Friday, September 28, 2012

Body Image


Since losing 50 pounds in the late 1960s, I’ve been thin, but I didn’t realize that slimness had become an important part of my self-image.  During my recent stay at Memorial Sloan Kettering, so much liquid was pumped into me intravenously, that I gained 25 or 30 pounds.   It wouldn’t be so bad if the extra weight had been more or less evenly distributed, but it wasn’t.  When I looked in the mirror I was shocked to see that I looked like one of those Neolithic Venuses minus the breasts – all stomach, hips, and thighs. 

So when a nurse uncovered me, I would remark that I was terribly swollen, as if to say, “no, I’m really not like that.”  How ridiculous.  The nurse didn’t care how I looked, but I cared.  This was the first intimation that my body image was important to me.  It’s nice to learn new things, especially at my age. 


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