Unofficial Christ's Hospital Forum

What happens if you give up smoking, but become overweight because you fill the fagless void with chocolate?

cj wrote:What happens if you give up smoking, but become overweight because you fill the fag void with chocolate?

Ask for psychiatric help?

Rory wrote:OK - I don't like sports - I think that they are dangerous - so if you break your leg playing football, or break your neck playing rugby, then UNLUCKY - you chose to play a dangerous game - its your fault so we wont treat you.

20 years ago A & E were refusing to treat people who had injuries caused by sport.

Rory wrote:Mountain climbing - forget rescue teams coming out in bad weather - you should have checked. Die up there in the cold.

But of course. Mountain rescue teams are volunteers just like the lifeboat service; why should they risk their lives / miss Coronation Street just because some person didn't bother to get trained / didn't get proper equipment / didn't check the weather forecast. When you carry out potentially dangerous activities you know the risks and make a yes / no decision on whether to risk your life. (btw and fwiw - I did some mountain rescue work and for 15 or so years pulled people out of crashed cars for a hobby)

Rory wrote:Dont cross the road - you might get hit by a car.

and what would the social worker say on behalf of the driver? some fatuous excuse that he/she had an unhappy childhood and needs to get the aggression out of their system.

Rory wrote:You run a marathon to raise money for a heart clinic - but then have a heart attack because you're not fit. The doctor finds out you used to smoke and lets you die.

See my previous comment about preparation for dangerous activities.

Rory wrote:As for the fat / not fat issue - I simply can't understand who thinks that a thin parent is better than a fat one - what a bl**dy nerve. I know some nice fat people and some horrid thin ones.

AIUI getting down to a reasonable weight is not really a problem. What were the obesity statistics on a wartime diet? It included everything necessary for a balanced diet but held cardiac and weight problems to a minimum.
Alternatively I can provide the means to lose a stone in a month or so, improve your health etc. despite eating and drinking well ..............

What an extraordinarily interesting thread!

The problem, as I see it, is that we all take risks which may require the intervention of others to rescue us from self-inflicted problems.

I abhor smoking with all of a convert's zeal. Starting behind the rifle range at CH I continued to smoke until I was about 30. I then gave it up. Why I did so is another story and not relevant to this discussion. Subsequently, as a teacher, I was profoundly distressed when my gorgeous girl students attended my seminars reeking of a pre-lesson fag. I asked them how such pretty girls could voluntarily wish to stink like sewers, prejudice the lives of their yet to be conceived children as well as condemning themselves to a wheezing death from emphysema.

Yet, my own life remains voluntarily risk-laden. I sail small boats on big seas. I drive my car from Cornwall to Christ's Hospital without heeding the road accident statistics. I love to walk at night in strange cities. I travel to countries where dangers of all kinds are no doubt lurking behind every monument and ruin. I am indeed surrounded by those who would stop at nothing to break my head and steal my wallet.

Should I then, as Voltaire suggests, merely cultivate my garden in peaceful Flushing? Should I never seek to venture out and explore all the richness of this wonderful world? Of course I should, even though by doing so, I at once place myself in peril from passing motorists and all manner of evil men, of disease, of corruption, of the mindless forces of nature and the vagaries of public transport.

So in short, I deplore the habits of smoking and of overeating, of drinking to excess, of drug abuse and all other self-imposed destructive habits. Yet I know I fail to take the exercise I need, that I eat occasional chips with my children and in various other ways, no doubt, hasten a visitation from the Grim Reaper (or at least a visit to Treliske Hospital); so who am I to recommend withdrawing care from those who inflict self harm by a lifestyle that may prejudice themselves? While I may abhor their particular habits, it would be the height of hypocrisy to deprive them of equal benefits to the rest of us in the community in which we live.

gnuvag wrote:And as for comments such as "I confess that I also used to wonder whether we truly wanted them to dilute the gene pool." - I can't believe that these are well-reasoned comments from the minds of well-educated individuals.

Well, I am obviously well-educated, since I spent five years at Hertford, but you are very welcome to question my reasoning.

cj wrote:What happens if you give up smoking, but become overweight because you fill the fagless void with chocolate?

You throw yourself upon the mercy of the system by blaming it all on your experiences at CH?

I think the mere fact that we can have thses discussions shows we are well educated, well-reounded (some of us more round than others) individuals.

