Jon and Kate Plus 8 official Thread, Part 2!!

[KandD]

Just a thought...Jon's father was a dentist so maybe Kate got a professional courtesy for her braces? Or maybe a break on the price?
I don't know....I just find it hard to believe that Medicaid would pay for an adult to get braces but stranger things have happened!

 

[pamouselover]

Just a thought...Jon's father was a dentist so maybe Kate got a professional courtesy for her braces? Or maybe a break on the price?
I don't know....I just find it hard to believe that Medicaid would pay for an adult to get braces but stranger things have happened!

They did say on the show when they got there teeth whiten, that it was a friend of the family who did it for free.

 

[Yzerbear19]

Just a thought...Jon's father was a dentist so maybe Kate got a professional courtesy for her braces? Or maybe a break on the price?
I don't know....I just find it hard to believe that Medicaid would pay for an adult to get braces but stranger things have happened!

That was what I was thinking as well.

 

[pamouselover]

Yes, she did go back to work after the tups were born for a while (on Saturdays.) She had to stop because it wasn't working. Honestly, Jon just couldn't handle all of them by himself (and that's no offense to him at all; I personally think he's a wonderful Dad, although at times snippy.) Also, it's not like she could have gone back to work full time...can you imagine how much daycare would have been for 8 children? Not worth her working that's for sure; and while she is a nurse and could have worked nights while Jon was home with the kids; when would she have slept? She wouldn't have been able to sleep in the daytime with the kids. I don't really see a better decision for them.

She could have worked 3-11pm, since there where plenty of volunteers helping then out. I know a friend who is a nurse and just works 4pm to 8pm.My thing is, they should have thought about all that before decide to go through with the procedures.

I don't see how PA can afford to pay for Kate's braces if they can't save money at Banana Republic Factory Stores.


Completely OT, but I got DME docs today!!!!!!!!!

Congrats on the docs.
I don’t know either! I think she has moved up in her clothes now. She is visiting New York a lot lately.

Same here in Michigan. The kids can barely get their teeth cleaned or cavity filled. It is really bad!

Here in California it's really hard to get braces paid by Medi-cal. It has to be a really bad case in order for them to pay. I work on the high school campus for kids that need help beyond education and we see kids in and out all day that need dental care. They are lucky they can get their cavities filled.

Deb

That is really shame. That is what makes me mad, people who need the help either don’t ask for it, or don’t get it. You have to know how to abuse the system.I worked in a school and was amazed that if your child has the slightest disability you can get free health ins.for them. One of my students I knew had money. I knew what both of his parents did for a living. They lived in an amazing house, and he got a brand new mustang for his birthday. He was asking me why I bring my lunch one day instead of buying from the cafeteria and I said well I have braces to pay for laughing and joking towards the other teacher in the room. He said oh mine were free because I have ADD and get free health Insurance.

wow, really? I never knew Medicare covered cosmetic dental work. Why do they cover cosmetic work? That sucks for me...I paid $5000 for DD19's braces and now I'm paying another $5000 for DD11. DD8's braces are coming up in a few years too...she sucked her thumb .

In the same boat. I paid $4000.00 for DS, he just finshed up. DD will start in the summer when we dont have a dance bill. I am sure it has gone up.I always tell DH that was a trip to Disney.

How many tax payers are in the state of PA? I'm just trying to figure out exactly how much you paid for Kate's braces. I'm sorry, but I just really don't get why ppl. just can't be grateful for what they have? God forbid something ever happens to you (the general you) and you need help from the state you live in... I just don't get it. I've personally never had any kind of government/state assistant, but I'm grateful that I'm well enough off that I don't need to, and I don't mind helping out a little for others that aren't as well off. I'm grateful that there's a system in place in case I or anyone else I care about falls on hard times. I think I've just heard way too much of the complaining about this kind of stuff lately (especially with the new mom of 14.) It just really bothers me that ppl. act like they only care about themselves. Why can't we just be happy/grateful for what we have

