Would you rather die than be 'the chimp lady'

Originally posted by hikix
Someone said to me today, well at least she can live her life now. The lady has no face, I'm pretty sure she doesn't even have hands anymore. She cant even see, I can't even bear to watch her interview with Oprah.

I would take death over this any day. I am just curious, are there any of you out here that would rather live and be in this condition?

absolutely. the most vital part of who i am i still there: my mind. the curse of losing my sight provides me with a blessing in that lacking that sense, i reduce the "noise" that prevents deeper meditative states.

such challenges are meant for us. shying away from them is markedly unhuman.

Personally, I would rather die. I do well understand the arguement that one's person-ality should count more than physical features. However, I do come from a time when doctors routinely allowed for the merciful death of infants and elderly, letting nature take its course, rather than use "extraordinary means", the term we used back then.

Now that these "extraordinary means" have been made "ordinary", we must take into account that not every life is destined to be a "Six Million $ Man", a life, because of medicine, that is not just "saved" but made "better".

We no longer address "quality of life" issues. But then, America has stopped having a "quality of life" in favor of a "quantity of life". More is not always better, whether it be cheap items from China or medical care.

Many years ago, I read an artice in Time or Newsweek, that was about people who had been rescued/saved but who felt they should have been left to die. A family member, who had been pulled from death's door, prayed for death every day for a year in the rest home. She finally died in her sleep.

On one extreme, we can have a society that forces death on groups of people, but at the other extreme can be a society where no body is allowed to die.



[edit on 13-11-2009 by desert]

I saw a post yesterday about a video from Oprah (gag) but it showed her face before and she was under a veil... along with the 911 call played during the video. Below it there was a warning with a picture of her after and I wanted to show my girlfriend but I lost the page and can't seem to find the article. Does anyone happen to have a link?

Originally posted by Agent-ATS
I think maybe you should take the "Chimp Lady" part out of your thread.

It's quite rude don’t you think?

Yeah, it is pretty rude to call her that... but no use changing it now.

If something bad happens in life then use that to find something good out of it, teach people or make them ask questions to them selves what reaction, how to cope, how to overcome, how to avoid such a scenario. If she killed her self then is not the story even worse, if she found another meaning and over come it, is that not a story of a battle to live against all odds?

I wouldn't rather be dead but I would need a hand or two from some folks.....

Originally posted by Agent-ATS
reply to post by Amagnon

 

I take it you're fast approaching you’re twelfth birthday.

Let’s hope you're face doesn’t get burnt off when you're trying to blow out the candles.

I think you should re-read my entire post - I was being ironic.

Funny thing is... you never know how you would feel unless it was actually you. I would probably stay for my family despite how much pain or how I looked. Just my opinion... I do feel mad sorry for her though... poor lady.

I can partially relate to what she might be going through, end of the day we all have our trials and tribulations that we have to overcome.

I suffered horrific injuries about 10 years ago in an attack in the middle of the day. My attackers (two of em) decided they could redesign my head with an iron bar... long story short my face was ruined, smashed up and I suffered brain damage (loss of memory, cognition etc).

Took me about a year to recover properly, I am not 100% but I managed to turn my life around from the experience.

Staying up beat and positive is one way the mind deals with trauma but I am worried that she hasn't fully accepted the extent of her injuries and this will affect her later on - until I recalled my attack I was not really 'cured' so to speak but when I did confront the memories (I have vivid memories of the attack in an out of body experience but I can only recall a handful of events prior to the attacks...) I was able to see how my life changed I just got up one day and thought, what the hell, it's happened, time to get up and start taking control of my life.

I found this video of Katie Piper inspirational and moving because it reminded me of my traumatic event:

www.youtube.com...

It's obvious from looking at the video she has confronted her experience and accepted her life is now different which is a big weight off her shoulders (and thankfully she got justice as well).

Something I came across many years ago that makes the chimp attack pale in comparison is the story of Jacqueline Saburido - put my life into perspective after I read her story:

Help Jacqui

We humans are much more resilient than it's made out in this day and age, the above and the chimp story really tells that tale of how a human being can survive such an ordeal and somehow find a way to move on.

Would I commit suicide, those people haven't so I will never give up like that but my mind is much sharper now, more focused and has gone through hardship but I live for my children now, that's what drives me each day.

[edit on 15-11-2009 by old_god]

[edit on 15-11-2009 by old_god]

reply to post by hikix


I would choose to die. Quality over quantity.

I would pick death. If life is too painful, I will not choose it.

Originally posted by Spiramirabilis
reply to post by ohsnaptruth

 

plus, the only reason we think she's "ugly" is because we live in a word where we don't praise the loving or intelligent, we put the beautiful on top regardless of their sanity/ what they look like without face paint. i don't think she's as ugly as i expected her to be.

you're the only one so far who's seen it this way
. . .

