Vacation Stories: Part 1

March 10, 2009

This vacation that I am on is like I am starting a new life. Even though I am starting a new life, part of my old life still follows me around. I do carry some thoughts and mental picture from my old life of being overweight the past life that I am speaking of is my CPAP machine. The CPAP is the machine that helps me breath while I sleep. I was originally diagnosed that I had a sleep disorder in 2001 and we (The CPAP) have been friends ever since. Several weeks ago when I was still 10 pounds from my goal weight I revisited the Doctor to find out if I can stop using the CPAP machine. He told me to get to my goal weight and then I can start sleeping without and find out if I am getting enough rest through a questionnaire he gave me that is all about the quality of rest that I am getting.

Anyway back to my story, I have carried my CPAP to 30+ countries the last 5 years and it has as many miles on it then most people will ever have  but it is here with me in  Brazil. When I was leaving my home town I was going through our local airport and my local airport always makes me remove it and they swap it down looking for who knows what and then they return it to me and I carry on. I am use to this and always expecting it in my home town airport. So in my knowledge that I will need to remove it from my carry on bag I removed it and out it in the bin and went through the security line. As usually they inspector called out they they need a check and I proceeded through the lie and was waiting there but I didn’t see anyone with my bin that had the CPAP machine in it for me to follow while they test it. Finally after standing there for 30 seconds someone asked me if I had everything and I said no and they asked what was missing and I told them my CPAP was missing and the guy came over and said he had it and he was looking for the owner. Then I could tell my his face that he was embarrassed and he made a mistake. Some reason, not sure why I said to him that you are looking for a big guy aren’t you?   (Big guy* is the politically correct term for Big Fat Obese guy with a huge belly) and he answered yes he was and he commented that every CPAP machine he has seen always had a big guy* associated with it until this time. I told him that I am a recovering big guy* and he looked at me like I was joking with him so I pulled out my drivers license and showed him evidence of my past life and he didn’t know what to say. Maybe he is a little wiser now but most likely his perceptions of CPAP users has changed a little bit if only for one day.

This is not the first time that my old life and my new life has touched each other in this way, people see me now and assume that I have always been this way (skinny or fit) and like many overweight people know, we are treated by other people or by society by the way we look.

2 Comments »

1. 

   Great story Ken! Amazing how people are stereotyped. Looking forward to reading about your Brazilian adventures.

   P.S…..I will be starting with Healthy Solutions on 3/16.

   Comment by Lauri — March 10, 2009 @ 4:06 pm

2. 

   Great story. Hopefully you wont have to take the CRAP machine with you on your next trip.
   I can completely relate to people’s perceptions of when we are fat vs. thin.. frustrating. I remember before losing 60 pounds that if I wanted to go see the doctor and wanted him to take me searsiouly instead of treating me like another “fat chick” that I’d do my hair, wear makeup and dress in my business suit. Any time I went looking like me (comfortable t-shirt & jeans), the doctor would immedatly be dismissive, but when went looking like a business professional, everything about they way the spoke, treated me, and diagoned any problems was completely different.

   Same thing in the job market – an employer will hire a less qualified skinny person over a more qualified obese person.

   I’ll always be the inner
   “fat chick”.

   Anyway, I’m off my soap box.. enjoy Brazil! Hope you’ve got lots of pictures to share when you get back.

   Comment by Donna — March 11, 2009 @ 9:49 am

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