This surgery is
the first of its kind, allowing doctors to take Ashley's ovaries and breast buds to halt puberty. Her parents call her a "pillow angel" and want to stunt their daughter's puberty so they can take better care of their daughter. The idea in theory makes sense, but below the surface there is a more complicated issue. First is the idea of morals. Yes their daughter is handicapped and it has been stated by doctors that her condition will not improve. However, how could parents want their daughter to go under the knife just to help them out? Ashley cannot speak for herself, nor would she be able to comprehend what is being done to her. Her parents should let her develop normally. The most astonishing thing about this story is this type of surgery has never been done before. Therefore the doctors do not exactly know what the consequences may be. This surgery may make Ashley's condition worse. When it all comes down to it, this is a sad story and it's amazing that parents would agree to let their daughter have a voluntary surgery.With all of the public attention being directed to this family I wonder what other whacked out parents around the world will choose to do this. Is stunting the growth of a physically and mentally handicapped person going to become the norm?
To watch a news story video on this article visit http://www.knbc.com/video/10665238/index.html
4 comments:
Wow...this is incredibly interesting and horrifying at the same time. Great post.
Sounds like the parents are selfish and want to go to whatever lengths possible to make their life in coping with a tragedy easier.
It is also kind of sick that they twist their handicapped kid into some sort of perverse doll called the pillow angel.
Sounds to me like the parents are exercising common sense. This is a child that is effectively brain dead, the lights are on, but noone is home. Why let her develop the ability to bear children? Why make it harder on the parents than it already is.
If the child could care for itself, it might have a say in this issue, but this child doesn't and won't ever have that.
I know this post is old but I've just read about it. Her parents state that increased estrogen (to stunt her growth) has no ill effect because during the 70's it was used to make sure women "didn't get too tall" (gah!) with no ill effect. But don't menopausal women who use estrogen therapy suffer an increased cancer rate?
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