Family must sell home to fund implant for deaf daughter

[MetroGuy03]

But funny thing is many deaf people who are active in the deaf community are getting CIs so it seems like ASL/Deaf community has no impact on the sale of CIs.

I'm sorry I don't understand your point. Please explain. Thanks!

 

[shel90]

I'm sorry I don't understand your point. Please explain. Thanks!

What I mean is that some people who use ASL or active in the Deaf community do find benefits from using CIs so doctors have nothing to worry about if they want to make a profit. Hope that makes sense?

 

[Foxrac]

Have to totally disagree.
Under a Universal/Socialized system this would still not be covered or if it were the child would go on a waiting list that could see her getting to the top by adulthood. That is why the countries with this sort of health plan has droves of their citizens going across borders for treatment and tests we take for granted as common place.
Also - Someone (ie. those who work) will be the ones who pay for all the free healthcare.


Ditto!
The child's needs are not being met. What must this child think of herself and how much pressure must be on her shoulders over this house selling ordeal.

Yup, some deaf kids from Canada are transported to USA for CI surgery then return to home in Canada after surgery because of medical center is more restricted in Canada, only more important is life-threaten like heart attack, kidney failure, cancer or other disease then would be under care.

 

[MetroGuy03]

What I mean is that some people who use ASL or active in the Deaf community do find benefits from using CIs so doctors have nothing to worry about if they want to make a profit. Hope that makes sense?

I got it. Thanks! Not every deaf individual do find benefits from using cochlear implant. It depends on individuals. I have cochlear implant and still active in deaf community and use ASL that find benefits from using my cochlear implant. I got lucky on this time. Unfortunately, its not for every deaf person.

 

[Dixie]

I can only imagine what it is like to live in a totally silent world then boom one day you start hearing sounds. That would be information overload for me personally during the first year of hearing. But then again Ive never been totally deaf either so it is very hard for me to relate and I dont want to say something thats not factual or subjective.

 

[Koala]

Good grief! Selling their home so daughter can have a CI? Oh come on! I rather have a roof over my head than getting a CI. Jeez!

Yep I agree with Freaky Cat. What if CI doesn't work for her? No home and CI not working, where would they go from there? I hope they do the research thoroughly before coming up with that decision.

i disagreed with selling home for badly needed medical treatment?? its not needed BADLY. its not a LIFE- threatneing? *scoffs*

a home is very important than ci .. its a place to live in and sleep in? i agree with others that what if ci doesn't benefit her? then they would do it for nothing..they lost the house for that? come on!

they could have done like a fundraiser and ask for donations and go on tv? jeez. i wouldn't do such thing like that as home is IMPORTANT! sigh!

unbelivable!!!!!

 

[deafdyke]

Well I wonder if this was one of those ambigious cases. It's just SO hard to believe that someone who is totally obviously qualified for it, wouldn't get it.
The pre-existing condition thing just seems kind of a "oh that's the reason they wouldn't cover it"...............Most insurances do cover CIs.
And yes, it would be very nice to have nonbiased information. The pro oral-only lobby just has too much influence.

 

[jillio]

That too!!! What concerns me is that they want the CI so badly is that they must have high expectations from it and if their daughter gets it, they will mostly likely put pressure on her to develop listening and oral skills and if she is unable to meet their expectations? That can become a huge burden on the child knowing that they had to sell the house. Maybe they arent like that but just a vibe I got from reading the article. Scary!

I got the very same feeling. This is a scary and heartbreaking article. And the woman from the Alliance for Families with Deaf Children make a couple of disturbing comments. Why are they out soliciting donations for the CI....why not connect the family with the Deaf community so they can see that CI is not a mandatory devise for a deaf child. Give them the other side of the story, as well.

 

[Jasper]

Well, the cost of the implant is far less than the child would end up NOT earning in the marketplace were she deaf.. studies have confirmed this..

I applaud the act that her parents have done, but as we need to realize, there are more sides to the story and many unanswered questions.. how much equity was in their house? Are they able to get a good price for it? Are they planning on staying in the Miami/South Florida area? What was the reason for the denial of coverage?.. the list of questions could go on and on..

They could probably sell their home (if they found a buyer) for much more than what they bought it for especially if they bought it over 5 years ago! With the equity they would gain they would be able to get a CI for their daughter as well as potentially have money left over for a down payment on a new house... and since the housing market has tanked over the past year or so.. I would assume though may assume to much that they were unable to get refinanced to pull the equity OUT of their house...

Again.. these comments I have stated only leave more questions in their wake.. I just hope everything works out..

 

[sequoias]

i disagreed with selling home for badly needed medical treatment?? its not needed BADLY. its not a LIFE- threatneing? *scoffs*

a home is very important than ci .. its a place to live in and sleep in? i agree with others that what if ci doesn't benefit her? then they would do it for nothing..they lost the house for that? come on!

they could have done like a fundraiser and ask for donations and go on tv? jeez. i wouldn't do such thing like that as home is IMPORTANT! sigh!

unbelivable!!!!!

I agree with you *sigh* It's not life threatening so I don't think they need to lose a home over just a CI. It's not the end of the world!

