Duggar World Tour

[MerryHappy]

They should have left two of the older girls and sent J-chelle home. Odds are the older girls have a better grasp on how to care for Josie than J-Chelle does.

That having been said, I hope Josie is okay and get to come home soon. :(

[JenniferJuniper]

Planes are germ machines; I have a normal immune system and I seem to get sick after a long plane ride more often than not.

They've recklessly carted that poor little preemie over half the planet. I hope it's nothing serious. She's a darling, charming baby who has fought so hard to get as far as she has and she does not deserve this sort of treament.

[Hisey]

Are they crazy? Why did they risk that baby's life? She is not even two years old yet.

I bet it was Jim Bob, who can't resist the money. Michelle can't overrrule him. . . as any good mother would. . . because she is supposed to submit. I have a feeling Michelle would like to just stay home and have a normal life, but Jim Bob is constantly going to every event offered to him.

This is the problem with submission. I find it hard to believe Michelle said, "Yes, let's take this fragile toddler--barely off oxygen (if she is off it, not sure)--who just had a febrile seizure and is still delayed -- and take her to Israel."

Michelle may be distant with the other kids but she seems to love and take good care of Josie. I am sure she didn't want this, and I feel terrible that baby is so sick she cannot leave Israel.

[lilwriter85]

Planes are germ machines; I have a normal immune system and I seem to get sick after a long plane ride more often than not.

They've recklessly carted that poor little preemie over half the planet. I hope it's nothing serious. She's a darling, charming baby who has fought so hard to get as far as she has and she does not deserve this sort of treament.

Well said. Boob and Mullet need to start taking Josie's health issues seriously. She was a micropreemie and it seems she going to have some health problems throughout childhood.

[Visionoyahweh]

This is the problem with submission. I find it hard to believe Michelle said, "Yes, let's take this fragile toddler--barely off oxygen (if she is off it, not sure)--who just had a febrile seizure and is still delayed -- and take her to Israel."

Oh, I totally believe this. Josie's past the age where she's Michelle's responsibility, so who cares, right? The J'slaves will handle it.

I also think Michelle is just a mercenary and attention-loving as JB, so I' sure she's gunning to attend every church talk and MOTY award banquet she can. Strike while the iron is hot! Five more years and no one will give a rats ass what she has to say about anything.

[GeoBQn]

At least Israel has great hospitals. I hope Josie has a refuah shlayma (speedy recovery)

[FakePigtails]

What a shame! I hope Josie gets better and I hope her family learns from this stupidity (ha!). My only consolation is that Israel has a good health care system. I hope their insurance covers or else that they got good travel insurance. I wonder how long it'll take before they can get back. It's a good 24 hours + of traveling to go between a non-hub US airport and the Middle East and it involves significant time in the air out of close range of medical attention especially if they don't choose a connection in western Europe (London, Frankfurt, etc.).

Oh and I hope their pediatrician gives them one hell of a verbal lashing after this. Idiots! And if they put this on the show and act like we're supposed to be surprised this happened (considering healthy people get sick from flying) or have sympathy for Boob and Michelle for this I'll puke.

Lastly, and high on the sadness scale is how many people here saw this coming when they announced the trip. Apparently we all can and did think this through more than Josie's own family. And TLC. They shouldn't have allowed this either.

[browncoatslytherin]

weren't they warned by the docs to not take her out and about for at least a few years? wtf are they doing?? oh, i forgot, god will protect their little miracle, so no need to follow the doc's advice!

[luckylassie]

Mozel tov Josie! I cannot imagine toting a micropremie, eighteen other kids, and the "M" babies around the world. Micheal's not even six months old yet and already he has been schlepped to more places than I've seen in twenty years.

[Boogalou]

They are so stupid. How could anyone think that dragging a micropreemie on an international holiday to film a stupid reality show is a good idea? I see that money and upholding the gigantic family image is more important than their blessing's health. If you play with fire, you are going to get burned.

[GeoBQn]

I expect that if they include this on the show, Josie's doctors will either not appear on camera, or they will NOT sugar coat things. "Tact" isn't an Israeli virtue. This is a place where, when I went to the emergency room and was diagnosed with gastritis, they gave me an anti-diarrheal medication called "Stop It."

[Kitten]

Any type of pleural infection or imflammation can keep you off a plane, because even with pressurized cabins, it is harder to breathe at 30,000 feet. Bronchitis, pneumonia, ear infection, heck, even a bad cold can be enough to keep someone off a plane, especially a young child, who doesn't have the capacity to clear her Eustachian tubes herself. I once got stuck at my parents' house for a week after a Christmas visit because my 3-yr-old came down with pneumonia.

The other possibility (and quite probable, given the constant change in food supplies and her medical history) is some sort of gastrointestinal irritation or infection. A puking, diarrheal 1-yr-old does not belong on a plane of any kind, let alone a transoceanic flight crammed with hundreds of other people.

JB and Michelle are just plain stupid. They probably consider Josie's susceptibility as one of their "trials" sent to them by God to test and stengthen their faith. That way, any issues she has are not their fault, but just something they must "joyfully" endure and thank God for, even if they were totally avoidable in the first place. With their constant need for attention, it's even somewhat satisfying to them - kind of a Munchausen's by proxy, even though they aren't the ones actively injuring their child (except by their stupid decisions). Also, all the fuss probably reminds Michelle of what it was like when had a new baby, and since it's beginning to appear that that isn't going to happen again, this is her proxy. That's why SHE had to stay behind...

