Way to go, Lost

Lost
I’m being sarcastic. I know I’m way behind on this. I didn’t want to start watching Lost until I knew there was an ending. So I’m just starting Season 2 now.

Here’s the scenario, Dr. Jack has a patient whose spine was broken in a car accident. His speculation is that it’s likely the woman will be paraplegic.

Woman’s fiancee comes to see the Doctor.

“Will she be able to make love?”
Suggestive silence.
Dr. says, “You should know that there’s a good chance Sara will need full time care for the rest of her life.”
“Like she won’t be able to go to the bathroom by herself?” Horrified look on fiancee’s face.

Great, Doctor, just great. First of all, the answer to the first question is YES. Paraplegic women do have sex. They also get married and have babies! Shocking, I know.

Second, the predictions about full time care sound a bit more dire and drastic than is likely for paraplegia. Come on, now.

So the doctor promises Sara that he can “fix”her.

Later on, presumably the fiancee has taken off, the doctor laments to someone that he promised her he could fix her and he can’t. The other person wonders, what would happen if you did? Suggesting that the doctor has a crush on her and if he did fix her, they would be together (which we know from earlier episode flashbacks, they are), but apparently only because she is “fixed.” If she had been a paraplegic, then it would not have been possible for the doctor to be with her. Right.

Of course this is the same show featuring a character who makes the most uncredible paraplegic I have ever witnessed in television or movies. Locke was supposedly paralyzed for four years. The flashback scenes of him in a wheelchair are complete make-believe. There is nothing believable about his character at all. He uses a hospital-issue wheelchair with no cushion, no shocks, and steers it like he’s been using it for thirty seconds, not four years. This show didn’t ever make an effort.

So, way to go, Lost, for spreading misunderstanding and prejudice about paraplegia thanks to your own ignorance. Good job.