DC Gal in VA

The graphics shown by this local surgeon was of a very small incision being made into the abdomen of someone who had eaten their way through the very invasive type of bariatric surgery where a majority of the stomach was removed. The graphic showed how the non-invasive surgery used a few stiches to tighten the original surgery and restore the first sized dimensions of the much smaller stomach. No matter how many people need this type of surgery -- thousands, hundreds of thousands or millions -- it is so sad to me that these types of people would keep trying to get a surgical solution to an obvious, at least to me, mental/behavioral issue. It really makes me respect Dr. Now all the more when he refuses to do this for those patients who request it although I seem to remember him doing it for a young woman who had a balloon surgery done in Mexico where she left it in for two or three years when it should have been removed after six months I think. I think that Dr. Now did this because she was way overdue to have the balloon removed.

Gee, sorry to hear that. It's obviously so true that the surgery is no magic bullet. We have seen more than a few poundticipants on M600PL have that same attitude even after being forewarned by Dr. Now. So much of what these folks need to work on is above the neck meaning a lot of therapy plus major behavior modification and yes I'm going to use some politically incorrect words: discipline and self-control. Yes, these folks are addicted, not to food really, but to dealing with all of their emotional issues by inhaling massive quantities of low nutrient, high calorie junk food. Heh, very few people sooth themselves with salad; I know that I don't. BTW, my treat to myself last night was sushi.😊 However, it's up to the gambling addict to not go into that casino or on that gambling website. Alcoholic? No more trips to your favorite bar or the liquor store. And crackhead, no more crack houses for you. It's hard junk food junkie, but you just can't have any more intimate evenings with a dozen doughnuts and/or a loaded extra large pizza washed down with a liter of soda unless you don't buy them or order those things into your home. I truly do hope @watchingtvaddict (tee hee, I'm sure that you've got your tv "addiction" under control just like me😇 ) your friend and your relative can get back on track. Maybe your friend needs to have her surgeon check her stomach just to give her some peace of mind. Take care.

I saw a news story today on one of my local news channels about non-invasive bariatric surgery. They had a local doctor -- forgot to note his name -- who specializes in that type of surgery. I found one part of the conversation to be very disturbing. As he was discussing the different types of non-invasive surgeries and who is a candidate for them, he mentioned a procedure that he does on people who have already had bariatric surgery but essentially ate their way through it. What disturbed me is when he said that there are millions of people out there who have lost 100, 200, even 300 pounds and gained it all back after invasive bariatric surgery. He then put up a graphic showing how he can restore that original procedure in a non-invasive way. My question for all of you is do you think he was exaggerating by saying that there are millions of people like this? I know that we have a problem with obesity in the United States but, after years of watching M600PL, I always assumed that the amount of people who were super morbidly obese were AND defeated previous weight loss surgeries were few and far between, certainly not in the millions. My gut tells me he had to be exaggerating but what do you all think?

THIS so much @Grizzly! Like you and @dmeets, I thought it was a shame that he didn't get anything. BTW, is it me or did anyone get the impression that Gina never cooked one morsel of food after being kicked off the first show? Her idiotic fake Bobby Flay crush along with her I could give two shits about learning how to cook attitude really grates on my nerves and should not be rewarded, which means we'll probably be seeing this bitch on Food Network again. Also, I wonder if there's a cash option for people who, like me, live in apartments? No way would property management allow me to make any permanent changes to my kitchen and, even if they would, why the Hell would I want to give them a free gourmet kitchen!?😁

Really nauseating that she won "Fan Favorite" for wrapping hot dogs at a snail's pace all the while rudely ignoring Carla's gentle prodding to speed things up AND giving her major side eye in the process. Aaaargh!😡

That being a definite given @Superclam, are you or anyone else watching this shit show right now? I am and it's definitely making my teeth itch. Of the four returning for redemption the two almost impossible to watch are Gina and Mike. Gina, well is just as obnoxious and condescending as she was the first time around. Mike, 'cause he really is, inexplicably, so in love with himself and I still can't figure out why. Also, he needs to quit with naming everything but chef Anne seems to like that crap so....... The other two, Rev. Adam (really nice but rather inept) and muscle head/Brett (also pretty inept) are at least likeable. I'm a Carla Hall fan, but she could dial it down a little for me. Help, I need your support!😁

Well, in this time of Covid-19, at least her family was allowed to say their last goodbyes to Coliesa: https://www.tmz.com/2020/09/28/my-600-lb-life-coliesa-mcmillian-death-family-covid-say-goodbye/

