Looks like Isabelle, the French woman who received the world's first face transplant, is doing better than anyone expected. Good for her. Although it bothers me that reporters still insist on discussing Isabelle's "worthiness" of the procedure.
The woman's prior psychological condition - and questions raised in the media about whether she tried to commit suicide before being maimed by the dog - have fueled ethical questions in the case.Why are people so concerned with who's getting a new face? It's not like there are faceless people getting passed over, are there? I suppose any slight misgivings might have something to do with a fear that a full face transplant might one day become an elective procedure along the lines of a nose job. I don't see that happening, though.
Bachmann declined to comment about Isabelle's personal life, saying that they mostly talked about the present and not the past.
Asked if there were any concerns that Isabelle was not the ideal patient for such a radical treatment, she replied: "First of all, is there anyone perfect on earth?"
One more curiosity:
The most important consideration, Bachmann said, was whether Isabelle would be motivated and stable enough to take her potent anti-rejection medication every day for the rest of her life.Wow. Hadn't heard that before. Is this true of all transplant surgeries? Or just face transplants? Sounds like yet another criterion on which a face transplant candidate will be judged. In any event, Isabelle is in it to win it for the rest of her life. I guess that sucks slightly less than going through life without a face.
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