His dialysis center won't allow his life-size Trump cutout, so this Florida Man refuses to go

[RandySF]

Nelson Gibson says his family isn’t allowed to stay for his multi-hour dialysis treatments.

So he found another familiar face to sit beside him: President Trump.

First, the 59-year-old Floridian brought an 8-by-10-inch picture. Then his son Photoshopped a small cardboard cutout of Gibson with his political hero grinning beside him, giving a thumbs-up. It stood on a ledge as Gibson reclined in his shirt embroidered with Trump’s name and his custom shoes bearing the president’s face.

The collection was just a fascination for staff until Tuesday, the family says, when Gibson showed up to his regular appointment in Port St. Lucie with another Trump likeness. This one was life-size.

A social worker told him in the lobby that it had to go, Gibson says. “This is not a Trump rally,” he claims she said.

Now, his family is fighting with the dialysis center over whether Gibson can bring the giant cutout they say is his emotional support — a reminder he’s watched over by the president who at this month’s State of the Union speech touted a plan to improve kidney care.

They’ve taken to local news and social media to accuse the clinic of censorship, as it tries to get Gibson back for the three-times-a-week dialysis he says he has skipped for a week.

Experts warn that even one missed treatment brings serious risks. But Gibson told The Washington Post on Friday that he is holding out and will go to the hospital if he starts having health issues.






https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2020/02/15/trump-cardboard-cutout-dialysis-treatment/?utm_campaign=wp_main&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter

[tulipsandroses]

1. I wonder if the next edition of the DSM will have a diagnosis for this disorder?

Trump stupidity disorder.

[RockRaven]

2. Is this fuck-wit going to pay out of pocket the cost difference between his dialysis center and

the Emergency Department/inpatient dialysis? I suspect he is not volunteering for *that* despite his other bravado.

He's going to very quickly find out the hard way, either by morbidity/mortality or by financial ruin, that the dialysis center is not the only entity/phenomenon who is not interested in indulging his bullshit.

[RhodeIslandOne]

74. True Patriots love the private health care industry!!!

AMERICAN EXCEPTIONALISM!!!!

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

3. He'll simply die somewhat sooner than he would

under Trump's plan to improve kidney care.

No great loss.

[eppur_se_muova]

4. Darwin Award coming up. nt

[Midnight Writer]

9. Exactly. Natural selection.

[Sanity Claws]

78. Exactly

Unfortunately he has already reproduced and his son seems as dumb as he is.

[Maru Kitteh]

5. Okay, well,

die. It is your choice.

[Stinky The Clown]

6. "Florida Man" . . . . 'nuff sed.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

19. ....

[Demonaut]

7. DARWIN!!

before, when it was so silent

[Cirque du So-What]

8. I smell a lawsuit

I also believe Fresenius should pick its battles more prudently. Does a cardboard cutout really pose a risk to patient safety as they say? They may end up with egg on their face trying to prove it in court.

[ProfessorGAC]

16. I'll Take The Other Side

Their case could simply be that's it's potentially disruptive & provocative which is anathema to a good therapeutic environment. In addition, it's there private property, so they get to make the rules.
Seems to me, not a lawyer, to be a slam dunk, the other way.

[at140]

27. Commercial airplanes are owned by private companies

but are required to allow service pets. If this doofus needs his Trump portrait as a crutch, and the hospital forbids it, yeah I see a lawsuit coming claiming serious harm to his health.

[Ms. Toad]

39. Umm, no.

1. He has to have a qualifying disability. CKD works, BUT the next step is that the accommodation is necessary because of his disabiliity.
2, The cardoard cutout is to address his emotional needs, not his CKD. So unless he also has mental/emotional diagnosis thast is severe enough to impair his ability to perform the normal life functions (it's been a long time since I was directly involved with ADA law, so those probably aren't the magic words, but they're close), he isn't entitled to an accommodation for his emotional support.
3. For the sake of argument, let's say he clears the first two hurdles - The accommodation has to be reasonable. A small photo - perhape even a small cut-out that is primarily visible to hime - is a reasonable accomodation. A life-sized cut-out that will create emotional disturbances for others within eyesight is not.

