Please fill out the form to get senior care information:LocationFull nameEmailPhone ×We value your privacy. By clicking you agree to the terms and conditions of our privacy policy. You also consent that we can reach out to you using an auto-dialing-capable phone system. Your consent is not required to use our service.Author Kelly Coffey wrote a viral post about what she missed about being over 300 pounds. I do not miss a thing. It has been over five years now since I was 400-plus pounds. After spending a lifetime being morbidly obese, I decided to make a change in 2008. What started out as a diet I have done numerous times became more life changes and a different thought process. People ask me how I lost weight, and the answer is not that simple. I could say a structured plan like Weight Watchers or a structured workout like free weights. The truth is I have an incredible memory. I remember every single moment of being over 400 pounds. All the times I promised myself I would eat better tomorrow.
All of the times I swore that I would change. The times I would eat 6,000 calories worth of fat-free food and think I was making a difference in my health and all the times I made empty promises. I will never be morbidly obese again. I will struggle, and my weight will fluctuate. I will have good and bad streaks, and I will never feel more powerful than food. I will always be active, but I will also understand that my relationship with food is like no other. I am okay with that, and the moment I feel like I am smarter and better than food I will be over 400 pounds again. Arrogance has a lot to do with obesity. I do want to share nine things I remember about being morbidly obese. These are things I think about every single day and also things that drive me to fight hard in being healthy. Going to the bathroom. I can remember the day I could not wipe myself while sitting down. I thought it was weird that my arm could not reach. So I did it standing up. Then I remember the day I could not wipe standing up.
See, I could not use urinals because I could not hold my pants or grab myself. I had to use a handicap stall to hold onto the rail and for more room. And when I went I prayed I did not have to wipe myself. If I did, there were times I could maneuver my leg up and twist myself to get a slight wipe. I did have to wet a piece of toilet paper to do it. I only felt comfortable going to the bathroom at home. In fact, I only used public restrooms if it was an emergency. At home, if I needed to I could wipe myself by rocking back and forth on the bed until I was able to reach. I truly hated going to the bathroom, and I never told anyone about how I did it until I lost the weight.I could not put a belt on while wearing my pants. I had to do it before. I could not put socks on unless I were either on my bed or a soft sofa. It took me 20 extra minutes to get dressed. It felt like a workout to put on my clothes. I could not tie my shoes, either. I wore shoes that did not have laces or just left them untied.
In fact, I do not tie my shoes today just for the reminder.I sweat a lot. I would sweat for no reason at all. I would sit in a 69-degree room and sweat. I hated the feeling of being warm all the time.If you were three feet from me you could hear me breathe. I would make this "Huuuuuu-hhhhhhhh" sound, and people would always ask me if I was okay.I shopped at one store. It was The Casual Male XL. I would buy George Foreman clothes until they switched over to Harbor Bay. The clothes were very expensive, but I had no other choice. I would spend hundreds of dollars on clothes and accessories that I spend so much less on today. Consuming enormous amounts of food. You do not get to be over 400 pounds by having a second piece of cake or a processed food item. I got there by consuming a crazy amount of food. I used to say I would eat close to 10,000 a day, but it was more. I would spend over $30 at any fast food restaurant I would go to. I remember getting a bag of food and feeling sad because the food would not last.
I would eat and eat and eat. I never got full. I would get numb. I did not have sex at 400 pounds. It was the last thing on my mind. I cared more about eating and other things. Plus, I was self-conscious about the way I smelled, because showers were rare.I hated taking showers. I would not be able to wash every part and could barely dry myself. Being the largest person in the room. You know those stats about how obese America is? Well, I cannot remember a time when someone was bigger than me in a room. When I first joined Weight Watchers I was probably 150 pounds bigger than anyone else in the room. I felt like the obesity epidemic. I remember those every single day. I remember what it was like for my wife to worry about me and to feel like everyone was laughing around me. They probably were not, but it always felt that way. I remember seeing an "ERR" on the scale and cried when I finally saw three numbers. I remember when I got a salad after losing 20 pounds, and the cashier rolled her eyes.
