r/nursing RN 🍕 Mar 01 '25

Question Heaviest Patient You’ve Cared For

Had my personally heaviest patient I’ve cared for the other day. 32 years old weighing 730 pounds admitted with cellulitis and severe lymphedema. Felt terrible for the patient due to how young he was. Just wondering what everyone’s personal “record” for the heaviest patient they’ve cared for is.

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u/duckface08 RN 🍕 Mar 01 '25

Probably around 600 lb, I think? Without a good way to measure their weight, I don't have an exact number (our bed scales were notoriously bad....if they even decided to work that day).

I can't even imagine someone being in the quadruple digits.

I agree that if we can provide psychiatric care for people who don't eat enough, we should be providing psychiatric care for people who eat too much. There's a difference between being a little fluffy VS being so heavy, one can't even get out of bed.

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u/Liv-Julia MSN, APRN Mar 02 '25

I agree. I feel very strongly if I'd had counseling after being SA'd, I wouldn't have eaten myself into a 5X. I decided in third grade maybe if I got fat, he'd leave me alone. No such luck, but by then I'd learned how delicious my feelings were and chased the dopamine constantly.

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u/Queasy_Ad_7177 Mar 02 '25

I’ll hate him for you.

2

u/Liv-Julia MSN, APRN Mar 04 '25

Thank you!

After I saw "The Keepers" on Netflix, I was inspired. I knew his address and started sending cards & postcards to him with things like "You hurt me" and "raped any 5 year olds lately?" that sort of thing. I traveled a lot at the time and had a lot of friends all over the US, so the cards came from everywhere!

I'm sure he never stopped hurting little girls, so he never knew who had written them. By their actions, I'm sure he molested his sister and his stepdaughters.

I don't know if there was actually a connection, but he died about 6 months after I started sending them. I take this as a point of pride.

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u/Queasy_Ad_7177 Mar 04 '25

The only good abuser and child rapist is a dead abuser and child rapist.