Dennis Quaid Kickin’ It With the Kids in Maui
Father’s Day will certainly have special meaning for Dennis Quaid this weekend. After all, it was just seven short months ago that the actor’s newborn twins were facing the fight of their lives.
Now fully recovered, Thomas Boone and Zoe Grace (not pictured) are with their daddy this week in Hawaii, where he’s being honored at the Maui Film Festival.
But the G.I. Joe star isn’t the only celebrity pop who will be doting over his darling little ones come Sunday. Choose your favorite Tinseltown father in our Hollywood’s Hottest Dad poll.
Dennis Quaid Takes a Stand on Twins’ Behalf
Dennis Quaid was a man on a mission today.
Motivated by the pain experienced by his own family, the actor testified before Congress Wednesday about the overdose of blood thinners his newborn twins were given at Los Angeles' Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in November, which led to his current lawsuit against heparin maker Baxter Healthcare Corp.
Taking away individuals' rights to take pharmaceutical companies to court and hold them accountable for their actions would turn consumers into "uninformed and uncompensated lab rats," Quaid said.
In an effort to ward off costly, time-consuming litigation, the Food and Drug Administration has argued in the past on the behalf of the drug makers that federal regulation supersedes the need for state action.
But Quaid, having seen firsthand that government oversight leaves plenty of room for error, doesn't agree.
"Like many Americans, I believed that a big problem in our country was frivolous lawsuits," Quaid testified. "But now I know that the courts are often the only path to justice."
Dennis Quaid’s Newborn Twins Hospitalized
The newborn twins of Dennis Quaid and wife Kimberly were hospitalized Tuesday in Los Angeles, reportedly in intensive care.
The actor’s rep, Cara Tripicchio, declined to give a reason, but said in a statement: “Dennis and Kimberly appreciate everyone’s thoughts and prayers and hope they can maintain their privacy at this difficult time.”
Thomas Boone and Zoe Grace, who were born on Nov. 8, were accidentally given a major dose of the anti-coagulant heparin, TMZ.com reports.
The babies are in stable condition in the neo-natal intensive care unit at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, TMZ reports.
Hospital Apologizes
The hospital did not directly comment on the Quaid twins. But it released a statement saying that on Sunday a “preventable error” occurred with three unidentified patients receiving heparin.
“I want to extend my deepest apologies to the families who were affected by this situation, and we will continue to work with them on any concerns or questions they may have,” said Dr. Michael L. Langberg, chief medical officer at Cedars.
He added: “This was a preventable error, involving a failure to follow our standard policies and procedures, and there is no excuse for that to occur at Cedars-Sinai. Although it appears at this point that there was no harm to any patient, we take this situation very seriously.”
According to Langberg, three unidentified patients had their IVs flushed with an overly high concentration of heparin, used to keep IV catheters from clotting.
“As a result of a preventable error, the patients’ IV catheters were flushed with heparin from vials containing a concentration of 10,000 units per milliliter instead of from vials containing a concentration of 10 units per milliliter,” said Langberg. “The error was identified by Cedars-Sinai staff, who immediately performed blood tests on the patients to measure blood clotting function.”
Other patients were tested as a precaution, Langberg said.
In the end, two of the patients had to be given a drug to reverse the effects of the heparin to help restore blood clotting to normal, he said.
“Additional medical tests and clinical evaluation conducted on the two patients indicated no adverse effects from the higher concentration of heparin or from the temporary abnormal clotting function,” Langberg said. “Doctors continue to monitor the patients.”
Quaid’s twins were born via a gestational carrier – a woman who carries another couple’s baby conceived by the parents’ own egg and sperm.
Jennifer Lopez Says Twins Are Doing “Fantastic”
Jennifer Lopez Says Twins Are Doing “Fantastic”
Taking a night away from parenting their newborn twins (Max and Emme), Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony showed up at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City for the Costume Institute Gala last night.
Commenting on their absence from their babies, Anthony told press, “They’re missing us!” with Lopez adding that the new additions to their family are doing “fantastic!”
And J.Lo is looking mighty fine since giving birth, showing off her post-baby body in a one-shoulder Alberta Ferretti gown, while her hubby kept things simple in a black suit with a silver tie.
As for continuing her career in showbiz now that she’s a mommy, Jennifer told press, “I don’t know — and I like that, because my life has been so planned for so many years.”
To see the entire gallery from the Costume Institute Gala (May 5) - !