I remember losing 50 pounds and being able to hear the click of the seatbelt. I remember losing 80 pounds and being able to wipe myself. I remember losing 100 pounds and being able to get size 54 pants at a "normal" store in the Big and Tall section. I remember losing 130 pounds and being under 300 pounds for the first time in a long time. I remember losing over 200 pounds and knowing I will struggle but never get back to 420 pounds. People ask me my goal weight, and it is never to get to be over 400 pounds again. I will fluctuate, and I will have my good and bad days. Many extreme weight loss cases do. I have much more to lose now. I have two kids. So when people ask me what is the secret to weight loss, I like make others say there is no secret. I just remember what it was like to be over 400 pounds, and I swear I will never be there again. Originally Posted On The Anti-Jared Occupational therapy evaluates how a person with ALS performs daily functional tasks that include personal care, mobility and work activities.
Assessment is made through interview and functional evaluation in the ALS Clinic. Recommendations for assistive devices, durable medical equipment (wheelchairs, hospital beds, bath chairs, etc), and home or outpatient therapies are made. The therapist provides instruction in body mechanics for the patient and caregiver gives instruction in energy conservation techniques and provides exercise and range of motion guidelines. What devices are useful with hand and arm weakness? Wrist and hand muscles may become weak affecting grasp for eating, dressing, grooming and work activities. There are many useful devices and "gadgets" on the market. Assessment of your specific need will help in selection of the appropriate items. Hand devices are usually not covered by insurance. You must purchase them on your own, but check with the occupational therapist about sources and prices, and whether these devices will help you or a waste of money. Activities of Daily Living MAS can be attached to an adjustable-height table on casters for use anywhere in the home.
They allow horizontal and vertical motion of the arms so you can reach your plate and your mouth. They also work well over the computer keyboard. Table-mount clamps are used to attach the MAS to a table or computer desk; supinator attachment allows some rocking motion of the forearm trough; T-bar attachment can be attached to support a weak wrist. What medical equipment and devices will help with leg weakness? There are many devices, braces and durable medical equipment available to assist you if you develop hip, knee or ankle weakness. Proper evaluation of the extent of your weakness and endurance is necessary before any recommendations for equipment are made. You must check with your insurance company or Medicare regarding what they will cover and what preferred providers or vendors they use. You will need a prescription (RX) and a letter of medical necessity (LMN) that can be written by the therapist or your physician, but must be signed by the physician. Pressure-Relief Pads or Mattresses
Durable Medical Equipment (DME) Suppliers/Pittsburgh Area: Blackburns Physician Pharmacy, 800/472-2440; UPMC Home Care 888/860-2273. Neck Supports—used to support, protect and rest weak neck muscles We suggest that patients be evaluated at the Center for Assistive Technology (CAT) in order to get a wheelchair best suited to their needs. Selection of the appropriate wheelchair depends on short-term and long-term needs and the following: Wheelchair distributors certified by CAT are: The Center for Assistive Technology evaluates patients for appropriate wheelchairs. Please feel free to contact Mark Schmeler at 412/647-1310. Each person with ALS and his/her family have a different course of progression, a different lifestyle, different resources and different family commitments. Decisions about home modifications to ease care and mobility problems are made with careful consideration of short-term and long-term needs. A platform area for the wheelchair is needed for safety and stability inside and outside the entrance doorway.