First of all, I have to say I am so glad that the entire household is Covid-19 free. That virus is no joke. Actually, last night's show was the most enjoyable one for me this season primarily because it contained more actual information than all of the previous shows combined. Some reasons, not in any particular order: Glad to fInally find out the triplets' birthday is July 6, 2019, a belated Happy Birthday! I kept wondering what the yard looked like and if there was anywhere for them to play. Good to see that pretty large bouncy house and how much the kids were enjoying it. Too funny when the kids were asked by Karen to review her culinary skills (c'mon Karen, really?) and one of the kids gave her a score of three, then the other says "a hard three!" I almost fell out. Another gave her a ten but was told that he was lying by another sibling.😁 OMG. I thought that Karen's and Deon's difficult discussions about about Covid-19 and what impact is was having on Dawsyn and any future impacts as well as the meaning of racism were handled well and age appropriate. The kids' led by big sister Darien's directorial talent did an amazing job with their birthday video for the triplets. Great job! Shout out to GG being both a cancer AND Covid-19 survivor! I will definitely keep tuning in because like many of you I really love those kids. This episode should've been two hours IMHO. Also gotta say that every time I see her, Dawsyn melts my heart. There's just something about those cute, fat cheeks and that adorable gummy grin of hers. She's a survivor and I have a feeling that she will grow up to be an amazing young woman.

From what I've read @jabinlbc, all of them, apparently including Eric (all along?) as well as GG due to the pandemic, live in a 2400 square foot, four bedroom home which is a pretty tight squeeze for 18 people. Yikes, if I had to live there and the weather permitted, I'd rather pitch a tent in the backyard, LOL!😁 Also, I had read that there are cots everywhere so maybe since that probably looks like a hot mess, no matter how neat you try to keep it, they don't show exactly where everyone sleeps; just a guess on my part.

OMG, I've been tuning in and out of this rerun and I totally forgot how depressing it was watching the women and Roshunda/Rotunda in particular. I had also forgotten how much I wanted to smack that pouty, spoiled toddler boo boo face Roshunda walks/waddles around with no matter what's going on in her life. I swear, if you were to tell her she had just won $100 million on a Powerball ticket she'd have that same expression.

See @sATL one of the reasons that I don't watch much reality tv is the unanswered questions like the ones you asked about Darien's "alleged" summer camp adventure. If this series was anywhere near real that information should have been up front and center. As for Deon, the only career title I can find for him is "real estate investor" which leads me to wonder why he couldn't do better for a household of 16 than to buy (rent?) a four bedroom, 2400 square foot home. Yet more questions left unanswered @Jeanne222. BTW, regarding the episode where GG had to inform mom and dad that their oldest needed to be around kids her own age and their shocked reactions, especially Deon's fake ass, over-the-top "Where is this coming from?" response, well I am calling total bullshit on the whole story line. How can you two be the loving and amazing parents you say you are and be so in the dark about the child you've known the longest?

Well tonight should be both interesting and, hopefully, enlightening since this will be the first episode dealing with Covid-19. I am especially interested in how they address the oldest daughter's request to go away for summer camp in Michigan which is 2,000 miles away from the family. While I definitely think that she has more than earned a reward for being such a responsible and loving big sister and needs to be around kids her age, I gave major side eye to her wanting to be that far away from her family. You can't tell me that the state of Nevada doesn't have summer camps and with the coronavirus this brings up several troubling issues for me: With the necessity to avoid large gatherings, no way should she be allowed to go If she was allowed to go, was she quarantined for the safety of the entire family, especially with an infant with health issues and an older woman, GG, in the household and where Both parents said that they had done their due diligence checking out the camp but with this virus having a severe toll on hospitalizations and deaths among Black people, including the young, there would not be enough checking in the world for me to trust a bunch of strangers to keep my child safe Looking forward to your comments after tonight's show.

Didn't plan on watching/commenting on this episode so I kept popping in and out. Even though, except for their super morbid obesity, these two women have very different lives, I kept getting them confused. Maybe 'cause I hadn't seen this episode for a while? Well, maybe just a little. Actually fInally figured out it's their ginormous faces/heads. Did TLC purposely put the two female poundticipants with the largest, roundest faces in M600PL history together in one episode? Hmmmmm........😒

Good Sunday morning @druzy. I actually don't think I ever watched that series but made it a point to look into it after a friend mentioned the series to me. She even said that their dysfunctional family reminded her of her own family! 😯

Aww @chessiegal say it ain't so but like you said different strokes for different folks I guess. BTW, I'm retired too but have never done Zoom. Frankly, I don't even want to be bothered with even getting either my top or bottom ready just to have a conversation!😁

Hi @Twopper. Good points about just having updates; that's how it used to be done. I don't say that to mean that we always have to do things the same way forever, only that when making a tv show which puts your children in the spotlight perhaps, as a lesser of two evils, have just one show or several episodes about your family's lifestyle with a definite beginning, middle and end. Of course not doing it at all is an option as well.😊 Do you or anyone else here remember the PBS series on the Loud family? It was called An American Family. This was a series of 12 episodes which aired in 1971, way before the internet and even cable tv. It was quite controversial at the time but at least it wasn't like what we have today with parents seemingly becoming addicted to having their families' lives documented year after year after year. Here's a link to a Wikipedia synopsis of that series: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/An_American_Family Edited to add: I just hope that the Derricos have the wisdom to pull the plug on this whole thing if it becomes apparent in any way that all of this exposure begins to negatively affect their children. Unfortunately, because they have to provide for such a large family --just think about college tuition for 14 kids--the money may be too tempting for them to ignore.

