[S05.E11: James K's Story]

A really good friend of mine has a great saying for when people do very bad things: "He/she is goin' to Hell in gasoline soaked drawers!" Well, I guess I'm a candidate cause I totally laughed out loud when Dr. Now walked up to them after the EMTs struggled to get him into the hospital all the while he's screaming and crying "my legs, my legs, they're going to drop me!" and calmly says "How are y'all doin?"

*****Currently have multiple drawers in the sink soaking in gasoline*****

[S05.E11: James K's Story]

OMG, did it take EIGHT firefighters to move him!? Oh.My.Gawd!!!!!!!

[S05.E11: James K's Story]

Might be the first episode where two hours for a subject with this many issues is not enough.

[S05.E11: James K's Story]

1 minute ago, Maggienolia said:

IKR??!?!!? They almost always make that excuse (the enablers) but seriously - the guy can't even SIT UP!!! He'd probably throw his own pooh but I doubt he can reach under himself to get to it. 

Seriously! Not only can he not jump up and chase you if he gets pissed, he's obviously too delicate to unwrap his humongous fast food burgers so I wouldn't worry about him throwing anything at anyone.

BTW, is FOUR the M600PL record for how many people it takes to bathe one super sized person?

[S01.E11: Warriors]

The one other thing that I really appreciated with this show was the tension, the atmosphere of paranoia and dammit, a la Jack Bauer, a sense of urgency. IMHO all of these aspects were sorely lacking in the previous episodes. An unknown group of people had just nearly wiped out our entire government. Yet, in the earlier shows people just had way too much time to hang out chit chatting in the hallways, staffers making goo goo eyes at each other, and Bauer er Kirkman seeming to have endless hours alone staring out windows or chilling out in the Oval Office by himself. Even when they showed life on the street, people just seemed too damned relaxed which truly was infuriating.

It's not as if the writers didn't have a template for how everyone would have reacted, namely 9/11. I vividly remember that day and all of the emotions that accompanied it. The fear and anxiety were palpable with all kinds of crazy rumors floating around, like there were ten planes unaccounted for headed our way here. The one thing we weren't was relaxed. You really don't need to manufacture bone-headed melodrama and goofy subplots. I hope the writers keep taking the show in the direction this episode depicted.

[S05.E10: Tanisha's Story]

Another thing about Tanisha that seems fishy to me regarding her behavior. She starts out all articulate, insightful, and intelligent but ends up sounding like she was Straight Outta Compton. Her behavior and language towards the TLC producer in front of her youngest daughter, who was visibly upset, was disgraceful. I dunno, there was just something disingenuous and shady about that change in her. I don't want to think this but could it be she was never in it to improve herself and it was just about the money and a little bit of fame?

Did anybody else get that vibe? I hope I'm wrong.

[S05.E10: Tanisha's Story]

30 minutes ago, Carrie said:

Severe, chronic depression and hopelessness - topped with a conviction of one's powerlessness and inability to affect change in one's life.  [I have my moments when I can relate to that feeling!  When getting the peanut butter jar open is too much effort! Only imagine by a thousandfold how much more difficult to motivate when you're 600+ pounds and your life is nowhere!  ]

I hear ya Carrie. I agree since I can get that way too, but I'm single and have no kids. But in her case those two beautiful girls should be motivation enough especially after her horrendous history of sexual abuse and rape. In her case though, those experiences have understandably caused her a great deal of depression and anger, and I hope she keeps up with her therapy visits if nothing else.

However, she said herself that no one was there for her and she, at least initially, said she was doing all this for them, so that they would have someone to protect them. Geez, God forbid something happens to her, then where would her kids end up? Is good ol' grandpa still around? I shudder to think. Sorry to sound harsh, but seeing those tears flow down the face of her youngest daughter who even said she wished she could exchange places with her mom and literally take her weight upon herself so her mom could have a better life both saddened and enraged me when it came to her endless excuses. In this case, I'm afraid that all my heart and sympathies all go to those two dear children.

[S05.E10: Tanisha's Story]

6 hours ago, operalover said:

And $5 a day for a 12 pack of soda. You can find it cheaper but I doubt these people are coupon bargain shopping when they have a craving. 

Because of your post operalover , I just had to calculate the cost of 365 days worth of 12 packs at five bucks each. That would be another $1,825 annually out of the family budget! Also, remember she said to Dr. Now that sometimes--translation, probably quite frequently--she drinks even more than that. Frankly, I can't even conceive how anyone could drink that much soda every day which contains about ten teaspoons of sugar each.

So, since you mentioned coupons, how about a new TLC crossover show: My 600 Pound Extreme Couponing Life? We could pair up this show's subjects with one of those extreme couponers and he/she could teach them how to at least shave major $$$ off their food costs. So many of them say in the voiceovers that they feel so guilty about not being able to move and help out. Clipping or printing out coupons from bed would be the perfect activity for them IMHO. After all, what kind of excuse could anyone come up with to not do at least that much?

