User Reviews

I suffer from CRPS.

I also have other medical issues that end me in the hospital. I have to explain to each doc that comes in what CRPS is. EACH TIME. Noone wants to believe you. You lose friends, relationships and family members. And most medical people think your lying or it's in your head.

This is why it's nickname is "The Suicide Disease.

I've never wanted to throw something at my tv so bad before. I feel for this family. Especially for Maya and the loss she has suffered. Stress can trigger a CRPS flare up. Just like the hurricane did.

The ignorance and arrogance of these doctors are unreal.

Great documentary.

I'll try to hold onto the belief that everyone in this scenario had the best interests of children at the heart in their positions. I'll try, although there's a huge conflict of interest issue that I'd like to see a second documentary tackle all in itself.

(The assessor also being part of the for-profit corporate care system that the referred children go into.)

But lets say that the care givers are there still to "do no harm" and were wanting the best for Maya. This documentary still poses the problem of what to do for "unicorn" illnesses. What to do when doctors from different establishments differ on diagnosis and treatment. Who gets to decide when there's not a widely established protocol?

And mainly, who gets the final decisions when it comes to health.

I'm not sure whose diagnosis and treatment are better, frankly, and will have to read more. Perhaps on that it was a toss up or even that the hospital involved was right.

However, when a hospital thinks parents seeking treatment for a child are wrong for following a doctors orders, there I can see what everyone else here is seeing. How would a mother or father know which doctor to trust? And why would they believe this group at the hospital when they've seen actual improvement before this that no one else got?

There had to be a better way to handle this.

There had to be a more HUMANE way to handle this.

There should be a less corporate, systemic way to handle this.

But unfortunately for some, the system overrules the carers and a few bad apples playing into that spoil it for the bunch.

As a social worker in the UK I can understand why there would be concern over a young child having large and Frequent doses of Ketamine but this decision did not stem from the mother, Ketamine was prescribed by a Doctor! Her mum was not obtaining or administering this drug illegally. Therefore, the hospitals argument over diagnosis and care should Have been between professionals. They should have come to an agreement on how best to treat Maya, including the parents in any decision making. The mum posed no threat to Maya in hospital, therefore, her Visitation rights should not have been stopped.

This popped up on Netflix when I was looking for something to watch, other than the brief synopsis I didn't know anything more. I live in Australia and had not heard about this case.

Wow... to say I was furious by the end is an understatement. I understand that the safety of a child is always paramount but the hospital and doctors not taking responsibility for their part in what happened is disgusting. I don't know how they sleep at night.

I feel terrible for the Kowalski family and any family that has had to deal with what is obviously a flawed system.

As a race we have come so far, but as human beings we lack the compassion necessary to elevate ourselves to the next level. The society we have created is now out of control and it seems that money and power are our driver.

Heavy and infuriating documentary, but very much worth watching.

Beata fought a David vs. Goliath battle all on her own, against three deeply corrupt systems all working together: the 'healthcare' cartel, er, system, social 'services', and the judicial system. She persevered and stood stronger than the overwhelming majority of people would in such a situation. Had her husband supported and fought alongside her, instead of subduing and criticizing her valiant efforts, I do believe the outcome for this family would have been very different.

Good on Maya for surviving through the ordeals these awful systems put her through, and for calling her three-month 'hospital stay' what it was - medical captivity. She is smart to steer completely clear of the medical cabal now, and I hope viewers learn the priceless lesson that our utterly broken, incompetent, corrupt, and self-serving 'healthcare' system cannot be trusted with your health and your life.

The utter AUDACITY of Johns Hopkins to bill Maya's insurance for obscene amounts under false billing codes, on top of the terrorism they were inflicting upon this family is blood-boiling. How is no one in prison over this?!?! Oh that's right, because these systems protect their own, and each other.

The cowardly statements issued by Johns Hopkins and that horrible judge at the end are disgraceful. Zero remorse or accountability for the devastation they inflicted upon this family. And as the documentary shows, this is hardly an isolated case. Who knows how many other families have been wrecked by the trio of social 'services', 'healthcare' systems, and the judicial system when they decide to destroy parents' lives based on little or no evidence. Or simply as punishment for daring to question the all-knowing (not) megalomaniac doctors.

Infuriating. I hope the family wins huge at trial, but if there were true justice, everyone who played a part in this awful situation would be behind bars.

