Eduardo Loredo leans against the wall of the cardiology clinic at Children's Mercy Hospital. Slouched like a kid at his locker, with a blue backpack slung over his left shoulder, the 14-year-old wears the look of casual indifference that matches his wardrobe: baggy Dickies' pants low on his hips, an oversized Ecko hoodie that blares its brand in black lettering across the front.
Eduardo stares past twin boys playing with magnets that cause tiny wooden cars to glide across a tabletop. He doesn't flinch when another young boy's excited laughter collapses into a rattling wheeze. He's twice as tall as the other patients here, but he blends into an otherwise Disney-tinged setting.
His face has the same gray pallor as that of the young twins. His eyes are ringed with dark shadows. He blinks slowly through a deep fatigue that resists the bright room.
The 14-year-old is dying. Slowly.
His heart beats with the assistance of that backpack. Instead of books, it's fitted with a small IV machine that pumps medicine through an orange-and-green valve that dangles, day and night, from the inner crook of his left elbow.
The plastic tubing grazes the shoulder of Eduardo's mother, Karina Loredo, as he slumps on the arm of her chair. The two seem to move as one entity, rarely breaking physical contact. When Eduardo sniffles, Loredo sniffles back. Eduardo taps her shoe with his foot; Loredo playfully stomps back. They lean into each other like a pair who share more than the typically strained bonds of a teenage boy and a single mother.
The two have grown closer over the past several months, Loredo says. This past summer, Eduardo was diagnosed with a life-threatening heart condition that kept him in bed at Children's Mercy for three months. Loredo had to explain to her son that his heart will keep him alive only until he's 17 — if he's lucky.
When they're called to the nurses' station, Eduardo shrugs off the Ecko hoodie and extends his arm for the blood-pressure cuff. The reading is low but not cause for concern. Still, in the three steps between the chair and the scale, Eduardo lets out a shallow, dry cough.
"Do you need to spit?" the nurse asks, digging into a cabinet and pulling out a yellow-plastic container.
Eduardo takes the tray limply and spits once, and then his slender frame heaves forward. The nurse lunges for the trash can, and the teenager vomits. Loredo's eyes fill with tears, and she releases one hand from a blue binder of hospital documents so she can lightly touch her son's back. For 20 seconds, the room is paralyzed with the hiccuping of Eduardo's rasps.
He pulls away from sympathy, looking down and answering in quick, single syllables when the nurse asks if he's OK. He scoops up the bag and is the first one down the hall to the exam room.
Then he waits. And waits. When he finishes a bottle of water, he taps texts into his cell phone. He studies his silver bracelet with an eye instrument. He rips open alcohol swabs and delicately touches the injection point in his arm. "We haven't forgotten about you," a nurse chirps as she passes the doorway. "The interpreters are slow!"
More than an hour later, Dr. Catherine Simon walks in with a weary-looking interpreter. The exam and consultation take less than 20 minutes. When mother and son return to the lobby, their reactions are mixed. Munching a Rice Krispie treat, Eduardo kung-fu-kicks at the elevator door, free at last. Loredo hugs the blue binder to her chest. She's confused.