[S05.E10: Tanisha's Story]

3 hours ago, Hockeymom said:

And yes, of course they did. It's a TV show. It's supposed to entertain us. That's why we watch. I don't get the feeling she was exploited at all. If you call the show, make the deal, and take the cash, then you need to uphold your end of the bargain. How often in life do you get paid to help yourself?

Word to that Hockeymom! I mean exactly how many appointments did she keep in, what, a year and a half, maybe four? You dance with the Devil (aka TLC) you gotta pay your dues. Also, is she probably the closest patient to Dr. Now's office ever? I remember getting a queasy feeling of epic failure on her part when she was bitchin about the unendurable 90 minute drive to his office. Blecch!

[S05.E10: Tanisha's Story]

25 minutes ago, Carrie said:

Nice to meet you 4th;. I'm the 5th.  Wonder if we'll meet first, second and third? ?

Heh heh, maybe they're already here but haven't delurked yet!

[S05.E10: Tanisha's Story]

14 minutes ago, okerry said:

And the ones who know she's got two teenage daughters in the house, which is what a lot of us here are worried about.

Oh yeah okerry, I could just imagine the content of one of her many Facebook posts trolling for yet another man: "Hi, I'm a fun, fabulous, independent single mom of two beautiful daughters"***posts their pictures***"Aren't they gorgeous!?" Of course, they chuckle/drool, "Why yes, yes they are." Please divert some of that money you spend on hair dye and buy a clue!

[S05.E10: Tanisha's Story]

25 minutes ago, Pers said:

So, Tanisha's been angrily replying on the 600lb discussion room on Facebook (ALL CAPS ALL THE TIME) - she said she's always done the cleaning, claims that the producers forced her to say she's bed-bound. She is also alluding to the fact her husband (now ex) was abusive and a cheater. A number of her friends have popped up too. I don't know, I wish her the best but I hope she keeps going to therapy because there's a lot of anger there.

Wow, just wow Pers! Yeah, she had/has a lot of anger understandably so given her horrible background. But I hope someday she realizes that her way of coping with that anger is literally killing her and trashing her children's future. I truly hope she gets it and gets the professional help she needs, and soon.

Heh heh, kinda makes me glad that I'm one of the last four or five people on planet Earth who doesn't have a Facebook account.

[S05.E10: Tanisha's Story]

3 hours ago, TicketToHellPaid said:

The pee pan was the same as the bed bath pan.

Where do they get money? All they did was buy food and sit and eat, all of them.  

 

And that hair, that  Brillo pad Orange mess was making me sick.

She will go right back to eating 6 pizzas for dinner.

Well yes, Yes, YES to all of this TicketToHellPaid, especially the money part. I don't know what fast food generally costs where any of you live but here in the metropolitan DC area you will pay a minimum of about $7.00-$8.00 for a supersized McDonald's meal here. And please no one tell me about the dollar menu since none of these folks are eating from that. So, let's say, if they were living in this area and bought the equivalent of two of these meals a day just for themselves (and I totally believe some of them are spending much more than that on take out and delivery) that would come to $5,475 per year just for a portion of what they eat per day. That's not counting all of the sodas, snack chips, candy bars, ice cream, super processed food and additional fast food they feed themselves and their families daily. I can't speak for anyone else but that's a helluva lot of $$$ out of my annual income and would be absolutely unsustainable for me. Therefore, most of these people who are already on the edge financially are literally eating their families out of house and home.

For those who keep saying "I'm doing this for my children" but don't seem willing to put in the work required of them, I wish TLC or Dr. Now would lay out how much of a financial burden they are to their families. How about "Gee Tanisha/Nicole/Marla and others you could be putting away tens of thousands of dollars towards your kids' college funds if you would do what Dr. Now is telling you to do."

But, hey, that's not part of the TLC formula so never mind.

[S05.E10: Tanisha's Story]

Besides all of the truly sad and frustrating aspects of her story, I really wanted to shout at the screen "please stop chasing men and just do YOU for a while!" Especially so after her horrendous past experiences of sexual abuse and rape, I mean both her grandfather and one of her mom's boyfriends then the rape by a strange man. If it was me, I would be so paranoid about having any man around my beautiful girls. My thinking would be "are all these guys really that into super morbidly obese women or could they just be trying to get next to my daughters?"

Anybody else feel this way?

[S01.E11: Warriors]

Have to say, after the very frustrating and maddening previous episodes, this one is my absolute favorite.

All of the crappy writing and plot twists that drove me and others here batty like the who-the-baby-daddy stuff, Hannah Wells' boss not assigning tons of security around his family after the mass murder of most of the government which made him open to being blackmailed into confessing that he killed the architect of the terrorist attack, Kirkman allowing himself to be bullied by the governors and so on, this episode was a relief!

