before the wedding at her bridal shower. 

I bet Steve almost had a stroke when the Boatrangers blew the lid on the engagement via Instagram/blog. 

What's the scoop on the runaway bride? Too devoted to Pepsi? Wanted to follow her own cleaning schedule instead of Steve's? Realized all the original Maxwells are butt-ugly and she might have ugly babies? (I'm already in the handbasket so no need to tell me I'm going to hell.) 

[Sew Sumi]

It seemed like a classic case of cold feet. I think she finally caught on just how crazy the Maxwells were.

She has since married someone else and had her first baby in October. 

[GeeGolly]

Oh my, Jill R. I couldn't make it through the entire video, but what I got was: David got his much needed snack, they're Christians, Jill thinks the pelvic bone is located at the chin, she's glad the baby doesn't have Downs, they're Christians and the baby's damage to the brain shouldn't be a major issue. Not sure what she said for the remaining 20+ minutes, but I'm guessing it included that they're Christians.

Edited January 4, 2018 by GeeGolly

[tabloidlover]

I went to Jill's fb page and noticed the video was over 40 minutes long.  Imma have to wait until I have some wine at the ready to watch that.

[Westiepeach]

3 hours ago, GeeGolly said:

Oh my, Jill R. I couldn't make it through the entire video, but what I got was: David got his much needed snack, they're Christians, Jill thinks the pelvic bone is located at the chin, she's glad the baby doesn't have Downs, they're Christians and the baby's damage to the brain shouldn't be a major issue. Not sure what she said for the remaining 20+ minutes, but I'm guessing it included that they're Christians.

They're Christians??? Why didn't anybody TELL me?????

[Marigold]

Jill will use that baby's medical issues every minute of the day.  Nurie will be needed to help take care of the child too. Nurie will not be getting married any time soon. 

 

I'm very sorry to hear that the baby has potential problems, though. 

Edited January 4, 2018 by Marigold

[Lunera]

I didn't see the video but read on a blog that the baby has brain cysts and part of the brain is damaged. If it's a special needs baby they'll definitely pimp it out for sympathy donations. 

[Absolom]

She already is.  Shower is scheduled for tomorrow.

[Westiepeach]

6 minutes ago, Absolom said:

She already is.  Shower is scheduled for tomorrow.

Mama wants jewelry and clothes.

[Arwen Evenstar]

4 minutes ago, Absolom said:

She already is.  Shower is scheduled for tomorrow.

Baby Sophia essentially slept in a cage in the stink RV. Couldn’t they Grift for a playpen?  I’m sure The Rodriguii are excited about the baby shower because it means they’ll get an extra meal they weren’t planning on.

i find the parents horrific.  Their mindless breeding despite their patriarch being underemployed while their children are so food insecure that they’re feral looking at the mere sight of food. Chimpy doesn’t look like he’s missed too many meals and would even knock over his broodmare to get to the trough first. Sorry, not buying that your kids “enjoy fasting” because “we’re Christians”.

[ChaChaSlide]

With the baby having a significant disability, there’s a good chance that they will be offered home health support. My nephew was born with severe brain abnormalities and only lived to 18 months of age, but he had daily nursing support from the moment he left the hospital; I’m like 99.9% sure this was a function of Medicaid and he was eligible for like 12 hours of in-home respite care per day. 

Of course, this assistance is not mandatory, and I can see the Rodriguii being the skittish type of fundie who turns help down because theyre scared of “government oversight”. I hope they do seek and accept outside help, because the poor older girls should not have to care for an infant period, let alone one with significant needs. It’s also not good for the baby having untrained adolescents responsible for her care. 

[DangerousMinds]

If they have a home health nurse, hopefully he/she will report any abuse observed to CPS.

[SMama]

I thought their MO was to travel in the RV from Hell bumming meals from churches. Let's hope they have the common sense to stay home if they indeed have a child with special needs.

[Annb67]

Wow Jill. I love how you referenced that you didn't want the doctor to think you were rifraf who used drugs or alcohol and damaged your baby. Nice to know that you consider people who struggle with that as rifraf. Oh and your doctor wasn't "sad" at "christians" who take drugs and alcohol, he was disgusted at holier than thou people like you. Btw...you and your husband are rifraf, just for different reasons. And who, while talking about something devastating happening to a baby, segways into pimping your plexus crap? Good grief....

[Sew Sumi]

I can't help but think that Plexus had something to do with this. 

[Mollie]

43 minutes ago, Sew Sumi said:

I can't help but think that Plexus had something to do with this. 

