The
Changing Medical Lexicon
By Michael Applebaum, MD, JD, FCLM
Thanks to the
overweight and obese, the medical lexicon has undergone a transition.
It too has enlarged.
This appears to be most prominent in the words describing medical devices.
In addition to stethoscope, sphygmomanometer (blood pressure meter), EKG or ECG
machine, etc., we now find new devices such as “cherry picker” used in
patient care.
What is a “cherry picker” you ask?
It is just that. A cherry picker.
Here is a picture of one.
Once used to lift a person
for the purpose of picking cherries from a cherry tree, it has been reincarnated
as a medical device used to lift fat people for the purpose of providing sick
care.
Perhaps a cherry picker is used because being so fat, like cherries, is the
pits.
Who knows?
So many people are apparently aspiring to and achieving total fatosity, perhaps
it is not the pits.
Except for the dwindling rest of us who have to pay for the excesses of the fat.
Then for sure it is the pits.
At one time, we merely had overweight and obese people.
No more.
Now we have:
Overweight
Obese
Severely obese
Morbidly obese
Super obese
I understand that the following have been reserved:
Ultra obese
Super Ultra obese
Jumbo obese
Fatinum Club obese
Nimitz Class obese
Another
term is “Titan-X.”
This is a brand name and, just for
the record, I am not endorsing this product. Or any fatware or fatwear product.
The only products I endorse for the fat person, are the ones called “eat fewer
Calories than you burn” and “burn more Calories than you eat.”
Here is a picture of the Titan –X and the product description from amazon.com:
“Titan X 1000 lb. Patient Lifter The Titan X electric patient lifter is the
industrys leading bariatric lifter. Incorporating numerous safety and
ease-of-use features that allow for the safe and effective transfers of patients
up to 1000 lbs. The Titan X features a power raise/lower, a power base-widening
option, a manual emergency lowering system, an oversized four-point attach
padded spreader bar, and an emergency stop switch. High-capacity ball bearing
casters provide easy maneuverability. Includes a four-function hand controller
for operational convenience. The integrated heavy-duty battery charger provides
years of service. Titan X 1000 lb. Patient Lifter Specifications:Power Source:
Two 12V, 12AH batteries, with charger Height Top of Mast: 54' Spreader Bar
Height: 23' to 67' Overall Length: 60' Base Width: 34˝' to 49' Warranty: 1 Year
Product photo may not exactly match the product offered for sale. Please refer
to the product description.”
A 1000 pound or half-ton person.
If it makes him/her feel better a 2000 lb. ton is also known as a short ton. A
2240 pound ton is called a long ton.
Pass the mashed potatoes, please. I have 120 pounds to go. And can still remain
a half-ton. Yum.
One thousand pounds equals 454.54 kg.
How does this weight compare to, say, the average weight of selected animals at
the Sedgwick County Zoo? (from: http://www.scz.org/educators_resources/Average%20weights%20of%20selected%20animals%20.pdf)
Seems as if only the elephant and bison outweigh the human Titan-icks.
The Titan-X costs $18, 409.87. Plus shipping.
I do not know how much an elephant or bison costs. With or without shipping.
There are other devices, too.
Let’s explore them.
I have left all the links in to give credit where credit is due.
This list of devices is not exhaustive; neither are the examples. They are
merely representative of what is available and were chosen for no particular
reason. Any typos are in the original.
Extra
wide beds
Aka, the Big Berth-a.
Bariatric
Hospital Beds
Any physician treating a bariatric patient must be prepared to deal with the
particular situations that arise in treating the obese. Due to their larger
size, obese patients must have many aspects of a hospital stay taylored to their
specific needs. Included among these is the need for a special hospital bed. Bariatric
hospital beds should be wide enough for the patient's girth and
sturdy enough to hold up their weight.
