General Hospital Poll Results: Your Thoughts On The Spina Bifida Story

For months leading up to Carly giving birth on General Hospital, all fans heard about was what a high-risk pregnancy this was, and how the baby would be born disabled due to spina bifida.

But then, little Donna was born, taken into surgery, nip, tuck, ipso, facto, and she was all better. Birth defect? What birth defect? Are fans happy the story was dropped? How over 4,000 voted:

General Hospital: Quick Fix

We didn’t need it, and we’re glad it’s over, according to 75% of you. Soaps are supposed to be aspirational. No one aspires to have a sick child. Soaps are supposed to be a fantasy. Nobody fantasizes about having a sick child. And, most importantly, soaps are supposed to be about romance. There is nothing romantic about having a sick child.

Sure, Sonny (Maurice Benard) and Carly (Laura Wright) banding together to deal with their daughter’s condition, working with her on motor skills, seeking out experimental cures, supporting her no matter what limitations she might live with — that could have been good.

But why bother with a fight Sonny might not be able to win, or a situation Carly can’t shriek her way out of? Plus, Donna couldn’t have been less perfect than her half-sister, Avery. Ava (Maura West) couldn’t have anything on Carly’s precious girl.

Lesson Plan

The show could have taken the opportunity to educate the audience, 25% of the General Hospital fans say. Many folks watching at home have physical challenges or family members dealing with the same. GH could have taken advantage of its platform to show all the things handicapped children could achieve and how their parents could support them.

Then, down the line, we could have watched Donna joining the teen scene (you know, in about five years or so), and keeping up with her able-bodied peers. It could have been aspirational and romantic. But now it won’t be. General Hospital (GH) airs weekdays on ABC. Check your local listings for airtimes.