S09.E04: Cindy's Story

[PrincessPurrsALot]

Quote

Cindy is resistant to change and has spent years creating a world that makes her feel safe. When her friend notices Cindy's health declining rapidly due to her size, she pushes Cindy to move to Houston and see Dr. Now. But Cindy isn't so easily persuaded. 

Original air date 2021.01.20

[ShortyMac]

Who else wants those two hours back?? JFC!

[Concerned]

Worst episode ever. Nothing happens. Cindy is miserable and non compliant for two hours. Her life plan is to lie in bed and ear herself to death and anybody who attempts to help is only giving her grief. The path of least resistance is to eat and die and that’s what she’s going to do. Skip this episode. Tedious, annoying, dull.

[Roxie]

I don't think I've ever seen a poundicipant with only one facial expression before.

 

[steff13]

She was a nightmare.  

[ShoePrincess]

I forgot it was on, but had the DVR set to record. I only watched a few minutes and came away with one burning question: If Jabba the Hut had gender reassignment surgery, would Cindy be the result?

I'll see myself out now.

 

[Pondlass1]

What was her friend feeding her? I don’t understand. Her friend seemed so hung ho to help. We didn’t see Cindy phoning take out or even actually eating. This episode had hardly any eating. Just whining.  Lots of whining.  Maybe the caregiver just wanted TV exposure because Cindy gained under her care. She didn’t help at all.

Anyway Cindy has maybe 5 years left. She’ll eat herself to death. Humans are an odd species. Eat themselves to death, some starve themselves to death. It’s a mad mad mad world 

 

[nokat]

I've been through some stuff. I was able to go to therapy. I hate to see people eat themselves to death and say that is their only way of coping.

[nutella fitzgerald]

I’m new to this show. My work has been short-staffed for awhile so I haven’t really  had any free time to watch the garbage tv I usually enjoy, but we’ve finally onboarded our new hires and I figured that TLC wouldn’t let me down on my first available evening in quite some time.

I guess I’m wondering a few things. First, is anyone else very concerned about the ambulance attendant who had to sit through Cindy’s initial waffling between staying home and going to live with Sandy? He seemed as though he was nearly at the end of his rope, and I’m worried that he might watch this episode and realize that entire ordeal was pretty much for nothing.

Second, I remember coming across articles last year about this show continuing to film in violation of shelter in place orders at the start of the pandemic. If this episode is typical of the content for which production risked their safety as well as that of the public, that is deeply upsetting.

Finally, am I getting old, or is it actually very difficult to keep track of who is whom in a show populated with a Cindy, a Sandy, and a Kandy? 

[magemaud]

@nutella fitzgerald, please don’t let this episode discourage you from watching this franchise. Cindy was probably the most boring poundticipant (as they are called here) EVER! We didn’t see the usual horrifying scenes of her shoving enormous amounts of food in her mouth or the arduous journey to get to Dr. Now’s, nor the drama of whether or not she would lose the weight necessary to be approved for weight loss surgery. She said from the beginning she didn’t want to go. It was two long hours of her in bed, whining about how hard she was working while in reality doing absolutely nothing. 

 

[OoogleEyes]

Page one of 15. Holy moly i am sorry to have missed the live chat. 

Watching now 

Edited January 21, 2021 by OoogleEyes
Because I need to sleep

[OoogleEyes]

All I really need is someone to scratch my back

[SDVegas]

I’m wondering about the motivation of Sandy to “help” Cindy. In the beginning it seemed like Sandy had good intentions and truly wanted to help Cindy turn her life around. But then, with total control of what Cindy could eat, Sandy obviously didn’t do anything to provide Cindy with healthy food in reasonable portions.
 

[Not to mention that she had no bed for Cindy (which Sandy lied about), and didn’t seem equipped to care for her properly.] 

 

What was Sandy’s end game here? Is it truly impossible to not provide a bedridden person with whatever unhealthy foods and huge portions that person wants? I’m baffled. 

