Pearl Family 3: Living on Snake Oil, Charcoal and Plexus

[hoipolloi]

40 minutes ago, JDuggs said:

I think Justin looks good because he finally had to get rid of his beard. But he doesn’t look overly fatigued or in pain, so that’s good. It’s interesting how helpful James has been to Justin and Shalom. He comes off as much more of a stand up person than Shoshanna.

That beard was revolting so shaving it off is no loss. Not sure why men think scraggly long beards are attractive. Ugh.

Re: James. He has maintained what seems to be a very cordial relationship with the Brands. There have been occasional social media posts of them socializing together when James apparently has custody of his minor children. 

Re: Shoshanna. Judging from her social media posts, she is an utterly selfish & narcissistic human being so she probably has no time to spare for her sisterʻs difficulties or empathy for her BIL or their children. Also, has BFF Lauren moved out or on? Someone else - Jessica? - is featured in the recent stories & seems to be staying there with her kids.

[Ozlsn]

3 hours ago, JDuggs said:

I don’t know how well Justin’s business was doing before he got sick, but I don’t know what kind of income they’ll have in the future. 

I was wondering that too. There seems to be no planning beyond "God will provide" - is the liquidation solely to cover bills, have they accepted that Justin won't return to work, who knows.

2 hours ago, hoipolloi said:

Re: James. He has maintained what seems to be a very cordial relationship with the Brands.

I'm glad, particularly for the children's sake, that they've been able to do so.

[JermajestyDuggar]

This was posted:

[MariaariaM]

Always nice to be able to go off the striolds. (Ok, I get she meant steroids but I did chuckle.) Fingers crossed it doesn't cause his suppressed symptoms to reappear.

[Howl]

Pain around his chest and arm is not good. 

SO. NOT. GOOD. 

Especially if it's his left arm.  

I truly do not wish these people ill.  Please let them get legitimate medical evaluation so they can get real information on the status of his cancer. This man is adored by his wife and children; his loss would be a tragedy and the widow and kids will be stuck with a mountain of debt and no means of support. 

[TrueRebel1]

On 9/8/2024 at 11:31 AM, hoipolloi said:

Re: Shoshanna. Judging from her social media posts, she is an utterly selfish & narcissistic human being so she probably has no time to spare for her sisterʻs difficulties or empathy for her BIL or their children. Also, has BFF Lauren moved out or on? Someone else - Jessica? - is featured in the recent stories & seems to be staying there with her kids.

It seems like Lauren has been traveling a lot this summer and spending time at her parent's home. I hope it's doing her good -- maybe she'll move on to a healthier enviornment than Cane Creek. She really seems like a sweet person who's utterly codependent on Shoshanna. I wondered if there was a rift between her and Shoshanna, but in a few stories she was stopping back at Cane Creek acting like BFFs again. I suspect Eric and his children are staying in Shoshanna's next door apartment because his kids seem to be with her in every story now. Maybe it was too weird a situation for Lauren to justify a reason to keep living with Shoshanna?

If I recall correctly, Stephanie is a long time friend who's married and lives nearby. 

[Bluebirdbluebell]

Shoshanna made a post or posted a story two days on Instagram where she was barefoot in the woods with bare legs using a chain saw next to a dog.

Spoiler

 

 

[Giraffe]

47 minutes ago, Bluebirdbluebell said:

Shoshanna made a post or posted a story two days on Instagram where she was barefoot in the woods with bare legs using a chain saw next to a dog.

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Because if god wanted her to have safety equipment he would've built her with them when she was born.  Ignore that she's using human made technology to cut the log. What a bizarre family. 

[noseybutt]

1 hour ago, Bluebirdbluebell said:

Shoshanna made a post or posted a story two days on Instagram where she was barefoot in the woods with bare legs using a chain saw next to a dog.

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This post is worthless without bad poetry.

[JermajestyDuggar]

8 hours ago, Bluebirdbluebell said:

Shoshanna made a post or posted a story two days on Instagram where she was barefoot in the woods with bare legs using a chain saw next to a dog.

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I swear when I saw that video I was way more worried about the dog than her uncovered feet, legs, and eyes. 

[Howl]

9 hours ago, noseybutt said:

This post is worthless without bad poetry.

Hello, police?  I'd like to report a murder!  