I am very grateful for what I have, which is from my husband and me working hard. Believe me we have had hard times. We did not have health insurance, due to my husbands company changing hands and the new company stopped paying the premiums. But they where still taking it out of his pay. This happened after a plan pregnancy, which we then had to go and take out loans at our credit union to pre pay hospital and doctors. I was 6 months, and we could not even pick up the cobra plan. I would have like to have more children, but we knew we could not financially afford to have anymore. My husband makes double of what Jon was making when they decide to have multiply births. Jon and Kate knew they could not afford to have more children. But they didn’t care. She has stated that it was the state of Pa. responsible to take care of her children. To me Jon and Kate are no better then this new lady. Neither of them thought things through, and did not care.

 

[mousey]

I totally agree--Jon and Kate are just as guilty as the mother of these octuplets. Big deal, so there married. Does that make it right to exploit your kids. Even Dr. Phil is getting flamed for having the expert "Kate" on his show telling how tough it is with only 8 kids! Maybe they can teach this new mother how to beg for donations. Maybe TLC will give her a piece of the action. What people will do for money!!!!

 

[TotalSnowWhite]

I totally agree--Jon and Kate are just as guilty as the mother of these octuplets. Big deal, so there married. Does that make it right to exploit your kids. Even Dr. Phil is getting flamed for having the expert "Kate" on his show telling how tough it is with only 8 kids! Maybe they can teach this new mother how to beg for donations. Maybe TLC will give her a piece of the action. What people will do for money!!!!

I don't know whom you are agreeing with, and I normally don't comment on the drive-by posters...but you've got to be kidding me!!!

The only similarities in these families are the rare number of children, the infertility (which I'm not even sure Octomom had issues with) and the media attention.

Ridiculous.

 

[MichelleVW]

I don't know whom you are agreeing with, and I normally don't comment on the drive-by posters...but you've got to be kidding me!!!

The only similarities in these families are the rare number of children, the infertility (which I'm not even sure Octomom had issues with) and the media attention.

Ridiculous.

Drive By Posters!!! You crack me up!!

 

[madge]

They did say on the show when they got there teeth whiten, that it was a friend of the family who did it for free.

it was Jon's dad's former partner... at the dad's old practice, IIRC.

 

[madge]

I can't believe the transformation this gal has gone through. It's not just physical... but her lips are something. I can't stop looking at the center line (of her teeth) being so off. Isn't she wearing invisalign? I didn't notice it until her lips were puffed up.

it's been rumored on the blogs for a while that she's wearing invisalign braces now.

 

[brockash]

.

 

[allison443]

This octuplet mom has been a real media blitz for Kate-I saw a clip of her on Dr. Phil with a huge picture of the book "Multiple Bles8ings" as a backdrop. I have to say I think she looks great and she seems pretty well-spoken and composed. I think from a business perspective this is helping their future prospects.

Now, I do think she has to walk a thin line...there has been a lot of talk how it was wrong for the octuplet mom to have the eight embryos implanted and the usual guidelines for a person her age call for two only...iirc Jon and Kate were supposed to have seven..now I think they used a different method and please forgive my ignorance of it, but they have to be careful there isn't a backlash to them for having a procedure which could and did result in six births. Miraculously none of the tups are disabled but from what I've read that is not always the case.
Also the octuplet mom is getting criticism for not having a well paying career, vague future career goals, not having the means to support the kids. Flash back to when the Gosselins sextuplets were born: wasn't Jon unemployed, yes Kate was a nurse, but like was posted above it was impossible for them both to work. If not for the TLC deal would they be able to support eight kids in the "middle class" lifestyle without volunteers, donations, etc.?
I am in no way defending the octuplet mom but I just think J&K have to be careful in their comments..and I think they are being careful.
I have posted before that I think J&K are being very business minded and very shrewd in parlaying the show's run into future businesses/ventures to continue their success in the future, maybe once the show has run its course. I give them credit for that.

