13-year-old is over 7 feet tall

[digger]

Okay, this is not exactly a fantasy life this kid has. Arthritis? Enlarged spleen? Surgeries? Eeek. But the story still vaguely fits in with our community's obsession:

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/htm...renden22m.html

Science-geeks will want to note the genetic mutation.

[hulkoutlvr]

I suppose this will sound heartless and cruel to some, but it is with mixed emotions that I look at this story. On one hand, I can well identify with this kid feeling different and like an outcast, but as someone who has had to live my whole life feeling inferior due to being abnormally short, it is very hard for me to open my heart and bleed too much. While I'm sure this kid may have to deal with a lot of emotional turmoil, I'm sure that the feeling of being less of a man probably isn't one of the heartaches he faces, lol. Unfortunately our world and American society in particular expects men to be tall, or at least taller than women. No doubt this boy faces a lot of obstacles, so I do feel for him there, but he'll have a lot of opportunities open to him (the NBA, for one) that short guys can only dream about. I hope I dont' sound like an ass, but I'm sure this kid probably doesn't get made fun of, out of fear if nothing else. Please don't hate me for saying this.

Originally Posted by digger

Okay, this is not exactly a fantasy life this kid has. Arthritis? Enlarged spleen? Surgeries? Eeek. But the story still vaguely fits in with our community's obsession:

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/htm...renden22m.html

Science-geeks will want to note the genetic mutation.

[TheMM]

Originally Posted by hulkoutlvr

I suppose this will sound heartless and cruel to some, but it is with mixed emotions that I look at this story. On one hand, I can well identify with this kid feeling different and like an outcast, but as someone who has had to live my whole life feeling inferior due to being abnormally short, it is very hard for me to open my heart and bleed too much. While I'm sure this kid may have to deal with a lot of emotional turmoil, I'm sure that the feeling of being less of a man probably isn't one of the heartaches he faces, lol. Unfortunately our world and American society in particular expects men to be tall, or at least taller than women. No doubt this boy faces a lot of obstacles, so I do feel for him there, but he'll have a lot of opportunities open to him (the NBA, for one) that short guys can only dream about. I hope I dont' sound like an ass, but I'm sure this kid probably doesn't get made fun of, out of fear if nothing else. Please don't hate me for saying this.

My feelings are rather close to yours Hulkoutlvr. Being over 7 feet tall is guaranteed to get mixed feelings, no matter what age you are.

I don't add on anything to that, but I'm pretty much the same as you.

[Geek2Jock]

I don't know about opportunities like the NBA, if you read through the entire article it doesn't sound like he has a very good chance of reaching adulthood. But I do agree that the affliction, while at first glance seems like such a blessing, carries with it it's own share of ostracism and angst that this young man will have to endure. I found the tone in the article on his outlook of his own situation to be encouraging though, he may be facing a lot of medical issues and trials but he seems to be making the most of the time he has and not hiding himself away.

[CartoonBuff]

I can understand where folks are coming from (and certainly nobody's coming off as an ass, just being frank) but this isn't so much an issue about the kid feeling different or even his emotional turmoil so much as the physical aspects, as Geek2Jock said. It reminds me of the B movie THE AMAZING COLOSSAL MAN (guy grows larger but has problems with his organs). Being unable to bend one's own knees is no advantage, nor is having molars pulled, a spleen removed, or multiple surgeries (I admit, though, as one who's been there, I tend to sympathise with anyone undergoing surgery, especially more than once, for any medical reason).

[dominicrue]

i feel bad for the kid. he's literally growing out of his skin. did you see his face. he's all fucked up. and his social life will be hell. everyone he meets is already 2 feet shorter than him and anyone his age is 3 feet shorter. add to the fact that he don't know how long anything will work on his body, yeah it would suck to be him. hope they fix what ever is wrong with him soon.