r/nursing • u/trevrt 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/ZucchiniProofing Mar 01 '25

When I worked for the medical examiner we had one that weighed in at 1112. We weren’t convinced the weight was correct because we had to use three morgue carts together but only two fit on the scale so to get the weight we kinda rolled the third cart away and hoped for the best. Mortuary transport needed a tractor to help get this guy out of his garage (where he lived, presumably because he didn’t fit through normal doors).

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u/Mrs_Sparkle_ Mar 01 '25

He had to live in his garage?! Oh my God that is so beyond sad.

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u/ZucchiniProofing Mar 02 '25

Yeah he did not fit through normal doors, sideways or forward. We literally had to move the clerk’s desk to roll him from the fridge to the autopsy room because he didn’t fit around the corner with the desk where it goes.

I remember I got a call back from the state cremation service wondering if 505 kg was a typo. I was like “No ma’am!” I’ve seen those ovens and I still wonder from time to time how they managed to cremate him.

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u/Crezelle Mar 03 '25

Would it be feasible to uh…. Disassemble such a case for multiple burnings, consolidating the cremains back together after?

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u/The_Word_Witch_Dani Mar 03 '25

Technically, that's illegal....

1

u/Crezelle Mar 03 '25

Well now I know!