AUTHOR'S NOTE: I work for a pharmaceutical and medical supply company. While my employers originally planned to only provide home medical supplies when they opened shop our biggest clients are now nursing homes. We contract with several dozen nursing homes supplying their residents with prescription medication. Through this work I have met many other healthcare professionals including Nurses, CNAs, and Paramedics. Why does this matter to you? Because this next (Short) story was partially based off of a story told to me by an EMT friend of mine over a beer New Years Eve.
New Year, New You
"Where are we going?" The two EMTs from Julian Ambulance had been the last to arrive. They'd only been told they were an "Assist." The Paramedic glanced down at the mess of paperwork spread out on the counter in front of him. "Some subacute place, Wilcox Farms. Ever heard of it?"
"Isn't that the place with the bariatric vent unit?" His partner, the other paramedic, asked.
"Something like that." The original paramedic scribbled the address on a slip of paper and passed it to the second assist crew. There were now 6 EMTs and Paramedics gathered in the hallway of the hospital. The newest EMT looked around. "So... What's up?"
The original Paramedic slid a sheet of paper over to her. It was a treatment summary.
Inside the room their patient lay in the massive bed. Her body was touching the sides of the bed. She was in agony. Constantly. Three months ago she'd started having chest pain that wouldn't go away. Finally, barely able to breath, even with constant oxygen support her husband called 911. They'd found her on a filthy bed, the stench of her unwashed fat folds making their eyes water. After getting her onto the stretcher she'd died. Using an automated CPR device they'd stabilized her and gotten her to the hospital. Doctors there placed 13 stents and then discovered the true extent of the damage done to her body. Massively obese her whole life as well as a chainsmoker, with prolific cocaine and other recreational drugs use in late high school and college, then finally bed confined for 3 years by her weight, her health had been destroyed by her bad habits. Her husband, who worked full time, was also a feeder and had helped her body expand to it's current size which the hospital had measured at 830lbs or 59.3 stone.
During the heart attack she'd stopped breathing and hadn't started again so now she was on a ventilator that did the breathing for her. The hospital had discovered that her kidneys were failing, and in spite of their best efforts they had finally failed completely and she'd been placed on dialysis. Sores were all over her body from lying in her own filth for hours at a time, and several toes had to be amputated from her uncontrolled diabetes. Her liver was swollen and approaching failure, and her lungs, crushed by her weight and destroyed by her smoking, could barely supply her body with oxygen even with a machine pumping them up for her. Her legs were swollen with excess liquid and leaked onto pads placed underneath to absorb the liquid. As far as she was concerned the worst was the diet. She NEEDED food desperately. She was constantly, psychologically, hungry. The smoking hadn't been nearly as hard to quit as the food. She had to eat something and the small portions the hospital provided her didn't come close to satisfying her. It was like a heroin addict getting a low dose opoid every day and that was it. And the pain... She was constantly being moved, she was far to fat and weak to move herself, to be cleaned, probed and massaged. Her wounds were being dressed, her folds cleaned, and her urine was whisked away by a catheter. But the pain in her chest never went away. The anxiety, her heart problems, and the pressure on her lungs, left her in constant agony. Her joints were also in constant pain as the lack of use led to muscles wasting away.
Meanwhile the 6 EMS techs moved in and out of the room, preparing the XL stretcher for her, setting up their equipment, and preparing to transfer her to their ventilator, the heaviest EMT still narrower then her leg. But she didn't care about that. She only cared about getting something, ANYTHING, edible into her mouth that she could swallow. But there was nothing in reach and she was far too fat, weak, and lazy to get up and get something herself. Meanwhile, ignored by everyone, was the commercial currently playing on the TV advertising "A new year, it's time for a new you."
No comments:
Post a Comment