Would you have done what the Iranian Twins did?

[Cointelpro_Papers]

Would you be willing to risk your life, and the life of someone that you are unimaginably close to, just so you can be normal? Or rather, so you can actually be happy, and live your life for yourself, not for yourself, and your twin.

I for one would risk my life in a heart beat. I find the Irainian twins to be extremely brave, and I do not feel sorry for their deaths. I don't think that's what they were doing it for, they didn't care if they died or not, they just wanted to do what they thought was right. Death, has been demonized, only because our society told us to do it, and because many of us are afraid of it. They died doing something that few would do, and that is honorable.

Why do we see dying as a loss, when we're dead we don't know we're dead, we just don't "know". I think it has to do with a certain amount of pride, and they got over it.

[deek]

1. I agree

I don't sense their death as sad. For me, their decision seems like it was a renewal/reaffirmation of their life together, and their evolution as human beings to strive toward self-actualization. To possess that kind of confidence in growing forward while knowing the tremendous risks involved is something of which to be envious.

[PinkTiger]

2. No.

I've been thinking this over for days, and I know that I would not have taken the risk.
What is "normal???"
They had life; it had quality. It was not the type of life they wanted, but it was life.
Now they are dead; and I doubt if the doctors who did the procedure know any more than they did before the operation about this type of surgery.
It was risky and dangerous.
I wonder how much the doctors are responsible for pushing this surgery on them.
I grieve for them -- the girls and the doctors both.

[Cointelpro_Papers]

5. The doctors didn't push it on them,

I was their decision, and their decision alone. The doctors, I can see greiving for them, but their deaths is not something I find to be sad, they were willing to risk everything, and they did. It is something noble, and to me grieving degates the nobility of it all.

[Pithlet]

3. I don't know.

There's really no way to fathom what those women have been through. I was really hoping that surgery would be successful for them, and was so sad to hear they died. I, too, thought they were very brave. I can't blame them one bit for wanting to do what they did.

[Lady President]

4. I would have made the same choice

These were intelligent women (lawyers, I believe) who made an educated choice to take a huge risk so the could live independent lives. I would do the same thing. I can't imagine the sacrifices they had to make in their lives. And, I would imagine the medical community will learn a lot from this procedure.

I also agree with you about not knowing when you're dead. I'm alway a little surprised when people have expectations for their funeral. I figure, do what you want with me~ big/small funeral, bury me, toss me the woods to rot~ I won't know or care.

edit because it's too late to type

[undergroundrailroad]

7. I'm not sure.

I think the issue was one of quality of life. They were TWO different people who, upon separation, wanted to go in separate directions with their lives. I respect them for the decision they made.

I followed the operation as closely as I could. The problem was the lack of information coming out of Singapore. On Saturday there was very little information or up-dates of the progress of the surgery. On Sunday they made a statement that the procedure was taking a little longer than they had anticipated. THATS when I knew there was a problem. The updates should have taken a more positive tone by then. Indeed that's when the problems started and from what I have read, the Doctors considered calling the operation off and leaving the girls intact, but alive. When the Doctors once again consulted family and friends that the operation was going to be riskier than previously thought, they were again told that the Twins did NOT want the operation to stop but to continue until they were separated. Apparently they both wanted either death of separation.

They were two brave women who I respect very much.

[ProudGerman]

6. I disagree

Death is demonized because we're programmed to want to live, otherwise what's the purpose of a fight or flight response?

But why was what they did somehow right? Whose to say either way. They certainly didn't know any other existance except to be physically connect to each other.

I really can't comment on right or wrong. All I know is there are two less pretty smiles in the world.