TheCatSite.com › Forums › General Forums › IMO: In My Opinion › The Travolta tragedy
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

The Travolta tragedy

post #1 of 13
1/5/09 at 5:18am
Thread Starter 
In light of the earlier discussion on Scientology, this event takes on some special significance. Travolta's son had a seizure disorder, according to news reports coming out today. He was treated for them to some extent.

The problem is extremely complicated. Scientologists don't believe in psychology, psychiatry, or psycho-active drugs, and they deny the existence of autism or epilepsy (they are the bane of epilepsy forums, for example). They DON'T, however, prohibit the treatment of most medical problems. This may be (some say) why Travolta claimed his son had Kawasaki Disease and not autism. Not impossible, but highly unlikely that it had any effect on his seizures.

The word is that his son was treated with an anti-seizure drug, but that it had lost effectiveness.

There are already many who claim that Jett was the victim of Scientology, and not a seizure. I won't direct you to any sites, since some tend to be very vitriolic, but many are operated by ex-Scientologists who had their own run-ins with the church's attitudes on medical issues.
Reply
post #2 of 13
1/5/09 at 6:31am
His name was Jett not Jeff.

i have known many people with seizures. For many of them the drugs were not 100% effective. The drugs would knock down the amount and the severity but never totally take it away.

My mom is highly religious and she is one that believes if you don't speak the name of what you have (she calls it not claiming it) it will not have an effect on your life. I say whatever floats your boat, me not saying I have a cold does not make it go away. But she does take her kids to the doctors and treats them when they are sick.

I have also known religious people that will not go to a doctor or hospital when they were having heart attacks. Their belief if its God's time to take them he will and they will not seek medical treatment.

None of these people are in Sciencetology. They just take religion differently.
Reply
post #3 of 13
1/5/09 at 6:49am
Thread Starter 
The church I was raised in believes that God gave man the wisdom to make medical advances. In fact, they operate a number of excellent hospitals, at least one of which everyone has heard of (name on request).

I've seen Jett's name as Jeff in some locations. I assumed the former was correct, but I saw it as Jeff in a news report on the subject, so that's why I used it. The name Jett makes more sense for Travolta.
Reply
post #4 of 13
1/5/09 at 7:02am
Quote:
Originally Posted by mrblanche View Post
The church I was raised in believes that God gave man the wisdom to make medical advances. In fact, they operate a number of excellent hospitals, at least one of which everyone has heard of (name on request).

I've seen Jett's name as Jeff in some locations. I assumed the former was correct, but I saw it as Jeff in a news report on the subject, so that's why I used it. The name Jett makes more sense for Travolta.
His name was a combination of his dad's initials JT and his godmother's (who's also his aunt Ellen) ET. Nice meaningful name, the media sure has messed people up on it.

No matter the cause nor the effect their religion may have had on his treatment, their son is no less dead. All the speculation in the world, all the lawsuits that could be files cannot change that. Speaking as a parent who has lost a child, this is the last thing anyone needs to be concerned with. Their lives are ruined forever, hopefully they can salvage something out of it for their other child. I know my loss has affected everything that has happened to me since and everyone I come in contact with.

The media speculation needs to just stop. It solves nothing. Parents lost a child, a young girl lost her brother.
Reply
post #5 of 13
1/5/09 at 8:28am
Neet, I am so very sorry for your loss.

The cruelty of humans to each other never, ever ceases to amaze me.
I have read a few blogs and got sick to my stomach.
Reply
post #6 of 13
1/5/09 at 9:45am
It's a horrible thing to happen, and a tragedy for the family.

People who imagine themselves as having some kind of axe to grind will grasp at the tiniest story or tidbit of news they think supports their cause, and don't concern themselves too greatly with accuracy.
Reply
post #7 of 13
1/5/09 at 9:54am
Quote:
Originally Posted by ckblv View Post
Neet, I am so very sorry for your loss.

The cruelty of humans to each other never, ever ceases to amaze me.
I have read a few blogs and got sick to my stomach.
Thanks Cindy.

I can certainly say that the worst in mankind shows itself in a time of tragedy. Mkes you wonder why anyone would want to be part of public life and subject themselves to such rantings. I only hope the family doesn't read any of that crap.
Reply
post #8 of 13
1/6/09 at 11:01pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by mrblanche View Post
The problem is extremely complicated.
Yes, it is. It is esp. difficult as a society in deciding when parents or pet-owners' beliefs cannot supersede the well-being of children or animals.
On the one hand, it can easily be said that it was his time to go; on the other, if he suffered during the seizures, it would be a shame that there might have been a treatment that would have alleviated the discomforts which was not utilized.
I recently met a man who has seizures and he was given a new medication last fall & has had excellent results. Until then, he would experience extreme headaches & seizures in some stores with flickering flourescent lights and also during nighttime driving (from oncoming headlights). I didn't know how painful seizures could be until speaking with him.
Reply
post #9 of 13
1/7/09 at 2:01pm
I had a friend who died from a seizure disorder.

I really feel for the family, what with this speculation going on about his death. They should be allowed to grieve in private, with the respect that Jett so deserves.

If some websites are calling him Jeff, then you have to wonder how much of their stuff is fact.

I am so sorry for your loss Neet - it cannot be easy
Reply
post #10 of 13
1/7/09 at 2:36pm
Unless a natural death (not an accidental death, homicide or suicide) occurs when the person is over 70, it seems there's always speculation as to who or what is "to blame". I think a lot of that stems from people's fear of death. They don't want to accept that they themselves aren't "immune" to an early death, i.e., that it can be beyond anybody's control. That's extremely hurtful to the survivors.
Reply
post #11 of 13
1/7/09 at 4:50pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kiwideus View Post
I had a friend who died from a seizure disorder.

I really feel for the family, what with this speculation going on about his death. They should be allowed to grieve in private, with the respect that Jett so deserves.

If some websites are calling him Jeff, then you have to wonder how much of their stuff is fact.

I am so sorry for your loss Neet - it cannot be easy
And I am sorry for yours.

It's never easy no matter the situation, and mean spirited strangers cannot help.

I only hope the family never ever goes back and reads any of that crap. Much of it probably borders on libel, actually.
Reply
post #12 of 13
1/7/09 at 6:18pm
Bill O'Reilly and Sean Hannity were both having a fit last night on their respective shows as the latest gossip came out on this.

I guess the EMT guy that arrived on the scene and took over for John Travolta doing CPR on his son, gave an interview and divulged all the intimate details of everything John Travolta said to his son as he was dying.

I think that is hideous and the EMT guy should be fired and shunned.

And no, O'Reilly and Hannity did not give ANY details of that interview, they were both horrified and furious.
Reply
post #13 of 13
1/7/09 at 6:47pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by ckblv View Post
Bill O'Reilly and Sean Hannity were both having a fit last night on their respective shows as the latest gossip came out on this.

I guess the EMT guy that arrived on the scene and took over for John Travolta doing CPR on his son, gave an interview and divulged all the intimate details of everything John Travolta said to his son as he was dying.

I think that is hideous and the EMT guy should be fired and shunned.

And no, O'Reilly and Hannity did not give ANY details of that interview, they were both horrified and furious.
That is disgusting. He shouldn't be talking about a private moment. The poor family! Whatever happened to the privacy laws?
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: IMO: In My Opinion
TheCatSite.com › Forums › General Forums › IMO: In My Opinion › The Travolta tragedy