Love the hysterically funny latest Snickers commercial where the hubby comes out onto the home's patio wearing a perfectly nice shirt BUT just a pair of tighty whities on his tush. As he walks out with his head down he asks his wife if they're online yet with another couple only to look up and see that the couple is sitting right there in person. He then sheepishly says to the wife that he thought they were doing the Zoom thing and she quietly says no. Then, of course, the punchline about not always being yourself and needing to have a Snickers. Perfect. Here's the link: https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/snickers-first-visitors

Thanks for that clarification @Stardancer Supreme. I remember Karen and Deon talking about the tragic loss of a child in infancy but didn't connect it to the triplins. You also answered why I find watching this show such a jarring and confusing experience: the editing. It Is definitely choppy and, as I said before, TLC as usual is so preoccupied with bringing in the drama that they forget about being The Learning Channel. Ahh, the olden days. I envy your eye for picking up on all those details about the changing clothes and hairstyles. For me visually it's a very chaotic show to watch which I had attributed to there being so many damned people on the screen at any given time.😁 What I find exhausting is trying to differentiate between real factual information about the family and the steady stream of reality tv BS. I love learning about the lives of people living unique lifestyles and will continue watching this show. I just wish that the Derricos would realize that their real lives are fascinating enough without all of the shenanigans.

Hi @dahling. I found this before and after of Paula in an article dated May 2, 2020. I'm one of those folks who don't have Facebook with no plans to sign up for it any time soon, so I couldn't use the link you posted. Are there any photos on her Facebook account that look like the after picture below? I didn't watch the recent rebroadcast of the WATN with her and Chuck since it's five years old. I remember liking Paula a lot and wish her well. She had her ups and downs of course like anyone trying to lose a significant amount of weight but IIRC she owned it and kept plugging away. Good for her!

Thanks @Gemma Violet. I often find TLC produced shows to be high on drama and staged antics and pretty sketchy on actual useful information. It now makes sense why LIl Miss Dawsyn looked so chubby and cute.😊

Hi @Stardancer Supreme. Gee, with all of the discussion with the nanny candidates about fourteen kids I don't recall the Derricos making that clear but it would definitely be fair for them to only expect the one they hired to be responsible for the triplets (wonder why they call them triplins?). Those kids are all adorable aren't they? I love how they rock those matching outfits. It really makes sense for the parents to buy the kids' clothes that way: "I'll take three of those skirts, two of those pants, etc." before they're old enough to want to pick out their own clothes. Imagine how long those shopping trips, or even just placing an order online, will be in the future.😁

Glad that I'm not the only one who noticed the obvious fakety fake ass drama of that scene with the doctor @Joan of Argh. That scene had me both creeped out and angry that they, both the Derricos and the TLC producers, used a sick baby for drama. Even if the scene with Karen freaking out when she couldn't administer the formula and the medication hadn't been repeatedly previewed before last night's episode, it was obvious that scene was staged especially with both Karen and hubby constantly looking confused and shaking their heads. I guess we're supposed to believe that all they got was a quick demo from the doctor and he sent two bewildered and nervous parents home with no other backup plan other than to rush the child back to the hospital. Sure.

ITA @SDVegas. Several years ago I had a severe staph infection and had to administer two different types of antibiotics both at home and at work. A line was inserted into my chest and not only was I instructed by a nurse on how to inject my meds as well as flushing the line, she watched me as I did it for the first time. Also, as you said, I really couldn't figure out why the baby had to be readmitted and stay at the hospital if the only issue was making sure Karen understood how to use the equipment at home. Just more fakery I guess. And what was all that nonsense about Karen seeing blood in the line while she was trying to use the syringe? Noticed that no one ever mentioned that again. Lastly, did Awesome Dawsyn look a little big for a sick premie? She did to me. In that scene, was she supposed to be eight weeks old? I am really interested in watching all of the real life ins and outs of their daily lives. Their story is plenty interesting enough without all of the manufactured bullshit.

Watching now. Totally calling bullshit on none of the nanny candidates seeming to not know that they will be responsible for 14 children. If that really is true, how unfair to unload that information on them during their interview. I know that if I was put in that situation I would be PISSED since there's no way I'm even going to waste my time interviewing for that job. Also, no mention of extra pay (hazard pay?) for taking care of all those kids? No matter how sweet and well behaved they are--and they are--no way any nanny in the real world will not have a limit on how many children they're going to be responsible for.

Tee hee @Stardancer Supreme, that's starting to wear me out too! All of those tearful talking head moments Karen has about wanting/needing to do it all are starting to get real old, real fast. I recall her mentioning that she could just hear all the people saying "Gurrrrll, what did you expect having 14 kids!" Well Karen, although it's definitely your and your husband's decision as to how many children you have, but all those pregnancies come with some serious health risks to you as their mother. Interesting that she was wondering why her emotions were all over the place. Other than the obvious, I was screaming "HORMONES!" at the tv which take months to get back to normal levels after giving birth. As for her needing two nannies, I was thinking more like them needing three or four in shifts!😁