"Take Care of Maya" is a compelling documentary streaming on Netflix that chronicles the remarkable journey of Maya, a young woman afflicted with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS). The documentary sheds light on Maya's harrowing experience and her courageous fight for justice as she takes on Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital in a groundbreaking lawsuit.

The documentary begins by introducing Maya, a vibrant and talented individual whose life takes an unexpected turn when she is diagnosed with CRPS, a chronic pain condition that deeply impacts her daily life. As Maya navigates the challenges of living with this debilitating condition, the documentary delves into her relentless pursuit of answers and accountability from the hospital where her condition originated.

Through a series of interviews with Maya, her family, and medical professionals, "Take Care of Maya" provides a comprehensive understanding of CRPS and its profound implications on the lives of those affected. The documentarymakers skillfully balance the medical aspects with Maya's personal struggle, creating a deeply empathetic portrayal of her journey.

The heart of the documentary lies in Maya's legal battle against Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital. The documentary meticulously documents the intricacies of the lawsuit, unveiling the shocking negligence and malpractice that led to Maya's condition. It sheds light on the immense courage Maya displays as she fights not only for justice for herself but also for the countless others who have suffered due to similar circumstances.

The documentarymakers expertly capture both the physical and emotional toll that Maya's journey takes on her and her loved ones. The audience is drawn into Maya's world, feeling the frustration, anger, and hope that she experiences along the way. Through powerful visuals and intimate interviews, the documentary compels viewers to question the integrity of the healthcare system and the importance of patient advocacy.

"Take Care of Maya" is a thought-provoking and emotionally charged documentary that highlights the strength and resilience of an individual fighting against immense adversity. It shines a spotlight on the plight of those living with CRPS and the urgent need for accountability within the medical field. Maya's story is not only a testament to her courage but also a call to action for a more compassionate and just healthcare system.

I also suffer from CRPS/RSD. I have type 2. Started in 2015 and I am almost now full body. I relate to Maya and this family in so many ways. My thoughts are with this young lady. The disease is real, the pain is unbearable, there Is no cure yet. Hoping to see a cure in my lifetime. Stay strong Maya.

For those reviews that I read that called this a fake disease, I pray you never get it. Better yet, live with this for a single day. One day. I bet you would not call it a fake disease after that. I have an implant to keep my pain at a tolerable level and my feet straight.

"I REFUSE TO SINK" keep that in mind fellow warriors!

Like most documentaries, this one comes in with a very clear agenda.

It tells the story of a young girl who was diagnosed with a rare and controversial condition. The mainstay of treatment for which is therapy (physical and psychological), however in rare circumstances medications can be used. This child was on a very high dose of a medication, ketamine, which is controversial in its own right.

Ketamine is often thought of a party drug but is commonly used in medicine. At lower doses it can be used to treat acute pain (typically ~20 mg for an average adult). At higher doses (~100 mg) it can be used for short term sedation for painful procedures. Newer data shows promise in treating patients with refractory depression and even substance abuse, however these studies are ongoing.

Maya was being prescribed enormous doses (1000s of mg) of this medication long term, for which there is no medical basis.

The documentary highlights what happens when "alternative medicine" meets "traditional medicine". While I do believe that Mayas alternative pain doctor was doing what he felt was right, he was very much outside the standard of care for this medical condition and I don't blame the traditional doctors for questioning the treatment.

I found the documentary to be interesting but very one sided. It does a good job of telling the story from the family's perspective, without attempting to explain why the medical doctors felt the need to take such drastic action. It also ignores the concomitant psychological illness shared by members of the family, which I feel would help add context.

What happened to Maya and her family is tragic, and I wish them all the best moving forward. I hope that being put on display the way this documentary has does not cause the family any more distress.

I don't think I have ever had a documentary punch me in the gut as much as this one did. As a both a mother and someone who has experienced medical gaslighting which almost cost me my life, the story of what this family has been through will stay with me forever. I sobbed through most of it. I held my kids tighter once it was over. I constantly thought of Beata and the unconditional love she had for her daughter. It's all so overwhelming, but from a practical standpoint the editing and the way the story was told was absolutely beautiful. I will never forget this documentary, and I am so glad that this horrifying issue is being brought mainstream. Everyone needs to see this.

Maybe the most gut-wrenching documentary I have ever watched, I feel like my heart is being ripped out of my chest. I was ugly-crying non stop halfway through until the very last second.

