X-Message-Number: 32704
Date: Mon, 12 Jul 2010 22:01:16 -0400
From: hrhirsch <>
Subject: Choice

My mother's father belonged to a religious sect that did not approve 
of surgery. When I was 12 years old, my father (F) and I had the 
following conversation:
F: I'm sorry to have to tell you that your grandfather is in the 
hospital in a coma and will die in a day or two.
I:  What's wrong?
F: He has a testicular tumor which he wouldn't allow to be operated.
I:  Now that he is unconscious, couldn't we go ahead and have it 
operated anyway?
F: It's too late, and besides it would be WRONG!
It took me a little time to grasp this idea. I had never stopped to 
think before that it would be wrong to save someone's life if he felt 
it was right to die.

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