As to service "pets," there is no such thing. There are service animals (which are not pets) and there are pets. Two different categories. Airlines are not required to allow pets. They are required to allow service animals. They are not required to allow emostional support animals. If you think of Trump (or a cardboard cutout of Trump) as an animal - used as described here, he is closer to an emotional support animal and the airlines would not be required to allow him in.

[at140]

49. I agree completely on the "size" of his cut-out

which I think he was just intending to show off. But that won't stop hungry lawyers from going after a hospital.
There are un-believable amount of TV ads here in Florida by lawyers for no up front fee law suits.

[Ms. Toad]

55. It will be dismissed before it gets past the nuisance stage. n/t

[Runningdawg]

31. As a nurse let me make a different argument

Its a medical facility full of immunocompromised patients and he's dragging in unnecessary filth from his house or his bunker or whatever. Maybe he would like to take his emotional support animal into the OR when he finally gets that kidney?

[The_REAL_Ecumenist]

66. That's exactly WHAT i WAS ABOUT TO SAY...Since when does it make sense for this moronic & suicidal

idiot get to bring in a cutout of his tin god & equate the "ORANGE THANG" w/support animals? Why should other patients who're there to stay as healthy & alive as long as they can &/or waiting on a kidney be put in danger because of his "f*cked up binky" obsession? The Dialysis center don't know where that POS came or what it might be contaminated with.

If he refuses to have LIFE SAVING TREATMENT because he's not allowed to bring in that nonsense, then, by all means, feel free. Besides, the ONLY one he'll hurt is himself...
One less idiot on the planet & one more space for someone who needs & appreciates it...

[ProfessorGAC]

73. Great Point!

Hadn't even considered that.

[demtenjeep]

32. as one who spent 10 years getting infusions for crohn's-stuff like that carry germs and the rooms

are small.

people can not bring stuff that could harm others.


fuck him and his trump cult. Think of others not just of yourself. Asshole. Hope he dies soon

[PatSeg]

22. Actually

I am having a problem with the fact that he wasn't allowed to have a family member sit with him during the long treatment. I wonder if that is standard. As for the cardboard cutout of Trump, that is too weird.

[MurrayDelph]

25. He might have a case for them not allowing family

But if he sees having his tRump regalia as more-important than saving his life, let someone else take the timeslot.

[PatSeg]

47. I agree

He clearly has other serious issues.

[demtenjeep]

33. never was my family allowed into the infusion room. GERMS

are a huge issue.

We are getting life saving chemicals that compromise our immune system.



They are very careful of who is there. Even scheduled patients are asked to reschedule if they are even a tiny bit sick.

[PatSeg]

46. That's understandable

I didn't realize that about the medication compromising the immune system.

[Runningdawg]

43. I am a retired nurse who has worked dialysis.

We have "rush hours". Our busiest time of the day was 3am - 7am, people trying to get their dialysis done and make it to work/school. Then another rush 3pm-7pm with people after work/school.
Depending on the amount of patients in the unit at the time and the patient's condition, we may ask caregivers/family to wait in the waiting room. We just don't have the space to spare. Patients come in groups and they visit in their groups during treatment, we try and seat people next to their dialysis friends.

[PatSeg]

45. That makes sense

I just would think some people would feel more comfortable with some emotional support from family or a close friend, but I can see that there is a space issue. Good to know people have "dialysis friends" to keep them company.

[at140]

50. Exactly same situation where my wife gets treatments

for infusion of chemo and immuno-therapy drugs. A relative is allowed to sit on an empty chair if available, but many times all chairs are taken. I think all non-patients should NOT be allowed because it just brings in more germs and the cancer patients have poor resistance to germs & viruses.

[Horse with no Name]

85. My Mom is undergoing chemo

During flu season, nobody can come back during their treatments because of unnecessary exposure.
I expect this is the deal.
Begs to wonder why he doesn’t have pictures of his family.
This just smacks of a stupid stunt to me.

[Ms. Toad]

42. They can set whatever rules they want,

as long as it doesn't violate state or federal law.

I can't imagine banning large cardboard cutouts would.

[Lars39]

60. Don't know about safety, but my BP would be

in the danger zone if I had to look at that thing while I was undergoing an already stressful procedure.

[catbyte]

62. It would stress me out to be so sick and have that thing leering at me. Hell, it stresses me out and

I'm quite healthy. Dialysis treatment centers don't have private rooms. There are a bunch of chairs clustered in a ward. I sure as hell would object.

