Law & Order RA reference | Arthritis Information
So last night, hubby and I are watching some old Law & Order reruns (SVU & CI) on USA network, which I was happy about, because I like L&O much more than he does.
They had an interesting case on CI where a well-known atheist family, that runs a large foundation, is kidnapped, at least the matriarch and her granddaughter are. The granddaughter, who's portrayed to be somewhere in her twenties, was obese. When she's recreating the scene for the detectives, she mentions to them she has RA "you know, because of my weight".
Smoke immediately started pouring out of my ears. I know that losing weight can help ease stress on the joints, but I have never ever heard anyone say that excess weight causes RA (OA maybe, but not RA). And knowing what a popular show this is, and how many people saw that, just made me angrier. As if we don't have to deal with enough misunderstanding and blame to begin with!
I also wondered why they mentioned it at all, but as it turns out they were trying to link up the granddaughter to a physical therapist and this was the link. Of course she didn't move like someone with RA who needed physical therapy...she scooted herself into sitting on the middle of a queen-sized bed just fine and put her hands behind her back (in order to demonstrate where she was during the kidnapping). Some days I can barely get in to bed at all.
Anyway, I just wanted to vent. Hubby says I should write to the show, but I just don't have the energy.
Write the show! Come on! It would be great to vent for them. that isn't a cool thing for them to do. Like we don't have enough to deal with! oy!I am LOL because I know exactally which one you are talking about. I record them at night so I can watch them during the day and skip the darn commercials.
I can't figure out how the weight and RA go together. I know weight can make it harder but not make RA.
People this RA is just like any other arthritis. I thought that they would have done some research on this before they did the show. OY! people!Wow that's ridiculous! I guess my massive body of 120 pounds caused me to have RA. Pschhh! You should definitely write to the show!
They probably meant osteoarthritis. That can be caused or exacerbated by excess weight.
All of these crime drama shows are FULL of science/medical errors. The "CSI" shows seem to be the worst.
keep in mind this woman was unballanced and many people choose to say they have diseases like RA to make people feel sorry for them.
I am not 100% certain that the writers meant to make her sound like she was grubbing for sympathy, not actually saying that she indeed had RA.. the other thing is no one else said she had ra and no dr was mentioned.. you know how some people can take a twingge and turn it into a brain tumor.. or like my DIL, turn a single questionable pap test into cancer..
unless L&O keeps making that kind of statement I'll give them the benefit of the doubt...
although it did make me want to throw a brick at the tv
yeah but I still enjoy csi
She also followed it up with saying she was on "hydroxy", which I didn't realize at the time is plaquenil. They didn't mention a rheumy, but the fact that she was indeed going for on-going physical therapy (massage at least) and was on medication led me to believe the writers intended that she actually has RA. She didn't say arthritis, she said rheumatoid arthritis...so it was specific. The whole thing was bad because they also used her weight to make it sound like she was pathetic and lonely and easily manipulated. Not that some obese people don't have these problems, but it is such a stereotype.I was watching My Name is Earl yesterday and Bret Butler was playing Joy's mum who was in a wheelchair because she "has Rheumatoid Arthritis and kidney failure, she has to get dialysis twice a week," but really she just had a bad gambling addiction and said she needed dialysis money. And she was in a wheelchair because she sprained her ankle, and got used to being pushed around everywhere!
So not only are we problem gamblers, but attention seekers and liars as well!
_popupControl();
woohoo attention seekers we unite!
Man! I do not even like people to know I am around, or even alive most days. My oldest sister lives 10 mins from me along with my other sister and their many kids and they hardly ever hear anything about my health problems, unless my mommy tells my oldest sister and in turn she blabs it to everyone else in my family.
I just prefer no one to ever know I havr RA or anything else wrong with me. BUT that would be only possible in a whole nother life. Which I guess my body is working on doing for me.
Even # post, now I can go to sleep.
What a shame...they had a chance to get things right and help public perception of this terribly unpredictable disease. Shame on their writers for being lazy in their writing practices...I am a offended and sad that our disease and the effects were portrayed so irresonsibly.
yea you would think these writers were smarter then that...These are the kinds of things that make the rest of the world not think that we really have a chronic illness...I would definitly write a letter to the show. Sometimes I think these writers are just sooo nieve and stupid when it comes to this...But WE HAVE to change that!!!
I did try to figure out who I could contact about L&O: CI, but the problem is that it's an old episode being shown on USA. I'm sure USA doesn't care, and the network showing the current episodes doesn't care either. The co-writer of the episode, Rene Balcer, is still involved in some of the L&O franchises, but I couldn't figure out how to contact him.
Copyright ArthritisInsight.com