# A hypothetical question about family, health and money



## NextTimeAround (Dec 15, 2011)

All this talk about healthcare and pre-existing conditions and family bankruptcy, I'd like to hear various opinions on a very difficult decision which thankfully I'll never be faced with.

If you had a child with a serious health condition and other children, how ready would you be to bankrupt the family for the sake of one child? Or are there resources that do come forward for those families?


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## SimplyAmorous (Nov 25, 2009)

Very difficult heart wrenching question.. until someone is in this situation .. how can we really say... 

All I know is... I would not want to be without health insurance/ with adequate coverage...just in case.. One never knows what can happen.. as it would eat up literally EVERYTHING we worked a lifetime for ...to see it all go up in smoke, probably in months even....that's unthinkable! 

A profound feeling of hopelessness would come upon me/ us, for the fear of what lies ahead for the child , the emotional stress, getting time off work if they need care.. then in addition just trying to LIVE....knowing the ends will never meet again, the days of actually feeling like we were earning something -so we had $$ set aside for leisure, enjoyment, working on the house, even emergencies... that blown to hell.. 

It's just too much..


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## soccermom2three (Jan 4, 2013)

This is a very difficult question. We would do anything we could to save one of our children. Homes, cars, etc can always be replaced later. Credit can always be re-established after a bankruptcy. 

I believe there are resources for families to offset many costs. For example, from what I've been told at Children's Hospital of Los Angeles, (where Jimmy Kimmel's infant son had heart surgery), no child is ever turned away if they can't afford treatment. Donations and endowments to the hospital run into the hundreds of millions of dollars. 

When a coworker's one year old was diagnosed with cancer, he was also treated at CHLA. Ronald MacDonald House housed the family for free right next door to the hospital so they could stay close overnight during the baby's treatments. Many family, coworkers and friends donated to a fund to help keep the family afloat.

I guess I don't understand the "other children" part of the question. I would hope that I raised my children to be empathic and understanding and care more their sibling than having a new toy.


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## NextTimeAround (Dec 15, 2011)

Now that I think about it, my mother told me that the relationship between a cousin and her mother became irreparable after her sister was diagnosed with Leukemia. She decided to die 2 years later.

I don't know how much the issues were about money but she was definitely neglected.


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## NextTimeAround (Dec 15, 2011)

soccermom2three said:


> This is a very difficult question. We would do anything we could to save one of our children. Homes, cars, etc can always be replaced later. Credit can always be re-established after a bankruptcy.
> 
> I believe there are resources for families to offset many costs. For example, from what I've been told at Children's Hospital of Los Angeles, (where Jimmy Kimmel's infant son had heart surgery), no child is ever turned away if they can't afford treatment. Donations and endowments to the hospital run into the hundreds of millions of dollars.
> 
> ...


I don't think it's healthy or fair to bring a child up neglected. I read that many families become homeless due to a sickness.


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## soccermom2three (Jan 4, 2013)

I thought you were talking about money not neglect.

ETA: I don't have to shower my kids with money to show that I love them.


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## NextTimeAround (Dec 15, 2011)

soccermom2three said:


> I thought you were talking about money not neglect.


Both.


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