Maybe I am a bitch...

AngelikDemonik · 02-20-2009, 01:08 PM

I am not the type of person to complain about fat people...and I don't mean chunky people, I mean 500+ pound people...I hate it when people say things about people who are morbidly obese, because they very well good have a medical condition which warrants them getting that big.

But fuck. The mammoth of a bitch I hate to take care of today worn me down to my last nerve. I'm pretty sure I have permanent back damage because of her.

I recently started a job on a med/surg unit, and today I was assigned to a super morbidly obese patient today (along with 3 nursing students who were shadowing me). This woman was 514lbs, 5'1". She had no medical condition which would warrant her being that big. When I first got to her early this morning, I woke her up, introduced myself and informed her I had to start an IV on her. First thing she says to me: "Can't it wait? I'm sleeping!" Uh, no...this isn't a resort. We need you on IV fluids because your severely dehydrated plus I have to piggyback some Heparin in there because you have a blood clot in your leg. She huffed and puffed, and finally let me start her IV...Anyone who has ever been in the hospital knows this--Having an IV lock put in hurts...first a needle is going into your vein, then a little plastic catheter goes in. It sucks, but it's bearable. When I poked this woman, she instantly let out a scream that woke up her roommate then jerked her arm back, causing the needle to fall out. I had to stick her AGAIN. When I told her I had to do it again because she jerked her arm back and that I need her to remain clam, she said "Ugh, what's wrong with you nurses today?! GAWD!" I took a deep breath to prevent myself from saying anything stupid, and proceeded to stick her a second time. Starting IVs on bigger people is not an easy task--Their veins, if they show at all, are hard to find and are deep (which also makes them good, as they don't roll around as much). The whole time I'm putting the IV in and flushing it, she's complaining about how rude Nurses are today and how they need to know their place, so on and so forth...Again, I was taking deep breaths to prevent myself from saying something mean.

Later that day, she needed to have her ass wiped after using the bedside commode. How many nurses does it take to wipe the ass of a 500 pound woman? Three. Two to hold each check, and one to wipe. The whole time we're doing this, she's complaining that we're being insensitive to her needs, etc etc etc...I kinda felt like saying "Well, maybe if you put down the cokes and cheeseburgers, you wouldn't need help wiping your ass, now would you?" But again, I maintained my composure.

When it was time for her to order her lunch, she asked for my help, which I had no problem with. When I told her that she's on a healthy heart, calorie restrictive diet, she lost it. She started screaming that we're trying to starve her and that her stomach hurts from being so hungry, and that she needs regular coke to settle her stomach....I wasn't buying it. I explained to her that 1800 calories is not starving and that I could get her some diet ginger ale if she really wanted a soda. That wasn't good enough for her, apparently, as she went on with her tirade of how she should be able to eat whatever she wants. I cannot stress this enough--Hospitals are not resorts. They're noisy, over-crowded, and understaffed. You're not here to kick back, you're here to get better. She finally ordered lunch and ate something (complained about the whole time she was eating it.) then took a nap.

I had to wake her up about 40 minutes after she fell asleep because transport was there to take her down to radiology. She started bitching again about how she can't get any damn sleep, etc, etc etc....When she finally stopped, it took FOUR NURSES to roll her off of her side and onto sitting position on the bed. When asked if she could get up to walk three feet to the gurney which she was going to be taken down on, she replied with "No, I'm too tired...you're going to have to lift me onto it." I seriously just wanted to say no, you have to walk. So, myself and the three Nursing students I had with me all tried to lift her into the gurney...It just wasn't happening...I'm a strong girl, but I'm not that strong...We had to call for assistance from two of the PCTs to help us lift her. Once we got on the gurney, she started to complain to the transport girl (who was struggling to push her) that we did that to embarrass her and that she really isn't that heavy, etc, etc etc....Yeah, fucking right. All of our backs are probably permanently fucked up, and all four of the Nurses combined don't even equal up to what she weighs.

I went home for the day before she got back from XRAY, thank goodness.

On top of all of that, she refused blood draws and refused her meds...I WOULD NOT let her refuse her insulin, though. It was either she ate and got her insulin, or she didn't eat at all. I was an evil bitch for that, too....

