Horse scales: would you go to the track?

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Horse scales: would you go to the track?
4
Thu, 04-05-2007 - 9:11am

Obese in Rio de Janeiro treated like horses

Patients scheduled for stomach surgery forced to weigh on race track scales

Updated: 12:52 p.m. ET April 4, 2007
RIO DE JANEIRO - Rio de Janeiro hospitals have been sending obese people to share medical test equipment with horses at the local race track, drawing complaints from activists who say the practice is humiliating.

“When people weigh more than the standard equipment can support they have to be directed to the Jockey Club, which is the only place in Rio where they have the appropriate equipment,” a spokeswoman for the Rio state health secretariat said on Wednesday.

Patients needing stomach reduction surgery require a tomography, or multiple X-raying of body sections, which is normally carried out inside a chamber.

Rio hospitals only have standard tomography equipment for people weighing up to 265-287 pounds (120-130 kg). Tomographs used on horses are sturdier and more spacious than common devices.

Rosimere Lima da Silva, head of the Group for Salvaging Self-Esteem and Citizenship of the Obese (Graco), said many patients feel embarrassed to go there.

“The obese patients already suffer from a lot of prejudice and having to be treated where animals are is not helping their self-esteem. Many simply refuse to go,” she said.

Graco staged a small protest on Tuesday outside the state legislative assembly and met some legislators to try to oblige hospitals to buy stronger equipment, including stretchers and wheelchairs for the obese, and to authorize more hospitals to perform stomach stapling surgeries.

Copyright 2007 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters.

A
iVillage Member
Registered: 01-25-2006
Thu, 04-05-2007 - 10:00am
If I wanted the surgery bad enough

 

Angela

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iVillage Member
Registered: 04-07-2007
Sat, 04-07-2007 - 12:38pm

Hey!

Don't worry took me 2 days to find a scale to weigh me here before I found a good scale to do it. The only way was a truck scale at a recycle depot. I weighed in at 180kilo's or about 396 lbs. It needed to be done for my own acceptance of where I was at! My personal feelings had to be set aside for the better good! All said and done it was a good indication and boy did it hit home.

Mark

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Sat, 04-07-2007 - 2:57pm

HI Mark,

Welcome to our board. Wben I first read the article it struck me that having an event like an unusual place to weigh in might really provide incentive. I'll bet the goal of a standard scale is in itself a motivator. Good luck!

Annie

A
iVillage Member
Registered: 01-25-2006
Sat, 04-07-2007 - 10:15pm
I agree that it would provide incentive for sure. And I also second Annie's welcome to you.

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Angela

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