Posted on 01/29/2012 11:55:09 PM PST by Anti-Hillary
Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum, who scaled back campaign appearances to be with his 3-year-old daughter, Bella, at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, said Sunday night the little girl was getting better and should be able to go home in a few days.
Speaking to Florida supporters by phone from Bella's hospital room, Santorum said she'd had a rough 36 hours with pneumonia, but was awake, alert and back to being a "beautiful, happy girl."
Bella, one of seven Santorum children, suffers from a serious genetic disorder called Trisomy 18, a condition caused by a third copy of material from chromosome 18 instead of two, leading to a wide array of physical and mental problems.
His campaign had released a statement Sunday morning saying Santorum intended to "return to Florida and resume the campaign schedule as soon as is possible." Florida's primary election is Tuesday.
Bella, whose full name is Isabella Maria Santorum, has become a symbol of Santorum's steadfast pro-life stance on the campaign trail.
He has mentioned her in interviews and at events, saying in a video in October: "Bella makes us better."
In a column Santorum wrote for The Inquirer in 2010, he said his daughter's condition requires constant attention and "she is worth every tear."
Trisomy 18 is a relatively common genetic disorder found in one in 3,000 births, according to Victoria Miller, executive director of the Trisomy 18 Foundation, based in Virginia. Most babies die soon after birth or are stillborn, making it "a hidden disorder," Miller said.
Trisomy 18 causes problems throughout the body, involving the brain and heart, as well as respiratory and digestive systems. Weak muscles and other developmental disabilities make it difficult to perform simple tasks - like breathing and swallowing.
Santorum has said that Bella was brought home from the hospital with a prescription for oxygen and that even a cold could prove life-threatening for her.
Only "a small percentage of children" survive past their first year, said Miller, who has no direct knowledge of Bella's medical status. Individual life expectancy depends on how the disorder manifests, she said.
"Every child is different," Miller explained.
Bella Santorum was diagnosed with Trisomy 18 several hours after her birth. Santorum has spoken about the agony that followed, including arguments he and his wife, Karen, had with doctors who wanted the family to allow their youngest daughter to die. They ultimately entrusted Bella's care with Thane A. Blinman, a surgeon at CHOP. Blinman has had good results with several other Trisomy 18 patients, Santorum has said.
At a conservative forum in November, Santorum related several serious health scares involving Bella, including when she, at 5 months old, stopped breathing while he was caring for her. His wife, a nurse, resuscitated Bella, and she later recovered.
Santorum said he was motivated to run for president in part to repeal the federal health-reform law conservative critics have dubbed "Obamacare," saying it would make it harder for children like Bella to get treatments.
He also told CNN's Christiane Amanpour that Bella has inspired him to "make sure we have a country that respects her life."
Santorum has largely kept his daughter off his campaign schedules, preferring her to stay home with his wife. But Bella did join him for a few days leading up to Iowa's straw poll in August, and she joined her family in Charleston, S.C., earlier this month for that state's primary.
Bella is not the first of the Santorums' children with serious health challenges.
In 1996, son Gabriel was diagnosed with a fatal birth defect while still in utero.
The couple decided to proceed with the pregnancy, and Karen developed a life-threatening infection when she was 20 weeks pregnant, forcing an early delivery.
Gabriel died two hours after birth.
Their experience is chronicled in Karen Santorum's 1998 book, "Letters to Gabriel: The True Story of Gabriel Michael Santorum."
On Sunday, Santorum's oldest daughter, Elizabeth, was campaigning in his stead - though the candidate still had two evening "tele-town hall" events with Florida and Minnesota voters that were scheduled to go forward that night.
An answer to prayers!! MANY prayers!!
I am so very glad to hear our prayers were answered! Today I heard on KFI that it was pneumonia she had and I really worried. Gd bless that pretty little thing.
Hurrah, Bella!
He sure has a lot on his plate just now.
Glad to hear the girl is going to be OK.
Prayers up....
That’s wonderful news to read. Bless her sweet heart.
I’m sorry, but I think at this time, Rick Santorum’s priorities are skewed. He should be with his family, not putting the entire burden on his wife. He is campaigning for an office he cannot win while his family faces challnges that are beyond measure.
Thank God! Praying she’ll continue with her recuperation.
Great news!
Praise God!
Great news. Now get back to work Rick! You did good by looking over your family. Now get back to work for the American people. Make a speech or something today. The Duggars did your appointments yesterday and now today you need to go meet your supporters. It would be great for you to get second place after Newt tomorrow.
Oh, what a happy day it would be for Santorum to come in 2nd behind newt tomorrow!
This is what I have been praying for. Florida could change history by going Newt and Santorum in the top two.
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