I hope (but don't expect) that someone at TLC has at least a gliimer of discomfort over the fact that they aided, abetted, and even planned and paid for this situation. It was inevitable.

Sadly, Josie is the one paying the ultimate price. Poor child...

[SimplyMe]

They're idiots for having taken a fragile infant overseas, but that said, it could be something relatively minor like an ear infection. Though I wouldn't think she absolutely couldn't travel with an EI, it could be incredibly painful for her and could cause her to rupture an ear drum.

Whatever is wrong with her, I still can't believe they took her on that trip. Poor baby.

[gustava]

I expect that if they include this on the show, Josie's doctors will either not appear on camera, or they will NOT sugar coat things. "Tact" isn't an Israeli virtue. This is a place where, when I went to the emergency room and was diagnosed with gastritis, they gave me an anti-diarrheal medication called "Stop It."

A medication that JB and the mullet could use.

[Mommy22alyns]

Poor little girl. She shouldn't be dragged all over the place. :cry: I hope she gets better soon.

[gilora]

If Josie had something relatively minor like an ear infection, why would Jill have to stay too? I hope it's nothing serious but as the Duggars were repeatedly told in the NICU "don't trust a preemie." Taking Josie (and Michael) on this trip was, if not the stupidest thing the Duggars have done for the camera, pretty damn close. After Josie is recovered and when the "very special episode" airs, I hope TLC shows the tongue-lashing the Duggars surely received by the Israeli physicians.

[Stickers]

Ugh, poor Josie. I'm sure she'll be okay but she wouldn't be stuck sick in a unfamiliar place if they'd been responsible and not taken her on the trip.

I wonder why Jana didn't stay. I thought she was Josie's buddy.

[ophelia]

Poor Josie! I hope she gets fine soon and that her parents learn something from that experience.. this reminds me of Kelly Bradrick and her medical drama after she gave birth to her last child..

[Sola]

Oh... then she must be really sick? I mean, if they had to stay?

Not necessarily. If Josie caught an ear infection then she wouldn't be allowed to fly. If they flew with her then Josie would be in tremendous pain due to the air pressure. Usually if a kid has an ear infection they have to wait until the infection is gone before flying. Preemies are quite prone to ear infections too due to their eustachian tubes being quite small (actually this can happen with full term babies too). It might be that J'chelle has had to stay in Israel with Josi until she had finished anti-biotics if something like this has happened. Not a severe thing, but something that will prevent flying.

[YPestis]

Have we heard anything in the mainstream press about this? This is the first time I've heard that Josie was left behind in Israel.

I just recently acquired cable so I'm not caught up with the show. How old is Josie again? Young children get ear infections very commonly because their eustachian tube is flatter and shorter than adults making any URI transmission easier. I think fluid is more static in smaller young's tube because of their smaller opening which increases their infectious rate. Plus, Josie is a micropremie and they are more prone to infections in general. She really shouldn't be flying around the world at such a young age. Even to another developed nation.

I gather the Duggars think she's out of the woods since she got out of the NICU and requires much less medical care. That is not true. Premies can have health problems for years down the line and developmental issues. I feel many fundie families don't understand this when they so blatantly dive into the baby making business.

[GeoBQn]

I can't find any stories about their visit in the Jerusalem Post or Haaretz, the two big English newspapers in Israel.

[Kitty]

I can't find any stories period about it. I doubt the Duggars are even well-known in Israel, so what would the news actually say? "American Tourons Filming Reality TV Program Nearly Kill Micropreemie Daughter?"

[bananacat]

At least Israel has great hospitals. I hope Josie has a refuah shlayma (speedy recovery)

I wonder how the Duggars feel about using their universal healthcare. Does it extend to foreign tourists too, or will the Duggars have to pay?

[Daenerys]

As much as I hope this doesn't actually happen, I want to know out of curiosity: what would happen if Josie died because of this? It's not totally unimaginable given her status as a vulnerable preemie. What would happen from a legal, TLC and Gothardism-following perspective? Would they be in trouble for child neglect? Would TLC drop them like a hot potato? Would it make them question aspects of their faith and QF?

I hope Josie gets better though. I expect Jill stayed behind because it's more practical to have two adults: one can stay with the baby and one can go buy food, have a sleep etc. It seems to me of all the J'Slaves Jill is the 'best' with children and the most attached to the little ones. She's practically Jennifer's mother and I haven't seen that level of one on one bond with any of the other older girls and their buddy.

[snarkykitty]

If Josie had something relatively minor like an ear infection, why would Jill have to stay too? I hope it's nothing serious but as the Duggars were repeatedly told in the NICU "don't trust a preemie." Taking Josie (and Michael) on this trip was, if not the stupidest thing the Duggars have done for the camera, pretty damn close. After Josie is recovered and when the "very special episode" airs, I hope TLC shows the tongue-lashing the Duggars surely received by the Israeli physicians.

Not defending them, but it makes sense to have someone else there. They can trade off on sleeping, eating, staying with Josie, etc. I can't bemoan that decision.