Obese
patients do not want to feel like they are being singled out, but upon
admittance, their need for a specific hospital bed will likely do just that. For
the patient's comfort, they will need to be placed in a room with a bariatric
hospital beds. This will ensure that the patient has the proper
support for his mass, since for some patients, the average hospital bed will not
be sufficient. The weight supported by a bariatric
hospital beds can vary by brand, and anyone who is looking ought to
take into account all the possibilities of levels of obesity in forthcoming
patients. Some bariatric
hospital beds will only hold up patients with weights up
to 600 pounds, while others will support up to 1000 pounds. The width of the bed
is also important, since they are often available in sizes that vary from 48
inches wide to 60 inches wide. Every patient should be offered a bed that will
comfortably support him and let him not feel cramped by avoiding a too narrow
bed.
Some patients will need a bed for home use. They must look for a bariatric
hospital beds that will suit their specific needs. It must hold
up their at least their current weight, and it must be wide enough for the
patient to lie in comfortably. Many home hospital beds are also electrically
adjustable, and like those found in a hospital, the motor must be able to last
through months of use. The bed must be easy to adjust for the patient. If it
comes equipped with side rails, these must be simple to put up and take down for
the caregiver. A quality bariatric
hospital beds will likely have all of these features.
Bariatric
hospital beds must also be able to perform all of the same tasks that
typical hospital beds do. Many are adjustable, and if they have an electric
motor, the motor must be strong enough to move the weight of the bed and the
patient without grinding during use or wearing out too soon. A strong motor for
a strong bed is an important feature in a bariatric
hospital beds. This will save the cost of frequently repairing
or replacing the motor in the future. As most hospital budgets are often
strained, this is the only sensible option, but never sacrifice quality for
price. The patient's comfort must always come first in any situation, including
the choice of his bariatric
hospital beds.
Whatever your requirements, you can find what you are looking for today in our
online inventory. If
you have any questions or need assistance, call us toll-free at 1-877-706-4480. Our
staff is ready to assist you.
Stronger
toilets
Welcome to the Great John. There is also a Big John.
Add Great and Big Johns to the lexicon.
Since the website describing this device (Great John) is so informative, I am
including the entirety of the relevant pages for your complete udder-standing of
this bovine butt-sized issue.
Though I cannot vouch for their work on this subject, they do seem to have a
grip on the matter of fat asses.
If you have a chance, read this article. It is a john-off comparing the two toilets.
BARIATRIC TOILETS - THE
PROBLEM
UK Obesity Statistics
|
Trends
in Overweight and Obesity |
|
About
46% of men in England and 32% of women are overweight ( a body mass index
of 25-30 kg/m2), and an additional 17% of men and 21% of women are obese
(a body mass index of more than 30 kg/m2) |
|
Overweight
and obesity increase with age. About 28% of men and 27% of women
aged 16-24 are overweight or obese, but 76% of men and 68% of women aged
55-64 are overweight or obese. |
|
Overweight
and obesity are increasing. The percentage of adults who are obese
has roughly doubled since the mid -1980s. |
|
25
to 29 is considered Overweight |
|
30
to 39 is considered obese |
|
40
upwards is considered Morbidly Obese |
|
The
people that can most benefit from these products are those from 35 BMI
upwards. |
|
In
addition, we have found that many elderly or disabled can benefit from the
features that our toilets have to offer. |
ANALYSIS OF THE PROBLEM
More than 60 interviews and 500 pictures and measurements were taken. A pattern
of problems emerged.
|
Almost
47% of severely obese persons have dislodged a toilet from the floor.
19% of them have had the toilet break under them. |
|
Most
of them don't use the seat since it pinches as it moves from side to side,
and becomes unstable. |
|
Most
of them consider the seat terribly small. This creates very
uncomfortable pressure points at best, and at worst it produces numbness
in the legs and thighs from lack of blood flow. |
|
Most
males were unable to urinate in the toilet bowl while sitting, because of
the lack of clearance in front of the toilet. (They sit considerably
forward). Some of them have to undress before urinating. |
|
In
extreme cases they don't use the toilet, resorting instead to the shower. |
|
Finally,
they all plan their day, according to the availability of a suitable
toilet and stall for them. |
What was needed was a toilet
that would solve most of the problems and still function as a normal toilet
usable by the rest of the family. For details of the development programme which
resolved this problem, or to return to the main bariatric page, please click on
the link below.