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Well, let me first to popularize the knowledge about UGG. UGG romantic star originated in Europe, originating in Australia, and later the Americanspandora bracelets attempted to create a registered trademark of the UGG Australia, its greatest feature is very warm comfortable, because It is produced by the whole of the small Australian sheepskin, soft and thick fur which is also a genuine Australian lambs from the cut,
People are naive and American's in particular. This article does nothing but highlight that. YOu get an extremely sad situation, a child dying, and everyone wants to save the world. There are all kinds of children dying all over the world in similar situations. And as the typical media...they don't give the big picture- they highlight what is important for a GOOD story. Yeah $500,000 seem not too bad for a new heart. BUT....where was the price tag on a life time of immunosupression medication and the multiple hospital readmission the child WILL face. Does someone want to "volunteer" to pay that? In typical American fashion.....act like a hero but not be there in the end. I work with transplant patients and it is not as rosey as it seems.....not an easy fix to just get a new organ. Then think about everyone's complaints.....taxes are too high, health care is too expensive.....ever think why?? Because of these type of situations......our taxes and high health care cost ATTEMPTING to make up for all this "freeness" but it still don't come close to covering the end cost. And we wonder why our financial instution is in shambles. NObody thinks of the long term effects. And lets say, we as a country help this one boy out.....why is there no standards for them paying things back. Maybe not in direct dollars, but public service, or future endevours. Many immigrants get things from our country and give nothing in return.....which just puts up back to not being able to help others in the future. Such as the lady with her CP child- how will she ever begin to give back to medicaid....she won't....and she isn't the only one. It is a downward spiral....and the people that are making the decisions do so with few hard facts or knowledge.....they just don't want to be called heartless or inhumane by a ton of other people who just talk and don't do anything themselves either! HOw many people in this country ACTUALLY do something for people or for this country? But I am sorry to be the realist here.....as sad as it is, as inhumane it may sound......PEOPLE DIE! All ages, all nationalities.....it is the evalution of the human race and we can't save everyone! Prayers to ALL the people suffering!
People are naive and American's in particular. This article does nothing but highlight that. YOu get an extremely sad situation, a child dying, and everyone wants to save the world. There are all kinds of children dying all over the world in similar situations. And as the typical media...they don't give the big picture- they highlight what is important for a GOOD story. Yeah $500,000 seem not too bad for a new heart. BUT....where was the price tag on a life time of immunosupression medication and the multiple hospital readmission the child WILL face. Does someone want to "volunteer" to pay that? In typical American fashion.....act like a hero but not be there in the end. I work with transplant patients and it is not as rosey as it seems.....not an easy fix to just get a new organ. Then think about everyone's complaints.....taxes are too high, health care is too expensive.....ever think why?? Because of these type of situations......our taxes and high health care cost ATTEMPTING to make up for all this "freeness" but it still don't come close to covering the end cost. And we wonder why our financial instution is in shambles. NObody thinks of the long term effects. And lets say, we as a country help this one boy out.....why is there no standards for them paying things back. Maybe not in direct dollars, but public service, or future endevours. Many immigrants get things from our country and give nothing in return.....which just puts up back to not being able to help others in the future. Such as the lady with her CP child- how will she ever begin to give back to medicaid....she won't....and she isn't the only one. It is a downward spiral....and the people that are making the decisions do so with few hard facts or knowledge.....they just don't want to be called heartless or inhumane by a ton of other people who just talk and don't do anything themselves either! HOw many people in this country ACTUALLY do something for people or for this country? But I am sorry to be the realist here.....as sad as it is, as inhumane it may sound......PEOPLE DIE! All ages, all nationalities.....it is the evalution of the human race and we can't save everyone! Prayers to ALL the people suffering!
I'm not heartless but the real truth is someone has to pay for his healthcare ane it appears we already have as he has had a lot of treatments already at Childrens Mercy. We even have to pay extra to translate because they havent even bothered to learn English. He is one child out of millions in this world that need help. Why does he deserve it more than anyone else? Why has he received so much media attention. Mexico is a country that uses and destroys it's resources rather than replenish them. They are here ILLEGALLY but we still let them stay. They take our jobs and send the money out of the local economy. They take their kids to the emergency room of hospitals when they have the flu, racking up huge bills that they have no intention of paying. Those that think he should stay should sell their homes or cars to pay for his treatment but I guarantee those that bitch the most about it will do nothing to help out of their own pocket. We need to take care of US citizens first and we don't. Same with Haiti. The French created that mess, let them fix it.
I'm not heartless but the real truth is someone has to pay for his healthcare ane it appears we already have as he has had a lot of treatments already at Childrens Mercy. We even have to pay extra to translate because they havent even bothered to learn English. He is one child out of millions in this world that need help. Why does he deserve it more than anyone else? Why has he received so much media attention. Mexico is a country that uses and destroys it's resources rather than replenish them. They are here ILLEGALLY but we still let them stay. They take our jobs and send the money out of the local economy. They take their kids to the emergency room of hospitals when they have the flu, racking up huge bills that they have no intention of paying. Those that think he should stay should sell their homes or cars to pay for his treatment but I guarantee those that bitch the most about it will do nothing to help out of their own pocket. We need to take care of US citizens first and we don't. Same with Haiti. The French created that mess, let them fix it.
some of you people are so ignorant and so uneducated its pitiful NOT ALL IMMIGRANTS expune the social services out there dont judge everyone based on your judgment learn the facts peopl...by the way there are SEVERAL HUNDREDS OF CITIZENS THAT DONT PAY THEIR HOSPITAL BILLS ITS NOT JUST IMMIGRANTS.....