Amen to that!  Jill Rodrigues had 12 kids and no problems with delivering healthy babies.  Exactly 1 1/2 years ago she started taking Plexus and is now carrying a brain damaged fetus.  Plexus has never been clinically tested and is not FDA approved.  The company claims that Plexus is made from all natural ingredients.  Arsenic and cyanide are also natural substances; they are also naturally lethal.    

Jill explained that the doctor told her part of the baby's brain is dead, either in the right side or the left side of the brain (Jill couldn't remember which side and no, I'm not making this up).  Also, the healthy side of the brain has excessive fluid (which sounds to me like that half of the brain isn't so healthy, either.

This is Jill's brain on Plexus: 

"Sometimes, when the baby is forming in you, God chooses to let a little area malfunction.  That's why there's Down Syndrome babies; that's why there are babies formed with deformities.

"Sometimes I wonder how much worse our little girl's [the unborn baby] injuries could have possibly been if I had not been on these great products [Plexus]."

One of the main ingredients of Plexus is Chromium.  This has been known to cause kidney and liver damage, chronic conditions such as diabetes and low blood pressure, distortions in brain chemistry which can make behavioral or psychiatric conditions worse, and side effects such as skin irritation, headaches, dizziness, nausea, mood changes and impaired thinking, judgment, and coordination.  Does that sound like a natural ingredient that a pregnant woman should be taking every day?

My guess is that it might also cause crazy-eye syndrome.

 

Edited January 4, 2018 by Mollie

[Sew Sumi]

I didn't watch the video, but someone on FJ mentioned that Chimpy told Jill it was the left side. Jill also mentioned that speech and communication could be affected. 

That poor little fetus. ?

[Jynnan tonnix]

I have to say looking at her with her carefully (over)done makeup, if I knew nothing else about her, my first impulse would not be, "here is a paragon of Christian virtue whom one would never, ever suspect of drinking or drug use". 

Does she think those among us who might dare go out in public not made up to the nines are most probably riffraff or at least presenting themselves as such? And those who spend hours a day preening and primping must be Godly? I honestly don't get what her thinking is here.

[Mollie]

28 minutes ago, Jynnan tonnix said:

I have to say looking at her with her carefully (over)done makeup, if I knew nothing else about her, my first impulse would not be, "here is a paragon of Christian virtue whom one would never, ever suspect of drinking or drug use". 

Does she think those among us who might dare go out in public not made up to the nines are most probably riffraff or at least presenting themselves as such? And those who spend hours a day preening and primping must be Godly? I honestly don't get what her thinking is here.

She's thinking that Tammy Faye Bakker and Jan Crouch are good role models.

Edited January 4, 2018 by Mollie

[Sew Sumi]

I assume that she thinks that birth defects only happen to women who drink or do drugs, and CHRISTIAN women like her are supposed to be spared. 

That's all I got w/r/t "Jill logic."

[zoomama]

i dont follow jill r. so i hope ya'll keep posting updates. regardless, it is heartbreaking to hear about their baby.  i hope they realize that their life is about to dramatically change in ways they cannot imagine and i also hope that they will do what is necessary to provide a comfortable existence for this baby girl.  

[ginger90]

I feel bad for the baby. Does Jill get actual medical care while pregnant?

Edited January 4, 2018 by ginger90

[Mollie]

3 hours ago, Absolom said:

She already is.  Shower is scheduled for tomorrow.

The baby isn't due until April.   It's way too early for a baby shower, in my opinion, but especially since the fetus has been diagnosed with a brain disorder.  For the 13th baby, what could Jill possibly need?

15 minutes ago, ginger90 said:

I feel bad for the baby. Does Jill get actual medical care while pregnant?

Yes, and she is planning to deliver in a hospital.

[Absolom]

As with all things JillyRod, the shower is about her and what she needs, of course.

[Sew Sumi]

And there's no way Nurie wrote that "invitation." It had Jill written all over it. 

[Arwen Evenstar]

2 hours ago, Annb67 said:

Oh and your doctor wasn't "sad" at "christians" who take drugs and alcohol, he was disgusted at holier than thou people like you. Btw...you and your husband are rifraf, just for different reasons. And who, while talking about something devastating happe

In Spanish, the word chusma is commonly used to describe someone who is “riff raff”, but “chusma” has nothing to do with one’s socioeconomic status, but how tacky a person is. Money has never been able to buy manners, class, or taste.