 

[madge]

.

;

 

[ColleenG]

Here's my take on the differences between Octuplet Mom and Kate.

1. The Procedures
Kate-Interuterin Insemination (IUI) Kate was given fertility drugs to make her ovulate and then sperm was injected into her uterus, not knowing or having any control over how many eggs were released.

Octup Mom-Invitro Fertilazation (IVF) Her eggs were harvested and fertilized, then a CHOSEN number of embryos were implanted. She and/or her doctor CHOSE to have 8 embryos (or 6 as she claims) implanted.

2. The Financial Situation
Jon & Kate-At the time of their conception, Jon and Kate were both emplyoed (as far as I know Kate said she worked for a short while early on in her pregnancy, then had to go on bed rest). Jon certainly didn't plan on loosing his job while his wife was pregnant. After the tups were born Kate was working some. As someone posted earlier, I'm sure daycare for 8 kids would cost more than she was making in a shift or pretty close to it. Disclaimer: This is no way a knock on single parents. BUT Kate and Jon are committed to each other so there is someone else to help and someone else who can bring home a paycheck to provide for the family.

Octup Mom-She knowingly concieved without having a source of income, other than what public assistance she was recieving. She MADE SURE her ex-husband/friend who ever he was that was the sperm donor would have no obligation to these children. Therefore no financial or parental help. Her mother claims to have begged her not to do this, probably beacuse she knew she would be the one providing for all these kids. She already was providing a home for the 6 kids she already had.

3. The other kids
Jon & Kate-If anyone remembers when they were on Oprah, they said one of their concerns was what had they done to Maddy and Cara. Right off the bat they realized this would be a big issue for their other kids.

Octup Mom-In the interview with Anne Curry, when asked how the other 6 kids would be affected by 8 babies, she seemed to shake it off as "Well they'll just get used to it" (not a direct quote, just her attitude).

So even though the Gosselin tups weren't born at the ideal time for their parents, the circumstances weren't necessarily in their parents control. The octuplets mom certainly could have choosen to wait until her financial situation was much better.

That's just my opinion.

 

[TotalSnowWhite]

This octuplet mom has been a real media blitz for Kate-I saw a clip of her on Dr. Phil with a huge picture of the book "Multiple Bles8ings" as a backdrop. I have to say I think she looks great and she seems pretty well-spoken and composed. I think from a business perspective this is helping their future prospects.

Madge...still don't think it's a PR dream?

 

[brockash]

;

Yeah, I tried saying something, but it wasn't making sense I think it's a sign that I need to go to bed.

 

[allison443]

Colleen, your points are well taken, and thank you for explaining the different procedures. I haven't read the Gosselins book and I don't think they've explained the procedure on the show. With the IUI procedure, was there a high possiblity of multiples or was this a one in a million case where sextuplets were born? I guess I'm wondering if having sextuplets was a totally suprising outcome that the doctors couldn't have predicted? That is the way they make it sound on the show (we tried for one more, and ended up with six!)

I definitely agree that the Gosselins were in a much better position than the octuplet mom when their multiples were born! Plus all their kids are miraculously healthy, they have a successful show, a huge new house, etc.
I just have been hearing calls for regulating fertility treatments, and backlash against having kids that you cannot support without government assistance. Due to circumstances, the Gosselins did get govt. assistance after the babies were born. I'm not saying they didn't need it-obviously they qualified. I just think they have to be careful in their commentary on the octuplet mom, kwim?

 

[madge]

Madge...still don't think it's a PR dream?

I made my comments before the Dr. Phil show.

and before I learned that before the Octupets birth, viewership of JK8 was declining. the episode immediately following the announcement up the birth .. ratings were higher than ever.

maybe Kate is coaching Octomom from afar?

(before anyone says a thing, it's a joke. it is meant to be as a joke .. no need for panties in a wad ... LOLOL)

I will now concede that yes, this may be a temporary PR dream ....

