Posted on 08/18/2008 2:03:25 PM PDT by Tennessee Nana
At 7 months old, Kemberly Méndez doesnt roll over or sit in a propped-up position. Her right thumb is flexed downward; her index finger is a nubbin and the rest of her right-hand fingers are webbed.
Her short life has consisted of physical therapy sessions and visits to specialists who are treating her for Poland syndrome, a pattern of one-sided body malformations, usually on the right side, that are present at birth.
But all the care Kemberly, a U.S. citizen, is receiving at Erlanger hospital and at the Shriners Hospital in Lexington, Ky., is in limbo because her mother is an illegal immigrant.
Kemberlys mother, Lubia del Cid, a 35-year-old Guatemalan native living in Rossville, was among 100 Pilgrims Pride workers arrested on April 16. But because she had a previous deportation order, her situation is on hold, her attorney, David Elliott, said.
Immigration agents caught Ms. del Cid as she crossed the Texas-Mexico border four years ago. She was given a notice to appear in court. Because she didnt understand what the notice was, she said she didnt go and missed a deportation hearing.
Mr. Elliott said hes asking the federal government to consider Kemberlys medical needs in resolving her mothers case.
Kemberlys medical needs are Ms. del Cids greatest worry.
I just want my daughter to live a normal life, and I know thats not going to be possible for her in Guatemala, she said, cradling Kemberly in her arms.
Handicapped children in Guatemala are treated very differently than here, she said. Over there they dont understand that theyre sick; they just make fun of them.
Ms. del Cid said doctors will try to operate on Kemberlys hand in one to two years as her bones mature. Her daughter also will require a plate in her chest because of muscle deficiency.
Dr. Cathy A. Stevens, director of medical genetics at T.C. Thompson Childrens Hospital, said although the rest of Kemberlys body and mind are normal, the babys anomaly affects her motor development and she might need long-term physical therapy.
Before Ms. del Cid was arrested, she would send $200 to $300 every two weeks to her three teenage sons still in Guatemala to help pay for their schooling.
What would I be able to offer them if I go back? asked Ms. del Cid, who also has a 2-year-old daughter, Ashley Méndez, living here.
Since she was released with a monitoring ankle bracelet, Ms. del Cid has sold Guatemalan tamales and cut neighbors hair to bring in some money.
I have to find a way to feed my children here and send money back to my children in Guatemala, Ms. del Cid said. Im their father and mother.
HAHA! Had I spent the effort to scroll down, you’d have saved me some keystrokes.
PS, it’d take a bigger can than THAT to cover the pile laid by THAT quote...;-)
Get ready for the looting and plundering----we're looking at a major transfer of wealth to Tijuana.
The seedy Mexicans are salivating at the thought of getting their filthy hands on US treasure.
And to think the Barbarians, the Vandals, and the Huns used force-----here we have a president opening the gates, giving a blank check to invaders, opening up US highways to facilitate hauling away US wealth.
Interesting note----the connection could not be anymore obvious. Crafty Hernandez is reading from the same playbook (translated into Espanol) used to transfer US treasure to greedsters in seedy Mideast hellholes.
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