JRod is chusma from the way she conducts and presents herself. Classy people don’t grift or put themselves above others the way she does. There classier ways she could have told her doctor she didn’t drink or use drugs, such as, “My husband and I are in ministry together, and we do not drink, smoke, nor do we use drugs.” It’s a classier move that removes doubt about one's personal habits than getting on the high horse.  Fun fact, J-Rod, most doctors aren’t in the judgment business and can’t really help anyone who isn’t honest about their habits. But many fear judgment, so they aren’t.  They judge everyone, even thattransgender server at IHOP who needed a job. It was better for Jill that they not be made uncomfortable than for her to make a living. 

Really sad about their baby, though. It sounds like the poor little mite might not survive. If one side of the brain is dead, and the other side is filled with fluid, I don’t hold out much hope other than a miracle for the baby to have much in the way of a life, let alone being able to function. Just heartbreaking.  

[lianau]

36 minutes ago, Arwen Evenstar said:

Really sad about their baby, though. It sounds like the poor little mite might not survive. If one side of the brain is dead, and the other side is filled with fluid, I don’t hold out much hope other than a miracle for the baby to have much in the way of a life, let alone being able to function. Just heartbreaking.  

My cynical side thinks that's why they have the grifting event baby shower scheduled for tomorrow.

[Annb67]

16 minutes ago, lianau said:

My cynical side thinks that's why they have the grifting event baby shower scheduled for tomorrow.

Don't forget jewelry and clothes for the mom, because that will help the baby....?

[SMama]

I do not follow them but from what I read they will grift regardless of the outcome. If the baby passes away there will be the endless posts about abortion, a funeral, and woe it's me. If the baby survives she will be use much like Josie Duggar. Look at us, we gave life a chance, look how much we have sacrificed. Please send donations to the address below or click on the donate button. Maybe Jill will move on from exploiting her sister.

[Jynnan tonnix]

3 hours ago, Sew Sumi said:

I didn't watch the video, but someone on FJ mentioned that Chimpy told Jill it was the left side. Jill also mentioned that speech and communication could be affected. 

That poor little fetus. ?

I watched about a third of it - enough to get a sense of what the issues are. After that I figured it would either just get repetitive and start veering off into Plexus territory, Jeeeezus territory, or both. From what I understand though (and maybe she is being too optimistic, though I imagine any of us would be as well as long as it seemed that there was some hope), there is significant and irreversible damage in part of the brain, but given that developing, ad even newborn brains are still quite malleable, there is at least some chance (she didn't say how much) that the brain could still compensate for it to the point that there would be little or no functional issues. And even if there were, that these could  still be addressed with therapy. But the way it stands, they really don't have any idea yet how much impact the damage might ultimately have. As far as the hydrocephalus, the way she worded it (well, I'm paraphrasing) was that it was very slight and practically within "normal" parameters, though what that means, I haven't the foggiest idea. 

[Marigold]

If this baby's brain is as damaged as it sounds, their days of rolling along with all of them jammed in a RV  are O.V.E.R.

This child will have medical needs and developmental delays. Doctor's appointments, specialists, therapy, feeding issues. This list is endless. 

I work with special needs infants.  It is a HUGE deal and it is life changing.  

[Arwen Evenstar]

I’m wondering what @doodlebug might have to say about these developments.  She did comment on the ultrasound, but that may have been before Jill had had more to say. She’s usually good at shutting down our speculation when we are way off base. 

[Marigold]

I listened to Jill's insane video.

I don't think Jill is processing all this.  I'm not saying I blame her; it is too much.  Her focus was on the small possibility that the baby will be just fine and "maybe we will have to take her to therapy" and "the older kids will help her to learn everything she needs"  and "a small part of her brain" and "it might regrow"

Like i said, I work with special needs infants, these things don't usually end quite as well as Jill is anticipating.  However, I hope it works out. 

We will never really get the right story from Jill anyway. She has this potentially tragic news and is hustling up her Plexus crap. 

[doodlebug]

11 hours ago, Arwen Evenstar said:

nI’m wondering what @doodlebug might have to say about these developments.  She did comment on the ultrasound, but that may have been before Jill had had more to say. She’s usually good at shutting down our speculation when we are way off base. 

