I get your point littlef*** but a hysterectomy is extremely radical.. discomfort for periods can be treated otherwise and stopping the periods altogether can also be done in a non invasive way. As for excising breast buds so they don't grow... I'm sorry.. I don't think all of this was just in the best interest for the child.... I don't really buy all this 'preventive' surgery stuff. When it comes to communicating pain, etc., even babies have ways of communicating and, if you understand your baby (which this girl is, mentally), you know when they are well, ill, in pain, etc. But of course, this means you are never off guard. It is more difficult to care for a severely disabled adult than a child.. true... and keeping this future adult childlike will make things a lot easier for the parents.
I did read their blog and of course they would say it has nothing to do with convenience. I've worked with people with advanced senility (just as bad as babies..) - in their home, or rather their carer's home, usually the children. Bedridden, their mind totally gone, incontinent, etc. Needed to be fed, cleaned, dressed, etc. They could do nothing on their own and couldn't express much. And yes, it was difficult to move these fully grown adults around, to get them in their wheelchairs/chairs, to anticipate their needs, but it can be done with the right help. OK not exactly like the little girl, but it goes to show that keeping someone "sweet and little to care for" by very extreme means is not necessary. There are other options out there, but obviously less convenient and most probably more expensive (though all this surgery must have cost an arm and a leg).
It's probably a good idea to say now that instinctively, I agree with you entirely - at this time, most of the person I am says that this decision is horrible. I'm not sure if that'll change tomorrow, and then again the next day etc. My apparent 'disagreement' was really just a counter-argument for my own sake, to help me think clearly about all sides.
It's difficult to disagree with your argument that these parents are just trying to 'keep their Pillow Angel sweet'.
'We're learning songs for baby Jesus' birthday. His mum and dad were Merry and Joseph. He had a bed made of clay and the three kings bought him Gold, Frankenstein and Merv as presents.'
I just feel strongly about this . I just think nowadays it's just too easy to put 'non standard' people aside or to make them 'conform' so we can supposedly best integrate them into our norm of society or our idea on how society should care for them - whether we stuff them full of drugs or, in this case by surgery, etc. If they don't conform enough again it's easy to keep them out of the way or out of sight - just shutting them out (homes, hospital, 'special schools') or just not catering for their needs.
I'm not saying these places shouldn't exist and drugs shouldn't be given (but does every hyper child need to be given ritolin?). I'm saying we should be less selfish in our attitude and not always take the easy way out. Take the time and effort to deal with things, especially if such extreme measures are taken to make things easier.
I just feel strongly about this . I just think nowadays it's just too easy to put 'non standard' people aside or to make them 'conform' so we can supposedly best integrate them into our norm of society or our idea on how society should care for them - whether we stuff them full of drugs or, in this case by surgery, etc. If they don't conform enough again it's easy to keep them out of the way or out of sight - just shutting them out (homes, hospital, 'special schools') or just not catering for their needs.
I'm not saying these places shouldn't exist and drugs shouldn't be given (but does every hyper child need to be given ritolin?). I'm saying we should be less selfish in our attitude and not always take the easy way out. Take the time and effort to deal with things, especially if such extreme measures are taken to make things easier.
Yep
'We're learning songs for baby Jesus' birthday. His mum and dad were Merry and Joseph. He had a bed made of clay and the three kings bought him Gold, Frankenstein and Merv as presents.'
I just feel strongly about this . I just think nowadays it's just too easy to put 'non standard' people aside or to make them 'conform' so we can supposedly best integrate them into our norm of society or our idea on how society should care for them - whether we stuff them full of drugs or, in this case by surgery, etc. If they don't conform enough again it's easy to keep them out of the way or out of sight - just shutting them out (homes, hospital, 'special schools') or just not catering for their needs.
I'm not saying these places shouldn't exist and drugs shouldn't be given (but does every hyper child need to be given ritolin?). I'm saying we should be less selfish in our attitude and not always take the easy way out. Take the time and effort to deal with things, especially if such extreme measures are taken to make things easier.
I just have to throw my 2c in, as a parent of two kids with special needs. I feel for these parents, believe me it's not easy, but would no sooner do this than have my kids colon removed just so I don't have to change diapers. Or have the radical plastic surgery some have done so their kids don't 'look' like they have Down syndrome. What the fuck? It's not easy, but no one said it would be. It kills me that on the news recently, a young woman with mental retardation was denied a life saving organ transplant operation because the court didn't believe that she could give her consent for the operation, yet some doctor performed this?
Isn't that heinous? There was a 20/20 ep about it.
Yeah I've heard about it too. Disgusting.
'We're learning songs for baby Jesus' birthday. His mum and dad were Merry and Joseph. He had a bed made of clay and the three kings bought him Gold, Frankenstein and Merv as presents.'
Comments
It's probably a good idea to say now that instinctively, I agree with you entirely - at this time, most of the person I am says that this decision is horrible. I'm not sure if that'll change tomorrow, and then again the next day etc. My apparent 'disagreement' was really just a counter-argument for my own sake, to help me think clearly about all sides.
It's difficult to disagree with your argument that these parents are just trying to 'keep their Pillow Angel sweet'.
- the great Sir Leo Harrison
I'm not saying these places shouldn't exist and drugs shouldn't be given (but does every hyper child need to be given ritolin?). I'm saying we should be less selfish in our attitude and not always take the easy way out. Take the time and effort to deal with things, especially if such extreme measures are taken to make things easier.
Yep
- the great Sir Leo Harrison
Well put.
I know you will say yes, but tell that isn't true. That makes me want to throw up.
Yeah I've heard about it too. Disgusting.
- the great Sir Leo Harrison