Hot Cheetos are a public health menace

[Emergent]

I had a woman come in for abdominal pain the other day. She accompanied by a husband and 3 small children. I walked into the room after reading the triage note in the computer.

There she was, a woman who had the appearance of someone with unhealthy eating habits. On the gurney was a large, opened bag of hot Cheetos. The family came prepared! The only thing missing was the 20 oz bottle of Pepsi.

Naturally she got a the huge workup, and by all appearances, I'm guessing it was a taxpayer funded one. And while I'm on that subject , why in the world are items like hot Cheetos allowable under the federal food stamp program? Oh, multinational corporation lobbyists of course.

[pixierose, BSN, RN]

Double post

[pixierose, BSN, RN]

I was wondering the same thing. Seems like there's a bit of stereotyping and judgmentalism going on here.

Seriously.

I know we need to vent here on AN; that it's a safe place for us to do so. But ... I don't even know where to start with this OP.

I just won't ... maybe I'll just go buy a bag of Cheetos.

[LibraNurse27, BSN, RN]

Unfortunately I have seen a 13 year old boy develop a bleeding stomach ulcer after eating hot cheetos and takis every day (multiple times a day!) for years. He needed surgery and now goes to other classes at his school to warn students about the dangers of eating too many hot cheetos and takis! So cute. I agree not cool to judge other people... many people simply lack the privilege to have access to healthy food and access to knowledge about healthy eating habits. If you live in a "food desert" where the nearest grocery store is a 90 min bus ride away (true for many of my patients) you'll most likely go to the nearby liquor store and buy some cheetos. It's great to provide education about healthy eating habits but I hope you can do it in a nonjudgmental way.

[workinmomRN2012, BSN]

Why do you assume she used food stamps and Medicaid?

Because its most likely true! Years ago (25) I worked in a small grocery store and would see the same families as described, with a cart loaded with chips, sugary snacks and of course soda and 9 times out of 10 they were on food stamps. Im not judging, just telling the truth! I myself was a welfare and food stamp recipient and I did not use them wisey either. People need to stop being so sensitive...just telling the truth :)

[Accolay]

Well, those hot cheetos are hot! You would definitely need a pepsi to cool it off.

[kakamegamama]

I am a recovering alcoholic and there are times individuals have inaccurate assumptions about my situation, character and integrity. As part of my recovery, I work hard to recognize my own biased or judgmental thoughts or actions. I use a method I call- ""My Side of the Street". When I come across a patient that I notice my own bias, I think about keeping my own side of the street clean. Part of the "cleaning" is to reflect on when bias or judgement is affecting my nursing practice. Also, I find my own faults and weakness keep me very busy on my side of the street without walking down others.

We would all do well to follow you.

Congratulations on your sobriety. One day at a time, and perhaps, less than that at a time.

[Pepper The Cat, BSN, RN]

Ok. What the heck are "hot cheetos"??

Cheetos that are spicy?

Cheetos that have been heated up?

Why are they so bad?

[djh123]

Ok. What the heck are "hot cheetos"??

Cheetos that are spicy?

Cheetos that have been heated up?

Why are they so bad?

SPICY. I live in southern NM and 'Flamin' Hot Cheetos' are VERY popular here. I heard of a similar story - I'm almost wondering if this is becoming an 'urban legend' or whether it's just happening often :^) ... but what I heard was that a young woman was in a local hospital with abd pains, vomiting 'red stuff' they were going to test for blood, and - yep, it was mass quantities of hot Cheetos, and not only that, she had some in the room with her. Not puttin' 2-and-2 together here...

[Aunt Slappy]

I was wondering the same thing. Seems like there's a bit of stereotyping and judgmentalism going on here.

Or Emergent has been around the block more than twice.

[gemmi999]

My favorite is the kid's that come to the ER with stomach pain with their entire mouth covered in bright red dust. The parents then want to know why we aren't doing a blood test/ct scan for their obviously ill child who has "appendicitis" who is smiling, playing on the phone, with stable vital signs and NO pain at all on palpation of the abd. When you ask when they last ate, it was twenty minutes prior to arrival (a bag of "chips"), they didn't throw up, they aren't nauseous, they just have a stomach that hurts.

When a GI cocktail calms the pain and they're sent home to follow up with their PCP, the parent pulls out another bag of the fiery death chips to "celebrate" their child not dying. With the all important school note that excuses them from school for two days because the parent states if they don't have the note the school "people" said they would be contacting child services because the child has missed X amount of days already.

Ohh, and, since they're there, would we mind looking at her rash? She doesn't want to sign in, just wants a MD to look at it and see if it's a spider bite. And maybe give her an antibiotic...

[NurseCard, ADN]

I.love.Hot.Cheetos.

That is all. :)

[Emergent, RN]

Well, there's a fun mix of respondents here. I do appreciate the ones who 'get it'.

To the predictable "you're judgmental" remarks: Yep, just like everyone else, including you all. I wasn't born yesterday, and I'd be an unintelligent doofus if I couldn't make educated hypotheses about people based on experience and knowledge. And, if you read my opening post, you'll see the words "and by all appearances, I'm guessing" regarding the insurance status of this patient. Regarding the food stamp remark, that was purely a side commentary on absurd government policies, and not actually a speculation regarding said patient.

I find the ER a wonderful place from which to observe humanity. The humorous absurdity of a woman sprawled out on a gurney, complaining of abdominal pain, with an enormous bag of Hot Cheetos as a centerpiece of said gurney, how rich is that? Who needs reality TV when you can work in Healthcare?

On the serious side, yes it's ridiculous that there is no accountability within the American healthcare system. And the fact that the underachieving segment of the population can march into the ER, use precious resources willy nilly, while middle-class folk have to worry about huge premiums, copays and deductibles, is a failure of our system.