Re: Feo: The Evolution of Saving Sick Foetus's
Posted by Kathleen Eykamp on Feb 27, 2004 at 00:48
(211.29.136.11)Re: Feo: The Evolution of Saving Sick Foetus's (Feo Amante)
Point made. As with my son, even knowing what I do now, I couldn't 'remove' him from the equation. I have no right. And not only Hawking, but Beethoven, and many others whom made a significant contribution, if not to the genetic pool, at least the intellectual one.
Conversely, they survived, where some of humanity that has, is more the result of medical advances and obligations to same, in degrees, to save what can be saved, irregardless of it's viability or ability to contribute ... anything, intervention often not at parental request nor in anyone's best interests. I've seen your State Hospitals with wards for the surviving unviables, and the terribly disfigured, unknowing beings whom they continue to force-feed and tend (and often restrain) until they day they might die. No visitors, no emotional development, total muscular atrophy, and the wards grow along with other private and public institutions' wards for like kinds.
In Australia there is no longer long-term care within the Government structure for the mentally ill, private hospitals building wards for those whom could afford them, the rest shunted into the main stream, destined to fail and, many, to die. Those with behaviour difficulties due to disabilities (or any other long term placements for those thus deranged, from one diagnosed cause or another), hence the prisons take up those exhibiting criminal-type behaviour with a history of unaccountability for their actions - placing them out of even the prison mainstream, in what are called, "Protective Custody" wards. Basically those whom were held in Mental Institutions have been slowly transferred into prisons, temporary transition wards (NOT) called Community Mental Health Centres, or into private hospitals, all of which provided better care then anything outside prisons, unless they were wealthy ... or their family was, and sourced an exceptionally good private hospital.
To add insult to injury, the chances are very strong that anyone subjected to a mental ward of any kind, is a walking guinea pig for further medical assault. I used to use the analogy of rape, without using an available orifice. Now they have to have SOMEONE's consent before administering anything, even if that be a public trustee appointed to represent said totally dysfunctional persons, when they haven't anyone to represent them, nor can they adequately represent themselves. This gimmick allowed said trustee to swallow up their wards money, in the cases they may have some, and place them into transition homes, forcing them to live with others as equally dysfunctional with little to no supervision. This hasn't changed, and no one likes those homes in THEIR neighborhood, much less those set up as half-way houses transitioning criminals back into the community. Truth is, if they weren't capable on their own, how would they be more capable in association, and with inadequate supervision, and often living in homes not up to standard for public rental.
I would suggest you draw the line on viability, assessed thoroughly, taking all factors into consideration. If it's born without a head, or nothing but a base-brain, let it die, don't perform a transplant.