Re: [gastric-bypass-support-kaiser-patient To Pam Marsh

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Hi Pam I do remember all of that, we have to remember the old with the new......................glad that you got to talk to , if you do again please tell her hello for me. I totally agree with you about people and how they come into our lives for a reason. good luck again with your upcoming surgeries ! ColleenPamela A Marsh wrote: Oh my gosh Eleanor, I read that same article onanother group. Colleen, you remember that. I got a littly teary eyedreading this because it was a time when I felt I hadlost my best friend () and I was so very happy tosee her because I did not quite understand thetransformation she was going through. I took it waytoo personal and I think it had a lot to do with myhormones as well as

being such a codependent. and I grew so close in such a short period of time andthen she went her separate way. She had to exploreand enjoy so many things she had not been able to andI did not understand it but now I do. I am please tolet you know that and I have reconnected yet onceagain and have been emailing. She is doing great andstill crazy as ever and I miss her really I do. Theone thing that I have learned on this journey is thatpeople come into your life at the time that they dofor a reason. It could be to hold your hand during ahard time or just to lend an ear as you are on yourjourney. Then you have those that stick aroundbecause they are truly suppose to be in yourlife...part of your life. I think that is one ofthose people that will be part of my life for sometime but not necessarily in my life. I hope thatmakes since. She is part

of my life because of whatwe went through together and what we are going throughnow together. She is not in my life because we lackthat physical bond (going places together, doingthings together and talking more than we do now-thatsa physical thing and that at this moment is somethingwe have not managed to get back on track) and rightnow her life is beingtransformed/reshaped/rediscovered, etc. but she ispart of my life and will continue to be.Anyway, the chair thing. I to wish they could dosomething so that people are accommodated. I trulythink that until they have to personally experiencethese types of things the change will come slower thanwe need it to. Be encouraged and know that life won'talways be like this. You won't always have to worryabout the chair, table, booth, stalls, rides, buses,etc. You will see but until the change comes, we mustbe vocal so that we won't

go unheard. Be encouragedand know that we are here with you to support you.Pam Marsh--- Robynn VanPatten wrote:> What a great story, Colleen! I remember that night> well,, but hadn't thought about the "double> milestone"! Ron, you will be sharing a loveseat> someday, too!!> > Robynn> > Colleen Garner wrote:> Ron-> > This reminds me of a> milestone....................I think last June or so> a bunch of us from this email group tried to meet at> the Richmond Support Group and I got a ride with a> woman named , She no longer posts in> here,,,,,,,,,,,,anyways she and our Pam> ( sweetnlow) sorry i am blanking on her last name,> maybe its marshall...........anyways she and

> were sort of like surgery twins and Pam was feeling> low at the time she wasnt in contact with as> much, by email surprised me and said she was> going to go and i was on her way and she would give> me a ride but she wanted it to be a secret for Pam, > Our Robynn had just had surgery this very same> day,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, when and I got to the> room where the meeting was there were several> chairs, the woman that hosted the meeting said not> to sit in certain chairs, which were semi loveseat> type sized and she said she reserved those for> certain visitors that had special needs or something> to that effect. and I went to the back of the> room and found seating and it was fun to meet people> from the group, i think at that time i met Gordy,> , Timmy, Kerrie and , I later met Robynn> post op................and then Pam came a

little> later...........she was so overjoyed> to see her surgery twin, i think she might of cried> ( she is so cute and sweet Pam) anyways the> milestone being, that right next to the seat > was sitting in was an unused larger style seat and> Pam sat there and patted the otherside and wanted> to come sit with her...................Pre op,> this probabally would of not worked and neither ot> the two I doubt would of even tried> that.................it was a moment of two people> in a milestone in their weightloss> journey,,,,,,,,,,, I too use to worry about some> chairs i was given to sit in..........sometimes if i> had the slightest idea that it might be questionable> for me i would pass on a chair or say my back was> bothering me and sitting aggrivated> it................... Even in my own office where i> work, our waiting room

