But it's fine to put that same person under the knife for weight-loss surgery? I don't buy it. If I want to take the risk of general anesthesia (I've been fat all my life, and other than making me vomit, it's never harmed me, and I've had lots of surgeries), then I should be allowed to take that risk.
(Not to mention that no one agrees on what the definition of "obese" is, no one agrees on the actual risk, etc.)
I only know one person who has had weight loss surgery, and the surgeon made her loose 45 pounds *before* he would do the surgery precisely because of the general anesthesia risk. So in fact, no, it's not fine to have the same person go under the knife. Also, whether or not it's agreed that a BMI of 30 or 32 or 35 constitutes being obese is not at issue here. They accept people up to a BMI of 40.
I have no doubt that the reason these guidelines were put into place was because at some point some donor died, and then his/her next of kin showed up with a big ol' law suit. I also have no doubt that if someone needed a transplant and you were the only match and you were willing to sign all sorts of waivers, they would take your marrow.
I'm really sorry that I offended you. Really, really not my intention. I tried to pick the most clinical, non-loaded word that I could come up with. I really wish I could figure out how to have these conversations without causing angst. Is there an approved word list somewhere?
Doctors and public health people make arbitrary rules all the time (like every profession). And while the exact rule is arbitrary, usually, there is some actual reason behind it. I was just trying to shed some light on that.
If there was truth in their website, instead of saying the rule is for the comfort and safety of the donor, what they actually would have said was more along the lines of, "This rule is here because we're afraid if it's not, someone will sue our asses back into the middle ages- at least that's what our homes will look like when th lawyers are done with us." Juries really like to side with the family members of dead people. That's all.
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branchandroot
Re: I'm not saying that I agree with them, but I suspect I know why the limits are there
Date: 2007-01-11 04:55 am (UTC)(Not to mention that no one agrees on what the definition of "obese" is, no one agrees on the actual risk, etc.)
Re: I'm not saying that I agree with them, but I suspect I know why the limits are there
Date: 2007-01-11 05:13 pm (UTC)I have no doubt that the reason these guidelines were put into place was because at some point some donor died, and then his/her next of kin showed up with a big ol' law suit. I also have no doubt that if someone needed a transplant and you were the only match and you were willing to sign all sorts of waivers, they would take your marrow.
Re: I'm not saying that I agree with them, but I suspect I know why the limits are there
Date: 2007-01-11 05:23 pm (UTC)Re: I'm not saying that I agree with them, but I suspect I know why the limits are there
Date: 2007-01-11 07:47 pm (UTC)Doctors and public health people make arbitrary rules all the time (like every profession). And while the exact rule is arbitrary, usually, there is some actual reason behind it. I was just trying to shed some light on that.
If there was truth in their website, instead of saying the rule is for the comfort and safety of the donor, what they actually would have said was more along the lines of, "This rule is here because we're afraid if it's not, someone will sue our asses back into the middle ages- at least that's what our homes will look like when th lawyers are done with us." Juries really like to side with the family members of dead people. That's all.
Again, really, really sorry.