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Subscribe to RSSNBC's Domenico Montanaro reports on Rick Santorum's daughter being taken to the hospital and the state of his presidential campaign.
Rick Santorum's daughter, Bella, afflicted with a chromosomal disorder, was taken to the hospital for the second time during this campaign. Santorum is home in Virginia for the Easter holiday.
"Rick and his wife Karen have taken their daughter Bella to the hospital," Santorum Communications Director Hogan Gidley said in a statement. "The family requests prayers and privacy as Bella works her way to recovery."
The Santorums have medical equipment in their Virginia home and and a nurse on call that can tend to Bella. Because of these accommodations, Bella only needs to be taken to the hospital when her condition is very serious, a person familiar with the situation told NBC News.
This is the second time during the campaign that his 3-year-old with Trisomy 18 has needed to be taken to a hospital. Santorum canceled events in late January after Bella was rushed to a Virginia hospital when she developed pneumonia in both lungs.
The Santorums prefer to take Bella to Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, but the severity of the January incident caused the family to rush to a hospital closer to their Virginia home.
It is unclear at this time which hospital she has been admitted to.
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Of course "Santorum's Daughter is Hospitalized" AGAIN. They brought her into this world KNOWING that she would be spending a lot of time in hospitals, IF she survived at all. I have nothing against this child at all. It's not her fault she has stupid parents, but Santorum railing against a national healthcare plan and "entitlements" while taking advantage of his own tax-payer funded healthcare for his entire family is the epitome of hypocrisy. He REALLY needs to just GO AWAY and get a damned job!
This a ploy by Rick Santorum to get cheap publicity, and answer this .. Why this MSNBC report come under the "politic" header?
I am not a Santorum supporter but remember all these comments from the Liberals next time they start peddling the same old line about how hateful the Right is. The Left was mean and hateful to Bush and now show again and again, like the comments about Cheney's heart transplant that they are just as bad as what they claim the Right is. I would never say some of the terrible things being said here if Obama or Pelosi had a similiar issue going on. Also, take notice for those who are just as hateful on the Right, maybe learn something from this and next time something bad is happening to someone on the Left have some class and take higher ground.
I trust Santorums daughter receives the care she needs...
I would also hope the time will come that any and every parent who has an ailing child would be able to have their child receive the same level of care Santorums will...
No child deserves to suffer illness and I offer prayers for Bella. I offer prayers every day also the the millions of other American children who are facing serious health challenges and are either uninsured or under insured. "The Santorums have medical equipment in their Virginia home and and a nurse on call that can tend to Bella." Are there many of us that can provide that sort of care for our desperately sick children? Nope I think not - yet Bella's wealthy, very insured father swears that he would do away with the one thing that has given other children and their parents hope, ObamaCare... what's up with that? Really what's up with that? I guess only the 1% deserve hope. Sad, sad, sad. What would Jesus do Mr. Santorum?
My prayers for Bella's health. But how many people in the same boat have the means to keep "the equipment and a nurse " in their home? How many get to PICK which hospital that they'll take their ailing family member to? I know NO ONE that can casually choose to take someone to a distant hospital "of preference". But this fellow has no moral issue with denying this level of care to the average American. Again, my prayers for the return of Bella's good health.
To get it straight.......I am definitely pro choice! But to toss in here, I find it not only outrageous the R's hammer away at that, but that they also are hammering away at medical research which could cure, greatly alleviate the symptoms. and promote a good life for those who are born disabled. "Stem cell research!!??? YIKES!!! Can't have that! It involves cells!")
Candy-2333348: I agree that Stem Cell research is essential. As a professional, I know that the prognosis of PDD/PDNOS children is a short life.
Sometimes I wonder if the most dedicated among us is more than just "a little daft" for not insisting upon taking the time to "smell the roses" while they are still in bloom?
I truly hope that Rick Santorum takes the time to make that effort, while his "rosa Bella" is still there. If he doesn't, the Presidency of the United States of America may come to sound to him more like a tin can, blown in the wind, than a resounding bell for Liberty and Justice for all.
Who knows? Bella's life may yet teach her dad to be the strong, mindful, critically decisive President he should and must be, for the rest of us, but I think that now is not the Moment, for either of them.
As a mother who has lost a child, I find your response very thoughtful and appreciated.
I am so grateful I took the time to smell the roses for eighteen years (against all medical odds at the time). I only wish he could take those lessons to heart, but unfortunately I doubt he will.
Ironic. In a Republican Capitalist society, this little girl would stand no chance. If she was in an ordinary working family, the family would be bankrupted by her medical bills. The family might end up homeless and unable to pay the mortgage.
When she grew older, she would be denied health coverage because of preexisting conditions. And in spite of the fact that she could not work due to disability, those Republicans would be eager to cut her off from state assistance and welfare benefits - deeming her to be a burden to the taxpayer. She would likely end up hungry, cold and homeless and sleeping on the streets.
In contrast, in a humane liberal society, her medical bills would be covered. Her family would be protected from bankruptcy. And when she was older, the state would support her without question.
I think the Good Lord is allowing this difficulty for reasons beyond all we can possibly understand.Compassion for all even though we do not deserve it!
hm, post 297: You've a good heart and a reasonable point. However, in Bella's case, the chances of her making it to age 16 are very, very slim. In the meantime, those of us who deal with the longer term will likewise face the impossibility of reasonable health care in our own timeline, if we don't change the system now.
1hucares- another good post. I still have to go back to underfunded medical research. My daughter lived so long and had a reasonably good quality of life because she was covered by good health insurance . That and there was an explosion of research breakthroughs. I look back now and shudder to think what most families with a child with genetic defects are going through today. And I said most.
