blurgh

[visceral_instinct]

Apparently, you can be severed in half at the mid spine, and survive.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hemicorporectomy

Most things don't shock me, but I instinctively curled up in a fetal position in my seat after reading that page.

 

[Xylene]

Didn't do my digestion much good either Pardon my cynicism, but why is so important to keep someone alive that you need to resort to cutting them in half? If someone needs this procedure, surely that means they're obviously so badly fucked up that they should be allowed to die? Where are the limits of common sense, and where are the boundaries of what could be termed 'a life worth living'?

 

[visceral_instinct]

Oh I totally agree with you. I would rather be dead than hacked in half, any day. Even if I have a whole family who love me. I like my legs and lower spine. I want to keep them.

You should see Figure 4 in this link. http://www.pandocare.com/pdf/P&OJonWilsonROHOAbstract.pdf

I was morbidly fascinated enough that I looked at that.

He has been severed in half so high, I can only assume he's missing most of his vital organs and needs artificial functions of those. He's not just missing his lower half, he's missing everything below the base of his lungs.

That would mean he undergoes renal dialysis, whatever procedure you do on someone who doesn't have a liver, sex hormone replacement, adrenal hormone replacement, and intravenous feeding because he has no intestines.

Not for me. Just kill me.

 

[Xylene]

I totally agree--what a hellish existence...I can only feel sorry for someone who has to live out the rest of their life like that.

 

[codanblad]

i'd staple the piss and shit bags to myself, and walk around everywhere on my hands. i'd have a hat with a massive wig to wear on my stump, then i'd draw a smiley face on my back. if i was lucky, people would just be like 'wtf is that a hemicorporectomy patient robbing a liquor store? oh no its just grug...robbing a liquor store'.

 

[Anti-Flag]

i'd staple the piss and shit bags to myself, and walk around everywhere on my hands. i'd have a hat with a massive wig to wear on my stump, then i'd draw a smiley face on my back. if i was lucky, people would just be like 'wtf is that a hemicorporectomy patient robbing a liquor store? oh no its just grug...robbing a liquor store'.

I wouldn't bother with bags, I'd just crawl around and rename myself the "human snail".

 

[Enmos]

If someone needs this procedure, surely that means they're obviously so badly fucked up that they should be allowed to die?

Well yea, if they wanted to (hopefully).

Where are the limits of common sense, and where are the boundaries of what could be termed 'a life worth living'?

That is (should be) up to the patient.

 

[codanblad]

I wouldn't bother with bags, I'd just crawl around and rename myself the "human snail".

well played sir. do so wearing a 'you should see the other guy!' shirt.

 

[visceral_instinct]

^Ugh. I don't want to imagine what could be worse than a hemicorporectomy.

 

[spidergoat]

^Ugh. I don't want to imagine what could be worse than a hemicorporectomy.

Death? I think it's amazing. Those people look happy.

 

[visceral_instinct]

That's fine, just as long as no one ever attempts to do a hemicorporectomy on me.