[Historic NY]

10. That will fix them....

I hold my breath until I turn blue and pass out.

[samplegirl]

11. Safe to say he

won’t see 60.

[ismnotwasm]

12. I provide dialysis quite often

In a hospital setting though. Dialysis centers have a room with like 6 chairs. I can’t imagine a life sized cut out of anyone would be allowed in the room provided, as their has to be room for staff, machines etc. if everybody brought their life sized cut out of personal hero’s, there’d be issues.

Also, it could cause discomfort for other patients. Dialysis is 4 plus hours of no fun whatsoever.

Threatening to go to the hospital is weird—skipping dialysis is considered non-compliant, but will eventually kill him.

Hope he’s not trying to get on a transplant list, or has a living donor.


He’s is correct about the administration’s drive for kidney disease research and transplant allocation. Probably because renal disease and dialysis is the one disease process federally funded by law. (A sort of model for what M4A might look like)

[Lucid Dreamer]

21. What happens to a patient that skips dialysis?

About how long can they live?
Pain?
Common problem or unusual?

I'm asking because I have a friend that just started... but I'm sort of medically ignorant.

[handmade34]

53. my late husband

decided to end his dialysis treatments and passed before 2 weeks... everyone if different

what I know is ending treatment is not painful and a relatively peaceful way to go

[ismnotwasm]

67. Depends

One of the things dialysis does is remove excess potassium, and in renal failure potassium can get pretty damn high. This has cardiac effects up to and including deadly arrhythmias. Dialysis also removes excess fluid. Most people think about is fluid as being in your legs, you know big puffy lower extremities, but fluid also can accumulate in your lungs and around your heart. You can go into respiratory failure AND cardiac failure from missing HD.

Hemodialysis removed certain toxins from the body, not removing these can cause a multitude of issues (the wastes are mostly nitrogenous wastes from protein) also causing multi-organ damage.

So not doing HD or PD will eventually kill you, how long you have to live depends on what condition you are in, ie co-morbidities such as diabetes, CHF, etc.

Don’t even get me started on horrific conditions such as calciphaxis.

Missing your appointment for a damn cut out of anybody, is weird and stupid.

We can keep people alive for a long time, but the sad fact is, that the average life span for someone on hemodialysis is five years.

Out of respect for your friend, tell them to follow the renal diet and maximize health as far as they can. If diabetic, keep good sugar control. This will extent their lifespan. Hopefully they are able to get on a transplant list, if not, taking very good care of yourself while in dialysis is the next best thing

[Ms. Toad]

40. I believe he still has to be compliant, even with a living donor. n/t

[Hekate]

13. Cult-like behavior

[smirkymonkey]

14. Good.

One less Trumper on the planet. What a pathetic loser!

[Butterflylady]

83. That's my assessment too

If that's what he wants, so be it

[Cosmocat]

15. Another repub snowflake needing a safe space

nm

[onethatcares]

17. in other terms

Last edited Sun Feb 16, 2020, 09:45 AM - Edit history (1)

he's nucking futz.

any man of 59 years of age that needs a binkie should be slapped upside the head.

Imagine anyone taking a cut out of President Obama or Hillary in to a medical center. The rwnjs would be all over that and how sick it is.

for craps sake, I missed the part that the cardboard cutout is his "emotional support". Oh yeah, just about as much "emotional support" as he'd get from the con

[Vinca]

18. Refuses to go? Excellent decision!

[Tarc]

20. Thoughts & Prayers

[mmbrevo]

23. One less vote for trump in the fall.

And he's from a swing state.

[Paladin]

24. Good. (nt)

[lame54]

26. Tell him it's ok...

After putting up Obama-Hillary wallpaper

[Bleacher Creature]

28. Natural Selection in action. nt

[bluestarone]

29. Guess he's willing to pay for his STUPIDITY! SO

Don't go ok with me!!

[IggleDuer]

30. A life-size cutout ...

... mike provoke nausea and vomiting among the other patients.

[Buckeyeblue]

34. Ok. He'll be dead in 3-5 days. One less voter for Trump. Next?

[FarPoint]

35. well then...

he could try peritoneal dialysis that can be done at home...or die....or leave his tRump cut out at home.