Obviously the fact that this story was documented to the tiniest detail, including all the heartbreaking video and audio recordings and notes made it so muxh harder but portrayed how incredibly serious and real this is. No matter how old you are, where you live, what you do, I seriously think everyone should watch this because Maya and her family deserve to finally be heard and I really hope they'll get justice.

This review of mine is based on the Netflix documentary that I watched a few months ago and I have watched the trial since the beginning. I am also the stepmom of twins that lost their mother at the age of 10. It is undeniably a horrific experience to lose your Mom at such a young age. And in such a manner of suicide. I firmly believe that this family deserves compensation for their horrific experience. I was angry after watching the documentary and couldn't believe that a hospital would put a child and family through such an ordeal such as this. I hope and pray that this never happens again. K.

The level of corruption, lawlessness, evil and cruelty cannot be matched. To know that the state has this much power over you is the most terrifying takeaway from that documentary.

They're technically running like organized crime rings. People need to know that until we face this and confront it, thousands of lives will be destroyed and an industry of abuse will flourish.

The heartless people who caused this misery need to face justice, the victims deserve their closures.

It's heinous. It's scary. We should spread awareness and help the family to be heard, not silenced and dehumanized by a system that doesn't care.

Not many would've had an unassuming Netflix documentary on their radar as one of 2023's most horrifying films but low and behold documentary filmmaker Henry Roosevelt's Netflix original is an eye-opening and traumatic account of one families journey through hell as their sickly daughters medical condition throws them into a shocking series of events that changed their lives forever.

A workmanlike feature that is happy to do things by the book and explore the Kowalski families dealings with the American medical, parental and judicial system in a way that is easy to digest and far from over stylised, Take Care of Maya may not deliver knockout blows or technical feats to write home about but Roosevelt and his subjects are clearly passionate about what they exploring in this warts and all doco that seems as if its almost too horrifying to be real.

Saying too much about what occurs to Jack Kowalski and his family when his oldest child and only daughter Maya succumbs to a debilitating disease, only to discover that their dealings with the medical system in the United States will lead them down a dark and seemingly impossible to exist path would be a disservice to this documentary that is best viewed with as little prior knowledge of the story as possible for maximum impact.

It's not always easy viewing, Take Care of Maya tackles some dark and intense subject matters but it's always handled with a care and respect for all involved and the Kowalski family themselves make for relatable and likeable subject matters even in the fact of insurmountable odds and by allowing the various family members associated with this story a time to tell their own story, Roosevelt has given audiences a lot to ponder and consider as they move on from the film once the credits begin to roll.

There is a sense that outside of the Kowalski family there is more story to tell that Roosevelt's film barely gets a chance to skim through and there are times where you wish more could've been showcased from others outside of the direct family but overall this is a strong Netflix documentary that shines a light on a subject matter that deserves to be investigated on a much higher level.

Final Say -

An almost unbelievable true story that is at times heartbreaking and horrifying, Take Care of Maya doesn't attempt to do anything unexpected but what it does is present facts and insights around a situation that is far from a one off, a shocking fact indeed and one that needs to be highlighted.

3 1/2 social distancing signs out of 5

Jordan and Eddie (The Movie Guys)

As a CRPS II sufferer of over 13 years now I could tell within the first few minutes this is what Maya was suffering from. Unfortunately it is very often misdiagnosed and completely misunderstood by so called medical 'professionals'.

My heart breaks for Maya & her family. As an adult this disease is excruciating and a very hard journey to navigate. Children should NEVER have to experience this condition. Her Mother was a protective warrior advocate! Things should never be this hard. This documentary is a sad but very real insight into a rare complex disease & condition and how sufferers & families are treated, dismissed & often worse, not just in the US, but around the world!

May this much needed documentary shed light on this condition & others and may this family find some justice. This family will forever be in my families hearts & thoughts going forward. We believe you Maya.

This documentary should come with massive trigger warnings, so consider this one.

However, typing this with my telly on idle mode as I contemplate the gravity of what I have just watched, I am incredibly grateful that this message was put on a very powerful platform.

Yes, as an adult, you come to accept that systems do not always work for those it is meant to, but Maya's story is one that I will never forget.

Ever felt completely and utterly unheard? On a matter that you couldn't possibly be wrong about (your body, validated by your mother, a licensed nurse, 2 self sought specialists and a 3rd specialist)? That = Maya's and Beata's experience (You will appreciate why I've left out one key family member after you've watched the documentary.). This was aggravated particularly because she was a child when this took the worst turn, and was thoroughly dismissed in all possible directions by her JHACH doctors.

