Anyone know what's going on with Mary Lou Retton?

[Angler]

I just read that she's very ill with some rare pneumonia. I've always been a big gymnastics fan, and this is sad news. I hope she does ok.

Amazing that she's uninsured too!

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Angler]

Olympic icon Mary Lou Retton returns home amid bout with pneumonia, still has a 'long road of recovery'

Retton, an American gymnastics legend, had been hospitalized while battling a rare form of pneumonia

www.cbssports.com

 

[DrMetal]

I just read that she's very ill with some rare pneumonia. I've always been a big gymnastics fan, and this is sad news. I hope she does ok.

Amazing that she's uninsured too!

I don't think anyone who really knows can discuss here, as per HIPAA. But my money is on Long Long Covid.

 

[SurfingDoctor]

As Retton battles to stay alive, Kelley has asked for financial support for her mother, who is currently without insurance.

Sigh.

 

[Tipsy McStagger]

She’s an interesting person.

• Endorsed metal hip implant which later caused metal poisoning. She sued, got large cash settlement, but continued to endorse the product for money
• This is her Home
• Net worth in the millions
• Despite being a woman gymnast she actively lobbied against laws designed to protect female athletes from sexual abuse in the wake of the Nasser fallout.
• She’s an evangelical republican (not saying this is a bad thing, but plays into the next point)

Now at 55 she has a mysterious pneumonia and no health insurance. On top of that they’re asking for the American people, who are basically bankrupt, to fund a wealthy woman’s medical care. A woman who has lobbied against protecting other women, who is a multimillionaire, reportedly (though I didn’t find anything to verify) an anti vaxxer.

So I’m guessing this is covid. Though certainly could be something else.

I don’t wish any ill on this woman. But if you’re a multimillionaire who has ample opportunity to purchase health insurance and now you’re sick, quite possibly from a virus you refused a vaccine for (speculation here), and you’ve already made money from exploiting the health of others by endorsing hip hardware you know to be dangerous, it’s classless to ask other people to pay your bills.

Edit: oh look they’ve already raised more than 250k. Only in America do we feel like we have to subsidize the rich

 

[Angler]

If indeed, she has pneumonia related to Covid, I don't see how this is labelled "rare."

Unless the daughter wants to hide the fact that it is Covid.

 

[Tipsy McStagger]

If indeed, she has pneumonia related to Covid, I don't see how this is labelled "rare."

Unless the daughter wants to hide the fact that it is Covid.

Who knows. Maybe it is some atypical / fungal / organizing whatever. But in a relatively young person there aren't many things that put you on the vent with fulminant respiratory failure.

 

[SurfingDoctor]

She’s an interesting person.

• Endorsed metal hip implant which later caused metal poisoning. She sued, got large cash settlement, but continued to endorse the product for money
• This is her Home
• Net worth in the millions
• Despite being a woman gymnast she actively lobbied against laws designed to protect female athletes from sexual abuse in the wake of the Nasser fallout.
• She’s an evangelical republican (not saying this is a bad thing, but plays into the next point)

Now at 55 she has a mysterious pneumonia and no health insurance. On top of that they’re asking for the American people, who are basically bankrupt, to fund a wealthy woman’s medical care. A woman who has lobbied against protecting other women, who is a multimillionaire, reportedly (though I didn’t find anything to verify) an anti vaxxer.

So I’m guessing this is covid. Though certainly could be something else.

I don’t wish any ill on this woman. But if you’re a multimillionaire who has ample opportunity to purchase health insurance and now you’re sick, quite possibly from a virus you refused a vaccine for (speculation here), and you’ve already made money from exploiting the health of others by endorsing hip hardware you know to be dangerous, it’s classless to ask other people to pay your bills.

Edit: oh look they’ve already raised more than 250k. Only in America do we feel like we have to subsidize the rich

Multimillionaire needs GoFundMe for healthcare for preventable disease…

 

[DrMetal]

• Despite being a woman gymnast she actively lobbied against laws designed to protect female athletes from sexual abuse in the wake of the Nasser fallout.

Is that really true?! Well then, @#$% her. I hope she dies a slow horrible death. Let's not fake empathy/sympathy for her.

• She’s an evangelical republican (not saying this is a bad thing, but plays into the next point)

an anti vaxxer.

Good. Let her pray to the imaginary man in the sky for a cure. Who cares about modern medicine and good science?!

 

[Tipsy McStagger]

Is that really true?! Well then, @#$% her. I hope she dies a slow horrible death. Let's not fake empathy/sympathy for her.



Good. Let her pray to the imaginary man in the sky for a cure. Who cares about modern medicine and good science?!

It is true, it was techincally called Protecting Young Victims from Sexual Abuse and Safe Sport Authorization Act of 2017. Sponsored by the late Dianne Feinstein. The bill passed regardless.