How is it an injustice to not pay for the care of someone that broke the law to get here? We have laws, and everyone is supposed to obey them. I am very osrry for his condition, but they are here against the laws of this country. We can't go to Mexico and get the government health care without jumping through hoops, but since it is a teenager, we should drop all of our laws and give him millions in free care.
Go home and take your chances with your Socialist State Run Health Care. Mexico is your country, the US is ours.
some of you people are so ignorant and so uneducated its pitiful NOT ALL IMMIGRANTS expune the social services out there dont judge everyone based on your judgment learn the facts peopl...by the way there are SEVERAL HUNDREDS OF CITIZENS THAT DONT PAY THEIR HOSPITAL BILLS ITS NOT JUST IMMIGRANTS.....
How is it an injustice to not pay for the care of someone that broke the law to get here? We have laws, and everyone is supposed to obey them. I am very osrry for his condition, but they are here against the laws of this country. We can't go to Mexico and get the government health care without jumping through hoops, but since it is a teenager, we should drop all of our laws and give him millions in free care. Go home and take your chances with your Socialist State Run Health Care. Mexico is your country, the US is ours.
I don't understand how people can be so bound by borders. This child is dying. ANY dying child, I would hope that people would do their damndest to help. The whole illegal part is tired and ignorant. I thought we welcomed anyone who was in need. Some of you are really letting me down. I am in no way a hippie, but seriously, can't we all just get along? Or should we have a separate, smaller bus to drive "those damn im'grants" around? I would rather save a child's life with taxes or donations or anything, than sit and watch American Idol and complain. Butts. Get off them.
I don't understand how people can be so bound by borders. This child is dying. ANY dying child, I would hope that people would do their damndest to help. The whole illegal part is tired and ignorant. I thought we welcomed anyone who was in need. Some of you are really letting me down. I am in no way a hippie, but seriously, can't we all just get along? Or should we have a separate, smaller bus to drive "those damn im'grants" around? I would rather save a child's life with taxes or donations or anything, than sit and watch American Idol and complain. Butts. Get off them.
@chris from dallas the USA has enough trouble providing health care for its own citizens as you clearly pointed out, so why the hell do you think it should be out there giving free health care to citizens of other countries that do nothing but leech off of our societies services? The USA is not the wealthiest or most powerful, it hasn't been since the 90's. You're a fool if you actually believe anything different. You make it sound like the USA has enough wealth to match every other country combined. !NeWSFLASH! The USA is a relatively tiny country. It does not make up the sum of the world. The USA has its own problems, and you're wanting it to go out there and fix every other countries and their citizens problems. It's easier to say things than actually do them. It's easy to expect things than actually make them happen. You're asking your country to place the welfare of other countries above its own citizens. If you really think that is the right thing to do, go and place the welfare of a homeless man before yours. give him the deed to your home and the title to your vehicle. Because that's essentially what you're asking your country to do. You just don't get it do you moron. there are only 300 million americans, most of them middle class or poor. There are over 6 billion other people on this planet. WE CAN'T HELP THEM ALL, AND SHOULDN'T. We cannot afford to hand out welfare to the rest of the world and as Americans shouldn't be slaves to the rest of the world, much of which chooses to live how they do. If you had to look into the eyes of an AMERICAN child and tell them they were going to die because you decided a foreigner should get the heart instead, you might change your tune.
The cruelty and selfishness of several commenters here knows no bounds.
Our nation was founded on the principles of Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness. It is too bad that so many of our own uneducated citizens think only of themselves and fail to believe in what this nation stands for.