Thanks Designated Survivor for not pissing me off on my birthday!

[S01.E11: Warriors]

Well, the VP did just that, ordered the killing of the failed assassin. While I like Virginia Madsen's character I find it really hard to believe that she would be stupid enough to tell the traitorous Peter that she's watching him like a hawk; just put a bull's-eye on your back why dontcha!!!!!!!????

Felt a little hinkey about Kirkman's head Secret Service agent for a minute. Really relieved that he's legit.

[S05.E10: Tanisha's Story]

16 minutes ago, poeticlicensed said:

So Dr now said lose 30 pounds. She loses 11 and is surprised she isn't approved for surgery. Wut? 

The hair of many colors is killing me. 

Her daughter is a sweetheart

A new boyfriend already? That was quick!

ITA with every point you made poeticlicensed! I keep going back and forth between being aggravated with her and feeling deep sympathy for what she has had to endure in her young life.

Her youngest daughter, who is beyond adorable and very well spoken, blaming herself for her mom's weight because of how much she gained while pregnant with her; I really choked up at that. Her oldest daughter concerns me; seems a little checked out to me, although when she smiled at the 27 pound weight loss appointment, she looked so sweet. I hope that because she's also overweight for her age that none of the sexual trauma that happened to her mom has happened to her.

Really thought she looked heavier than the scale indicated but Dr. Now explained that was her height of 5'1" which, if I am not mistaken, is the same height as good ol' Twitney on MBFFL. Hmmmmm.

Oh snap, she just quit Dr. Now while I was posting! Not good.

[S05.E09: Nicole's Story]

25 minutes ago, Muffyn said:

I thought at the end she sent her parents packing and Nicole, Charlie and the kids were staying in Houston.  She presented it as they would act as a family unit now.  She was more mobile and able to care for them (with the minimum level of care they seemed to feel children require).  Can some confirm that she actually sent the kids back to Houston? 

Since we learned in the supersized episode that Daddy dearest was actually in prison, I think it was only toothless Mama that she sent home. 

Yes, that was my impression too Muffyn. It was during her heart to heart with her mom where Nicole actually did thank her and MIA dad--though I've read here that he was in jail--for all their help but that it would be best if she and Charlie and the kids stayed and the grandparents went back to Ohio. At least that's what I took away from the conversation. I really hope that's the case but if anyone knows anything different, please correct me if I am wrong.

BTW, I tried to find out what the next episode would be but got conflicting information. One site mentioned a woman named Tanisha I think. Another didn't show any episodes beyond Nicole. Anyone know?

[The All You Can Eat Buffet: My 600 Pound Life All Episode Discussion]

37 minutes ago, auntjess said:

Was there a follow up on him?  I'll have to look at his thread again.
He was the one who was playing on his phone when Dr . Now was talking to him.

Gee auntjess I don't know. I seem to recall that elsewhere on this forum someone mentioned that he had a Facebook page but I'm not sure. Heh heh, I am one of those dinosaurs who doesn't have a Facebook account! I really don't think his story will turn out well. He was one of the worst, simultaneously narcissistic, manipulative, entitled, bullying and totally disrespectful to his mother, ungrateful, and seemed to think that bariatric surgery was an easy way out. He seemed genuinely angry that he had to put in any effort or take any responsibility about eating right. He actually kept whining about how hard and unfair Dr. Now's guidelines were. Why anyone at that weight would think this process is easy is beyond me. He was only 26 years old so I sincerely hope that he proves me wrong.

[The All You Can Eat Buffet: My 600 Pound Life All Episode Discussion]

On 2/28/2017 at 7:58 AM, Oldernowiser said:

I've never understood why they don't just lend these people a scale so there would be more daily feedback on their weight loss (or that magical thinking "I've been really 'trying' but stress" weight gain). Yes, those high-weight scales are expensive, but compared to shlepping the 600ers to the hospital in a oversized ambulance, it would be chump change.

Then I remember it's television and therefore 75% bullshit. Then I remember it's TLC and therefore 99% bullshit.

So I slap myself upside the head and get on with my life.

Great post Oldernowiser! I totally agree with everything you said.

However your post inspired me to actually do a search for high capacity scales. Turns out there are many companies that sell them, including companies that sell scales originally intended to weigh livestock. Funny thing is that one of those scales only went up to 660 pounds so even those wouldn't be useful for some of the subjects on this show.

I did find this company:

http://www.oldwillknottscales.com/obesity-bariatric-scales.html

They sell different categories of these scales for bariatric patients. The one that caught my eye had a capacity of 600-800 pounds and cost $204.00. Considering the punishment that thing would have to take, I really don't think that price is too bad. This would work for a majority of the folks on this show except for people like Sean who originally weighed in at 919 pounds then ballooned up to 1,003 pounds after he and his mom said they were trying to follow Dr. Now's guidelines. That was an 84 pound weight gain in just two months. Still can't wrap my brain around how it's possible to eat that much food and gain that much weight in just two months!

