Conjoined Twins With One Body And Two Heads!

[cruciverbalist]

Who was it said "Two heads are better than one"?

[fastkat]

Jan 12, 2009 22:56:40 GMT Libby said:

That would be great if everyone could do that, but unfortunately most people can't seem to. Children don't mean it, but they can be particularly cruel when growing up - i can't imagine how difficult their schooling might be. I heard on the news tonight that it is unlikely they will survive, i am not sure what that information is based on. The news is quite vague.

Because children might laugh at them in the playground, is that a good enough reason to prevent them from being born?

[gf1999uk]

well it looks like there set to have a few quid from the SUN...

[newyorker]

Two heads on one body? It would be a torturous miserable existence, I wouldn't condemn them to that hell, the answer is easy if you looke to nature, the tragedy has already happened, they're not fit to survive, and they wouldn't were it not for the modern world. It would be far kinder to abort them.

[voice]

For one NY is spot on

also Lawence the girls in your example are seperate to about the waist level with many internal organs seperate, hardly the same as this one

[avieder]

Hellen Keller (Deaf, Dumb and blind from birth) can teach us a lesson or two about the value of life.
Personally I do not understand how they can live: If one is asleep does the heart beat slower? What is hunger or love and all the other mental things that operate our body?

I do not think they CAN live (even though I heard of a sheep with two heads)

I say: If they can live independently from outside intervension (No operation to seperate or joing organs, no special machines etc.) Let them live and, maybe, teach us all the value of life.

[Libby]

I heard today that the woman has other children, not sure if that's correct. If she has, that makes the situation even more complicated. How would the existing child/children accept the twins should they survive?!

[cheyenne]

I don't believe it's right for the parents to choose to have these twin/s just because their religion dictates abortion is wrong. The future welfare and happiness of these child/ren must be the single, paramount concern, and if it were me, then I would have to terminate the pregnancy. The doctor says there's only a 20% chance of them surviving, so they will probably die anyway.

[radge]

Its irresponsible parenting if they have this kid/kids so frankly the council should pop round immediately after birth and remove them from the parents care.

[Libby]

"That would be great if everyone could do that, but unfortunately most people can't seem to. Children don't mean it, but they can be particularly cruel when growing up - i can't imagine how difficult their schooling might be. I heard on the news tonight that it is unlikely they will survive, i am not sure what that information is based on. The news is quite vague."

When i said this Kitty i meant that growing up is hard enough for "normal" children without a disability as enormous as having one body and two heads, and we can only imagine how horrendous it might be to be teased by other children and constantly pursued. As parents surely all we want for our children is for them to be as normal as possible, to be able to deal with whatever life throws at them. For this reason i personally couldn't go through with the pregnancy, life is tough enough without this degree of adversity from the start.

Heaven knows what the health implications could be, this is uncharted territory in the UK.

[radge]

majority of doctors would suggest you dont have the child. I'll believe a doctor over anyone else on this matter because they have the experience and their judgement isnt clouded by religion and presonal beliefs.

[Libby]

I guess looking at the whole thing in a mercenary way, whether the twins survive the pregnancy and birth or not, the couple stand to make a lot of money out of news articles and interviews, magazine deals etc. However i am not for one minute suggesting this is the reason they chose to continue with the pregnancy. They are clearly desperate for a baby.

It brings back memories of some years ago, do you remember the woman who was pregnant with eight babies and slowly one by one lost them all. She was advised to reduce the number of babies in her womb to give the others the chance of life. She refused against medical advice, and ended up with no babies at all. Incredibly sad. That particular story also made her a lot of money but in the most horrendous way.

[radge]

i remember that, and as you said the doctors advised her to take steps to save some of the children, she didnt take the advice. I say unless you know different take the experts advice.

[Libby]

At the end of the day the doctors, gynaecologists and consultants know best. They know the risks to both the babies and the mother. There is no way they would suggest abortion if there were more viable options that were safe for the babies and the mother. If we choose not to take their expert advice, then unfortunately we have to prepare ourselves for the worst case scenario, although naturally we hope that won't happen.

[avieder]

Libbi #31: "....That particular story also made her a lot of money but in the most horrendous way. "
If you mean that the death of 8 'potential children' is horrendous, how would you view the of 2 in one body?

Most of the above posts put an emphasis on the fact that their life will not be happy.
First, I am not sure that they will not be able to find their way of satisfaction, as do other people with disabilities, or what WE call disabilities. Is a child suffering from Autism unhappy? or an Albino?
We just DON'T KNOW.

[avieder]

And, anyway, is being even potentially 'unhappy' an excuse to end life?

[newyorker]

Jan 13, 2009 19:02:27 GMT avieder said:

And, anyway, is being even potentially 'unhappy' an excuse to end life?

Not happy? Wow, you have a gift for understatement, we're talking continuous low intensity physical and mental torture 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for the entirety of their short lives, everything will be misery, eating, walking, hygene, sleep, no solitude/privacy or dignity, everything will be a painful burden. Far better to abort them and give them peace now than making them suffer through years of that misery.

[Libby]

I think the American twins are incredible but i fail to see how anyone could trully be happy in one body with two heads. It's incomprehensible to me. We are told although there is only one body that they are in fact twins. How can that be?! Apparently it isn't because the body has one heart but that the heads have two brains . . . . i would hate to live like that. Not being in full control of my body and mind because someone else's brain is controlling me. Can't get my head round it, no pun intended.

[radge]

youve just made me start thinking about that!!! OMG!!! Nup its impossible to get your head around ahahaha. mental!!!

[Libby]

Exactly, and i honestly didn't mean to be funny when i said that, but Jeez, it makes you think doesn't it!