Justina Pelletier Back In The Hospital
Justina Pelletier is back in the hospital. The Connecticut teenager spent more than a year in the hospital after the state took custody from her parents. Pelletier, 16, is being treated for gastrointestinal problems at the Yale-New Haven Hospital, according to her older sister.
Pelletier visited the hospital one other time for the same issue during the past two weeks, according to statements her sister made to Fox News. “She’s in a tremendous amount of pain, mostly in her GI area. They’re trying to treat the pain and keep her comfortable,” Jennifer Pelletier added. The older sibling maintains that Justina was beginning to “return to normalcy” but now she is back in the last place she wanted to be – the hospital. The doctors have not yet reportedly made a complete diagnosis about the physical issues currently plaguing Justina Pelletier, but Jennifer noted that the medical staff has been “great” to work with.
As previously reported by the Inquisitr, The Connecticut teenager was diagnosed with mitochondrial disease several years ago. The condition is a genetic disorder that often causes weakness and the loss of muscle coordination. But she lived a normal life. Last February, Justina was hospitalized for the flu. After being admitted to Boston Children’s Hospital, she was set to be examined by her specialist. Before the anticipated doctor could see Justina, a different team of doctors arrived and questioned the original diagnosis and declared an entirely different condition was impacting the young woman.
Lou Pelletier, the teen’s father, deemed the actions that have kept Justina from her home “kidnapping.” Before a local judge issued a gag order in the case. “It’s beyond any wildest nightmare that you could think of,” the distraught father said at the time. Linda Pelletier, the girl’s mother, said that the new crew of doctors informed them that Justina had somatoform disorder. If the mother’s statements are accurate, Boston Children’s Hospital staffers immediately called the state’s Department of Children and Family, and the state refused to let the parents leave with their child. Somatoform disorder is a mental, not a physical illness.
Since being returned to her family, Justina Pelletier’s Facebook page has been filled with photos of the teenager celebrating the return with friends and family, visits to the zoo, and other family activities. The lengthy stay at Boston Children’s hospital was detrimental to Justina’s health, her sister claims. The siblings contend that doctors were negligent in handling her medical condition properly and ignored her symptoms – such as removing her heart mediation. Lou and Linda Pelletier are currently staying by their daughter’s bedside at Yale-New Haven.
What do you think about Justina Pelletier needing to be hospitalized again and claims that Boston Children’s could be at least partially to blame?
[Image via: Fox News]