This documentary carries tremendous tragedy for the entire Kowalski family, and an incredible wounding of the soul, and I'm doing my best not to give any spoilers, but please, please, if you can, watch it.

Spread the message, sign any available petitions you can, because you'll come to find a destructive, unsubstantiated baseless pattern of 'probable' cause by one key individual. It is that pattern that needs to be evaluated, and changes made to a policy/manner of doing things that has destroyed hundreds/thousands of lives.

Maya, Kyle, I am with you <3.

I came into this film very predisposed to side against the hospital after my own negative experiences with the medical establishment, but let's just take a step back for a second... The mother kills herself... It's ONLY been three months... She has a son too... It's not just her daughter who relied upon her... How incredibly short sighted. How emotionally unstable. How incredibly self-oriented, and this was all the fault of who? The judge? Because he didn't let her have a hug? Stop it... The presentation of this documentary becomes delusional after a certain point.

The trained hospital staff saw something extremely off about the mother, and clearly what they saw was a real thing, even if it wasn't Munchausen's syndrome, which is certainly much more common than CRPS. Keep in mind, it's an EXTREMELY rare medical condition, one that hardly anyone knows about, and one that's hard to test for. Where is the line? That's what I want to know, because if we follow the narrative here, a hospital should NEVER intervene; the parents ALWAYS need to be listened to, and there's NOTHING they can EVER do that would warrant state intervention.

Does the medical establishment have its limitations? Sure. Are they bound by hubris and professional pride? Of course, but again, if you follow the narrative here, the very idea of a case review, in and of itself, is wrong. At one point, they try to highlight the history of an abusive hospital staff member "Catherine Bedy," as a case in point for why the case review was ill-conceived or illegitimately handled. Basically, Catherine Bedy lost her temper with a child one time. Ok... And? Did she abuse Maya? No... So I'm sorry, but that's a non sequitur, as it doesn't relate to the case of Maya at all. That's what you call trying to muddy the water with guilt by association, which is dishonest.

I think we deserve a less biased presentation. I'd have preferred to hear a little more from the hospital staff, and a little less from the father who threw his wife under the bus when it was convenient to do so, but hey, they did reach out to them, and they declined to comment, which is sadly all too typical of institutions like this, when in recovery mode. A lack of transparency inevitably allows for a more biased presentation, and it sure as hell leads to suspicion, often times warranted. If you serve the public, it's your DUTY to communicate to the public, whether you like it or not. Because of this lack of transparency by the hospital, this documentary will convince a LOT of people of the hospital's wrongdoing, and fairly so, in this context.

One thing I'm really not a big fan of is taking a suicide victim, and then assigning a culprit to their suicide. You and ONLY you are responsible for your own mental health. No one else. When a tragedy like this happens, people feel angry, they feel guilty, and they want to take revenge. What makes it so disingenuous when it comes to this aspect of revenge-taking, is its ALWAYS someone else's fault. Does the father think HE should be held responsible for lying to his wife? For failing to stand by her under cross-examination? Of course not.... it's ALL Dr. Sally Smith's fault, and the fact that a few other families with similar experiences came out of the woodwork is supposed to be proof of that I suppose?

Of COURSE the doctors aren't always right, but how many cases of legitimate neglect/abuse do you think the hospital successfully intervened on? I wouldn't hazard to guess, but let me tell you, it's not zero. Why didn't this documentary try to answer that question? A fair-minded film maker would set that as their number one priority here. HAVE these case reviews actually helped people or not? Let's see some stats, results, and/or real numbers... or maybe they actually do know the answer to that question, but it's just not convenient to the narrative.

These are tough cases... for EVERYBODY, The families, the doctors, the nurses who deal with abominations upon humanity on a daily basis. If someone is so unstable that they kill themselves amidst this type of emotional turmoil, I really don't think that's anyone's fault, and if a doctor acted in good faith, I don't think they're a criminal. If the daughter, Maya, died under the care of the hospital, we would be having a COMPLETELY different conversation. THEN we could fairly entertain the conversation of criminal negligence, and in the end that's a huge problem I have with this documentary; they're tricking you into thinking someone's suicide is the same thing as criminal negligence by a medical professional. They're conflating the whole thing as ONE big tragedy, when it's not. The mother's suicide is its own thing. The "care" they gave to Maya, as per the title of this film, is separate.