 

[shel90]

I got the very same feeling. This is a scary and heartbreaking article. And the woman from the Alliance for Families with Deaf Children make a couple of disturbing comments. Why are they out soliciting donations for the CI....why not connect the family with the Deaf community so they can see that CI is not a mandatory devise for a deaf child. Give them the other side of the story, as well.

The family is learning ASL so they must have some idea about the Deaf community? It seems like they were informed of the Deaf community and ASL but still desperate for a CI? That's the feeling I got.

I gotta admit...the CI can benefit from some children as I am seeing this year with one of my students with her CI. Oh man..that girl can hear a lot! Makes me sppechless!!! LOL!

 

[R2D2]

Have to totally disagree.
Under a Universal/Socialized system this would still not be covered or if it were the child would go on a waiting list that could see her getting to the top by adulthood. That is why the countries with this sort of health plan has droves of their citizens going across borders for treatment and tests we take for granted as common place.

Not true. In UK, New Zealand and Australia children are prioritized and get their CIs quickly under the socialised medical system. It's adults that have to wait years.

I'm not sure if I would sell the family home under such circumstances - I'd have to think about it. I agree as well that the expectations on the girl to be a success would be tremendous, which is a concern.

 

[Oddball]

I got the very same feeling. This is a scary and heartbreaking article. And the woman from the Alliance for Families with Deaf Children make a couple of disturbing comments. Why are they out soliciting donations for the CI....why not connect the family with the Deaf community so they can see that CI is not a mandatory devise for a deaf child. Give them the other side of the story, as well.

Link? what comments?

 

[Awauphi]

Link? what comments?

Broward Times - Family must sell home to fund implant for deaf daughter

the same link with the comments that creator, Miss Deletctable put in the thread so go back to the beginning and click on link and read it again ok?


that is the comment in the article that was in the link provided by Miss Delectable's thread.

Meanwhile, AFDC, which serves over 350 South Florida families, is asking the public for donations to help buy the badly needed cochlear implant for Erika. The device and the surgery to install it range from $40,000 to $100,000, not including follow-up therapy.

“This is a sad day for the American dream of home ownership when a family must put their home up for sale in order to receive a badly needed medical treatment for their little girl,” AFDC Executive Director Jennifer Jones said. “Without the implant, Erika will never hear her mother’s voice, let alone develop a normal speech pattern. We are also investigating whether the insurance denial may be a violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act.”

Jones is urging kind-hearted individuals and companies to make checks payable to AFDC with a note that says, “for Erika” on the bottom left of the check.

 

[Buffalo]

And yes, it would be very nice to have nonbiased information. The pro oral-only lobby just has too much influence.

Agree....And I think they are in for profits.

 

[Bebonang]

Have to totally disagree.
Under a Universal/Socialized system this would still not be covered or if it were the child would go on a waiting list that could see her getting to the top by adulthood. That is why the countries with this sort of health plan has droves of their citizens going across borders for treatment and tests we take for granted as common place.
Also - Someone (ie. those who work) will be the ones who pay for all the free healthcare.


Ditto!
The child's needs are not being met. What must this child think of herself and how much pressure must be on her shoulders over this house selling ordeal.

I must point out that this child can not think of herself because she was only two years old when her parents try selling their home to provide a CI for her very badly. The hearing parents as usual always try to fix the broken child who happen to be deaf. The parents are blind(can not face the truth and move on) and just want her to hear the sound. Like everybody on the threads here say "Oh, come on" "scoff" You don't need a Cochlear Implant and yes what would happen if the Cochlear Implant does not work? It would be just a waste of time trying to fix the broken child who happen to be two years old. I am very happy that the whole family sign to her to communicate and that is the way to do that without the hearing aid or CI.

 

[VamPyroX]

This is pretty sticky...

I understand the desire to have their child hear like them, but that's being selfish in a way.

There are other alternatives and not everything goes the way we expect them to be.

While the child may hear again, there might be financial hardships in the future in regards to the home and other issues.

Look at us in the past. Many of us grew up without cochlear implants and we're doing fine today.

 

[MetroGuy03]

This is pretty sticky...

I understand the desire to have their child hear like them, but that's being selfish in a way.

There are other alternatives and not everything goes the way we expect them to be.

While the child may hear again, there might be financial hardships in the future in regards to the home and other issues.

Look at us in the past. Many of us grew up without cochlear implants and we're doing fine today.

EXACTLY!!! I AGREE WITH YOU!!!

 

[DeafSCUBA98]

that's kinda sticky.. as i agree with vampy..

the insurance cannot denay under current law for 1st implant. all they have to do is do the appeals. (from my understanding that i heard around that insurance cannot denay any 1st implant surgerys)

 

[shel90]

This is pretty sticky...

I understand the desire to have their child hear like them, but that's being selfish in a way.

There are other alternatives and not everything goes the way we expect them to be.

While the child may hear again, there might be financial hardships in the future in regards to the home and other issues.

Look at us in the past. Many of us grew up without cochlear implants and we're doing fine today.[/QUOTE]


That's the whole point...many of us have done well without CIs for hundreds of years.