This platform must be at the same level as the doorsill. At least a 36" x 36" platform will allow the wheelchair to safely sit outside the door before going up or down the ramp. A handrail or wheel rail should be attached along the sides of the ramp. Ramps can be constructed from deck wood (outside home) or plywood (inside the garage or home). The maximum grade for indoor ramps is 12 inches of ramp for every 1 inch of rise or a 1: 12 ratio. Sometimes a sharper rise is needed because of a smaller area. Remember who is pushing up on down the ramp and the strength that is needed to control the wheelchair. Outside ramps should use 1:20 inch standard (a generous, long ramp). Walkways along the side for the house may allow space for such a long ramp. A "Z"-shaped ramp is necessary when short front- or backyards do not provide length for a safe, long incline. A five-foot area at the bottom of the ramp is recommended for stopping and turning the wheelchair. Local building ordinances must be taken into account.
Portable, folding aluminum ramps are commercially available. These can be taken in the car or van for use when you go to a place where there is no ramp, or one to two steps. " or purchased for $15 from the Metropolitan Center for Independent Living 1600 University Ave. West, Suite 16, St. Paul, MN 55104-3825, 651/646-8342, companion video $20. Porch lifts can be placed at doorways inside or outside the home depending on placement of stairs and space for the lift itself. Porch lifts can be placed inside bi-level and tri-level homes and allow use of two levels without major renovation to the home. Assessment by the installer must be made. Stair lifts can be rented or purchased. Straight stairs and curved stairs can be fitted with the appropriate models. Costs depend on length and curve of the track. Sitting balance and neck weakness must be considered. Insurance does not cover stair lifts. Ceiling lifts can be installed over the bed, in the bathroom, or at the top and bottom of stairs to meet individual needs.
Easy access for walking or using a wheelchair must be considered. Keep an open mind and look at all the options. Platforms or decks outside the front and back or inside garage doors must meet the threshold. There must be sufficient turning area for a wheelchair. Door width and halls—at least 32" doorway width is needed with a door that swings inward. Offset door hinges can replace regular door hinges if there is enough room to set the door behind the doorjamb. This will give you approximately 1.5 to 2 inches increased clearance depending on the width of the door itself. Bathroom doors need at least a 24-25"clearance. Wheelchairs are too wide to go through most bathroom doors. A rolling shower commode chair is needed. It can be used over the toilet or in the shower and is usually 21-22" wide; it goes through most bathroom doors easily. Bathrooms—Shower stalls are easier to negotiate than bathtubs. Remodeling is very expensive, but a tiled floor with a recessed drain allows a shower commode easy access for patient and caregiver.
An oblong shower stall can be modified with a wood deck and removable ramp; glass doors must be removed and replaced with an expandable curtain rod and shower curtain. Place the curtain rod inside the shower area to prevent the water from dripping outside the shower stall. Tri-level, bi-level, and two-story homes with turning stairways are the most difficult challenges. Solutions depend on family resources. Stair lifts are an alternative for those unable or unwilling to move. Companies now rent stair lifts. A decision to move the person with ALS to the most accessible level of the home with changes for toileting and bathing needs may be the most feasible solution in the long run. Check with companies that use ADA (American Disability Act) guidelines that modify homes in your area. All orthotics (splints and braces) require a prescription from your physician. The company you wish to use must be listed by your insurance company (in its network). Contact your insurance company before making an appointment.
Insurance may not cover shoes, or shoe inserts depending on the specific diagnosis. Delatorre Orthotics and Prosthetics, 412/665-1900 Hanger Prosthetics & Orthotics Inc., 412/431-3553 The Role of Physical Activity Physical effects-joint mobility, weight bearing, circulation, cardiac health Respiratory function, digestive function Emotional effects—well-being, endorphin release, sense of accomplishment, self-satisfaction Weakness and atrophy occur due to motor unit degeneration AND disuse Important to maximize use of non-involved muscles Important to maintain fitness and endurance for as long as possible Important to preserve the muscles once they are affected by ALS 1. Aerobic and endurance activitiesrecumbent or all-extremity cycling; activities of daily living (ADLs) Goal: Maintain work capacity Intensity: Light to moderate; expect workloads to decrease with time Duration: As long as practical without excessive fatigue