Pressing Forward with Katina

 

Saturday, February 07, 2009

Pressing Forward with Katina

Another medical center will review Katina's case this coming week. They will decide whether to accept her for heart surgery or not.  

With all the money in Peoria, and all the medical expertise, and with all of the people in the area that want Katina to be able to return to OSF, it is so amazing that she is not allowed to come back to OSF.

A few people in key positions at OSF are blocking her from returning to Peoria and it may cost Katina her life. This position cost Jean-Baptiste and Maxime their lives.

It does not surprise me that only a few people are obstructing her care. What is bothersome is the silence of people who know better.

----

My Comments in 2021:

This was a tough time. 

I had picketed OSF during the previous six years for their negligence of Haitian kids who needed heart surgery.

I hated picketing. 

I doubt picketing warmed the hearts of many people who were Haitian Hearts supporters behind the scenes. It was too flagrant an action against the second largest employer in Peoria. 

But I didn't see any other way to get the message out. There was no social media back then that I was adept at using. 

Maybe people with some say at OSF were advocating for my kids from within the walls of OSF. But if they were, I did not know anything of their efforts and it didn't do any good. 

And this email was typical of the daily emails I received from Haiti--

Monday, February 09, 2009

Never Lose Hope

Frandy is a 19-year-old Haitian Hearts patient that helps us in Haiti.

He received a call from Katina's father yesterday.

Below is an internet chat with Frandy from yesterday February 9, 2009:


6:18 PM Dejean: are you there Maria?
i just have a quick news about Katina
6:19 PM please tell dr Carroll that she's not doing well, her father called me this morning to inform me about that
me: ok frandy. how is she not doing well?
6:20 PM we are looking hard for a hospital
Dejean: she's surffering because of her belly
ok
6:21 PM me: her stomach hurts? is it big?
Dejean: the ball around her neck does not hurt her
6:22 PM yes her stomach, i don't know if it s big
me: frandy this is dr john is she short of breath...eske li soufle anle
6:23 PM Dejean: no
ok
me: please tell the father we are searchig for a hospital
6:24 PM Dejean: her stomach and the place where she was operated on are hurting her
ok i will
me: ok, thanks frandy
Dejean: and i will email you more about that
me: dont let them give up hope
6:25 PM Dejean: no
never