We are among the most wealthy and certainly are the most powerful nation in the world. Yet, millions upon millions of people are denied healthcare by greedy insurance executives. Policies are priced far too high for working people to afford.
So many have forgotten that, before Reagan, healthcare (hospitals) and insurance (Blue Cross/Blue Shield for example) were primarily non-profit. It was considered unseemly that organizations should retain profits from the misfortunes and ailments that people encounter in life. Sure, the employees, doctors, nurses, administrators made a living, but the institutions themselves were often non-profit.
Today, with the For Profit healthcare system, our nation has tilted even farther toward haves and have nots. That is not what the founders of this country believed in. They specifically tried to arrange it so that wealthy families did not accumulate power and money over time. Our founders mistrusted aristocracy and people like them. And here we are today: The rich can live and the poor can die, all because of For Profit healthcare. No money? No treatment.
And the smug "Christians" sit at home, casting aspersions on those less fortunate than themselves. Christ, save me from your followers!
Why doesn't this article mention where people can donate? How can we contact the fundraisers to help? The Pitch could have done much better by allowing readers to contribute to Eduardo's fund.
All those keyboard critics ask yourselves this: What if this happened to your neighbor kid? To your niece or nephew? To your grandchild? A child in your classroom?
Do you value life so little that you are willing to throw it away like this? How many of you are Anti-Choice, yet anti-healthcare for the poor? Pretty hypocritical, huh?
The cruelty and selfishness of several commenters here knows no bounds. Our nation was founded on the principles of Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness. It is too bad that so many of our own uneducated citizens think only of themselves and fail to believe in what this nation stands for. We are among the most wealthy and certainly are the most powerful nation in the world. Yet, millions upon millions of people are denied healthcare by greedy insurance executives. Policies are priced far too high for working people to afford. So many have forgotten that, before Reagan, healthcare (hospitals) and insurance (Blue Cross/Blue Shield for example) were primarily non-profit. It was considered unseemly that organizations should retain profits from the misfortunes and ailments that people encounter in life. Sure, the employees, doctors, nurses, administrators made a living, but the institutions themselves were often non-profit. Today, with the For Profit healthcare system, our nation has tilted even farther toward haves and have nots. That is not what the founders of this country believed in. They specifically tried to arrange it so that wealthy families did not accumulate power and money over time. Our founders mistrusted aristocracy and people like them. And here we are today: The rich can live and the poor can die, all because of For Profit healthcare. No money? No treatment. And the smug "Christians" sit at home, casting aspersions on those less fortunate than themselves. Christ, save me from your followers! Why doesn't this article mention where people can donate? How can we contact the fundraisers to help? The Pitch could have done much better by allowing readers to contribute to Eduardo's fund. All those keyboard critics ask yourselves this: What if this happened to your neighbor kid? To your niece or nephew? To your grandchild? A child in your classroom? Do you value life so little that you are willing to throw it away like this? How many of you are Anti-Choice, yet anti-healthcare for the poor? Pretty hypocritical, huh?
what many people don't realize is that the USA policy on illegals is a direct results of the policy the Mexicans made. They are very brutal to illegals and are quick to deport them.
The kid needs a new heart, he has plenty of time to be shipped to his own country. It's not like it's an immediate life threatening illness like choking or cardiac arrest....he can live long enough to be transported to his country of origin and then some. But you know what, In mexico he probably wouldn't find a heart anyways...NOT OUR FAULT.
To give an illegal a heart from a citizen would be horrible. We can't allow it because anytime someone needs a medical procedure they could just end up on our shores demanding free health care and free organ replacements, coming from our own people! Even putting him at the bottom of a donor list in the USA would be too much, because every person added after him may lose their chance. It's not like we have an overabundance of organs to spare, we don't have enough for every american on the list let alone foreigners.
Think about this, your daughter needs a new heart. there's a match, but it's given to someone who is in your country illegally and by all rights shouldn't be. On top of that they got it for free, and now you have to watch your daughter die a slow painful death because of someone from another country. This situation would be far more tragic than some illegal dieing.
When you place the welfare of other countries and their citizens above your own, you are a traitor to your country.
