Members Popular Post Lonnie Posted August 28, 2022 Members Popular Post Posted August 28, 2022 Pete Buttigieg Opens Up About Twins' Birth, Health Issues for 1st Time The secretary and his husband, Chasten, had previously avoided going into specifics. In a new piece written on his Medium account, U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg details how he became a father. Buttigieg and his husband, Chasten, first announced they were first set to become fathers in August 2021. The news came after the pair had previously explained their adoption struggles. In early September, the two announced the birth of their first children, Penelope Rose and Joseph August Buttigieg. Now they have confirmed that the children were adopted. "It was what they call a 'surprise' adoption scenario — a mother had given birth that day and wanted to arrange adoption," Pete writes in a new Medium post. The piece was written by both Pete and Chasten but in Pete's voice. "The agency explained that there were some sensitive circumstances and potential health complications for us to weigh, but also that we would need to quickly decide whether we were prepared to travel to the rural hospital and begin the process. And one more thing to consider: it was twins!" Hours later, the two men were holding the children, who were born premature, in their arms. "Health issues meant nearly two anxious weeks in the hospital before we were discharged, but the day finally came," Pete writes. According to the post, Penelope developed "severe reflux, terrifying us when she would stop breathing and turn purple in a matter of seconds." It had been previously announced that Joseph, who they nicknamed Gus, developed a respiratory infection as well. Now the Buttigieg family has revealed it was RSV and the entire family — including Pete and Chasten — soon got it. By October, we had started to feel more confident and comfortable with all the routines (and the surprises) of parenting. Then one day, the kids got a cold. Soon it was a cough. Then Penelope started to have trouble breathing. Over FaceTime, our doctor expressed concern about the way her belly was retracting under her ribs as she worked to take in air. Chasten drove her to the Emergency Room while I stayed home with Gus. His skin took on a mottled look, and by the next day he was admitted to the hospital too. Just as we had during our first days with them, we again learned to live out of a hospital room, this time in Traverse City. We would take turns shuttling supplies from home and sleeping by the kids’ side, and I would try not to distract the nurses when the phone rang with a work call. While most of the family recovered, Gus's condition reached "critical" with the child being intubated. He was transferred to a children's hospital in Grand Rapids, Mich., where he and the family stayed for days. Pete wrote that he was reminded of his father, "whose last days played out on a ventilator in an ICU room like this as he lost his battle with lung cancer." As this was all going on, he often still had to work. Gus stabilized after a week. The children, now 1 year old, are both currently healthy. As much of this was going on, the Buttigiegs were under attack by Republicans. Some accused Pete of not doing enough to fight the supply chain breakdowns and going on parental leave — much of which was spent in hospitals, according to this new information. The Buttigiegs have not publicly responded to the lion's share of those attacks, which have often stemmed from homophobia, suggesting that two men should not be parenting children together. vinapu, Ruthrieston, reader and 2 others 5 Quote
vinapu Posted August 28, 2022 Posted August 28, 2022 I have that feeling we are looking at the future First Family when gerontocrats grip on the Democratic party will be released. Mavica 1 Quote
Members Lonnie Posted August 28, 2022 Author Members Posted August 28, 2022 8 minutes ago, vinapu said: at the future First Family Maybe...but I think it will be a couple presidencies in the future. Quote
vinapu Posted August 28, 2022 Posted August 28, 2022 1 minute ago, Lonnie said: Maybe...but I think it will be a couple presidencies in the future. when GW Bush was elected did we expect that next president will be black ? And when he was elected did we expect that next one will be Orange Overlord ? Mavica, PeterRS and Lonnie 2 1 Quote
Members Lonnie Posted August 28, 2022 Author Members Posted August 28, 2022 10 minutes ago, vinapu said: next president will be black you are right vinapu...don't rule out the unexpected. vinapu 1 Quote
vinapu Posted August 28, 2022 Posted August 28, 2022 2 minutes ago, Lonnie said: you are right vinapu I know alvnv 1 Quote
Members kjun12 Posted August 30, 2022 Members Posted August 30, 2022 On 8/28/2022 at 11:37 PM, vinapu said: I know That sounds quite arrogant. Quote
maump Posted September 7, 2022 Posted September 7, 2022 On 8/28/2022 at 12:17 PM, Lonnie said: Maybe...but I think it will be a couple presidencies in the future. yes, after the civil war.... Quote
vinapu Posted September 7, 2022 Posted September 7, 2022 1 hour ago, maump said: yes, after the civil war.... that soon ? alvnv 1 Quote
maump Posted September 7, 2022 Posted September 7, 2022 20 minutes ago, vinapu said: that soon ? depends on who wins.... Quote