chairs , even though they> accomidated me in my heavist time,some of our> patients our larger and everynow and again, i have> only one chair i can put out in the waiting room to> help them out that has no> arms,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, Its not> right....................> > BBQ Man wrote:> The part about the chairs has always been> one of my biggest pet peeves. I can not believe> that any organization would invite obese people to> any meeting/function/etc., and not supply adequate> seating. Whoever plans these things should think> about who they're having and get some chairs without> arms in there. Just don't get me started... lol> > Ron> > Re:> News> article about obese patients and hospitals> > > > Hey Francisco, I was just thinking you were being > too quiet! So tell us the latest on As > Francisco's World Turns (at least as much as > you're comfortable sharing)! Inquiring (nosy?) minds> want to know!> > I just saw a news item about how the ambulance > service in Las Vegas has just put into service a > special ambulance which is set up for morbidly obese> patients.> > I also remember how irked one gal was, > legitimately I might add, when she went to the > Richmond orientation, and there weren't any chairs> she could fit

in!> > At 04:40 03/31/2006, you wrote:> >Hello everyone:> >> >I've been out of the loop lately. Work is crazy,> and well, so is> >dating. Too many men!> >> >Anyway, here's an article from yahoo about> hospitals and obese> >patients. I think it's interesting. Hope you do> too...> >> >ST. LOUIS - Going to the hospital is rarely fun. If> you weigh over> >300 pounds like Beth Henk, it can be embarrassing.> >> >"I've flipped an exam table — I sat on the end of> it and it just> >flipped up," said Henk, whose weight peaked at 745.> When her son was> >born three years ago, "I had to sit in the hospital> bed the whole> >time — the hospital's rocker wouldn't fit my butt."> >> >Today Henk helps -Jewish Hospital in St. >

>Louis find better ways to deal with the growing > >number of very obese patients, an issue for many > >U.S. hospitals. -Jewish is replacing beds > >and wheelchairs with bigger models, widening > >doorways, buying larger CT scan machines, even> replacing slippers and gowns.> >> >Last year, patient care director Colleen Becker> decided to check the> >numbers. She looked at a daily hospital census —> about one-third of> >the 900 patients weighed 350 pounds or more.> >> >Startled, Becker checked another date, then > >another. The numbers were onsistent. On some > >days, half the patients were obese. Some weighed> 500 pounds or more.> >> >"We ran the data again to make sure we weren't > >hallucinating," Becker said. "We weren't. So we > >had to somehow figure out the appropriate >

>supplies, equipment, training and care for the> patients we're dealing with."> >> >The answer was a "bariatric care team," which Henk> serves on, to> >address the challenges posed by obese patients.> Those challenges are> >many.> >> >Hospitals around the nation are working with> equipment suppliers to> >accommodate larger patients, said Lietz,> a spokeswoman for> >the American Hospital Association. And it's not> just for the patients.> >> >ATF Healthcare, a union representing 70,000 nurses> and other workers> >at hospitals in 18 states, last week called for new> laws forcing> >hospitals to buy equipment such as portable hoists> to prevent worker> >injuries.> >> >A union-commissioned survey of more than 900 nurses> and X-ray> >technicians found

the majority have chronic pain or> have suffered> >injuries from lifting and moving patients.> >> >At -Jewish, lift machines help some patients> get in and out of> >bed. Chairs have been made stronger and wider. > >Lights have been added at floor level because > >the bodies of extremely obese people can cast a > >shadow that makes it hard to see the floor.> >> >The hospital is replacing many of its beds — built> to handle people> >weighing up to 350 pounds — with beds for 500-pound> patients.> >> >"Three-hundred-fifty pounds is nowhere near what we> need for beds> >now," said Art Kidrow, a nurse manager at> -Jewish. "We've had> >some 650-pounders up here."> >> >Some wings of -Jewish are replacing> 36-inch-wide doorways with> >those that are 48 or 52

inches wide. The bathrooms> are being fitted> >with floor-mounted commodes that can't be pulled > >out of the wall, and rooms reconfigured so > >patients can essentially get out of bed and step> into the bathroom.> === message truncated ===__________________________________________________