Jesus may love Roscoe, but Roscoe hates him, and you for posting that picture.
Posted on 08/11/2004 2:49:06 PM PDT by Calpernia
STUART, Fla. -- A dramatic rescue ended tragically in Stuart, Florida, a rescue so difficult firefighters say they have never seen anything like it.
It happened late Tuesday night and early Wednesday morning at the home of a 600-pound woman who was having trouble breathing. Rescuers went in not knowing how difficult it would be to get her out. 40-year-old Gail Grinds was literally stuck to her couch and had to be removed surgically at the hospital.
Authorities estimate she had been on the couch anywhere from two to five years.
Martin County Fire amd Rescue crews faced what seemed to be an impossible mission. Everyone going inside had to wear protective gear. The stench was so powerful they had to blast in fresh air.
They tried to cut out the front door, but at four-and-a-half feet wide, it wouldn't work. They had to cut plywood since a normal stretcher wouldn't do.
An ambulance was too small, so they brought in a trailer to get her out. While rescue crews came up with a back-door rescue plan, detectives secured what had become a crime scene, questioning family members about how it got so bad.
Using planks, they loaded the woman on to the trailer, still attached to the couch. Removing her would be too painful, since her body is grafted to the fabric. After years of staying put, her skin has literally become one with the sofa and it must be surgically removed.
Detectives are investigating whether they have a case of neglect, or if it is simply a very sad story.
Grinds was taken to the Martin Memorial hospital where doctors removed her from the couch, but she died in spite of all the attempts to save her life.
I've seen that look. That IS scary. And you described it perfectly.
Who called 911?
Here's the pic?
Thanks. For a long time I thought I was just being judgemental. But it is a very eerie look.
Poor thing. I really do feel sorry for her. But she dresses very well, and seems to be okay in that body. Of course, she's diabetic, and her addiction to candy bars is very poorly hidden. She once hid candy wrappers in the heater vent. Oy.
That I have not been able to find out yet. I'm curious too as to who contacted authorities. Especially since they turned it into a crime scene.
Oh no. That can't be real. Oh that is wrong.
This is so sad.
May the Lord have mercy on her soul.
I believe that in many cases it's the ol' frog in the pot thing.....it's just a gradual process. Then they get older, and they naturally get more and more sedentary. And the process accelerates.
I've seen alot of people die, way too soon, and the only thing that precipitated their health problems was their obesity. It's quite sad...
I think the morbidly extremely obese get that way with help. I've had 800 lb patients that, against doctor's orders.....family members brought in food to them. They've obviously been bringing the family member food for years...because the family member can barely go to the bathroom....let alone go to the kitchen to make a meal.
Holy crap! How did she become literally attached to the sofa?! Didn't she have to get up to go to the bathroom? To get more food and beverages?! What a tragic story.
Thanks, now I think I'm probably permanently impotent.
No, it isn't judgemental. It is some type of bipolar disorder.
I don't get the addiction to the food though. It isn't like a drug. I think it is a self destructive behavior. Very sad.
Well, of course. But when she got to be over 300 lbs and couldn't move, someone in the family should have had her committed. Didn't anyone CARE about her? No one???
I wouldn't be surprised if it were both. Gravity does do that. When a whale beaches itself, it dies from it's own weight. The human body can do that too when abused to this extreme.
I agree. She comes from a family of non-obese people and has been obese most of her life. She makes a good show of trying to improve her body, goes to "Curves," orders salads, etc. But nothing seems to work. She's a closet binger, of this I'm sure. All I can say to myself is "you can't save the world." I've tried....it doesn't work.
I'd say you are right.
This is an interesting case of personal responsibility- I am very overweight, but I can only blame myself. Of course, I can still walk and take care of myself. At what point does the impetus move from myself to others? When does my condition become someone else's fault?
Wouldn't surprise me if "your patient" there...had fluid balance problems...causing them to gain weight even while eating a 400-calorie-a-day diet. Either that, or they were cheating.
FRegards,
I walked into a patients room one afternoon...He was a very large man....And to this day, I'm still not sure if he was supine, or prone. There were too many skin folds. And I couldn't see his feet for they were covered.
His head was turned to the side...He was so big...his head kinda just stuck out from his upper torso...he needed 2-3 pillows to rest his head on...and when he was lying down...big skin folds rolled up around his head. I walked out of that room...with elephant seal visions in my head.
The guy was a very nice man...who died a couple years ago...at the age of 37.
Makes my heart hurt to think about this guy......
FRegards,
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