The high and mighty Barbra Walters

Last night I watched abc:PRIMETIME's story on Isabelle Dinoire - recipient of The world's first partial face transplant surgery (November 27, 2005). The story was very interesting, however, Barbra Walters' closing statement really annoyed me. She closed the show by saying "because without a face, you don't have a life [sick]". I understand the sentiment of this statement (Isabelle really could not have had much of a life without the surgery), but the words on their own have a very different, and quite disturbing meaning. It may be that I fell asleep almost right after watching the show, but these words have been with me all day. The more I think about them and the show, the more annoyed I get.

Now, I know there is no way of knowing for sure, but supposedly Isabelle was attempting suicide when her dog mauled her leaving her with half of her face missing, and the woman who's face was used in the surgery is believed to have hung herself. I find it very sureal that a woman who didn't want to live was granted a second chance at life (realistically, and in Barbra's sense of things), when she possibly didn't want to live anyway. I have very stong opionions against suicide. That said, I think that Isabelle's case is remarkable, and an amazing breakthrough in medical technology. I know that people will disagree with me on this and many other points, but I think that Barbra Walters' closing words to this story could be viewed as prejudice, but the words alone imply that a disfigurement detracts from life (yes I know that Isabelle likely would not have live long if the surgery didn't happen, yes, I know this is taken out of context, and, yes, I know that I'm likely reading too far into this).

That's all I have to say on this ...for now. Any thought?

"Among the most disturbing aspects of the debate are conflicting reports
from doctors about whether the transplant was the result of two suicide
attempts, one successful by the donor, and one failed by the recipient."
- NYTimes Dec 14/05

It really is a remarkable story, and she is recovering well. It seams she's even learned to smile again.

Isabelle Dinoire:

before dog attack........................preparing for surgery....................five months after surgery