More detail humanizes the hard call:
"But Ashley's parents say the move was a humane one, allowing her to receive more care, more interaction with her younger brother and sister, and more of the loving touch of parents and others who can carry her.
As a result, they say in a written account posted on the Web this week, "we will continue to delight in holding her in our arms and Ashley will be moved and taken on trips more frequently and will have more exposure to activities and social gatherings (for example, in the family room, backyard, swing, walks, bathtub, etc.) instead of lying down in her bed staring at TV (or the ceiling) all day long."
I don't know what to think. Prayers for her and her family.
If she were to weigh 125 pounds, with aging parents, she'd be shipped off to an institution and cared for by nurses on rotating shifts. Why would that be a better life?
I have a friend, divorced, with a disabled daughter - in a wheelchair, cannot walk. She is now 19, and weighs 185 lbs. No one person can pick her up - it requires at least 2 men - and it is a major problem on a daily basis. The mother (ex-wife) will not face reality and insists her daughter is not overweight, and does not restrict the daughters diet. Because of the excess weight, things a paraplegic can normally do are beyond this girl.
There are no easy choices in these cases. I applaud these parents for doing the best they can and wanting to care for their daughter themselves instead of institutionalizing her.
I think anyone who is not in their position has no right to pass judgment.
Lord, please grant Your strength to this family.
Wow. What an ethical swamp. I can't imagine what this thread will be like.
Very sad situation. But for the grace of God...
It's a tough choice. But the parents clearly love their child and the girl will do far better growing up with loving parents than in a state nursing home of some sort.
I can't second guess them.
Didn't we just see an episode of House where a woman was doing nearly the same thing to her daughter so she would be a "little person" like her husband and herself?
Pet humans (sick). They should let her mature normally.
Aside: If people are going to mess with stuff like this, they ought to make ALL humans 1/2 their size to save on resources. Think about it: if people were pint-sized, they would eat less, you coulsd fit more of them on a plane, etc.
Of course, the scientists and rulers would find a reason to keep themselves normal sized. There's a modern Gulliver story there someplace.
Unless you want to rip someone from the womb, limb by limb. Then all bets are off.
I have an aunt, 70 yrs old, who has cared for her severely disabled son all his life. He's now 35. Circumstances and time have finally converged to the point where she is living with another relative and getting help, but the sacrifice that woman has made for her son is immeasurable. The physical toll is unimaginable, much less the emotional one. I find it hard to fault these people.
Wow. The decisions some families must face are enormously difficult and complex. I am in no position to judge and can understand the concerns from all directions. There is one thing that appears certain however...her family loves her and is doing what they believe will give her a good quality of life. And that is all I need to know.
God bless this family and their "pillow angel."
I too am very shocked at this story, but am riding the fence as I am a parent and have to believe I would always do what I believe is best for my children.
I just HOPE AND PRAY TO GOD that these parents do as they say they will and continue to care for this little girl for as long as they live in the way they are telling everyone they intend.
When people have children they must anticipate that they may not be "normal", healthy children.
I do not agree with the treatment this little girl is receiving as a whole and don't people think these surgeries are hard on this child as well? Does that outweigh the fact that the parents SAY they will always be there for their little girl and carrying her around all the time and from place to place? There are people who get by and continue to take care of their adult children, including carrying them around who are disabled and also do amazing, exceptional things - anyone hear of Dick Hoyt?
Anytime, EVERY TIME that Ashley goes into surgery she risks death. She was given a full hysterectomy, are giving her HUGE doses of hormone therapy, I am not even sure what anti-breast growth therapy/surgery/treatment is...
I don't know what I would do, I am not in their shoes but it just seems wrong and I do hope God takes care of this little Angel. At least we can agree on that.
- georgiagirl_pam - you can not compare this at all to anyone else and what they are going through. That is why there is a debate - it's experimental at best. Your asking if anyone else takes any medication is comparing apples to bananas and irrelevant to the topic.
I'm not going to second-guess the parents' decision on this.