Edited January 21, 2021 by SDVegas

[Chatty Cake]

It sounds like Sandy’s motivation was money. Did the show pay her or the state? We never saw her over feeding Cindy. That part made no sense. The room didn’t look right for a multi month stay either. 
It was a painful episode to sit thru. Cindy was not motivated at all. She never wanted it and I thought it was wrong of Sandy to coerce her to go. 
I also found it disturbing that the paid caregiver we saw early on was such an enabler. 

[Pepper Mostly]

1 hour ago, Chatty Cake said:

It sounds like Sandy’s motivation was money. Did the show pay her or the state? We never saw her over feeding Cindy. That part made no sense. The room didn’t look right for a multi month stay either. 
It was a painful episode to sit thru. Cindy was not motivated at all. She never wanted it and I thought it was wrong of Sandy to coerce her to go. 
I also found it disturbing that the paid caregiver we saw early on was such an enabler. 

Maybe Cindy has some family money, an inheritance, an annuity--something? She had her own apartment, was able to pay a carer, had a Mac laptop and an Apple Watch. I mean, a laptop is pretty much essential these days, but an Apple Watch? Is a luxury. She said something about having to do "paperwork"--so, banking stuff maybe? Sandy was absolutely determined to have Cindy move to Houston, so that she could take over her care. And maybe her bank book.

[snarkish]

Seeing that giant, white, adult diaper being taped on her did me in. I'm sorry, but when you purposely put yourself in a position where you must crap and pee in bed and have others tend to it and wipe your @ss, that is a new kind of low for me. Even if I was debilitated due to an illness or surgery that caused me to be in that position, I would still be mortified. I remember having my 1st C-section at age 28 and whacked out on overly-strong epidural Morphine (I refuse this painkiller ever since), I was still uncomfortable being washed down in the bed by my nurse. 

[CrazyInAlabama]

I suspect that as others guessed, that huge chair made it possible to take care of Cindy without calling people from outside the house to help.    Unless they moved her regular bed from her apartment in Portland,     Also, she was more upright in the chair, which helps her breath (the weihjt of her massive chest wouldn't have allowed her to fully expand her lungs, while flat on her back.      How she managed to gain, while staying at Sandy's was mystifying, unless Sandy was feeding her exactly the way the other caregiver was, and Sandy hid that fact.   That entire episode wasn't a total waste of time, it does show how a poundticipant who doesn't care about losing, or getting healthy wastes resources, and medical treatment.    I can't understand why she was even accepted, with the previous hospital loss of 100 lbs, after a year's stay, and the weight was quickly added back, and surpassed.    

I think the first caregiver at Portland, who didn't want Cindy to go to Houston was right.    Cindy had no intention of limiting her food, or even trying to help herself.    Her transports, hospital time, and everything else that was used for her was a waste of personnel, and money.  

Edited January 21, 2021 by CrazyInAlabama

[AZChristian]

Maybe Sandy's husband and daughter were sneaking Cindy food to get her to stop whining if Sandy wasn't there?  You could tell that even Sandy was getting tired of her.

Total waste of time, money and effort in Cindy's case.  Plus the millions of hours invested wasted by those of us who watched this episode.

When Cindy first said she couldn't go to Houston "right now" because she has so much to do, we could only wonder:  Pilates class?  Weight Watchers meetings?  Richard Simmons DVD?  Oh.  Paperwork.  Where is it?  "I don't know."

Edited January 21, 2021 by AZChristian
An investment has a benefit; wasting time does not.

[Suzywriter]

11 hours ago, ShoePrincess said:

I forgot it was on, but had the DVR set to record. I only watched a few minutes and came away with one burning question: If Jabba the Hut had gender reassignment surgery, would Cindy be the result?

I'll see myself out now.

 

Best assessment ever.

[lilysmom]

To summarize the TWO LONG HOURS

Cindy: I don't want to go,

Sandy: You have to go. I made all these arrangements for you.

Cindy: No one ever listens to me.

Sandy: I am going to save your life.

Cindy: No one ever listens to me.

Sandy: Here, have a twinkie while no one is looking.

Cindy: OK, I'll go.

[OoogleEyes]

I'm now (Dr. Now) watching this episode and reading the live chat. Holy cow you guys! I really missed you!