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peritoneal_dialysis

Peritoneal dialysis (PD) is a type of dialysis which uses the peritoneum in a person's abdomen as the membrane through which fluid and dissolved substances are exchanged with the blood.[1] It is used to remove excess fluid, correct electrolyte problems, and remove toxins in those with kidney failure.[2] Peritoneal dialysis has better outcomes than hemodialysis during the first couple of years.[3] Other benefits include greater flexibility and better tolerability in those with significant heart disease.[3]

[Different Drummer]

36. "...a reminder he's watched over by the president..."

Seriously?! Like Mean Mr. MAGA knows or cares about this situation. OTOH, if he does, he may very well be able to force the dialysis center to let this guy bring in his cardboard cutout...you know, since he's empowered now to do whatever he pleases as a result of the Senate acquitting him.

[Jirel]

37. Please stay home.

Go ahead and die. That’ll show ‘em.

One more Florida Man Darwin Award.

[Laffy Kat]

38. This is a problem that will solve itself in short order.

Guess he really showed them.

[Different Drummer]

41. One more thought about this.

Does Gibson plan to be buried with his precious cutout?

[maxrandb]

44. Well...bye

https://m.

[Downtown Hound]

48. My advice? Stick to your principles, sir!

Don't go in for treatment no matter what! Own those snowflakes!

[underthematrix]

51. ha ha

Link to tweet

[JDC]

52. Is he the wheat or the chaff?

[Different Drummer]

68. Definitely the chaff.

DD

[rockfordfile]

54. What a idiot

[Rorey]

56. He can support who he wants

But I can imagine that it might be upsetting to some other dialysis patients. But one would never expect a MAGAt to have respect for others.

I hope if there's a lawsuit, there are counter-lawsuits.

[bluestarone]

57. Save the cut-out for his coffin

Take it with him!

[CalFione]

58. Another Trump voter taking themselves out of the voter pool for November?

His choice.

Can't have sympathy for someone who would rather die than be without his cardboard cutout.

[doc03]

59. An ice cream and candy store at the mall had a life size

cutout of Trump in front of their store. I haven't spent one penny there since and I know several others that
stopped going there. They got the message an got rid of him, but I still won't ever buy there again.

[keithbvadu2]

61. Trump would not care if he died and would be delighted to take away his insurance for treatment.

Trump would not care if he died and would be delighted to take away his insurance for treatment.

[Sneederbunk]

63. Just another Florida Man story.

[dewsgirl]

64. I'm from the next county over, neither aspect of this story

surprises me.
Yet overall, Trumpers devotion to him is beyond alarming, why would you put your life at risk? Absurd.

[Turbineguy]

65. Pretty sad really.

To let yourself go like that.

[struggle4progress]

69. "Why shouldn't I carry a large porous piece of cardboard around a place full of sick people?"

[Different Drummer]

70. Okay, I've heard of emotional support animals, but emotional support cutouts?!

"And now for something completely different..."

[Demonaut]

71. let him drown in his own piss

[ChoppinBroccoli]

72. All I See Is, "One Less Trump Voter In Florida"

[RhodeIslandOne]

75. Totally not a cult. N/m

[pamdb]

76. Trump cutout

If it means that much to you, then, fine, don’t go. Your choice. Jeez, what an idiot.

[riversedge]

77. This #FloridaMan needs psychiatric care

[Croney]

79. I have a solution. The room gets wallpapered with life-sized pictures

of every public figure it can hold. The patient's chair swivels to face the support-image of choice.

Sounds silly to me, but avoids a lawsuit.

[Prue]

80. Win/Win - Alternative Solution

The win/win is simple, home dialysis (if possible). Technology is incredibly advanced in this area. If he qualifies, he can have a nurse come in X times to show him how to do the dialysis himself. If he's deemed capable he can administer the treatment in the comfort of his own home.

The 2nd obvious solution is to buy him a tablet with ear buds and record Trump's best hits and he can watch and listen without disrupting those patients who still have the moral principles to not be a fan of Trump.

[MaryMagdaline]

81. Normally I'm for unbridled free expression but my own BP

goes through the roof when I see trump posters. I’m sure the other patients would feel the same if I brought an Obama life/sized cut out. Leave them at home. Don’t incite other patients.

[Luciferous]

82. Oh well, one less Trump voter.

[Horse with no Name]

84. Mentally ill

Not to mention that his dialysis is funded by Medicare.