 

[Fantasmic303]

Colleen, your points are well taken, and thank you for explaining the different procedures. I haven't read the Gosselins book and I don't think they've explained the procedure on the show. With the IUI procedure, was there a high possiblity of multiples or was this a one in a million case where sextuplets were born? I guess I'm wondering if having sextuplets was a totally suprising outcome that the doctors couldn't have predicted? That is the way they make it sound on the show (we tried for one more, and ended up with six!)

I have a friend going through this, so I'll share what I understand from her experience.

With IUI, there is still a fairly high possibility of multiples, but, as Colleen said a few posts up, it's a gamble. In my friend's case, they are "helping" to stimulate her follicles and monitoring the growth of her eggs very closely. Where she normally would only release one egg per cycle, the drugs she is on make it possible for more "targets" (as we like to call them) to be released. Some of them will be too small to be viable, but they monitor very closely and will skip the insemination for the month if she's overstimulated. They don't want to take the chance of half a dozen targets - they have told her that if there are more than three of a certain size, they will skip.

With that being said, they have warned her that even if there are "only" three, they can't guarantee that a) all three won't take b) that none of the three will split and c) that there aren't other viable eggs "hiding" somewhere they can't really see. They may only have three visible that are at 20, but there might be a 14 that unexpectedly fertilizes.

Obviously we don't know what Kate's situation was, and maybe it was a bigger risk than she should've taken. I'm sure doctors (and parents, for that matter) have different views about what's considered a bigger risk and what risks they're willing to take to get "just one".

 

[ColleenG]

Colleen, your points are well taken, and thank you for explaining the different procedures. I haven't read the Gosselins book and I don't think they've explained the procedure on the show. With the IUI procedure, was there a high possiblity of multiples or was this a one in a million case where sextuplets were born? I guess I'm wondering if having sextuplets was a totally suprising outcome that the doctors couldn't have predicted? That is the way they make it sound on the show (we tried for one more, and ended up with six!)

I definitely agree that the Gosselins were in a much better position than the octuplet mom when their multiples were born! Plus all their kids are miraculously healthy, they have a successful show, a huge new house, etc.
I just have been hearing calls for regulating fertility treatments, and backlash against having kids that you cannot support without government assistance. Due to circumstances, the Gosselins did get govt. assistance after the babies were born. I'm not saying they didn't need it-obviously they qualified. I just think they have to be careful in their commentary on the octuplet mom, kwim?

I totally know what you mean and I agree J&K have to watch it since they were getting state assistance. I think they even without the show had the means to get off public assistance, where as the octup mom could be on it for a very long time.

I have not read Multiple Blessings, I've just seen most episodes of J&K+8 multiple times. I am certainly not an expert on IUI, I would guess that there is a likelyhood of lower order multiples (2 or 3) but not 6. I remember somewhere Kate saying that they were a fertility nightmare.

I remember watching J&K on Oprah and got the impression that they were somewhat upset at the news that they were having 6 and worried about how they would deal with it, financially, logistically, and the effect it would have on Cara and Maddy. Whereas octup mom just seemed to not be worried about how she would support these kids, or the impact on the other kids. I truely believe she is delusional in the true psychiatric meaning. I just can't fathom choosing to be impregnated with 8 embryos knowing I couldn't provide for the 6 kids I already had.

I do believe J&K really hoped to only have one more. I'm sure they must have known their chances of having at least twins was greater due to the fertility treatment. So at the very least they would have 4 kids. That I can relate to, although not two sets of twins.

There are a lot of families in our town with 4 kids and we all joke that we are in the Four, No More club. LOL

Thank you for an intelligent conversation. Sometimes things can get a little out of hand on this thread.

 

[ColleenG]

Kylene, Thanks for the further info on IUI. I was wondering how or if they could monitor how many eggs are released and if they were able to be fertilized.