AND God bless the home health care worker. I know that they aren't paid well.

Just a half hour into this, I knew she would be a failure. It's like Intervention. People need to WANT to overcome their addiction. Your friend can't want it for you.

Cindy really doesn't give a shit, does she? Ooooh, My 600 Lb Life, you are really stretching here, aren't you?

I give up, just like Cindy 

Edited January 21, 2021 by OoogleEyes
Tryin' to live chat when there is no live chat

[Pondlass1]

I agree with whoever said the room wasn’t set up for a long term stay.  No TV. There was a giant mirror so Cindy could check out the expanding mounds of fat. She just laid there staring into space. We didn’t meet any of Cindy’s family but I’m wondering if she had money. Her giant sized clothes looked nicer than usual, and an Apple Watch, Mac notebook, etc.
i have nothing but respect for caregivers, but Sandy might’ve had ulterior motives. The cameras were never around for feeding time at Sandy’s.  And by the end she’d gained along with Cindy.

I think Cindy was clinically depressed and possibly could’ve afforded the necessary therapy and medication... just my opinion 

[sempervivum]

In general, if it's that hard to persuade someone to get help, it's a doomed mission from the start. And Cindy really, really didn't want to get help.

I thought it was funny at the start of the episode that the caregiver made Cindy a home-cooked 'pre-breakfast' (eggs, bacon and fries) first thing. When she brought it out, I was amazed at how normal the size of the meal was. Of course, after all the grunting, moaning and whining while Cindy lumbered 6 feet from bed to bathroom and got cleaned up, the caregiver brought in the REAL breakfast of fried chicken, biscuits and mac n cheese-enough to feed a family of 8.🤢

I wonder why Cindy's family seemed to be pretty much uninvolved with her. More to that story than we were told, I think.

My expectations for this show are hovering at zero this season. At least Cindy didn't bring any small animals or children into the story, her place wasn't filthy, she had no tattoos, and she didn't gorge like an animal (on camera, at least). But I can't remember the last time someone on this show lost a noticeable amount of weight.

I was expecting to see the BSOD, but have no doubt we'll get an announcement at some point in the next couple of years.

[Roxie]

8 minutes ago, Pondlass1 said:

I think Cindy was clinically depressed and possibly could’ve afforded the necessary therapy and medication... just my opinion 

I believe she was definitely depressed -- her lack of affect is a dead giveaway.

[magemaud]

23 minutes ago, sempervivum said:

I thought it was funny at the start of the episode that the caregiver made Cindy a home-cooked 'pre-breakfast' (eggs, bacon and fries) first thing. When she brought it out, I was amazed at how normal the size of the meal was

That was just a little amuse bouche 

[OoogleEyes]

1 minute ago, magemaud said:

That was just a little amuse bouche 

And she ate it so delicately. Pinkies UP!

[nokat]

1 hour ago, sempervivum said:

I thought it was funny at the start of the episode that the caregiver made Cindy a home-cooked 'pre-breakfast' (eggs, bacon and fries) first thing.

Because I like LoTRs, second breakfast. 😉

[Suzywriter]

1 hour ago, sempervivum said:

 

I was expecting to see the BSOD, but have no doubt we'll get an announcement at some point in the next couple of years.

I thought the same. By 75 minutes in, I assumed that the reason that TLC was showing miles of a frowning froggy face doing nothing and complaining that no one listens to her was because there was an untimely end, and that's all that had been filmed. 

She was right that nobody listened to her. Nobody accepted that she kept saying that she was not interested in doing a blessed thing, not even showing up to her appointments with Dr. Now.  Dr. Now should have dropped her as a patient and not wasted time chasing her while she sat still, frowning. 

[FormeryHeavyJ]

I have only made it through page 5 of the live chat comments and it appears I made the right choice to go to bed before the show came on so I could be at the gym at 430am.  For the record it was an all-cardio day.  I've had better.  I like those all-cardio workouts where I come home and I'm bouncing off the walls with so much residual energy.