I watched the first 20 minutes or so, I dropped out when the Plexus pitch began in earnest.  I think I have the general gist and can sort of put together what is happening here.  I suspect Jill had an anatomy ultrasound at 18-2 weeks like most women do; that's when she discovered it was a lesser  being, a female child.  Anyway, I think whoever did that scan saw something unusual in the baby's brain and referred her to a maternal fetal medicine specialist who does ultrasound diagnosis who is the person she saw yesterday,  She repeatedly mentions Down Syndrome and there being a cyst in the baby's brain.  I suspect the first doc saw a choroid plexus cyst which can be a sign of Down Syndrome and I am sure he/she and Jill's OB got an earful about how Christian and wonderful she and Chimpy are and how they would never abort a Down Syndrome child and blah di blah.  (All of this is fine, BTW, we all make choices for our kids; but believe me, your doctor doesn't need a lecture).  The choroid plexus, BTW, is tissue in the ventricles of the brain (open spaces filled with cerebrospinal fluid) that produces the CSF.  BTW, most cysts of the choroid plexus are incidental findings and indicate nothing, they often resolve before  birth.

So, off to the specialist they go.  Jill repeatedly says that the doctor told her that the baby doesn't have Down Syndrome but she never says she actually had genetic testing for it.  I'm sure she refused an amnio, but there are lots of other ways, including a blood test on the mom for free fetal DNA which would pick it up at no risk to the baby and many parents would do this test if only to allow them to prepare for a Down syndrome child.  However, the test costs about 1500 bucks and, maybe she doesn't have decent health insurance (or she's got one of those fundie plans that won't pay for any genetic testing lest anyone be tempted to terminate a pregnancy).  About 35% of Down's babies can be identified on ultrasound, even if the guy is an amazing specialist with way above average skills, that is not the same as a test that is over 99% accurate.

Anyway, she has the targeted ultrasound looking at the brain.  For whatever reason (maybe a blood vessel didn't develop properly, maybe a blood clot blocked it, maybe an infection damaged it), part of the brain was deprived of oxygen and didn't develop properly.  This is somewhat akin to a stroke in an adult.  They mention that its in the left hemisphere, in the speech area.  This is known as Broca's area in the frontal cortex..  It not only controls the ability to talk, it controls the ability to understand speech.  So, the baby might not just have trouble learning to talk, it could have problems processing language.  Jill is right, babies have a lot of neuroplasticity and it could be that she will be ok and able to develop speech and understanding, but, of course, that might require intensive therapy on an ongoing basis and I'm not sure how devoted Jill and Chimpy would be if it meant staying in town and hauling the kid to therapy a couple times a week for years.  

Jill also mentions that there is more cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) present than usual.  This can be the result of whatever process injured the brain in the first place or a result of the injury itself.  It needs to be monitored.  Worst case scenario is hydrocephalus (aka 'water on the brain') which requires  a surgical shunt to be placed after birth.  It can be associated with cerebral palsy, developmental disabilities and seizure disorders although it is also possible that none of those things would happen.  They will undoubtedly continue to monitor the amount of excess fluid throughout the pregnancy as increasing levels are associated with worse outcomes.

As far as Jill going on and on about drugs and alcohol and smoking; it's kinda routine at the high risk specialist to look for risk factors,  I am sure they also took note of her age (by far the biggest risk factor for Down Syndrome), asked about the family history, the health of her other kids, any medical conditions or medications.  Jill made it sound like the doctor wanted to know so he could point a finger at her and blame her for the problems, or pin a gold star on her for good behavior.  Not so much.  BTW, Down Syndrome and choroid plexus cysts are not associated with smoking, drug or alcohol use, as far as I know.

Edited January 5, 2018 by doodlebug

[doodlebug]

21 minutes ago, Marigold said:

I listened to Jill's insane video.

I don't think Jill is processing all this.  I'm not saying I blame her; it is too much.  Her focus was on the small possibility that the baby will be just fine and "maybe we will have to take her to therapy" and "the older kids will help her to learn everything she needs"  and "a small part of her brain" and "it might regrow"

Like i said, I work with special needs infants, these things don't usually end quite as well as Jill is anticipating.  However, I hope it works out. 

We will never really get the right story from Jill anyway. She has this potentially tragic news and is hustling up her Plexus crap. 

There was definitely a lot of denial and rationalization there.  She was purposely focused on the best case scenario where everything was fine.  More likely, this child will, at the very least, require intensive therapy.  if she wasn't in denial, how could she have possibly gone on a Plexus sales call immediately after her appointment?

If she's due in April, she is somewhere between 23 and 27 weeks, still in the second trimester.  I suspect she has been informed that there is an increased risk of stillbirth here, too, hence, the hurry to have a baby shower for her now.  I notice they want stuff like pink baby blankets, baby toys and booties; no strollers, pack-n-plays or other more durable baby equipment.  She probably also knows it is possible this child may not survive long enough to need anything else.

