Nondisabled people are so certain that life with a disability is a
>terrible thing, that their opinion would not be swayed.  ....As far as I
can tell, those around me who are nondisabled,
>or who are not attached to the disability community, have learned nothing.


This is true for not only disabilities aquired later in life but right from
the day of birth.  There are many conditions that the medical society deem
incompatible with life and advise parents not to treat such as many
trisomys.  There are our preemie children who's rocky NICU courses have
doctors advising us not continue heroic measures because the child will have
disabilities based on statistics.  Stattsitics don't tell about a particular
case in question.  They also tell the good, bad and no diffrence in outcome
results of a group.  And even if a child does ends up with disabilities, it
might not be fun but the disabilites tell you how the body works or doesn't
work nothing about the child himself.
Saying that I must also say that death will come to all of us.  Some earlier
than others.  Some with more pain and others will go gently.  It's a fine
line to know when to not intervene and let nature take it's required course
and when active intervention will lead to the end of a disabled life.  All
life is sacred but all life will also come to and end.  It is definetly a
volatile subject.
Joanne
>