Of course you don't think chimp lady should off herself for uhgginess, what with your sig ("I love all the funny monkeys") and monkey avatar and all ...

Actually I suspect a few of the yea-sayers would recommend chubby old granmamas like me should off ourselves for uhgginess too. But somehow the loss of youthful looks has done nothing to lesson my usefulness or my enjoyment of the many aspects of life.

What is it people live for, to believe lights out forever is better than living blind and ugly? Don't they know about (braille) books and music, walking, swimming, spending time with family and real friends? And sex is just as much fun in the dark. One can still be useful, working and being there for those who need you. And in the quiet times one can study or meditate, and develop wisdom.

Anyway, I've just come beck to ATS after a "holiday", and it's good to see you posting. Please excuse my bad-taste humour.

Originally posted by RRokkyy

Originally posted by Clairaudience
Ultimately everything that happens to us, good or bad, is an important life lesson.

The only thing we learn from experiences is that we learn nothing from them.-GBS

I prefer this GBS quote:
"This is the true joy in life, the being used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one; the being thoroughly worn out before you are thrown on the scrap heap; the being a force of Nature instead of a feverish selfish little clod of ailments and grievances complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy."


Some people will learn nothing from a maths lesson, some people will learn nothing from life.
But that doesn't mean there was nothing to be learned.

I was raped every day of my childhood, since then I've been bashed, starved, poisoned and had brain damage, and had to live with the physical and mental problems my childhood caused.

Every day of my life I've learned something worth learning, and life can still be bloody wonderful. And I've been showered with the greatest blessings of all, opportunities to help other people.

There is so much living to do in this world that even if the doors are closed to 99% of it, it would take 100 lifetimes to experience the remaining 1%.

There may not seem to be room in a life for such hardship, but, as Chinua Achebe says, “When suffering knocks at your door and you say there is no seat for him, he tells you not to worry because he has brought his own stool.”

reply to post by Kailassa


:-)

But somehow the loss of youthful looks has done nothing to lesson my usefulness or my enjoyment of the many aspects of life.

life is funny like that - the gift that keeps on giving :-)

What is it people live for, to believe lights out forever is better than living blind and ugly?

without going all drama queen about it - I find it very discouraging to see that for so many people this life is so meaningless - so easy to let go of when conditions aren't perfect

when life is hard

our culture maybe?

but I know it isn't true - when faced with the choice - most of us choose life

I've seen the choice made several times up close and personal

Don't they know about (braille) books and music, walking, swimming, spending time with family and real friends? And sex is just as much fun in the dark. One can still be useful, working and being there for those who need you. And in the quiet times one can study or meditate, and develop wisdom.

I don't think they do - to be honest LOL!

Anyway, I've just come beck to ATS after a "holiday", and it's good to see you posting. Please excuse my bad-taste humour.

bad taste? honest humor is never in bad taste - it's a gift

so good to have you back again Kailassa

:-)

reply to post by Kailassa

"This is the true joy in life, the being used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one; the being thoroughly worn out before you are thrown on the scrap heap; the being a force of Nature instead of a feverish selfish little clod of ailments and grievances complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy."

thank you :-)

wile i havent watched the opra show nore seen this woman i can say this.
you say her face is goin ok ill start there wile surjury mite not fix it make up and a hollowood type face mask could(ever see robbian williams in missdought fire? never would have gessed he wasent awoman .
im sure they could easly make a rubber type face mask easly puit on taken off for her >Ps of corse thats only for our senisabilitys .
and yes we all have them id feal bad for her some would make fun but no one would honstly just be like nothing was wrong.
anyway the point is even without surjury she could easly make her face look normal even if it was just a mask.
Ps im missing an eye and finger my self and most ppl never know my eye is fake unless i tell um.
psss if i was blind thats scary and sucide would be the easy way out.
so no id try to live i love my son im sure this woman loves her daughter

It's sort of hard to tell how I'd feel if I were in this woman's position since none of us really know what it would be like to be in her shoes. Yes, maybe some people can relate to an extent (having some sort of conditions that relate maybe) but regardless, every situation is different.

I would only commit suicide if I felt myself slowly, or at all, losing it. And when I say losing it, I mean mentally losing myself. What is the point of life when one has nothing to more to gain from it? They're soul just needs to find peace, and if it's not within the physical body they've been given, then so be it. It is their decision to stay alive, or to die when it is their time naturally or however they may pass over.

There is much to learn about people with these sort of disabilities, but since I don't really know much about the topic at hand, I'd just like to say that the persons life in question is just as significant as any of ours. Now that I have said that, I'd like to add that if the person can feel the emotion of love, and understand it, and use it in their lives even though they are disabled, then more power to them, and they definitely should stick around too see how things work out for themselves.

I mean look at technology... We are able to make blind people see - Imagine being blind and seeing for the first time, and at this time you're an adult. It would be a very divine feeling, don't you all agree?