My Brother and McDonald's the EEEVILLLLL

[jedishampoo]

My brother had a heart attack yesterday. I wish I could see him but he's 1800 miles away, and my parents swear the doctor says he'll be OK and out of the hospital soon, and that I don't need to go to Indiana. My mother promises that as soon as he's out, she'll smack him for both of us for scaring us half to death, and then hug him.

The craziness: He is 35. THIRTY-FIVE. He had two arteries to his heart which were completely blocked, and the doctor could not move or break the blockages at all. They were totally calcified. Thankfully other arteries are taking up the slack, mostly. Thus the heart attack. Drugs will not clear them up. He needs to totally change his lifestyle.

The problem? (Besides smoking and little exercise.) He eats McDonald's fast food constantly. He's worked at McDonald's for 17 years, and so five days a week, for 17 years, he's had McDonald's food for at least one, if not two, meals a day.

I hated McDonald's already because they have shit for pay and shit for insurance, despite his longevity there, and they are an evil giant corporation which brings in those strike-breakers and what-not whenever people in any store start asking for more. (Read FAST FOOD NATION, people. Read it now. Watch Super-Size Me.) And they lied about the vegetable oil in their fries (it contains beef fat), thus pissing off vegetarians and Hindu peoples worldwide. They are EEEEVILLLLL. More evil than other fast-food places, I would swear it. I don't advocate suing them; eating their food is a personal choice and no one put a gun to his head. But that doesn't mean I can't hate them the way I hate Wal-Mart.

He needs another job. But he's one of those quiet, sensitive people who just doesn't adapt well to new situations. Sigh.

McDonalds still evil. Brother doing OK. (I'm hoping the parents are telling me the truth here.)

Comments

[ghanistarkiller.livejournal.com]

Good lord! 0_o

Well, I'm glad to hear he's okay! Hugs to you and yours! But it just showed me exactly why sticking to my new, healthier diet is a damned good idea!

Smooches!

[jedishampoo.livejournal.com]

Thank you, dear! ::hugs:: Yeah, stay healthy!! I was panicked myself 'cause I'm older than he is and I smoke, but then I remembered, oh yeah, I'm a vegetarian so maybe I've got a little better chance. ;) The smoking has got to go, though. :(

[raykel.livejournal.com]

I'm so sorry!!

Yes, McDonald's is evil. He should bring a sack lunch instead of eating their food.

[jedishampoo.livejournal.com]

We're angling for a different job, though we have been for years. Or instruct all his co-workers to feed him ONLY SALAD. :)

Thanks for your thoughts!

[randominity.livejournal.com]

That is absolutely insane! I'm glad he's got a second chance to set his heart right, and I hope he can manage the lifestyle changes required while working for SATAN :/.

[jedishampoo.livejournal.com]

SATAN is right... It's one of those places I never felt great about and then I read Fast Food Nation. And realized I'd been eating their fries... ick. Thanks for your thoughts!! :)

[archerrat.livejournal.com]

A good friend of mine had a heart attack at about the same age. He was packing his pickup, ready to head off to Hollywood to try to break into the screenwriting business, and bam, he's in the hospital. He recovered well (and is now married, with a kid).

Youth is no deterrent, especially for those with heart attack warning signs (diabetes, a family history of heart disease, smoking, working at McDonald's...).

I'm glad to hear your brother is okay. Tell him Subway needs him.

[jedishampoo.livejournal.com]

I guess his youth just surprised me. Especially since I'm older than he is and it's a wake-up call. Sigh. And I have to laugh, because you're the third person today to suggest "Subway" to my brother. I only wonder if they have health insurance. :)

Thanks for thinking about us. Glad to hear your friend remains healthy! :)

[cyndisuesue.livejournal.com]

Oh how scary!! HUGS you! Sending good wishes and prayers to your brother. Sometimes, it takes this kind of a horrible scare to make certain things clear.

[jedishampoo.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much for thinking of me dear!!! :) I've got my fingers crossed (and I've called my parents like 10 times today!). Hugs.

[sharpiefan.livejournal.com]

Owie! Not nice. He should definitely start taking a packed lunch into work with him, and should start looking for another job.

*hugs*

[jedishampoo.livejournal.com]

He'll need a keeper to make sure he eats healthy, that's for sure. :)

Thanks for thinking of me.

[hollywdliz.livejournal.com]

Oh no! I'm so sorry! I hope he's able to recover quickly. I share your loathing of McDonald's -- in addition to lying about the beef fat in the fries, they lied about the gluten in them. Bastards.

Maybe your brother can get a job at Subway. Or at Chipotle, which I think is owned by McDonald's -- perhaps he can transfer.

[jedishampoo.livejournal.com]

Gluten in the fries, even? Whoda thunk it? And that's funny-- people here at work keep mentioning Chipotle, also!

Thanks for your thoughts!

[loveflyfree.livejournal.com]

meep! glad to hear he's doing okay. and yeah. 35. that's um. younger than I am. scary.

there must be someplace else that he can do basically the same job that isn't so horrible for him. I saw a couple of people mention Subway. Or even an actual restaurant. I'm sure there are plenty of chain restaurants that have the same basic set up as fast food.

(and if your parents are anything like my mom, it's probably worse than they're saying, but not as bad as you imagine. so he really is doing just fine, and you'll get the full real story a few weeks/months later.)

[jedishampoo.livejournal.com]

Yup, younger than me, also. I swear I'm taking my own pulse every hour. Isn't that a sign of panic attacks? ;)

Thanks for your thoughts. :)

[moorina.livejournal.com]

Not fun! I'm so sorry to hear of your brother like this. I hope the recovery continues smoothly, and the lifestyle changes are carried through.

::mentally commits to going for a run after work::

[yav-14.livejournal.com]

Ugh. I am really sorry. McDonald's is the evil empire. I hope he will find a new job somewhere else. Subway does seem a good choice.

[maiasaura.livejournal.com]

I am so sorry. I do hope this is a wake up call for him and that he can make a small change, like trying to surround himself with different food. Subway. Chicken Out. How awful!

[beellegee.livejournal.com]

Sorry to hear about your brother, honey, but glad he's ok.

I totally agree with you about McDonald's (and Wal-Mart for that matter) for roughly the same reasons. They're both supposed to be these down-home all-American places, but they are nothing but EVIL, greedy mega-corporations who trample all over the real Americana, as well as their employees, and the environment.

[knitress.livejournal.com]

I'm so sorry to hear this -- what a scary thing for him and for you too! Good thoughts from here. And here's hoping the doctors convince him that it's time to swap fries for salad.

[soniag.livejournal.com]

How shocking! I do hope your brother is on the mend soon.

[jedihealer.livejournal.com]

Oh man, this sucks!

Son Pete worked for them for over a year, (typical teenager job). He hated it so much that he couldn't say the name, and has ever since used the term "Hellmouth". He won't even eat at any of their food.

I hope your brother recovers quickly.