The author and commentors should be ashamed of themselves. you're putting other people before your own people. if a stranger and your child were drowning, who would you save if you could only save one? we all know the answer to that. we don't need millions of foreigners coming here to get free health care and transplants. we already have enough problems with foreigners and illegals clogging up the medical system as it is. by saving this boy you would be damning another. this is not the United States of Earth.
Hey, I just thought of something! Something positive!
Perhaps one of America's wealthy elite could sponsor the boy and pay for his operation!
Someone like... a professional athlete! Sure! Some of them make this much in just a single game!
How about a wealthy and prominent member of one of our profitable oil companies, or banks?
Pocket change! And imagine the goodwill it will generate with the immigrant community!
I'll be here waiting. For this to happen.
For a very long time.
You know, there are actual tax-paying US citizens who are also denied organ transplantation due to financial difficulties. As tragic as Loredo's case may be, it is not unique, and it is certainly not deserving of special consideration. Also, if you read into his mother's reasoning for not going back to Mexico, you'd get the impression that she cares more about remaining illegally in the US and sponging off our social services than the well-being of her son.
what many people don't realize is that the USA policy on illegals is a direct results of the policy the Mexicans made. They are very brutal to illegals and are quick to deport them. The kid needs a new heart, he has plenty of time to be shipped to his own country. It's not like it's an immediate life threatening illness like choking or cardiac arrest....he can live long enough to be transported to his country of origin and then some. But you know what, In mexico he probably wouldn't find a heart anyways...NOT OUR FAULT. To give an illegal a heart from a citizen would be horrible. We can't allow it because anytime someone needs a medical procedure they could just end up on our shores demanding free health care and free organ replacements, coming from our own people! Even putting him at the bottom of a donor list in the USA would be too much, because every person added after him may lose their chance. It's not like we have an overabundance of organs to spare, we don't have enough for every american on the list let alone foreigners. Think about this, your daughter needs a new heart. there's a match, but it's given to someone who is in your country illegally and by all rights shouldn't be. On top of that they got it for free, and now you have to watch your daughter die a slow painful death because of someone from another country. This situation would be far more tragic than some illegal dieing. When you place the welfare of other countries and their citizens above your own, you are a traitor to your country. The author and commentors should be ashamed of themselves. you're putting other people before your own people. if a stranger and your child were drowning, who would you save if you could only save one? we all know the answer to that. we don't need millions of foreigners coming here to get free health care and transplants. we already have enough problems with foreigners and illegals clogging up the medical system as it is. by saving this boy you would be damning another. this is not the United States of Earth.
Hey, I just thought of something! Something positive! Perhaps one of America's wealthy elite could sponsor the boy and pay for his operation! Someone like... a professional athlete! Sure! Some of them make this much in just a single game! How about a wealthy and prominent member of one of our profitable oil companies, or banks? Pocket change! And imagine the goodwill it will generate with the immigrant community! I'll be here waiting. For this to happen. For a very long time.
You know, there are actual tax-paying US citizens who are also denied organ transplantation due to financial difficulties. As tragic as Loredo's case may be, it is not unique, and it is certainly not deserving of special consideration. Also, if you read into his mother's reasoning for not going back to Mexico, you'd get the impression that she cares more about remaining illegally in the US and sponging off our social services than the well-being of her son.
So, if a child born in america is in Mexico illegally and needs a new heart, would their system put him in front of Mexico's own citizens? Hmmmm?
Nope.
I know we're not Mexico, but it's not our obligation to give unlimited free health care to every sick person that crosses the border illegally.
She should return to Mexico and try her luck there, or get citizenship, and do some fundraising, and get on the list.
Sorry.
So, if a child born in america is in Mexico illegally and needs a new heart, would their system put him in front of Mexico's own citizens? Hmmmm? Nope. I know we're not Mexico, but it's not our obligation to give unlimited free health care to every sick person that crosses the border illegally. She should return to Mexico and try her luck there, or get citizenship, and do some fundraising, and get on the list. Sorry.
Wow, isnt that so sad. The medical system is all about MONEY and nothng else.
Jess
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