Really? Really?

[elspethdixon]

So, my sister was recently diagnosed with a GI condition that involves bleeding ulcers*, and until said ulcers heal, she has to eat a severely restricted diet of super-bland food.

This past weekend, she was at a sports-watching party of some kind (football, maybe? It wasn't related to the playoffs, because she doesn't watch baseball) and went into the kitchen to make her plain oatmeal that she'd brought with her. One of the other guests at the party saw her and she asked my sister what she was eating.

My sister: Oatmeal. I have this stomach condition with ulcers and stuff, and this is practically the only thing I can eat right now, until they heal.
Other guest: Oh my god, you're so lucky! You're going to lose so much weight!
My sister: *dead silence as she tries to think of a response that doesn't involve profanity*

(My suggestion for next time this happens is that she respond with, "Thanks, but I'd rather be fat and able to eat whatever I want without vomiting blood.")



*Luckily, she's in the military and therefore has access to reliable and affordable health care.

Comments

[niqaeli]

My response to that would probably be: Really? You think that's lucky? Wow. Meanwhile, over in the land of sanity, I'm pissed because I can't eat anything interesting at all, and I'm going to be months gaining the weight and muscle back when I can finally eat other things.

And then sit back and watch their tiny mind explode at the idea that you might be pissed to lose weight and will be looking to gain it back.

(dunno your sister's position in the military or how she's optimised her body, but it really could be a concern. i know a lot of athletes who, yeah, would be frustrated as hell, because you can't maintain the muscle they optimise for on a limited diet.)

[elspethdixon]

She's actually hoping that she's going to stop losing weight on the bland-and-boring diet - she lost about 10 lbs in the couple of months before getting diagnosed, because she kept getting sick all the time/kept not being able to eat because her stomach hurt.

(She's an air force officer; luckily, apparently over 90% of the air force personnel who've previously been diagnosed with ulcerative colitis have been able to keep flying, so they're unlikely to pull her from active duty or shift her to a desk job, and also luckily, her aircraft type only deploys to bases within the US and its territories, all of which are large military bases with large hospitals that have GI specialists).

[truthiness_aura]

There is not enough fire in the world.

[elspethdixon]

I know. Who cares about health? The important thing is being skinny!

[lilacsigil]

When are my internet death lasers going to arrive? When?

[elspethdixon]

I guess the charitable assumption would be that the other woman was trying to think of something positive/perky to say, but yeah. IDEK.

[dorothy1901]

Two points to your sister for avoiding profanity. As for "other guest", one can only hope that she is stupid from inexperience instead of stupid by nature.

[alyndra]

There's always asking Miss Manners how to deal with gobsmackingly rude people -- I couldn't help being reminded of a recent column dealing with a unfortunately similar question. Scroll down to the second question:

http://articles.washingtonpost.com/2013-08-23/lifestyle/41446930_1_gentleman-date-web-site

Hope your sister feels better sooner rather than later!

[elspethdixon]

*boggles at second question* Oh my lord, people actually go around telling people who use walkers how lucky they are to be disabled because it means they get the best parking? That's even worse than "yay, ulcers will make you lose weight!" (Again, I guess maybe it's possible that they're trying to think of something positive to say, but getting to park five parking slots closer to the building really isn't like winning some kind of magic disability lottery)