Years ago, I delivered a kid who had a stroke in utero.  We didn't know about it before she was born.  She was a couple of months old when the pediatrician noticed some weakness on one side of her body and ordered a scan of her brain.  She ended up getting physical therapy and needed a special shoe when she started walking.  She's now in high school and runs cross country although she still needs a special orthotic in her shoe and limps a little when she's tired.  Of course, her problem was not in the part of the brain that controls speech.

Edited January 5, 2018 by doodlebug

[Catfin]

Poor little one. 

[Skittl1321]

It's like she doesn't understand there are other things, quite honestly worse things, than Downs syndrome.  That diagnosis is not good.  I'm not sure I even understand bringing up that the baby doesn't have Downs.  Something is very clearly wrong, whether it is chromosomal or not.

I understand the trying to rationalize that maybe it will be okay.  I had a horrible horrible in utero diagnosis. The doctor was very realistic that my child had no chance of survival. The nurses tried to cheer me up by telling me that miracles happen, and that many of the conditions were things medicine could fix now. Then I got more news from various specialists. It was really unrealistic to try to give me hope at all. There wasn't any.  But when you hear that sort of thing about your baby, all you want is for there to be some.

[madpsych78]

54 minutes ago, doodlebug said:

Anyway, she has the targeted ultrasound looking at the brain.  For whatever reason (maybe a blood vessel didn't develop properly, maybe a blood clot blocked it, maybe an infection damaged it), part of the brain was deprived of oxygen and didn't develop properly.  This is somewhat akin to a stroke in an adult.  They mention that its in the left hemisphere, in the speech area.  This is known as Broca's area in the frontal cortex..  It not only controls the ability to talk, it controls the ability to understand speech.  So, the baby might not just have trouble learning to talk, it could have problems processing language.  Jill is right, babies have a lot of neuroplasticity and it could be that she will be ok and able to develop speech and understanding, but, of course, that might require intensive therapy on an ongoing basis and I'm not sure how devoted Jill and Chimpy would be if it meant staying in town and hauling the kid to therapy a couple times a week for years.  

Actually, Wernicke's area is more strongly associated with language comprehension than Broca's area, which is more associated with language production. Wernicke's area is in the left hemisphere but further back than Broca's area, near where the temporal and parietal lobes meet. Patients with damage only to Broca's area have a non-fluent aphasia where they understand others and know what they want to say, but have trouble expressing those ideas. In contrast, patients with damage only to Wernicke's area have a fluent aphasia in which they can speak quite fluently but nothing that they say makes any sense nor do they understand others well.  

[Marigold]

I've worked with babies who have had a stroke and it's usually not a good scenario.  However, that is why I see them; they are not doing well so I get the worst case scenarios all the time. 

@madpsych78, going far back in grad school  to Broca's aphasia vs Wernicke's aphasia! 

[doodlebug]

11 minutes ago, madpsych78 said:

Actually, Wernicke's area is more strongly associated with language comprehension than Broca's area, which is more associated with language production. Wernicke's area is in the left hemisphere but further back than Broca's area, near where the temporal and parietal lobes meet. Patients with damage only to Broca's area have a non-fluent aphasia where they understand others and know what they want to say, but have trouble expressing those ideas. In contrast, patients with damage only to Wernicke's area have a fluent aphasia in which they can speak quite fluently but nothing that they say makes any sense nor do they understand others well.  

Thanks for elaborating on this.  Of course, since Jill only said the lesion was left sided and could affect speech, it could be Wernicke's area that she was talking about.  In the part I listened to, she never gave a specific name to the area, only that it was associated with speech.

[Marigold]

Jill is probably in complete shock and then denial.  After 12 healthy children, I'm sure she is stunned that things are not perfect with #13.  

[Arwen Evenstar]

1 hour ago, Marigold said:

Jill is probably in complete shock and then denial.  After 12 healthy children, I'm sure she is stunned that things are not perfect with #13.  

I can believe and totally understand why she might feel this way. IIRC, Jill mentioned that she’d already had 5 miscarriages, so she’s had difficulties and lots    of heartbreak already.  Still, nobody wants to get the news that she’s gotten. I wouldn’t want to believe it, either. 

Again, thanks @doodlebug for taking the time and helping us to be more informed.

[Temperance]

Jill R's Macy's registry has to be seen to be believed. 

Edited January 6, 2018 by Temperance

[zoomama]

18 minutes ago, Temperance said:

Jill R's Macy's registry has to be seen to be believed. 

i am confused...registry for what? this isn't baby shower stuff.

 

https://www.macys.com/wgl/registry/guest/6857695

Edited January 6, 2018 by zoomama