Snapped this picture last night as the sun pulled down the curtains on daylight.One of the more memorable stories from yesterday’s Sunday Globe is the story of the Ohio doctor who wants to perform the world’s first face transplant (link only good for today). The first thing I thought about when seeing the headline was that scene from Silence of the Lambs where Lecter was in the ambulance, using another person’s face to disguise his own. Rarely in the history of seeing movies do I have a reaction like the one I had as that scene unfolded. Unforgettable.
The story centers on burn victims or people who have had their faces severely disfigured through no fault of thier own. The hope is that by having this surgery, they won’t forever be branded as freaks and misfits or be the subject of long, sad stares. In these instances, I hope some can take advantage of this still dangerous procedure.
But should this become a successful practice, the cynic in me wonders how long it will be before former Hollywood starlets commence lining up, flipping their credit cards over to make it happen for them. Or drug dealers, who have more than enough money to change their face to the point where it doesn’t look much like that picture of them in the post office. There’s less fear of the latter, as the article does point out that the patient’s “new” face will most likely make their appearance largely similar to their old self, as it’s the bone structure that shape a face, not the actual skin (which is coming from a cadaver).
Incredibly interesting stuff, provided it’s used with good intentions. And yes, a little gross.
FINAL NOTE: Please watch the season premiere of Arrested Development tonight if you can. It’s on at 8pm on Fox and it’s probably the funniest damn show I’ve seen on television. Really. It’s that good.