Her gymnastics credentials are also held in question by gymnasts as she won all her medals in a time when there was basically no competition. During that era the eastern bloc countries absolutely dominated women's gymnastics. This was the era of Olga Korbut's "Death loop / Korbut Flip" which was later banned for being too dangerous. Nobody came close to competing with the soviets during this era, but they boycotted the '84 Olympics which is where she won her medals. She's also fairly hated in the gymnastics community given her penchant for self promotion above the team, and her poor treatment of people she saw as - the help.

So she's a character

 

[DrMetal]

So she's a character

You're being too kind. I can think of a better 4-letter word to describe her. I won't miss her if she checks out. Truth be told, I don't think anyone has thought of her much since the 80s.

Now if Mr. T goes, I'll be devastated!

 

[tartesos]

She’s an interesting person.

• Endorsed metal hip implant which later caused metal poisoning. She sued, got large cash settlement, but continued to endorse the product for money
• This is her Home
• Net worth in the millions
• Despite being a woman gymnast she actively lobbied against laws designed to protect female athletes from sexual abuse in the wake of the Nasser fallout.
• She’s an evangelical republican (not saying this is a bad thing, but plays into the next point)

Now at 55 she has a mysterious pneumonia and no health insurance. On top of that they’re asking for the American people, who are basically bankrupt, to fund a wealthy woman’s medical care. A woman who has lobbied against protecting other women, who is a multimillionaire, reportedly (though I didn’t find anything to verify) an anti vaxxer.

So I’m guessing this is covid. Though certainly could be something else.

I don’t wish any ill on this woman. But if you’re a multimillionaire who has ample opportunity to purchase health insurance and now you’re sick, quite possibly from a virus you refused a vaccine for (speculation here), and you’ve already made money from exploiting the health of others by endorsing hip hardware you know to be dangerous, it’s classless to ask other people to pay your bills.

Edit: oh look they’ve already raised more than 250k. Only in America do we feel like we have to subsidize the rich

gofund me`s for millionaires, now I`ve seen everything!!!

 

[DrMetal]

You're being too kind. I can think of a better 4-letter word to describe her. I won't miss her if she checks out. Truth be told, I don't think anyone has thought of her much since the 80s.

Now if Mr. T goes, I'll be devastated!

Why is it inappropriate @Hollow Knight ? No actual 4-letter word was used. You don't like Mr. T?

 

[Hollow Knight]

Why is it inappropriate @Hollow Knight ? No actual 4-letter word was used. You don't like Mr. T?

Ehh, I removed my reaction because, quite frankly, I don't feel comfortable as a non-physician barging into the critical care forum (I'll probably end up doing FM) and telling an attending how to act. I don't know how far I was wandering around to even be on this thread haha. And, I'm not a huge fan of policing speech anyway.

But, since you asked, my "inappropriate" reaction was a knee-jerk response to this:

Well then, @#$% her. I hope she dies a slow horrible death. Let's not fake empathy/sympathy for her.

However, I missed the part about this lady fighting to protect sexual abusers (which seems to be your reason for that statement). And while I still think that statement goes a little too far..... Yeah, that's gross on her part.

Anyways, Imma scurry off now, carry on haha

 

[Tipsy McStagger]

Ehh, I removed my reaction because, quite frankly, I don't feel comfortable as a non-physician barging into the critical care forum (I'll probably end up doing FM) and telling an attending how to act. I don't know how far I was wandering around to even be on this thread haha. And, I'm not a huge fan of policing speech anyway.

But, since you asked, my "inappropriate" reaction was a knee-jerk response to this:



However, I missed the part about this lady fighting to protect sexual abusers (which seems to be your reason for that statement). And while I still think that statement goes a little too far..... Yeah, that's gross on her part.

Anyways, Imma scurry off now, carry on haha

Well, just because yours in an 'outside' perspective doesn't make it necessarily less valid - just less informed. Medicine can be interesting that way. After you've done it for awhile, and endured the abuses from administrators, fellow physicians / nurses, patients and their families - you tend to change. Your defense mechanisms change, and your opinion on people in general can often change.

Having an outsider (so to speak) call you on jaded defense mechanisms is valid, but it often comes from a place of perceived moral superiority. Where it actually comes from, is a place of blissful ignorance, inexperience and naivete.

Bottom line is that you will be wise to remember this going forward. There will be a time when you feel the same way. If, at that time, you can remember your humanity, you will do well. Until then, remember that your perspective isn't wrong, it's just inexperienced and idealistic. Our defense mechanisms are maybe sometimes harsh, they're born out of years of conflict and abuse - but that doesn't make them healthy.

Things are rarely so simple. In the end, people are people. If you can have compassion for them you'll do ok as long as you don't let yourself become a doormat. This is just an outlet for our frustrations.

In short, your perspectives are welcome - but understandably may be met with some skepticism.