ReadMeLattice

Sure, but that doesn't mean she's being manipulative--she was probably sharing her real feelings and then Leah is manipulating HER to make Miranda look like a villain. Children are allowed to have negative feelings about a way they're treated and it can be valid, but adults shouldn't use those against each other like Leah is doing. She also shouldn't have had to carry the backpack. It's not a chore, it's dangerous. Far LESS dangerous than what Leah and Corey are doing on a regular basis, though, so Leah can shut her mouth until she steps up to the plate. Leah is using her daughter's disability against Miranda.

@ClassyCourtHeels Supposedly she uses her wheelchair at school, so she'd just hang it on her chair there, not carry it. 3 pounds could be heavy for a girl with muscular dystrophy who weighs so little. But they could be lying about her using the chair at school. Wouldn't be surprised by anything at this point.

@lidarose9, I didn't see any manipulation there, just frustration, but I could be wrong. I don't think it's Ali's responsibility to figure out a way to make her backpack lighter or ask for that. She's, what, 5? That's an adult's job. I doubt either she or Gracie do chores, but they probably should (in her wheelchair), but that's a separate issue. Carrying your own backpack isn't a chore, it's just something that she probably physically should not do. She would probably prefer to do it, but it's difficult. I don't see any physical "laziness" in her at all, though that would actually be a good trait in her, honestly. @Tatum, yes, both of those things are true the more she exerts herself. Miranda seemed to say in the preview clip for next week that in fact she didn't come back and help her. I'm not about to vilify her, though. Ali's actual parents don't care for her disability properly, so why should Miranda be the only one?

Yeah, she really can't talk about the backpack. I'd say she could, but only if she and Corey did anything they were supposed to do re: disability. But they don't. So, there's that. I can't deal with the "medical woes" storyline. Might have to skip those segments.

Down's syndrome and deafness are totally different disabilities from a degenerative muscle disorder. They really can't even be compared in the least. Down's syndrome is a cognitive disability. Entirely different. Deaf people and people with Down's syndrome regularly have children, live alone, hold down jobs, and get married. Shoveling snow or making your bed as a person with Down's syndrome or a deaf person won't make your condition exponentially worse because it's entirely unrelated. Ali's condition WILL factually worsen even more rapidly if she continues to do the things her parents expect her to do. Ali has a rare form of muscular dystrophy that destroys her muscles every time they are used and which generally results in an early death, which can only be held off by the preservation of muscle use. It's not "spoiling" her or making her a "princess" to let her not carry a backpack or walk around without a wheelchair, it's neglect and abuse. Every time she exerts herself, she exacerbates the inevitable degeneration. This is a medical fact of which Leah and Corey have been made excruciatingly aware, not a politically correct vs. old school idea about raising children.

Yep. A phone call doesn't take long and you'll probably just leave a message anyway. And most doctors have email systems now. Equally his problem, if not more because of custody.

That sounds like the worst contest that's ever been had by anyone in all of history...lol. @butterbody, SERIOUSLY! When I feel forced to make concessions to piece of shit, disgusting, sociopathic, drunk-driving, dangerous-as-fuck, scary-steroid, child-neglecting, daughter-ignoring, repeat-dog-abandoning, 'dramastic' 'ellenation' 'paranalia' 'You're trailer trash, dude' 'I've actually been at home this whole time' 'You got your daughter hooked on heroin, good job Barbara' Nathan, I actually feel terrified that I have let any of these people onto my screen or into my mind. However, I can't ever not hate him. I have a visceral reaction to both him and Jenelle...when they come on the screen, I seriously feel a little sick. I can't listen to either of them speak for long. Together, they were this creepy hateful amoeba.

The Adam stuff is confusing to me. On one hand, Chelsea should (I guess) have the maturity to not just try to replace him, and she's way too obsessed with Cole for it to be healthy...on the other, I 100% get why Randy constantly wants to kick his ass and why she feels more like 'fuck you, asshole' than 'hey, Sir Adam, do you want to get an engraved invitation to her event? I'll remind you 86 times and hope you don't change your mind at the last minute because you need to work out/race cars/screw someone you just met.'

