My last post was written six weeks weeks ago a couple of days prior to my thirtieth birthday. I am having a difficult time putting into the words the emotions I feel over the last six weeks; let alone the last two years. Emotions experienced:
Tremendous growth. Evolving. Evolved. Falling in love. Falling out of love. Learning to love myself for who I am all faults included. Shopping for clothes off the rack. (The May ad for Hillcrest Baptist Medical Center show me wearing a size 46 suit. This picture was taken November of 2006. Today, that suit is six sizes too large. Who can imagine that I wear a 40R Suit or jacket?) Truimph. Fear. Anger. Doubt. Inner strength.
My father is undergoing his second round of chemotherapy. He was diagnosed with a treatable form of cancer several weeks ago. All my personal success matters little to me in the face of my dad's battle. His strength dwarf's my own battle. The battle's fought daily by cancer patients, and the victories won by cancer survivors, are remarkable. They lie in a bed, or infusion chair, hooked to toxic chemicals that kill the fast growing cancer cells. I was obese. But I did not have cancer. I had a difficult road to recovery but nothing as difficult as those who undergo chemotherapy.
Obesity is the most pervasive preventable epidemic facing America today. Yet how can people receive treatment for their obesity when gastric bypass surgery is not covered by insurance. Chemotherapy is covered by insurance. This year's Kentucky Derby had a new primary sponsor. Yum Brands, based in Kentucky, ran a series of ads during today's coverage highlighting their growing global position. Yum brands is expanding faster than McDonald's in some countries. Taco Bell sells over 2 Billion burritos a year to over 1 Billion customers. They touted the success of KFC, Taco Bell, and Pizza Hut worldwide.
Fast food, in moderation, is tolerable. Companies like Yum Brands and McDonald's employ a great number of people. These corporations can help improve the decrease in obesity statistic through continued modifications in their menus. They have made some small changes but more needs to be done. If the fast food industry ignores their impact of the welfare of the world obesity will touch the lives of people living in countries never effected by obesity. The probability of developing cancer is seriously compounded with obesity. Eventually, insurance companies will need to cover the growing increase of cancer patients to combat the obese population unable to pay for their gastric bypass surgery.
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