Incoherent Rant & Other Stuff
A 62-year old grandmother from Redding, California, just gave birth to her 12th child. She’s quoted as saying she wanted to provide a sibling for her 3-1/2 year old son. Her latest pregnancy was the product of in-vitro fertilization, and, though the article I read doesn’t mention it, I assume that, given her age, her 3-year old was too.
My belief in a woman’s right to control her body is absolute, but I must say this appalls me. The science of in-vitro is a wonderful thing, but the fact it’s available should not mean that common sense should fly out the window. Where in this little scenario is there consideration for these two children? Do the parents (the father is 48) really think her age shouldn’t be a factor? I’m not even talking about the idea of a woman in her 60s chasing after a couple of youngsters. These children face the very real possibility of losing their mother to death or infirmity while they are still young. I was 44 when I lost my father, and, let me tell you, I was too young. They may be part of a large family, and all may be willing to care for them if the time comes, but a parent cannot be so easily replaced. Can they be so stupid as to think this wouldn’t matter? That the devastation these boys will feel can in anyway be mitigated? There is a sense of entitlement resonating in this story that is, in my opinion, a little grotesque.
And why is it ethical for a physician to perform this procedure on a woman of her age?
I’m done now.
In other news...
Work continues to be a black hole from which no light escapes, but my trusty iPod has been cranking out the soul/R&B/occasionally Gorillaz, over the last week and I am calm-ish in the dark.
I’ve grown fascinated by the rollicking sport of curling.
We have a dusting of snow on our hills.
Will finally watch the final disc of Spooks/MI-5 today. I’d put it off due to time constraints, and, I must say, I’ve been looking forward to it with an oddly satisfying mixture of anticipation and dread. (Sniff) After having viewed the previous episodes, I can also say my love for Harry and Ruth (and Harry/Ruth, though, please god, never, ever put them together) remains full and throaty, Adam has well and truly insinuated himself under my skin (took a while, as I am resistant to change), and Fiona is just plain awesome. A&E really did her the worst injustice when they hacked at like Edward Scissorhands edited these episodes.
I'm off to color my hair. It's not the gray I object to, for it's really silver rather than gray, and really quite lovely, but the mundane, mousy brown. Red is so much more interesting.
Peace to you, my friends.