Guest guest Posted November 28, 2003 Report Share Posted November 28, 2003 Agency Struggles To Accommodate 772-Pound Ohio Woman Tenant Sues Over Delays CLEVELAND -- Cleveland's public housing agency is trying to resolve a lengthy dispute by accommodating the needs of a 772-pound tenant immobilized by her weight. Carmen Bowen, 44, has been involved in a two-year dispute with the Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority over how much work must be done to help her move around her apartment. The agency is about to provide her with a handicapped-accessible apartment with extra space to allow an oversized wheelchair to turn. Bowen lives with her 19-year-old son and a caregiver. Still, Bowen filed a discrimination complaint, saying the agency took too long. Housing officials responded that the agency went well beyond what federal disability law requires at a cost of about $15,000. " Her special condition requires special equipment, " acting Executive Director said last week. The modifications include removing doors and walls, installing an automatic door operator and panic device, demolishing the existing bathroom and installing a special shower, and putting in a sidewalk to the front door. Bowen could move in next month. In her current apartment, Bowen can't move from a medical bed in the middle of her living room. In August, 22 firefighters and emergency medical technicians worked for 2.5 hours to move Bowen from her apartment so she could have dental work. Emergency crews had to help her back when she returned. The authority widened the door in October. Bowen does not yet have the wheelchair. The Medicaid government insurance program has not yet said whether it will pay for it. Copyright 2003 by The <http://www.channelcincinnati.com/news/2455821/detail.html> Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 28, 2003 Report Share Posted November 28, 2003 From: Bledsoe >>CLEVELAND -- Cleveland's public housing agency is trying to resolve a >>lengthy dispute by accommodating the needs of a 772-pound tenant >>immobilized by her weight. >> " Her special condition requires special equipment, " acting Executive >>Director said last week. Ya think!?!?!?!? >>The agency is about to provide her with a handicapped-accessible apartment >>with extra space to allow an oversized wheelchair to turn. Bowen lives >>with her 19-year-old son and a caregiver. I think the term " oversized " is a bit of an understatement for this situation. I think we have all had the big ones, that's when you have to sit back, and think, " oh s**t, how the hell are we gonna do this? " Mike \ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 28, 2003 Report Share Posted November 28, 2003 Once I was in court and my opponent was a lawyer who weighed 500+. The chairs furnished were captain's chairs with armrests. When he stood up to object to a question I asked, the chair came up with him and just hung there around his butt. The resulting mirth in the courtroom caused the judge to bang his gavel and declare a recess because he couldn't control himself either. GG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 28, 2003 Report Share Posted November 28, 2003 I picked up a 700 pounder in Fort Worth back in the early 80's. He walked into a Target store and sat down in the snack bar. The tiny plastic chair he sat in promptly exploded with such force that one of the legs impaled itself into a sheetrock wall 6 feet away. As we walked into the store, we were met by cops and firemen who could barely contain themselves. This guy lying on the floor was the size of a king size bed. If I recall correctly, it took a full-alarm assignment including batallion chief, two ambulance crews and a supervisor, and a few cops to get this guy on a tarp and out to the ambulance. We put him on the stretcher in the store, but all four wheels either bent or broke and it wouldn't roll. An engine crew carried it to the hospital for us since the patient left no room for it, taking up all of the back of the unit. The whole time we were working with him, the patient complained that: " Target better pay for this! " and... " They need to get better chairs! " He was released from the hospital with no injuries. Rob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 28, 2003 Report Share Posted November 28, 2003 We're all getting too fat. American Airlines is extending their seat belt length to handle their " more generous customers. " Southwest Airlines, on the other hand, has a hard and fast rule in that fat people buy two seats and the decision is left to the ticket agent and backed by Southwest Airlines management. Me and another guy helped pull a stuck 400 pound woman from a coach seat of an American MD-80 recently on a trip to Norfolk. She got in, but couldn't get out and the flight attendants were about to call the Norfolk Fire Department rescue people to get the woman of the plane (And yes, she had more than 2 carry-on bags). Bledsoe, DO, FACEP Midlothian, TX [http://www.bryanbledsoe.com] Re: Your Tax Dollars at Work! I picked up a 700 pounder in Fort Worth back in the early 80's. He walked into a Target store and sat down in the snack bar. The tiny plastic chair he sat in promptly exploded with such force that one of the legs impaled itself into a sheetrock wall 6 feet away. As we walked into the store, we were met by cops and firemen who could barely contain themselves. This guy lying on the floor was the size of a king size bed. If I recall correctly, it took a full-alarm assignment including batallion chief, two ambulance crews and a supervisor, and a few cops to get this guy on a tarp and out to the ambulance. We put him on the stretcher in the store, but all four wheels either bent or broke and it wouldn't roll. An engine crew carried it to the hospital for us since the patient left no room for it, taking up all of the back of the unit. The whole time we were working with him, the patient complained that: " Target better pay for this! " and... " They need to get better chairs! " He was released from the hospital with no injuries. Rob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 29, 2003 Report Share Posted November 29, 2003 -- Rob wrote: >The tiny plastic chair he sat in promptly exploded with such force >that one of the legs impaled itself into a sheet rock wall 6 feet >away. Dang! Talk about shrapnel, not unlike a secondary blast injury. >If I recall correctly, it took a full-alarm assignment including >battalion chief, two ambulance crews and a supervisor, and a few cops >to get this guy on a tarp and out to the ambulance. Is there any wonder why so many of us have back problems? >We put him on the stretcher in the store, but all four wheels either >bent or broke and it wouldn't roll. An engine crew carried it to the >hospital for us since the patient left no room for it, taking up all >of the back of the unit. At the conference, one of the stretcher manufacturer's reps (the folks with the stretcher that has the 'add-on' widener attachment) was touting the capacity of their product- (paraphrased) " With the stretcher at full elevation, it is rated at 700#, but when not raised, it is rated at 1000#. " He was being polite, and I am not the most svelte person in the world, but I was thinking " that is a half ton! " What ambulance, even with a center mounted stretcher, rear lowering capability, and other bells and whistles, could actually accommodate a patient of that size, without " scraping the sides " ? EMStock 2004 is coming! CE, Fellowship, and Fun! May 21-23, 2004 - Midlothian Larry RN LP EMSI Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 30, 2003 Report Share Posted November 30, 2003 In a message dated 11/29/2003 4:33:30 AM Central Standard Time, lanelson1@... writes: > At the conference, one of the stretcher manufacturer's reps (the folks with > the stretcher that has the 'add-on' widener attachment) was touting the > capacity of their product- (paraphrased) " With the stretcher at full elevation, > it is rated at 700#, but when not raised, it is rated at 1000#. " He was being > polite, and I am not the most svelte person in the world, but I was thinking > " that is a half ton! " > > What ambulance, even with a center mounted stretcher, rear lowering > capability, and other bells and whistles, could actually accommodate a patient of > that size, without " scraping the sides " ? > My, God. How do people get to be this large? How much do they have to eat to maintain that high of a weight? And their skin! When its stretched over that much fat how can it not tear at the slightest touch? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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