Sick baby girl from Northwest stuck in Brazil
MONROE, Wash. -- One-year-old Alaina Arnold loves to laugh, and she loves to dress up.
"She's kind of a chubby little girl, a 'Big Booboo,' as we say," said her aunt, Jeryre Zelinsky.
But those pudgy little legs thinned out and her rosy cheeks faded when Arnold went to Brazil.
After a trip to the beach, Arnold suddenly came down with a fever and began vomiting. Doctors reassured her parents she'd improve, but Arnold's fever climbed to 106.5 degree and some of her organs started to swell.
Arnold was hospitalized, unable to walk and too ill to fly home.
"So to hear 106 and she's up vomiting, it's, 'Oh my God, does she have the right medical care?"' Zelinsky said.
It cost $1,500 in cash just to translate the medical records. Insurance won't cover any of the cost.
Arnold's father, a Monroe firefighter, told Zelinsky he feels helpless not being able to help his daughter now.
Arnold's illness only added hurdles to to what was already a difficult trip. Arnold and her family went to Brazil to spread her grandfather's ashes after his sudden death last summer.
"I know that Alaina's mother is having such a hard time with it because it was such an emotional trip to begin with," said Zelinsky.
And the trip may not end any time soon if Arnold doesn't get better, and the family doesn't find a qualified doctor to transport her safely.
Many local doctors and nurses want to help bring Arnold home, but there's a catch. The doctor must have a Brazilian Visa and a flexible work schedule so they can fly out at a moment's notice.
"She's kind of a chubby little girl, a 'Big Booboo,' as we say," said her aunt, Jeryre Zelinsky.
But those pudgy little legs thinned out and her rosy cheeks faded when Arnold went to Brazil.
After a trip to the beach, Arnold suddenly came down with a fever and began vomiting. Doctors reassured her parents she'd improve, but Arnold's fever climbed to 106.5 degree and some of her organs started to swell.
Arnold was hospitalized, unable to walk and too ill to fly home.
"So to hear 106 and she's up vomiting, it's, 'Oh my God, does she have the right medical care?"' Zelinsky said.
It cost $1,500 in cash just to translate the medical records. Insurance won't cover any of the cost.
Arnold's father, a Monroe firefighter, told Zelinsky he feels helpless not being able to help his daughter now.
Arnold's illness only added hurdles to to what was already a difficult trip. Arnold and her family went to Brazil to spread her grandfather's ashes after his sudden death last summer.
"I know that Alaina's mother is having such a hard time with it because it was such an emotional trip to begin with," said Zelinsky.
And the trip may not end any time soon if Arnold doesn't get better, and the family doesn't find a qualified doctor to transport her safely.
Many local doctors and nurses want to help bring Arnold home, but there's a catch. The doctor must have a Brazilian Visa and a flexible work schedule so they can fly out at a moment's notice.