You have to understand the substance of the case brought against the hospital "infliction of emotional distress." Essentially they're arguing that the hospital INTENTIONALLY induced the mother to suicide, and that they knew she was likely to do so. That's literally insane, and it negates the very reasonable assessment, which you can infer inductively based on the outcome of suicide itself, that the whole reason why the case began in the first place, is because the hospital staff detected something very off about the mother, which was clearly true. Three months is just such a short time. I can't reconcile that aspect of the case. Me and my mother have had to deal with an abusive, neglectful, and belligerent hospital staff for YEARS in regards to my father's care. Suicide is a PERSONAL choice, and it's NOT a justifiable one when you have a dependent, in this case TWO dependents who rely upon you. If you kill yourself and leave your two children motherless, YOU'RE the criminal. It's easy to lose sight of that.

It's easy to dismiss the fact that when Maya was brought to the hospital, her condition was so serious that they had to resort to drastic measures, and that there was a chance she could have died if they listened to the mother's instructions. Do you think the hospital staff are LYING to you when they say that? I don't. Why? Because it's ridiculous to suggest that an entire staff of medical professionals would knowingly invent a risk assessment that didn't exist, to intentionally harm a random child patient who literally just rolled in off the street.

On the other hand... Sally Smith repeatedly testifying that Maya wasn't suffering from CRPS when the hospital billed them for CRPS treatment is a huge contradiction. The hospital made a decision, and Sally Smith wouldn't put her name to it on record. Basically, if she would have testified that she knew Maya had CRPS, it would delegitimize the case review that she initiated... so what began as a matter of hubris and professional pride, clearly turned into someone trying to duck liability, and that's a legitimate problem that indeed does reveal a rather disgusting level of corruption, since the hospital stood by her.

That being said, one does not negate the other. One side looks like ambulance chasers, and the other side looks like a corrupt establishment. The way this case ends is very predictable... They settle out of court, the family receives some recompense, everyone involved gets a chance to think long and hard about what happened, and no one involved ultimately accepts any blame, which given the circumstances, is about as good as you can or SHOULD hope for, to be honest. The fact that this documentary was released BEFORE the case against the hospital goes to court, is interesting, because given the blatant bias of the filmmakers, it suggests that they're afraid of losing the case after having settled with Sally Smith.

As "Take Care of Maya" (2023 release; 103 min.) opens, It's "February 24, 2021" as we are introduced to a guy named Jack. He muses "There is nothing that could prepare me for what I went through." We then go back in time: Jack remembers meeting Beata, and eventually they have 2 kids, a girl and a boy. The girl, Maya, suffers from a strange illness when she is 9... At this point we are less than 15 minutes into the documentary.

Couple of comments: this is the latest documentary from director Henry Roosevelt ("Tough Guys"). Here he examines the phenomenon currently referred to as medical child abuse (a/k/a Munchausen's by proxy). Jack and Beata bring Maya to the ER at Johns Hopkins All Children's, and next thing we know the hospital calls in Children Protective Services, and things only get worse from there.. I mean, you have to see it for yourself because otherwise you won't believe it. (The fact that Florida outsources its privatized child welfare service to a third party should be an INSTANT red flag, but hey that's Florida for ya.) The results are as predictable as they are preventable. Families shredded apart? No worries. Lives destroyed? Who cares. I honestly don't know how some of these people can sleep at night. This documentary is bound to get under your skin, if not outright infuriate you. Don't say I didn't warn you!

"Take Care of Maya" premiered recently at the Tribeca, to immediate critical acclaim. There is good reason why this documentary is rated 91% Certified Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes. It started airing on Netflix a few days ago, which is where I saw it. If you are in the mood for a medical=themed documentary that is equally heartbreaking as it is infuriating, I'd readily suggest you check this out, and draw your own conclusion.

First, I want to say god bless Netflix for having the courage to make this important documentary. As our citizenry becomes more and more dependent on the vast systems our government has developed people can and are being victimized by a the very institutions that are supposed to protect them. This documentary is one example of how off the tracks our institutions can go. Maya's family has not received Justice nor have the other families who suffered the same fate. The physicians, hospitals, government agency workers, attorneys and judges who collaborated to destroy these families will someday meet their maker and have to explain themselves. I'd also add that Maya's mother was an immigrant from one of the most oppressive regimes the world ever knew and she jumped out of the fire and into the frying pan by moving to America when she did. During another era she probably would have been proud of her decision. Maya's mother was Catholic and she took the ultimate risk to save her daughter by placing her soul in jeopardy.