There's been a setback in the ongoing saga to save the life of a 6-month-old Indiana boy.
Paperwork that was supposed to have been sent from a managed care organization to Duke University Medical Center in North Carolina has been delayed and, as a consequence, has postponed the potentially life-saving surgery that young Seth Petreikis needs, his mother wrote Wednesday.
"Because of MD Wise taking their sweet time Seth has lost his place at Duke for now," Becky Petreikis posted in a message on Facebook.
Seth Petreikis was diagnosed with DiGeorge Syndrome shortly after he was born. The rare and fatal condition inhibits the body's immune system and only one doctor in the United States performs the surgery that could save his life.
That doctor, Becky Petreikis explained, only takes one patient at a time.
"Another baby (whose paper work sailed through) will be going to Duke ahead of Seth," she wrote.
She said the earliest her son might be seen is at the end of the month "and that is not set in stone," she said.
"Let me say that I do hope and pray that the other baby does wonderfully and the transplant is successful. I also pray for strength for the parents," she added.
MDWise stepped into the picture shortly before Christmas after the family's insurance company denied the surgeries, deeming them "experimental."
| Full Coverage: Seth Petreikis |
