Only in America...

Currently I'm doing a rotation with the trauma service at the IMC hospital. On my first day there on monday, which ended up being the President's day, I came at 0630 in the morning and parked without any problems right in front of the building. No problem! Little did I know that today I would come to a big fat STOP sign and a smile of a nice old man who informed me that I cannot park in the parking lot next to the building but I can go ahead and park across the street. From there, he informed me, a complimentary shuttle will take me back to the building. Ok, I thought, crap. Being 0630 in the morning and being in the lowest mood of the day, which is not unusual for me at 0630 am, I mumbled under my breath. I can't guarantee that there weren't any profanities said under my breath... It was a cold, dark, and humid winter morning after all...

I turned around and parked across the street, came out of my car and immediately got confused... I was still VERY close to the hospital, just a short walk from this new (but not favorite) parking lot. I pondered taking the shuttle but it made me almost laugh. Why in the world would I wait for 10 min for a shuttle when this walk couldn't take me more than 2 min? I bet I would walk there faster than a shuttle would drive to the same spot. I decided to test my theory. The shuttle was actually idling next to me and waiting for more passengers. I started walking and I saw the shuttle leave his parking spot. I didn't run but I wasn't slow either. I got there right before the shuttle doors opened up before the hospital door. I won!!!

Here comes my dilemma. I can see how beneficial the shuttle can be for people who can't walk far or who are disabled (but why would they park in that far parking lot anyway?). But I can also see how this shuttle service is evil and contributing to the high obesity epidemic that is growing out of proportion in the US. I've lived here long enough to just accept the way this culture is but it never fails to amuse me how Americans are single-handedly, and by choice, putting themselves in the hospitals with heart disease, out-of-control diabetes, and multiple complications of obesity. I don't try to say that people in other parts of the world are not getting sick but I do have something to compare to. My life in Russia as a teenager.  We ate white (yummy) bread, high fat dairy products, fried foods, full fat everything, lot of chocolates and desserts, but we walked EVERYWHERE. 

Wake up, America! Walk! DO NOT TAKE THE SHUTTLE! I urge everybody to get off their butts and start getting yourselves healthy. Do not become one of those patients that I take care of, who smoke their whole life, sit on the couch and drive cars and then are amused by why do they have diabetes? Why do they have high blood pressure? Why can't they lose weight even though they're drinking skim milk (what is it anyway??? colored water???), eat fat free chips, and low calorie cookies? Why? Why? Why?

I'll tell you why!!! It's all the shuttle's fault!

Get up and get moving!