A lot of schools are doing away with them, but I assume Chelsea's area is pretty conservative. @Tatum, I find Kail very hard to read, personally, so I don't know how she really feels. I just meant in general, even if your workload didn't change, the stress would take a toll (but I get that you're saying maybe it doesn't for her). Kailyn has always seemed like she did do a lot of day to day things for her kids the other moms on the show don't do, so I don't doubt there is at least some more work, but mainly I just think there are a lot of things that have happened between the two of them that we haven't seen to make their relationship so bad. Kailyn is awful and selfish, and Javi can be really callous and uncaring as well. They have a really toxic relationship. They each seem determined to "win" something all the time with each other...a point in an argument, submission, a display of emotion, a concession. *shrug* Just my take.

But those were adults who agreed to be in "a documentary about addiction," so they knew what would be showcased. And they were mostly people who had hit or were about to hit rock bottom, so that had to happen before an intervention could. And the show DID step in as much as they could-- by offering help.

I think it's always harder and more work for the military spouse when the spouse is deployed, whether or not they have help or resources. And I don't think it's totally "normal" to be in undergrad full time while raising two small children. Most undergrads don't have two small kids or a deployed husband. But that was her own choice. I don't discount the immense toll that would take, though. I certainly don't think the day to day life of a military spouse is not at all affected just because they have help. When I see that conversation, I think of everything leading up to it...all the conflict, Javi's misplaced hatred of Vee and Jo, Kailyn's perpetual lack of gratitude and nasty attitude, the miscarriage and his disgusting behavior, the fact that Kail clearly married him for benefits alone, Javi's possessiveness and her desire to get away from him at the expense of their marriage...they never had any staying power. Those two were meant to get divorced from day 1. He has no reason to make snotty comments about her relationship with Vee, and that is NOT how you talk to your deployed husband (although I don't think it's wrong to express that you're stressed as well, she just seems 100% lacking in empathy sometimes). I'm honestly glad they're likely over. Watching them is painful.

A degree at a four-year university is definitely a full-time job, often even more time consuming than a 9-to-5, especially if you are working to get good grades. And class itself often goes for far more than 15 hours a week, especially if you're taking higher-level courses or a film/production course. And I believe she works for a production group on campus and does or used to work for the newspaper and/or the broadcasting station. And she says she gets done with class at 3 after being there all day-- obviously this is followed by several hours of studying and homework, as that's just the beginning. And most students don't have a house to take care of and two small children. And she does take good care of all of those things. So many moms can't go to school full time with children. I could fault Kailyn for everything else, but she's definitely not lazy. It is a 24-hour job. However, that was definitely not the right time and place for that comment. But knowing that they're broken up now, I can't get all that invested in their fakey conversations during his deployment.

Yes, a longggg time ago (she got the wheelchair years ago) she was shown in it once or twice with both Corey and Leah. Leah was trying to get her to learn to use it in one scene, and I remember the scene you're talking about as well. She is not shown using it regularly now with either of them. That's what I meant. They are both equally responsible for that. I agree with whoever said I wouldn't totally discount Ali's account of her feelings or her needs just because she's a child or might feel jealous of a new baby or frustrated due to her disability. Children's feelings are valid, too, and just because Ali is a child doesn't automatically mean she is 100% in the wrong and Miranda is 100% right. There might be some concerns there to address, and she might need her backpack carried. But a mature parent would calmly talk to Corey about the concerns in the context of a larger ongoing conversation, not call Miranda a lazy bitch. If Leah was more emotionally mature, I might understand her concern more. But she doesn't follow the doctor's orders either and doesn't display any self awareness, so it is difficult to think that the concern is about anything but jealousy of Miranda. Moreover, she and Corey haven't established the necessary atmosphere for those kinds of healthy questions to happen. What, is Corey supposed to call the woman he had an affair with and have a long conversation about how the woman he cheated on should be speaking to their child or dealing with her disability or the stress of a new baby? No. That would be insanely out of line and strange at this point. And Leah isn't capable of making it not at all about her/her victimhood, either.