I feel bad for saying this, but I do not understand how people could let themselves get THAT out of control then be bitter about it when it comes into the way of receiving care.

Maybe this makes me a bad Nurse, but fuck....That fat bitch just needs to stfu and let us help her.

Duane · 02-20-2009, 01:21 PM

Nah, you're a great nurse doing your best to stay calm about the situation. It's a hospital not a resort like you said, she should have been a hell of a lot more grateful.

Tam Li Hua · 02-20-2009, 01:23 PM

Don't feel bad! I completely agree that there is NO reason for that woman to be that large, except severely extreme laziness and the love of WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY too many cokes and burgers.

I really can't say I feel sorry for her. And I hope your back feels better soon!!

Necrophagist · 02-20-2009, 01:25 PM

She's a whale.

Renatus · 02-20-2009, 01:35 PM

I agree with you, and feel that you are justified in your feelings about this woman. Frankly I think the hospital should charge this woman extra, simply because she is being this uncooperative while weighing that much.

Now I'm just curious, how can a person's skeleton support that much weight?

Duane · 02-20-2009, 01:41 PM

It's possible that the skeleton adapts.

Renatus · 02-20-2009, 01:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Duane

It's possible that the skeleton adapts.

Well you also must keep in mind all the soda she drinks can't be doing her bones any good. I also doubt she consumes much calcium.

Albert Mond · 02-20-2009, 02:09 PM

Holy fucking shit. Three people just to wipe her ass?
I'd kill myself if I were ever like this woman.
I'd probably kill her if I were in your position, too, actually. That's not advice, though.

Duane · 02-20-2009, 02:11 PM

I'm 300 lbs away from being just like that... exercise bike time.

Albert Mond · 02-20-2009, 02:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Duane

I'm 300 lbs away from being just like that... exercise bike time.

200 pounds isn't that fat. I'm 200 pounds, and all I've got is a small potbelly.
EDIT: And I just ate two sandwiches.

Albert Mond · 02-20-2009, 02:12 PM

Actually, I think I'm 210.

AngelikDemonik · 02-20-2009, 02:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Renatus

I agree with you, and feel that you are justified in your feelings about this woman. Frankly I think the hospital should charge this woman extra, simply because she is being this uncooperative while weighing that much.

Now I'm just curious, how can a person's skeleton support that much weight?

The joints and connective tissue between the bones get worn down immensely...While I don't think she should get charged extra (she might not even be paying anything, we provide free medical care for those without insurance), I think that all Nursing staff should be able to tell her to STFU and chill or get out.

Alarica · 02-20-2009, 02:15 PM

It's her own fault she had to be embarassed to get her ass wiped and put on the gurney. You must have the patience of a saint. How the hell did she wipe her ass before she ended up in hospital, or move to get food? I hope for your backs sake you dont have to move her again!

jack_the_knife · 02-20-2009, 02:18 PM

I admire you for being this patient. I would have lynched her for being such a whiny hag.
Plus, having an IV lock put in doesn't hurt.

Duane · 02-20-2009, 02:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Albert Mond

200 pounds isn't that fat. I'm 200 pounds, and all I've got is a small potbelly.
EDIT: And I just ate two sandwiches.

I know, but when I see people like this, I imagine what it'd be like to be that fat... and I shudder.

Albert Mond · 02-20-2009, 02:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Duane

I know, but when I see people like this, I imagine what it'd be like to be that fat... and I shudder.

Oh, God. I know. It's a personal fear of mine that if there is a Hell, I will be sent there and continually force fed while confined to a small, hot space.

Underwater Ophelia · 02-20-2009, 03:21 PM

I don't know if someone already said this, because I didn't bother reading the whole thread, but the problem with this woman isn't that she's fat, it's that she's an asshole.

Pineapple_Juice · 02-20-2009, 03:39 PM

Ophelia has never spoken truer words.

Joker_in_the_Pack · 02-20-2009, 03:53 PM

I knew a guy almost that big. He had to be six feet around the belly. He could still walk, but not much. He used to be a body builder, funnily enough. He ended up developing such a nasty heart condition from too much strenuous activity that it forced him to have a very sedentary lifestyle. One thing lead to another, and then body builder turns into a beluga whale.