Sister Wives: Why Kody Brown Was So Against Ysabel’s Spine Surgery

Kody Brown made the controversial decision to not accompany his daughter, Ysabel, during her intense spine surgery in Sister Wives, and fans think they have discerned the factors that led to Kody’s operation aversion. Ysabel struggled with a curved spine for several years in the Brown family’s reality series, but Kody only recently agreed to allow his daughter to undergo surgery to correct her back. From trying to save money to maintaining his daughter’s appearance, here’s why Sister Wives fans think Kody was so reluctant to go through with Ysabel’s spine surgery.

Ysabel’s scoliosis proved to be a massive obstacle in Kody and his now ex-wife, Christine Brown’s, relationship. For several seasons, Christine expressed how upset she was over her daughter’s condition. Christine asserted that their family wanted to do everything they could to avoid surgery, which resulted in Ysabel attending a camp that specialized in curve-reducing back exercises. Regrettably, no alternative was successful in preventing Ysabel’s spine from bending further. Ultimately, Ysabel’s doctors concluded that only surgery would rectify the arch in the Sister Wives star’s spine. Although Kody refused to travel to New Jersey with Ysabel and even suggested Christine allow their daughter to endure the operation solo, Ysabel’s back has been healthy following her controversial procedure.

While fans have been thrilled with the results of Ysabel’s surgery, Kody’s hesitancy to endorse the spine operation still doesn’t sit right with Sister Wives‘ audience. Now that Ysabel’s spine is rectified after years of suffering, Kody’s garnering criticism for delaying his daughter’s pain relief. The polygamous patriarch provided a variety of flimsy excuses for his objections including not wanting Ysabel to live with titanium in her back, but fans have dismissed Kody’s justifications. One Reddit user speculated, “I think he was against it all because he would have to spend money.” The Brown family is known to have financial problems, which has resulted in all of Kody’s wives taking on side-hustles. Fans think Kody was trying to cut corners and rejected the surgery to save some money. Another fan added fuel to this theory by alleging, “[The Browns] don’t have health insurance for any of their kids.”

In addition to concerns about the spine operation’s cost, the Sister Wives fanbase thinks Kody didn’t want Ysabel to undergo surgery because it would affect her appearance. It’s no secret that an intense back operation would leave a scar and Kody’s admitted that he doesn’t want Ysabel’s beauty to be hampered by a permanent mark. The Brown family’s followers believe Kody shallowly preferred his daughter endure the pain her curved spine induced and maintain her good looks than fix her back. A commenter asked, “Can you imagine not getting surgery because your dad thinks boys won’t like you?” Another frustrated Reddit user complained, “She was in pain. Why… are you so worried about a scar on your daughter’s body?” Because he was so fixated on how a scar would taint his daughter’s back, viewers believe Kody prioritized Ysabel’s physical attractiveness over her health.

Kody was slammed for not being with Ysabel when she underwent spine surgery, but Sister Wives fans are even more irritated with the polygamist’s reasons for putting off the necessary operation for so long. Even though Ysabel’s curved spine harmed her, fans think Kody cared more about his finances and protecting his daughter’s beauty. Fortunately, the Sister Wives star was unsuccessful in preventing Ysabel from living her life curve-free.

Next: Sister Wives: Why Kody & Robyn Humiliated Meri With S’Mores Stunt

Sources: Forever918/Reddit, zvc266/Reddit, Evolutioncocktail/Reddit, that_basic_witch/Reddit

About The Author

Christopher Davis
(915 Articles Published)

Christopher Davis is a freelance reality TV writer for Screen Rant. Since his graduation from Emerson College with a degree in visual and media arts back in 2019, Christopher has pursued the ever-evolving field of entertainment journalism. In his free time, Christopher loves to write, rewatch old seasons of RHONY, and work on his death drop.

More From Christopher Davis