Both fascinating and quite sad that there is a thriving market for these scales.

[S05.E09: Nicole's Story]

2 hours ago, notyrmomma said:

I finally got around to watching the last hour of the show.  I think Insane Clown Posse should cut Nicole a check for all the exposure that she gave them!  I had no idea that ICP was still around, much less a "thing."  I thought they went away with the Y2K debacle that wasn't.  I don't get out much though.

As far as the mother taking the kids back to Ohio--BAD IDEA!  You don't let people who express their resentment about raising your kids RAISE YOUR KIDS!  I didn't see any reason why Nicole and Charlie couldn't raise them, especially since as Nicole lost weight, she gained mobility, and nothing gives you a better workout than chasing toddlers!  Besides, those kids seemed tame, like they were used to being ignored and yelled at.  They seemed very quiet for toddlers.  My kids were hellions when they were that age.  

Oh, and staged or not, you never EVER leave a toddler in a tub when not in reach of an adult.  NOT EVEN FOR A SECOND!  Many kids have drown while the mom leaves for a second to pick up a ringing phone.

Geez notyrmamma I was too horrified watching the other details of this show to notice that those dear children were going back to Ohio with the grandparents. I thought that when she had the heart-to-heart with her mom about her and Charlie staying in Houston and the grandparents going back to Ohio she meant only the grandparents and that she and Charlie would stay there with the kids. Did I misunderstand that?

[S05.E09: Nicole's Story]

2 hours ago, Pepper Mostly said:

I'm also willing to bet that the participants are enjoying a "last fling" with the food they love. They figure they can load up on fast food cheeseburgers and pizzas and whatever all else revolting food they eat until Dr. Now brings the hammer down.

Pepper Mostly your post is so true. It always fascinates me that from show to show we see many of them eating inhaling the same shit over and over and over again: fast food burgers/cheeseburgers, tacos/burritos, pizza, and the like, all washed down with gallons of soda. They don't even go for a more upscale version of those things for their last, pre-Dr. Now eat-a-thon. I mean, Taco Bell is NOT Mexican food!

Which got me to wondering about what everyone else's "last meal" would be before going on a diet? It changes all the time for me, but since I've been low carbing it for the last few months, right now I'd like a hot, buttery loaf of garlic bread, a giant, very upscale bowl of cioppino washed down with a bottle of Prosecco and couple of cannolis and chocolate gelato for dessert.

How about the rest of you?

[S04.E06: I Kissed a Girl]

5 hours ago, Runnergirl said:

I just realized something--Whitney's show is like a soap opera on warp speed. She has a preggers scare. She deals with rivals. Now she has bisexual feelings. So, when's the obligatory amnesia episode? I think we need one where Whitney goes to jail, too. 

Heh heh Runnergirl if the producers actually do have her go to jail one can only hope that she ends up sharing a cell with an inmate like Tyler Perry's character from the movie Madea Goes To Jail!

[S05.E09: Nicole's Story]

2 hours ago, cpcathy said:

Question: if you know you're going on the show, why don't you start the diet ahead of time, since you know it will be no carbs and protein and getting up and moving a bit. Or, is that a production conceit, so we get the footage of the grocery store shop and the bathing shot and the stuffing food in your mouth shot.

Your post brought up another issue that infuriates me every damn episode cpcathy and that is at some point the subject in voiceover mode says "I've been approved for surgery by Dr. Now and we have to start looking for a place to stay, borrow an extra vehicle (remember Kirsten?), and/or one of the family members has to find a job." Someone upthread observantly noted that Nicole and her family don't seem capable of thinking even one hour ahead.

Well, when it comes to all of these 600 lb. (and then some) people and their families, exactly how much time lapses between being informed by TLC they're selected and when they're expected to arrive in Houston? The way it's usually stated it's as if they just got off the phone with Dr. Now and--SURPRISE!--they have to move to Houston. I assume that they must know this at least several weeks if not months before the actual initial appointment. Even way before they submit their story to TLC, I assume that they have actually watched the damn show and very well know they will have to move to Houston. Jobs, housing, etc. should be in place but we keep seeing them arriving in Houston with no job, living in motels, and so forth.

Is this just another layer of TLC manufactured bullshit or are these people that dysfunctional?

[S05.E09: Nicole's Story]

6 minutes ago, MrsClaus said:

My satellite glitched.  how did it end????

Very positively MrsClaus. Nicole had a heart to heart with her mom (dad was MIA) about them--her, hubby and kids--living on their own, thanking her mom for her help but that the parents should go ahead and move back to Ohio. They even said they loved each other. As Dr. Now would say "Making good progress!"