If there is anything at all in there, Ali should absolutely not be carrying a backpack and should always know help is available. I didn't see any of the spoiled/jealousy issues there from Ali; I saw a little girl who was frustrated with her disability and who probably wants to do things herself but can't. That would be insanely upsetting for any child, to feel perpetually limited. However, she should be in her wheelchair ALL the time and that's the real issue. And Leah is equally responsible for that, as are Corey and Miranda (more Corey than Miranda as Miranda is a stepmother and has not been present at all the doctor's appointments). It's hypocritical to freak out about that when you yourself do not follow doctor's orders. Leah is no more responsible for neglecting her daughter's disability than Corey is in terms of the wheelchair, but she cannot put that on Miranda when both she and the children's father have been repeatedly shown to flout and disobey doctor's orders. That's the real issue here. I'll never believe that the wheelchair issue is more Leah's fault than Corey's--she's never shown in it around Corey and Miranda either--but making Miranda out to be a villain is ridiculous. Miranda is the farthest thing from a villain. Both Corey and Leah should be kissing Miranda's feet for being a great stepmom, overlooking the cheating, treating their children like her own, and everything else she does.

@poopchute, exactly. They ARE being told. They were told since the first appointment years ago. It's been YEARS. This is willful and deliberate at this point. It is no longer sympathetic. It's not because they are uneducated, it's not because they are confused. It's because they are selfish or just too stupid to function. Or both.

@Uncle JUICE, they both definitely seem to have an attitude of "she just needs to get up and do it, y'all!!!!!!!" And always have. At this point I do think it is tantamount to neglect or abuse.

It's hard to even know what Chelsea looks like, honestly. She used to be coated in layers of bronzer and self tanner and now she wears so much makeup (complete with contouring) that I really can't picture her actual, "natural" face. I don't think I've ever seen that. It's weird not to be able to. I thought Jenelle was quite cute in 16&P. She's "hardened" quite a bit since then. I don't think Leah is naturally pretty in the least. I've never understood all her male attention.

Not that I don't think getting Botox is ridiculous when you're 23, but Botox is used for a wide variety of reasons...my husband actually got Botox in his bladder to help with muscle/spasm issues! It's used by dentists for various reasons as well (all much more significant than wrinkles), and by other doctors for various issues including sweat disorders, muscle problems, spasms caused by neurological problems...so he would be trained to use it. And using it on wrinkles is probably the easiest way to do so. However, yes, tacky is right.

Jenelle has always been a very naturally pretty girl, unlike Leah, Kail, or Chelsea, for example, who are not very naturally attractive and require quite a bit of upkeep. Sometimes that's unfortunate...she'll always find a new guy.

http://www.nationwidechildrens.org/chang-yong-tsao Seriously. That's his bio. Corey and Leah: You don't know more than he does. You can barely speak without requiring subtitles or tweet without a translator.

@CofCinci, totally agree. Their repeated visits to specialists make no sense. They don't do anything they suggest.

Ali's weight loss would be unfortunately somewhat normal for a child with her kind of muscular dystrophy (it is a rare and more severe kind). It is probably also exacerbated by a loss of muscle mass due to her not using her wheelchair enough. I don't know that it is Leah or Corey's "fault" in terms of diet as much as it is due to the ongoing wheelchair issue (which is their fault, don't get me wrong) and the natural progression of her disorder.

Javi's new tweets are a fucking doozy.

Jenelle doesn't look pregnant. She is extremely short like me and my weight fluctuates that drastically too. If I have any water weight or have gained 5-10 pounds, I look hugely bloated, especially around the tummy, and 20-25 pounds heavier in photos. If I work out for a few weeks and eat well, I'm a size or two smaller and look noticeably different in photos. If you aren't that short (and I have a similar body type too, with the tendency towards stocky lower half), it's easy to misread. I assume, thankfully, that that's also the case with her. Please God, let that be the case!!!

Wait, I thought she moved? So wouldn't that have been the house she lived in with him before? I'm genuinely confused about this (and I can't follow all the houses these people buy/rent). Can someone fill me in?