I noted the following at the time that Dr. Cathy Baldwin Johnson's utterly lame "medical statement" was released but with the election and all the activity since then, I never returned to it.
Today, since the publication of last night's Prom Picture, many people have written to me questioning whether or not Trig Palin actually was born on April 17th. Obviously, I don't know; I wasn't there. My position is that Gov. Palin was in a huge hurry to reach Mat-Su Hospital in Palmer Alaska on April 17th. A HUGE HURRY. So much of a rush that she traveled many hours, in a very public way and in a way that caused her to come under considerable scrutiny. I've said from the start that I doubted very much that it was because they had wonderful birthing rooms... but of course I could be wrong.
This renewed interest in that aspect of the story though reminded me of something that I had read in Dr. C. B-J's statement that had caused me to pause at the time. It still does. Here is the statement:
He [Trig] had some minor problems with jaundice that required phototherapy in the hospital and at home for several days.
In the hospital? When? Trig was released from the hospital on April 19th, a Saturday. On Monday (21st), Gov. Palin was back in her office. On Tuesday, she gave a speech... we have photos. So when was this baby back in the hospital? Why was nothing said to the press?
This is a woman who supposedly believes, devoutly, in the power of prayer. I know of folks who attend churches and congregations like Gov. Palin's. They have prayer chains, and prayer circles, and prayer trees, and I don't know, prayer coffee klatches. She refers to herself as a "Prayer Warrior" in her interview with Dr. James Dobson.
As a lactation consultant, I know that when the decision is made to readmit a newborn for jaundice, the docs are fairly concerned about the baby. If the situation is not treated properly and promptly, serious long-term mental retardation can result. While not an "emergency," the situation is NOT trivial. I have visited many such families in the hospital, and comforted weeping mothers as they sat vigil by isolettes, watching their newborns, eyes covered with a little mask. In spite of my reassurances, the mothers are often inconsolable with worry. When a baby is readmitted for phototherapy, it's not an outpatient procedure. They typically keep babies 2-3 days. It CAN be treated at home... but Dr. B-J STATES that he was treated in the hospital.
Given what we know about Gov. Palin's belief in the power of prayer, it's incomprehensible to me that there would not have been some sort of public announcement that little Trig was back in the hospital for several days, with requests for "your thoughts and prayers." And surely there would have some adjustment in Sarah Palin's schedule? Some sign that her child was hospitalized? Why hide this from the press? But again, as with so many other factors of this birth, we have nothing. A blank. It's like Trig came from nowhere and promptly went back to nowhere.
Just another thing - to be added to the long list of things - that doesn't make sense.
