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What Are Your Feelings On This?
Topic Started: Feb 19 2005, 08:12 PM (97 Views)
DylansMom
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Jackie-Sioux Falls, SD (in Arizona for the moment)
Not sure how I would consider this.......

Dr's remove babies second head

It's not like regular conjoined twins, that, when separated, at least have a chance to live independently. Obviously if you remove just a head, it will die.

Was it a second child because it had a brain??? Or was it NOT a second child because it didn't have its own heart or a way to sustain its own life????

They called the second head a "parasite", but yet it was capable of smiling.

Truly a sad situation.
Greg, Dylan & Jasper too!
2005 F350 King Ranch PSD Crew Cab 4x4 Dually; 2005 Carriage Carri-lite KIQ View My Pictures Here

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TexasShadow
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Jane
it's a horrendous situation if the "parasite" has a brain, but I have to say if I was the mama, I'd opt for separation to give the one child a chance at a real life, and then I'd pray for forgiveness from the other child.
Posted Image "A conclusion is the place where you got tired of thinking."
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cmoehle
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Chris - San Antonio TX
Afraid I'd have to go along with jane on this one. Don't know enough--could they have survived as is? Idea of one being parasitic seems to say no, at least not normally.
Politics is the art of achieving the maximum amount of freedom for individuals that is consistent with the maintenance of social order.
--Barry Goldwater
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DylansMom
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Jackie-Sioux Falls, SD (in Arizona for the moment)
Oh, I agree, if that were my child, the surgery would have taken place.

Just wondering what criteria is used for being a "person". If that second head could smile, it musta had a working brain, right? Does having a brain make it it's own person?????

Again, just a real tough call. Glad I will never have to make such a decision.

Greg, Dylan & Jasper too!
2005 F350 King Ranch PSD Crew Cab 4x4 Dually; 2005 Carriage Carri-lite KIQ View My Pictures Here

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cmoehle
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Chris - San Antonio TX
Defining a person is a tough call as well. Article describes similar cases where instead of a head it could be limbs or part of a body or I forget what all. One can be idealistic and dogmatic but I just don't see straight and clear lines to decide.
Politics is the art of achieving the maximum amount of freedom for individuals that is consistent with the maintenance of social order.
--Barry Goldwater
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Justine
Member
A very sad situation, I hope the surviving little girl recovers well, that is all that matters now. Thank goodness it is an extrememly rare birth defect, what a heart breaker for the parents, I would have probaly chosen life for the fully formed twin over a sadly freakish life for both, but honestly, if the parasistic baby smiled at me, as a momma, what an awful choice !
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Heathertee
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Heather-Central Connecticut
Maybe, too quick to emotionalize?
A smile is not necessarily an indication of emotion or intelligence. It can be a rictus of pain, or from simple muscle contracture.
Had I been so unfortunate as to be forced into this decision, I would absolutely have the surgery done. Otherwise, what are you offering the poor child, but a life of misery?
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Justine
Member
HEATHER, what kind of mother doesn't " emontionalize"!!!!!!
I didn't say I wouldn't choose the surgery, I said it would hurt to see the baby smile, and yet know it wasn't any real life there.

A mothers heart is different.
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Heathertee
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Heather-Central Connecticut
I guess I have a hard time visualizing how I would look at this. But not BEING there, I can say that I would look at an extra head as I would any extraneous growth on my otherwise viable child and would go to great lengths to restore normality to that little one.
Thank goodness I never had to experience such a terrible thing. When you think of the millions of things that can and do go wrong, it is miraculous that so many babies are born normal.
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