DavebytheSea wrote:What an extraordinarily interesting thread!

The problem, as I see it, is that we all take risks which may require the intervention of others to rescue us from self-inflicted problems.

I abhor smoking with all of a convert's zeal.

So in short, I deplore the habits of smoking and of overeating, of drinking to excess, of drug abuse and all other self-imposed destructive habits. Yet I know I fail to take the exercise I need, that I eat occasional chips with my children and in various other ways, no doubt, hasten a visitation from the Grim Reaper (or at least a visit to Treliske Hospital); so who am I to recommend withdrawing care from those who inflict self harm by a lifestyle that may prejudice themselves? While I may abhor their particular habits, it would be the height of hypocrisy to deprive them of equal benefits to the rest of us in the community in which we live.

Local legend has it that Treliske is the Grim Reaper's country home.

J.R. - apologies for misquoting you. I was unsure of the exact thinking behind your original post, but since you have now clarified it by saying that "I strongly dispute that a fair amount of these imports are in fact, bona fide asylum seekers", is this just your general feeling for the situation, or can you provide any kind of reasoning as to your assumptions? Or references to back it up? Considering the sweeping and derogatory nature of your original comment, I doubt it.

icomefromalanddownunder, with reference to your original comment "I confess that I also used to wonder whether we truly wanted them to dilute the gene pool". I was questioning your reasoning because I can't see what reasoning, if any, is behind that comment. Perhaps you'd explain why you feel fat people shouldn't dilute the gene pool?

Davebythesea - a very poetic post, nice!

gnuvag wrote:icomefromalanddownunder, with reference to your original comment "I confess that I also used to wonder whether we truly wanted them to dilute the gene pool". I was questioning your reasoning because I can't see what reasoning, if any, is behind that comment. Perhaps you'd explain why you feel fat people shouldn't dilute the gene pool?

I don't.

You have taken a comment out of context, and misinterpreted it to boot.

I, personally, found the behaviour (hanging around on a hospital balcony: smoking and scoffing junk food while awaiting expensive medical treatment which included a weight loss programme) of a particular group of people unappealing. I would not choose to spend time in their company, and would certainly not want to be stuck on the proverbial island with them.

I did not write that they shouldn't dilute the gene pool, but pondered whether or not the royal we wanted them to.

I was all anxious after an unusual weekend - and then I read DBTS's post and felt - well, quite relaxed. Actually - even though I smoke and drink (not to excess - I have to add) I do concur with your views on all kinds of excess. Well done.
"Eat the occasional chips...." you old rebel.

gnuvag wrote:J.R. - apologies for misquoting you. I was unsure of the exact thinking behind your original post, but since you have now clarified it by saying that "I strongly dispute that a fair amount of these imports are in fact, bona fide asylum seekers", is this just your general feeling for the situation, or can you provide any kind of reasoning as to your assumptions? Or references to back it up? Considering the sweeping and derogatory nature of your original comment, I doubt it.

Roll on next year ! My tame spy in the Home Office tells me there are alread 15,000 applications pending from the Ukraine and Romania.

You must remember that this is the country of Milk & Honey, unless, that is, you were born here !

Right ! I'm going back to dog sitting. Far more relaxing.

J.R. wrote: Roll on next year ! My tame spy in the Home Office tells me there are alread 15,000 applications pending from the Ukraine and Romania.

Bulgaria, shirley!

Richard Ruck wrote:

J.R. wrote: Roll on next year ! My tame spy in the Home Office tells me there are alread 15,000 applications pending from the Ukraine and Romania.

Bulgaria, shirley!

Absolutely, dear boy, and DON'T call me Shirley.

Typo error.

Makes little difference. They're all freeloading, scrounging, ex communist States that see us a damn good meal ticket.

Income tax up another 2% next year, anyone ?

J.R. wrote:

Richard Ruck wrote:

J.R. wrote: Roll on next year ! My tame spy in the Home Office tells me there are alread 15,000 applications pending from the Ukraine and Romania.

Bulgaria,

Absolutely, dear boy,

Makes little difference. They're all freeloading, scrounging, ex communist States that see us a damn good meal ticket.

Hardly, just as Germany has come to control France (just as Adolf wanted) so the communist states are taking over the UK just as Joe Stalin would have liked - and we are letting them.

You'll be singing "The Red Flag" in 2 years time.