And then there were.........14!!!!!!!

Advanced, upgrade, new and improved, hi-tech, state of the art, better than before, etc. are all words used to describe literally every facet of man's life in this 21st century. There is no aspect of our daily routine that does not involve a utility of superior and better standards. As a human race we have progressed and revolutionized nearly every element and component of life on earth. No doubt, in the process we have ruined and destroyed plenty. Global warming, increased CO2 emissions, destruction of animal habitats, extinction of animal species, environmental pollution, deforestation are all dilemmas that did not just slam us in the face overnight. We've progressed in these areas as well. I can safely say no one was anticipating in the 19th century, when the industrial revolution began, that one day the very land we live on and the grass we walk on would give way to landfills.

But for now, I want to focus on the consequences of the "positive" outcomes of man's endeavor to make life better, faster, simpler, easier, convenient, and perhaps more enjoyable. No matter where you look, we have, quiet unpretentiously, outdone ourselves! We've improved nearly EVERYTHING!! This endeavor is clearly evident in any industry you look at: engineering, communication, transportation, agriculture, construction, manufacturing, health, recreation, media, arts, internet, and science---we have created innovations in these fields like never before. And I think the amount of invention and research done in the field of medicine and health-care is remarkable. But as we all know, everything has 2 sides. While we may be benefiting from the facility of better treatments, better medical equipment, better understanding of the human body and illnesses and how to cope with them, we've also in the process started to exploit these innovations. My reference is towards Nadya Suleman and her octuplets. The advent of infertility treatments has become the magical wand that makes a dream come true for innumerable women around the world. But did Dr. Patrick Steptoe and Dr. Robert Edwards (both credited for the world's first test-tube baby in 1978) ever imagine that their hard work, which in the coming years would serve as a substantial guideline for in vitro fertilization, might be exploited and misused? Definitely their contributions and accomplishments, which generated this medical breakthrough, gave renewed hope to millions of women who had problems conceiving, and this is a positive consequence. However, over the past few years we've seen this medical breakthrough not only benefit women suffering from infertility problems, but this procedure has begun to be misused and abused. Furthermore, it has evolved into a profound issue of ethics which questions the very essence of this medical procedure and the rules (or the lack of ??) governing it.

Nadya Suleman claims that as a single child she lived a dysfunctional childhood, and as a result longed to have siblings and a big family. Her grand total of 14 children, according to her, fulfills her desire of that big family she dreamed of as a little girl. Well, she got what she wished for: big family. But she's also faced with plenty that she didn't wish for and seems not to have thought through at all! As the world ''wows'' and celebrates the birth of these 8 babies---bioethicists and normal people like you and me are wondering ''What was she thinking?!!". The answer to that will be revealed on Monday (Feb. 9) when NBC's Ann Curry interviews her. But in the meantime, I'd like to know for myself and ask Suleman a few questions.

She's single, unemployed, and lives with her mom. So far she's not ticking any boxes on my checklist. She insists that once she goes back to college this fall and gets her Master's in counseling she'll be able to provide for all 14 children. Well, sweetheart, what makes you think you're walking out that door?? Don't tell me you plan on forking your kids over to some day-care center while you attend classes! To me this is child abuse at its height. Babies don't just need to be fed, changed, and bathed. They need emotional upbringing as well. Suleman justifies this by proudly announcing that she holds each baby for 45 minutes! Now, I'm a doctor, and this in no way or form makes even the slightest sense. It is absolutely impossible that these children will get adequate parental attention (the father who donated his sperm, is so overwhelmed and has said he'll think of being in these kids' lives when he feels it's "right").

And on top of that she's single. And she feels that's why the world is attacking her. Well, she is partly right......ask a single mom with ONE child and she'll tell you it's a full-time job and is tough to do alone, and here is this 33 year old woman thinking she can handle all 14 by herself?!?! But mostly, the world is also attacking her because she's unemployed. She's hoping her church will help her----does the church know that!?!? Plus, she's hoping her family will pitch in (is this the same family she attributes her 'dysfunctional childhood' to??)---well, her mom has already declared her a ''crazy''---so much for that idea. She's not taking welfare and is adamant on keeping it that way....but I'm sure with the mountain-high pile of book deals and TV shows she's being offered that might be the answer to the financial aspect of this issue.

And although they're not telling us, but I'm sure extreme measures are underway to save these babies' lives. And that brings me to my next question: does she have any idea of the future health implications these babies will face? There's an entire raft of potential health problems and disabilities these children will be inflicted with. And then what will she do? How many days of absence from work will she take to be with her children when one of them is sick? She strongly says that she's doing something that many parents aren't: being with her children---well, just being with them isn't gonna pay for their pediatric follow-ups, diapers, bibs, high chairs, baby formula. And how sure are you that you'll be with them as much as you say you will be? I'm doing the math: 14 kids, 24 hours.......never mind!

No doubt there are more questions to be asked than this, but I'm just wondering about the most pertinent of issues Suleman will be faced with in the coming days. But one last question I have is this, what prompted her to do this? I'm not buying her story that she wanted a "big family"---anyone in her sane mind would have realized that dream and stopped at 6---apparently 6 for her wasn't big enough. So is she a spin-off of Angelina Jolie (have you noticed the uncanny similarity in appearance between the two?) or is she trying to be the next Camille Geraldi (a heroic woman who adopted 15 children with Down Syndrome)?? First of all, Suleman I have to break it to you---you can't be Jolie---why? Because #1. the woman has a JOB!!!!!!!!! Secondly, you can't be Geraldi either...because she was married--so there were 2 of them taking care of the kids (the way it should be!). Plus this woman had baby-raising down to a science! ('60 Minutes' did a story on her in 1991). So that leaves me with one answer and one answer alone: you're doing this for the sensationalism. And that's fine by me, because as a taxpayer I don't want my money paying for your unreasonable decisions and the circus you've got going on---I'm all the more glad that you'll be extracting it from those book deals and TV shows. But I will say this, I won't be amazed if 10-15 years from now we hear one or more of your children say they lived a dysfunctional and difficult childhood---that's when we'll know things went full circle!