yer thoughts on this: stunting the growth of the disabled
 

check this read out

In that particular case I'd say they were in their rights to do it. She has severe brain damage and has no 'future' to look forward to. The parents, realizing they would take care of her likely for the rest of her and/or their lives, decided to make things more manageable for all parties involved.

Heh. All I can say is I'm glad they weren't my parents.

Geez..going to the extreme or what..poor kid

it's an interesting concept for sure

with that reasoning, why couldn't a parent could just amputate the limbs and surgically implant a handle on the childs back

it sounds to me like they're doing their best to ease the situation they're in and keep their daughter alive. would you want to take care of a full grown vegetable for the rest of your life? its easier to take care of a child i'd think. not a single one of us has any place to question their intentions either way. i couldn't imagine going through a pregnancy, and winding up with a severely handicapped child like that. i don't know what the fuck i would do.

This is one of those "good intentions" but bad execution. Much of it seems to come from a desire by the parents to not have to deal with issues such as the girl getting larger, or (gasp) growing boobs or having a monthly cycle. All of their points are well taken, but in theory all women could avoid most causes of breast and ovarian cancer if they just all had their breasts and ovaries removed early in life before they would miss them.

I am more wondering about the doctors that performed the operations... it seems like very unneeded surgical interventions to me.

It is a really tough call. Until you have taken care of someone who has little to no brain function 24/7 I don't think any of us can judge...it is not like they cut off her arms and legs. My 30 year old SIN had breast cancer...it was HER choice to have her other breast removed as a precaution. Just recently, she went in and had her ovaries and uterus removed...for no other reason than her not wanting to go thru cancer/chemo again. A family, that has a very large incidence of stomach cancer in their family...they ALL (about 12-15 of them) had their stomachs removed as a precaution. People do this all of the time.

There is a huge difference between turning/lifting/washing a 60 lb person and a 120 lb person. The girl is in diapers...bad enough cleaning up pee and poop, adding blood from her periods in the mix is not necessary. Her periods and the ability to have children are of no purpose to her.

I know it sounds cruel...and if I had a child in that situation, not sure I would do it....but in all honesty...as much as I HATE myself for saying this...I just don't know if I would have the patience and the absolute devotion to care for a severely disabled child 24/7 until the day she died. You basically give up your entire life.....and then you worry about what will happen after you are gone and there is no one left to care for her.

wyldblyss, so how much further is it before we go back to the Spartan theory and take her up on a mountain side and leave her to die?

Just wondering.

I'm curious.

For those of you who are thinking its "ok" or "the best situation"... is it because the child is gone mentally, physically, or both?

Hardly, but you know that isn't that bad of an idea for those with severe brain damage. I wonder if it would be considered carry-on luggage... hmmm. Imagine the money you would save on airline tickets if so!

That story makes me queasy. Precisely because there's no right or wrong answer. Is it genuine compassion or a reflection of our addiction to convenience?

Whos to say 20 years from now we dont come with some break through that will turn this girl into a normal everyday working member of society? I do not think this is right at all.

sure. just tell the doctor - i want to try to whittle her down to 14" to 16" high, 21" to 24" wide, and 8" to 9" deep.. and no more than 40 pounds.

Why not just kill them?

thats illegal... but apparently, modifying their bodies for the improved convienence of those around them, is totally ok.

don't hate the player, hate the game!


;)

I'm totally serious.

If stunting their growth is a good idea because they're a "burden" and "don't understand life anyway", what's the point in even keeping them alive? Humor? Sympathy? Pity?

Let's just start testing babies the minute they pop out. If they have severe mental or physical problems that would make the parents life difficult, offer the option of a post-birth "abortion".

i think one cornerstone of what people consider to be a "civilized society" is the high value placed on human life and personal rights. the law for the most part reflects this.

but the issue is interesting because it definately opens up a lot of questions and arguments that lead down a very dark path. your argument is interesting as well and just as valid imho (of course there are legal issues with whacking out a kid for reasons of convienence).

easy to hypothesize and make accusations . . try taking care of a braid dead invalid 24/7 then get back to us . . be interesting to see your thoughts then . .

when I was working the news I saw a story about a 12 year old girl that had her arms and legs cut off for some thing or other . . some medical problem

that's a thought too . .

'value placed on human life and personal rights'

this is the one that kills me . . . a guy can kill you and yer whole family and have more right than you ever had . . and what give peeps the right to have as many kids as they want and make me pay for them at the expense of my children?

Love?

Or how about we remembered the theory of evolution and started allowing the human species to evolve again...

Would rid this board of a lot of people y'know...

I read this on line late last night; It was the last thing I did before I went to bed so I gave it some thought as I was trying to fall asleep. This child has no hope of a future life; The life she has now is as good as it is ever going to get. She'll never function as a normal adult or even as a child for that matter.

What the family did was take steps to ensure that they will be able to give her the best care possible for the rest of their lifes.

an interesting paradox of personal freedoms (or the notions and perceptions of what they are and should be) is that when exercising them, the individual often infringes on those of others.

i think its pretty cool.

interesting read . . thanks guys . . .

Euthanize!

:thumbsup :thumbsup And, as unlikely as it is, say there is a cure in the future or just say the ability to repair the brain damage... at least she'll be alive and able to accept the cure (those arguing for euthanasia). In this case at least they made it so that they will be able to care for their daughter themselves rather than be forced to give her up to horrible conditions of state care.

The horrible conditions of state care?

The point has already been made that this individual has absolutely no idea they are alive. They are a vegetable. They don't know if they are being thrown against the wall or being fed prime rib.

How would they know or care about these horrible conditions of state care?

They wouldn't. :thumbsup