Linda McCartney was an ethical vegetarian, meaning she did not eat meat, for the sake of the animal's right to live. I imagine was not thrilled to hear the words "cow" or "pig" used as insults. I know I am not. I'm truly sorry she will not be here to celebrate Earth Day on Wednesday.
But Linda's death also made me reflect on the shoddy state of medical care for people of size. Linda had access to the best care money could buy. This is what many fat people can expect when they need medical help:
- Insurance Companies who refuse to cover people over a certain weight, making them unlikely to get basic preventative treatment
- Waiting rooms with no armless chairs, or couches, and therefore no place for a person of size to sit
- Doctors who lecture instead of listen, blaming a person's medical condition on weight, whether it's warranted or not. "Lose 50 pounds and I'll treat your broken leg," - a bit of an exaggeration, but pretty close to the truth for some.
- Supposedy legitimate clinics that offer drastic weight loss plans. These may be acheived with dangerous, even deadly surguries, and have disastrous results. Or they prescribe drugs with side effects that can ruin one's health.
- Medical professionals who don't know how to treat a fat person. For instance, a blood pressure cuff that is too tight will give an inaccurate reading, not to mention be painful. Using a larger cuff is an easy thing to do.
- Hospitals that don't have gowns to fit a fat person, leaving them exposed and embarassed.
- And even doctors who refuse to treat fat people at all, as if their weight is a disease they could catch.
All in all, it's not a safe and healthy world for people of size. Let's do what we can to change that.
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