This Is Bull!!!!

CrimsonTide4 · #1 08-26-2003, 04:39 PM

Black Woman Offered White Foot
Tue Aug 26,10:24 AM ET Add Oddly Enough - Reuters to My Yahoo!

LONDON (Reuters) - A black woman due to have her lower leg amputated was offered a white false foot and told she would have to pay extra if she wanted one that matched her skin, she said Monday.

Ingrid Nicholls, 46, said she was told at the state-funded hospital in Oxford, central England, that she would have to pay about $4,725 for a prosthetic limb that matched her skin color.

The cost of the white foot would have been covered by the National Health Service.

"If you've got to have an amputation, you should be allowed to have an artificial limb in the color that is relevant to your skin," she told Reuters.

"It's not cosmetic. Who would want to look like a freak, having one white leg and one black one -- nobody."

A spokeswoman for the Thames Valley Strategic Health Authority said there had been an internal misunderstanding over funding and that the health service would pay for Nicholls to be fitted with the appropriate false limb.

"This has caused a real problem for this patient and we need to sort it out," the spokeswoman said. "We are sorry for the upset and hurt that has been caused."

I wish a mofo would!!!!

Steeltrap · #2 08-26-2003, 04:54 PM

Oh. My. Damms.

FeeFee · #3 08-26-2003, 05:37 PM

What in the hayle?!?!?!

lovelyivy84 · #4 08-26-2003, 07:37 PM

Wow.

While I do sympathise, this woman has more problems than the color of her prosthetic. I think that more people will be inclined to notice that her leg is fake first than that the fake leg is white. Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.

Eclipse · #5 08-26-2003, 07:46 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by lovelyivy84
Wow.

While I do sympathise, this woman has more problems than the color of her prosthetic. I think that more people will be inclined to notice that her leg is fake first than that the fake leg is white. Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.

I think it is probably the desire for "normalcy". I'm sure that getting a leg/foot amputated must be traumatic, and from what I heard, part of getting over this kind of trauma is getting back to your "normal" life. I don't know about you, but it would be hard for me to think of my self as "normal" if I had to look at a white foot on my body everyday. Plus, if I saw a black woman with a prosthetic leg, I was same hummm...and move on. No big woop. On the other hand, if I saw a black woman with a white foot I would be like WT....????

too weird....

lovelyivy84 · #6 08-26-2003, 07:55 PM

Good points. That WOULD be odd, and I can see wanting to be more normal.

Quote:

Originally posted by Eclipse
I think it is probably the desire for "normalcy". I'm sure that getting a leg/foot amputated must be traumatic, and from what I heard, part of getting over this kind of trauma is getting back to your "normal" life. I don't know about you, but it would be hard for me to think of my self as "normal" if I had to look at a white foot on my body everyday. Plus, if I saw a black woman with a prosthetic leg, I was same hummm...and move on. No big woop. On the other hand, if I saw a black woman with a white foot I would be like WT....???? too weird....

MsVee1980 · #7 08-27-2003, 01:39 AM

Yep. You're right. This is Bull! Why would they charge her more. Ugh, I wish she could sue or something.

toocute · #8 08-27-2003, 10:04 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by CrimsonTide4
I wish a mofo would!!!!

Word.

mccoyred · #9 08-27-2003, 01:54 PM

Is it that the 'white' prosthetics are the stock item and any other color is a special order? If that is the case, then their procurement system is RACIST from the outset!

Its not like it is a Band-Aid or anything...LOL.

Steeltrap · #10 08-27-2003, 06:58 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by mccoyred
Is it that the 'white' prosthetics are the stock item and any other color is a special order? If that is the case, then their procurement system is RACIST from the outset!

Its not like it is a Band-Aid or anything...LOL.

It possibly could be, even though Britain's got Indo-Britons, Paki-Britons, not to mention Afro-Britons (from African and the Caribbean).

kiml122 · #11 08-28-2003, 08:02 AM

I heard on the Tom Joyner morning show this morning, that they made a mistake, and it was a misunderstanding, and now the woman will be able to get a prosthetic leg the same color as her skin.......and with no additonal charge......misunderstanding.....I think not.

Honeykiss1974 · #12 08-31-2003, 01:08 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by CrimsonTide4
Ingrid Nicholls, 46, said she was told at the state-funded hospital in Oxford, central England, that she would have to pay about $4,725 for a prosthetic limb that matched her skin color.

The cost of the white foot would have been covered by the National Health Service.

My question why does the "black foot" cost more and is not covered by insurance? I did realize that the color of a prosthetic would make a difference financially.

thinking I need to read through my own health insurance policy more closely, just in case