Surgery on the Obese -- The Greater Challenges to Doctors
Last month there was a discussion here about some mean doctor who had published jokes about the challenges of operating on / treating the obese.
Many people were seriously offended, and the otherwise widely respected doctor was strong-armed into apologizing.
THIS ARTICLE FROM THE WALL STREET JOURNAL, by surgeon Paul Ruggieri, points out the additional difficulties of surgery on obese patients (among other things).
So ... any thoughts?
Many people were seriously offended, and the otherwise widely respected doctor was strong-armed into apologizing.
THIS ARTICLE FROM THE WALL STREET JOURNAL, by surgeon Paul Ruggieri, points out the additional difficulties of surgery on obese patients (among other things).
So ... any thoughts?
Interested in low-carb nutrition? Thinking of trying Atkins? Want to try high-fat and/or high-protein eating? Whether or not you have had (or are thinking about) WLS http://www.obesityhelp.com/group/atkins/
Stating medical fact is one thing. Mocking, ridiculing and belittling is an entirely different thing.
If I'm a medical professional who deals with the mentally handicapped and start making "retard" jokes, I deserve to be strong-armed into apologizing, even if the "facts" in the jokes were accurate. Same applies here.
If I'm a medical professional who deals with the mentally handicapped and start making "retard" jokes, I deserve to be strong-armed into apologizing, even if the "facts" in the jokes were accurate. Same applies here.
Highest weight: 335 lbs, BMI 50.9
Pre-op weight: 319 lbs, BMI 48.5
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175+ lbs lost, maintaining since February 2012
I think you make some very good points. And it goes to show how subjective things are with respect to criticism and mockery, because I had not perceived that with the previous physician's published remarks, at all. (Wish I could find that darned link.)
Interested in low-carb nutrition? Thinking of trying Atkins? Want to try high-fat and/or high-protein eating? Whether or not you have had (or are thinking about) WLS http://www.obesityhelp.com/group/atkins/
The "facts" in this guy's jokes were not facts at all. They were just insults.
Kelly
Please note: I AM NOT A DOCTOR. If you want medical advice, talk to your doctor. Whatever I post, there is probably some surgeon or other health care provider somewhere that disagrees with me. If you want to know what your surgeon thinks, then ask him or her. Check out my blog.
I found this article to be very revealing. I had never thought what surgery on MO people would be like from the perspective of the surgeon, although my surgeon stated in an introductory session that we are really hard to work on. I watched some videos of surgeries on YouTube recently and it really drove home the importance of why going on a liquid diet a week prior to surgery is so important as it flushes fat out of the liver, which makes it smaller and therefore easier to access the stomach. Back to the article, I didn't feel judged by the surgeon at all. I felt that he was expressing his own battle and frustrations with the situations he is faced with. It gives me a better appreciation of my surgeon and the challenges he is faced with,
Lap band 03/09; revised to RNY 01/12
Read about my journey at www.journeyofafatwoman.wordpress.com
Read about my journey at www.journeyofafatwoman.wordpress.com
I, too, found it revealing. And it was especially fascinating because I had not thought of the physical difficulties that come wtih operating on someone MO or SMO. Nor had I considered the impact of adhesions from previous illnesses and injuries, or the possiblity that a physician could encounter things entirely unknown, though of course that must happen all the time.
I'm going to get this guy's book!
I'm going to get this guy's book!
Interested in low-carb nutrition? Thinking of trying Atkins? Want to try high-fat and/or high-protein eating? Whether or not you have had (or are thinking about) WLS http://www.obesityhelp.com/group/atkins/
I understand there are difficulties involved. That does not mean doctors should publish rude jokes about obese patients.
You know what? I used to care for adults that were mentally retarded. There are a lot of challenges involved. Should I publish some jokes making fun of retarded people? Gee, I don't think so.
I don't think the doc in question was "strong-armed" into apologizing. He said he realized his jokes were hurtful and he should not have made them. I think he was right about that.
You know what? I used to care for adults that were mentally retarded. There are a lot of challenges involved. Should I publish some jokes making fun of retarded people? Gee, I don't think so.
I don't think the doc in question was "strong-armed" into apologizing. He said he realized his jokes were hurtful and he should not have made them. I think he was right about that.
Kelly
Please note: I AM NOT A DOCTOR. If you want medical advice, talk to your doctor. Whatever I post, there is probably some surgeon or other health care provider somewhere that disagrees with me. If you want to know what your surgeon thinks, then ask him or her. Check out my blog.
Yes, he seemed like a geniunely nice person who just wasn't thinking when he wrote the original article.
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