Development
Programme
Return
to Bariatrics Home Page
Pictures were taken of a number
of obese subjects to create a general theory of the general area that would be
required to accommodate the majority of the obese population.
From this picture, general drawings were created.
Prototypes of the seat were developed and tested.
Finally, production drawings were created and the prototype ceramic toilet was manufactured.
From
this first prototype, the solution to the problem gradually evolved. To
see this solution, unique to Great John click on the link below, or to return to
the bariatrics home page, click on the appropriate link below
The
Great John Solution to the Bariatric Toilet Problem
Return
to Bariatrics Home Page
Bariatric Toilets - The
Great John Solution
Our product was designed from
the ground up (and the bottom down) to resolve most of these problems.
Comfort.
It has 250% more seating area than a standard elongated seat, specifically
designed for the large person in mind. This creates the most comfortable
large toilet seat ever.
Convenience.
For most males, urinating while seated was next to impossible on regular
toilets. Thanks to Great John, this is a thing of the past for most
people, since it provides 5" of extra space at the front of the toilet.
Security.
It is constructed in a way that provides additional reinforced structures and a
stronger ceramic base.
Stability.
It has a super wide base, and additional anchorage to the floor, creating the
most stable toilet in its class.
Compatibility.
It is designed to be installed in the same space that your old toilet used to
stand. In addition, it is designed to meet ADA requirements so it can be
installed in an accessible toilet compartment.
Flexibility.
Unlike some products, our toilet is designed to be used by small, and medium as
well as large people.
Residential
Commercial
To return to the bariatrics home
page, please click on the link below
Return
to Bariatrics Home Page
Bariatric ambulances -- trucks equipped with hoists and special stretchers to transport patients weighing up to an inhuman number pounds.
These
"muscle ambulances" are affectionately termed Bari-cudas. Add that to
the lexicon.
The
Bariatric Ambulance
East Coast Ambulance is proud to be the first ambulance company in Maryland to
offer a "true" Bariatric Service. We currently have 2 dedicated
Bariatric Ambulances in our fleet.
|
Customized
Ambulances to provide comfort to larger individuals |
|
Able
to transport people up to 1000 pounds |
|
Larger
stretcher |
|
Additional
safety restraints |
|
Pulley
and ramp system for a smooth transition |
|
Climate
controlled |
|
Specially
trained crew |
From: http://www.eastcoastambulance.com/bariatric_ambulance.htm
Wheelchairs,
Shower Chairs and Walkers
Here are products setting the bari – tone for fatso mobility devices
(non-powered)
The Bari-Chair, Bari-Walker and Bari-Shower/Commode Chair offer 750 lbs
capacity.All fitted for bariatric/obese patients that require extra wide, extra
heavy duty mobility products..
The Bari-Chair comes in seat widths of 24" up to 34" and has removable
arm rests and swing-away, heavy duty, adjustable height, removable leg rests!
Now that's a mouthful!
The Bari-Shower/Commode Chair comes in seat widths of 26" or 30"
and offers removable arm rests and back rest for better patient access and has
swing-away, adjustable length foot rests. It also fits over all standard height
toilets or a removable catch pan for bedside toileting.
Finally, the Bari-Walker holds up to 750 lbs, is adjustable in height and folds
for easy storage.
The Bari-Chair folds to just
13" wide, while providing 750 lbs capacity of solid steel construction.
Swing-away arm rests and
removable back are standard features on the Bari-Shower Commode chair.
Ample
People
Ample means:
1. fully sufficient or more than adequate for the purpose or needs;
ample. Dictionary.com. Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1). Random House,
Inc. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/ample
(accessed: September 28, 2007).
Clearly ample people are too much for the purpose of being human.
Plus, they apparently stink.
AMPLE
HYGIENE FOR AMPLE PEOPLE
20-page booklet gives you a personal regimen that can help you feel fresh all
day. It's full of tips for dealing with odor problems, fold irritations,
chafing, difficulty in reaching, and more! By Nancy Summer. Willendorf Press.
Well,
there you have it, our round-up of some new terms that have been added to the
medical lexicon courtesy of fat people.
Er, ample people, that is.