• IonAddis@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    really you have to make everyone disembark during rush hour so you can cram your obesity scooter on there so you can go to Tim Hortons so nobody else can sit down?

    Has it…occurred to you that some disabled people have mobility issues or pain disorders that limit mobility to begin with, and that weight gain is a byproduct of not being able to walk or move or stand for very long without trouble?

    I had a boss who had dwarfism and used a wheelchair 80% of the time. 20% of the time he slowly, painfully did hobble about–but it was clear as day WHY he was higher weight than he should’ve been. My own blood pressure would spike hearing the tiny sounds of pain he made when got out of his wheelchair and moved.

    I have a friend with POTS–and if you’re unfamiliar with that, basically she stands up and her blood pressure and heart rate is malfunctioning so her heart acts like she’s running a marathon, the beats per minute go insane…but blood is pooling in her feet and they’re turning purple where you can’t see it because things are out of whack and despite her heart going haywaire, there’s not enough pressure to get the blood out of her feet and elsewhere. This condition happened prior to any weight gain.

    I can hear her breath start to go wobbly just doing simple things because her body doesn’t regulate her blood pressure and heart rate normally. She’s gained weight because she’s at risk of passing the fuck out if she is on her feet for very long–she has to literally plan out doing simple things like going to the grocery store because if she pushes herself she might end up downed on the sidewalk relying on the helpfulness of strangers to get back up. It’s taken her many years to accept she really shouldn’t be pushing herself into a collapse because she’s worried that people will judge her for being “lazy and fat”. Comments like yours about “obesity scooters” only act to tear down all the people who ARE trying their hardest and still having their body fail them.

    I have a different friend who has thyroid problems, she inherited them from her mom (and her bro has them too), and weight is a bitch for her to manage because her thyroid is fried.

    I just broke my foot in July, and watched my weight inch up because it’s really fucking hard to get up stairs when you can’t put weight on one foot. I was semi bedbound for like 2 months. I’m LUCKY in that my foot will heal, but I don’t even snack and I gained 15lbs because of that one little temporary mobility issue. I’m LUCKY in that once it heals, I will be able to move normally and lose what I gained.

    You could’ve made your point about transit without taking pot-shots at disabled people, who often are stuck in a terrible situation of their body failing them medically, and society often forcing them into poverty to be able to access the care they need.

    Seriously, why isn’t it possible to champion mass public transit for all without shitting on the people who use it by necessity currently?

    • Vqhm@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      We’re you refered to physical therapy after breaking your foot? Or are you able to see if insurance will pay because your mobility has been reduced?

      I had several injuries in the military that left me unable to stand, walk, drive a car, or balance for very long. With the help of physical therapy I was eventually able to walk properly, then after some time I was able to take a ride to work a job where I was sometimes sitting but often standing. Eventually I was able to work and exercise enough that I got all my balance and mobility back.

      Having public transit helped me when I still didn’t have enough fine motor control to operate a pedal and brake.

      Not everyone is on the same journey, but please see if you can access physical therapy. Please advocate for not just healing but making yourself whole.

    • BonesOfTheMoon@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      You don’t have to go to Tim Hortons at rush hour when everyone is using it to go to work and school, and inconvenience everyone on the bus making them late while you back your scooter on because you just have to go get your 12 pack of donuts right now. Just wait a little while until the buses are quieter for pity’s sake.

      • acausal_masochist@awful.systems
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        1 year ago

        Disabled people couldn’t possibly have a reason to be outside at the same time as good, hardworking folk. Why don’t they just lurk in the shadows where they belong?

    • manapropos@lemmy.basedcount.com
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      1 year ago

      weight gain is a byproduct of not being able to walk or move or stand for very long without trouble

      Weight gain is a byproduct of consuming more calories than your body expends. Not everyone can walk or be active, but everyone can put the fork down. It’s quite simple actually

      • Shapillon@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        It’s quite simple actually.

        Or is it?

        Do you take into account that:

        • Most processed food are created around the bliss point in order to make it as addictive as possible.
        • Fresh food being more expensive and/or more time consuming to prepare than processed alternatives.’
        • the existence of food deserts.
        • advertising pushing unhealthy and addictive eatings habits down our collective throats with little to no regulations (why not do what we did with alcohol/tobacco in a lot of countries?)
        • bad habits formed during childhood such as empty calories used as rewards, etc.

        Imho everyone can put the fork down as in everyone can stop smoking or doing any drugs really. It’s possible but demands an extra effort that not anyone is able to put in at any given moment (without even taking relapses into account).

        To me it really has some “it’s your fault you got conned” vibes ^^’

        • manapropos@lemmy.basedcount.com
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          1 year ago

          When I was in college I lost weight when I had no access to a kitchen. I ate a lot of fast food but just counted my calories. Sometimes you have to do weird things like skipping the buns on a burger but it’s really not that hard

          • Shapillon@lemmy.world
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            1 year ago

            I’m glad it wasn’t that hard for you ^^

            But I think you’re confusing hard and difficult.