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Yes, there's a Debi Thomas GoFundMe page - Printable Version

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Yes, there's a Debi Thomas GoFundMe page - needle - 11-08-2015

If there's one thing people know nowadays about Debi Thomas, it's that she's broke and living in a trailer.

http://www.mercurynews.com/sports/ci_29082824/figure-skater-debi-thomas-now-broke-and-living

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/olympic-skater-debi-thomas-broke-bug-infested-trailer-article-1.2426720

http://www.eurweb.com/2015/11/debi-thomas-former-olympic-skater-broke-living-in-trailer-watch/

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3308009/Champion-Olympic-skater-certified-surgeon-Debi-Thomas-reveals-broke-living-bed-bug-infested-trailer-lost-custody-son.html

The URLs say it all, but if you want to learn about and contribute to Debi's courageous comeback from an unflattering reality show portrayal, you can find out more here:

https://www.gofundme.com/HelpOlympianDJ


Re: Yes, there's a Debi Thomas GoFundMe page - winflop - 11-08-2015

Wow I had no idea.  I'm very torn about how I feel about this.  Part of me feels really guilty that I don't feel as much sympathy as I think I should.

I lived in Toyon with Debi during her freshman year and would consider us friends that year.  I saw her off to the World Championships (helped her get her stuff into a cab at 5am).  We briefly reconnected in the 90s when she was at Northwestern Med School and I was at Kellogg - but she was just too busy to sustain any kind of contact.

I feel terrible that this has all happened to her and I hope she can get back on her feet, but at the same time I look at how much she had (and threw away) and wonder how this could have happened.  It's gonna be tough for me to watch the show but maybe I'll feel more sympathetic afterwards.

UPDATE: So I watched the clips online and while I feel bad for her I can't be too sympathetic because she sees the problems she has but won't do anything about them.  Looks like she is bipolar, but she doesn't seem to want to get help for it.  She's living with an alcoholic with anger issues who has physically abused her and, bipolar or not, she won't get out.  I hope she wakes up, gets out of that situation, and gets help.  But until that happens, it's hard for me to have a ton a sympathy for someone who's unwilling to help themselves.

Re: Yes, there's a Debi Thomas GoFundMe page - Langdude - 11-08-2015

Maybe someone out there who has an MD can answer ... is it really that hard to find work as a physician?

-m.

Re: Yes, there's a Debi Thomas GoFundMe page - fullmetal - 11-09-2015

My guess is that if you've fallen that far...who would want that kind of physician making treatment decisions for their health?  It's tough. 

Re: Yes, there's a Debi Thomas GoFundMe page - Embo - 11-09-2015

(11-08-2015, 10:08 AM)Langdude link Wrote:Maybe someone out there who has an MD can answer ... is it really that hard to find work as a physician?

Well, no and yes.

Her curriculum vitae is solid and she has not just specialty training, but subspecialty training as well (she did a fellowship after residency).  So she has skills beyond the ordinary physician.  (I remember while preparing for my medical school interviews a long time ago, I read up on topics of healthcare delivery.  One argument I heard then against increasing the number of medical schools was that "more doctors led to more doctoring").  Hence, somewhere, there is a need for her abilities.

However, that "somewhere" may not be a desirable place.  Her problem is in landing a spot in a more attractive location or a more lucrative group.  Her credentials (med school, residency, fellowship, certification) would hold up to scrutiny.  The trouble is, she's been asked to leave by two other groups.  Anyone looking to hire her is going to contact her prior colleagues.  That's where, unfortunately, she's become radioactive.

Re: Yes, there's a Debi Thomas GoFundMe page - BurgXXIII - 11-09-2015

(11-09-2015, 03:40 PM)Embo link Wrote:However, that "somewhere" may not be a desirable place.

Well, starting from Appalachia, what does that rule out?


Re: Yes, there's a Debi Thomas GoFundMe page - dabigv13 - 11-09-2015

As long as she doesn't have a lot of malpractice cases against her, I'm sure she could get work somewhere. Orthopedics is an in demand specialty and there are a lot of underserved areas and VAs that could use somebody.

Even without practicing, an MD can make plenty of money doing other things. In her field, she'd definitely be able to make enough to live on simply reviewing workers comp cases.

Re: Yes, there's a Debi Thomas GoFundMe page - fullmetal - 11-09-2015

^Fair point.  I have a friend who's a dentist--prisons at all levels of gov't, the VA, etc. would be good chances for a fresh start.