Have you read like http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/health/healthmain.html?in_article_id=426387&in_page_id=1774&in_page_id=1774&expand=true#StartComments about the girl named Ashley who is severely disabled (she'll be forever at the intelligence of a 3-month-old) and whose parents decide to have her operated on and treated to stop her from growing any bigger physically?
Opinions fall into two camps: critics and supporters. Medical decisions like this and euthanasia are controversial, and it's easy for those (particularly religious folks) to jump, criticize and give their high opinion on what is to be done and what not and how. 99.9999% of the critics, I dare say, have no exposure or experience on how it's like to be in their shoes (those who're in the bed suffering and those, like Ashley's parents, who have to provide long-term care for their disabled loved ones). Alot of times, morality is one thing, but reality is another.
On first look, I was appalled by the parents' decision to freeze Ashley's physical development, just so that they can move her around easier. But then, I sit back and imagine how it's like to care for a 9-year-old like a 3-month-old, dealing with basic issues like bath, diapering, and burping the baby after each mouthful of food. I remember how it's like for my kids when they're babies. Us parents of normal, regular kids have the luxury of expecting to see our children grow and grow, and all these chores will become fond memories. I don't think we'll look at it that fondly if I have to diaper my kids forever. So, please, spare our judgment for just a moment, and not be the ones to cast the first stones.
One criticism about the decision by Ashley's parents is that, by doing so, they're denying Ashley of a normal person's wants and desires, for things like sex and so on. I was thinking, what are these people smoking?!? What is a 3-month-old to do with sex!?!?!?! It's unbelievable.
I remember some time back, there was a news report about a couple dumping their adult, severely mentally disabled son at the train station and left. (This might've been in NYC.) The parents were caught of child endangerment. It's hard to imagine how any responsible parents could do that, but the fact came out later that, they'd been caring for the son for 10 years, and they just couldn't deal with it anymore. We might still think it's highly irresponsible, but on second thoughts, I can't say with absolute certainty that I won't do that. Of course, I won't dump my kids that way, but neither do I have to go through what these parents might need to go through day after day, hour after hour, minute after minute. And I realize, I should never judge people based on news headlines.
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