Anyway, that chainsaw pic is...why is she sawing a dead log on the ground, burying the chain in dirt?  At some point the chain will bind, and so on.  Terrible, no good, awful chainsawing form. 

[FiveAcres]

Posted in wrong place.

Edited September 10 by FiveAcres

[GuineaPigCourtship]

Okay, soapbox time.  Nobody should be using power equipment or heavy equipment near dogs/cats EVER.  Nobody expects the lawn mower, chain saw, hydraulic lift, garage door, whatever to be an issue but I promise you it can be.  This woman is an absolute idiot.

[JermajestyDuggar]

I know the healthcare system in the US is horrible. But H4C is worse. Therefore I wish they had started here in March when he was first diagnosed. 

[hoipolloi]

16 minutes ago, JermajestyDuggar said:

I know the healthcare system in the US is horrible. But H4C is worse. Therefore I wish they had started here in March when he was first diagnosed. 

Justin would probably be better off at this point, or at least no worse. He would also have had all that time with his family AND they wouldn't have squandered tens of thousands of dollars on those quacks at H4$. 

 

[Xan]

Shalom also said that Justin needs his lungs drained again so he can get a good breath.  H4$ obviously didn't cure him.  I wonder if they've realized that.

[Howl]

It will be interesting to see what they find on the ultrasound.  

I'm mulling over the words in this post: "Thanks for the support of the local walk-in clinic [likely one of those not-an-emergency-room clinics that are popping up everywhere] and local Wellness clinic."  Guessing the Wellness clinic is either chiropractic/naturopathic or similar. 

 

[Ozlsn]

Oh now they decide to "curiously lean in" to medical care. 

[FiveAcres]

The wellness clinic at least had the ethics to tell them that Justin's problems are beyond their scope.  I hope that they can establish a rapport with a real oncologist who can educate them about their options. However, the woo is so strong in these two I don't have much hope.

[Coconut Flan]

If they had gone to a real US cancer center when he was first diagnosed, they would have been taken by the hand and guided through the process then..  The only reason H4C was so attentive was how else to push another bogus option.  The major cancer centers in the US have people to ask for help and to guide patients through the process.  If they are at a regular community hospital first his chances for longer survival or recovery drop tremendously and it is usually everyone on their own figuring it out as one goes along.   Several of the top five US cancer centers now have outposts around the country.  

[JDuggs]

I’m assuming that Justin doesn’t have health insurance. I just thought they figured they couldn’t afford conventional medical treatments in the U.S. The holistic route was cheaper and more in line with their opinions and beliefs.

[MariaariaM]

8 hours ago, Xan said:

Shalom also said that Justin needs his lungs drained again so he can get a good breath.  H4$ obviously didn't cure him.  I wonder if they've realized that.

He got off the steroids over a week ago, right? Sounds about right that his symptoms would've reappeared by now.

[Bluebirdbluebell]

5 hours ago, JDuggs said:

I’m assuming that Justin doesn’t have health insurance. I just thought they figured they couldn’t afford conventional medical treatments in the U.S. The holistic route was cheaper and more in line with their opinions and beliefs.

I don't know if it was cheaper. It doesn't sound cheap. They have may qualified for some sort of financial assistance. 

[JermajestyDuggar]

I think H4C was like $50,000.

[Howl]

13 hours ago, Coconut Flan said:

The major cancer centers in the US have people to ask for help and to guide patients through the process.

MD Anderson in Houston is one of  the premier cancer hospitals in the US. It is free* for Texas residents who cannot pay.   *Uncompensated Care at MD Anderson

One family we followed took their 16-yr-old son there as a last resort after the Mexican woo clinic did not cure his very aggressive cancer.  The details are fuzzy, but I think they were required to apply for MediCaid for the son to be eligible for treatment. 

Not sure what cancer hospitals Justin would be eligible for in their part of the US,  but as a small business owner he's almost certainly over the financial threshold for MediCaid eligibility.  

These large patriarchal families totally reliant on one income and that patriarch isn't heavily insured (health insurance and life insurance) because God is Sooooooo Good...

Also, what is Justin's business exactly? Auto body work? Custom motorcycles?  Exposure to chemicals, solvents, fumes can lead to a greater incidence of lung cancer. 

 

 

Edited September 18 by Howl