Now he's home in VA. I thoughht his home state was PA.
How many home states does Rick have??? Jerk
Certainly more than you can afford...Jim the jerk!
The taxpayers better not be footing the bill for this.
Me too, I know obama and his family need money for more vacations.
Michael Gibson...: Yours is a cheap shot, and inappropos. Deal with Reality.
Thermen I really wish and probably anyone who knows you probably wish that your dad and mom had free contraception available about 9 months prior to your birthday.
Thankfully, Bob can't reproduce...his dad cut off Bob's testicles and now wears them as earrings. Bob's dad is fabulous! LMFAO
Someone earlier mentioned regarding healthcare for all Americans that we have the right to choose. What world are you living in? The only choices we have are the ones George Carlin mentioned. Paper or plastic. Smoking or non-smoking. Aisle or window. We have no choices now. The owners of this country placate us with consumerism and the false sense that we have this ideal of freedom. We are not free; we are owned. The rich's job is to take all the money from the poor, and they are doing just that. We used to have a bunch of oil companies. Now we have three, right? We are owned by corporate America and we are taken left and right by them. Until we fight back and take back America, it will continue to get worse. Healthcare for all is a good thing, not something that will take away freedoms. Pull your heads out, right wing, and stop voting against your best interests! You're being duped!
Excellent comment incredulous-3994130.
This a ploy by Rick Santorum to get cheap publicity, and answer this .. Why this MSNBC report come under the "politic" header?
First of all.. I don't care if you like Rick or not..He has a lot on his mind and being COMPASSIONATE father, He is ONE HELL OF A MAN. I praise the guy for what he is doing and with LESS money to run for a PRESIDENT. My thoughts and PRAYERS are with you and your child. God BLESS YOU.
I agree with you . Many folks on here are way more concerned with politics than ay compassion here. I have a poor opinion of folks that automatically hate anyone because with differing political views.
Anytime a child is sick it is sad, so that being said I hope that she will be alright. Unfortunately in life we can never outrun our gene-pool so even if she lives and runs very fast she will still have rick santorum for a father, poor girl. Rick note to self maybe this is a sign from god that you should not procreate. This is maybe payback for all your self righteous, bigot, man on dog, lying people hating BS that you are slinging. No history classes in CA, Killing elderly in the Netherlands or Denmark or whatever. Obama is a muslim, women should be seen but not heard and have no say in their healthcare, what is up with that crap. You my friend are a total hypocrite.
However I hope that your little girl is able to pull thru, she is Innocent, you are not.
I guess God doesn't have a sense of humor after all...
Thank goodness bella has health insurance: my heart goes out to those parents without health insurance whose children suffer. This should be for everyone, rick, not just the privileged.
I am happy that the Santorum's have the best medical insurance obtainable in the U.S. for their chronically ill daughter. However, I think that he is a pig for thinking that his sick daughter is "worth more in the eyes of God" and should have good medical insurance when so many Americans go without. Screw Prick Santorum and the rest of the Republican Party.
Trickle Down Economics does not work....that is why we all have CPAs!
OBAMA-BIDEN 2012!
rattus68: Your view, sans vitriol, points out a serious conundrum in making health conditional upon a political view, or "free enterprise": Imagine if "trickle down" health were our only option.
Currently, trickle down health-care is the only option for many good American people.
wireman: Then let's change that to an option that includes Compassion and a return to the core tenet of our Constitution: That we are the ones who make life, liberty, and happiness a reality for one another.
IF Santorum and his wife were responsible adults (given her age), they would have engaged genetic testing early during the pregnancy, and terminated the pregnancy when it was discovered the serious defects present in the creature they conceived. Instead, they took the self-centered and irresponsible path that led to the birth of this unfortunate child. They completely deserve any and all criticism they receive, regardless of the source. The both of them should spend all eternity in the Hell they believe in for the terror they have caused their child, and for breeding beyond a reasonable number of children.
And this thread proves there must be separation of church and state.
As a gay man, I consider Rick Santorum to be my sworn enemy; despite this I have tremendous respect for his devition to his family and wish his daughter health and happiness.
Sending Bella and her parents all our love and prayers for a speedy recovery.
To learn more about Trisomy 18 and all the families and their children it
impacts, please visit us at Trisomy 18 Foundation at TRISOMY18.ORG and our blog, TAKINGONTRISOMY18.ORG
Good to see a post on here that actually shows compassion. I was not aware of this condition until now and I also wish the best for her and her family.
Can't help but wonder if this is a sign from god. Santorum has been outrageous. I am not trying to be funny, and I don't want to see any child suffer. I just don't believe in coincidences. I prey for her recovery.
It is truly sad when a child is seriously sick. It should make the parents appreciate the blessing that good medical coverage affords a family.
It's a blessing for Santorum and his family that the insurance company doesn't exclude his daughter for having a pre-existing condition.
It's a blessing that his family isn't one of the millions of families that doesn't have medical insurance coverage.
It's a blessing for his family that he doesn't have to depend upon OBAMAcare and a right-wing, politicized supreme court
Maybe he should consider where his family COULD be but for a roll of the dice.
Maybe he should consider how HE could be a blessing to other families who might have sick children.
Why don't the parents just pray to God to save their kid? Why do they need ANY modern medicine? Isn't God enough....obviously not! Well, I guess Satan is punishing them for some sexual thoughts.
My prayers go to Bella and her family on her speedy recovery. This is not a time for politics. It is a time for compassion. A sick child is difficult for any family to deal with.
hope the little ugly bitch dies santorum