 

Mrs. Formerly Heavy J is not a fan of those mornings.😆

[Suzywriter]

1 hour ago, sempervivum said:

 

I wonder why Cindy's family seemed to be pretty much uninvolved with her. More to that story than we were told, I think.

 

Because passive-aggressive inertia is maddening, and they are done with it. 

[Suzywriter]

14 hours ago, Roxie said:

I don't think I've ever seen a poundicipant with only one facial expression before.

 

I saw 2--"frog frown" and "evil mona lisa smile".

Final gripe: 

2 eggs and turkey bacon

Tuna sandwich and an apple. 

That's not enough to keep a 98-pounder alive. Cindy claims to have gained on this. Sandy was a secret feeder for sure. 

[libgirl2]

2 hours ago, AZChristian said:

Maybe Sandy's husband and daughter were sneaking Cindy food to get her to stop whining if Sandy wasn't there?  You could tell that even Sandy was getting tired of her.

Total waste of time, money and effort in Cindy's case.  Plus the millions of hours invested by those of us who watched this episode.

When Cindy first said she couldn't go to Houston "right now" because she has so much to do, we could only wonder:  Pilates class?  Weight Watchers meetings?  Richard Simmons DVD?  Oh.  Paperwork.  Where is it?  "I don't know."

Same thing I thought.... what do you have to do? 

[AZChristian]

17 minutes ago, Suzywriter said:

Final gripe: 

2 eggs and turkey bacon

Tuna sandwich and an apple. 

That's not enough to keep a 98-pounder alive. Cindy claims to have gained on this. Sandy was a secret feeder for sure. 

Maybe that's all Sandy was giving her, but Sandy's husband and daughter were giving her a lot of secret food in the hopes that she would eat herself to death (and get out of their house) sooner rather than later.

[OoogleEyes]

32 minutes ago, Suzywriter said:

I saw 2--"frog frown" and "evil mona lisa smile".

Final gripe: 

2 eggs and turkey bacon

Tuna sandwich and an apple. 

That's not enough to keep a 98-pounder alive. Cindy claims to have gained on this. Sandy was a secret feeder for sure. 

I would love to have that as my eating habit right now.  Hello, Sandy? Where are ya?

Edited January 21, 2021 by OoogleEyes
Looking for a damn tuna fish sandwich with lots of celery

[libgirl2]

35 minutes ago, AZChristian said:

Maybe that's all Sandy was giving her, but Sandy's husband and daughter were giving her a lot of secret food in the hopes that she would eat herself to death (and get out of their house) sooner rather than later.

They had to have been in it for the money and let her eat whatever. I could see if Cindy actually lost some weight while there, but she didn't and I highly doubt she was walking to the kitchen several times a day and making food. 

Edited January 21, 2021 by libgirl2

[ams1001]

1 hour ago, nokat said:

Because I like LoTRs, second breakfast. 😉

Some people in chat were saying she seems to be on the short side; maybe she's a hobbit.

[libgirl2]

3 minutes ago, ams1001 said:

Some people in chat were saying she seems to be on the short side; maybe she's a hobbit.

I didn't think she was short, but considering her weight made her look much bigger than the last woman, Carrie, she had to have been . 

Edited January 21, 2021 by libgirl2

[magemaud]

3 hours ago, AZChristian said:

Total waste of time, money and effort in Cindy's case.  Plus the millions of hours invested wasted by those of us who watched this episode.

Let’s start a class action suit against TLC. Our time has got to be worth something, not to mention the billions of brain cells we lost 

Edited January 21, 2021 by magemaud

[Cherrio]

I think most if not all of these folks are on opioids, because she looked so zoned out.   I agree though with the previous poster that depression be the cause too.  Probably a combo of both, with extra large fries on the side.

Paperwork? LOL    That's code for Depends, size 60 XXXXL

[Elizzikra]

Quote

Anyway Cindy has maybe 5 years left. 

I was shocked she survived to the end of the episode, honestly.

[Caoimhe]

7 hours ago, Pepper Mostly said:

Maybe Cindy has some family money, an inheritance, an annuity--something? She had her own apartment, was able to pay a carer, had a Mac laptop and an Apple Watch. I mean, a laptop is pretty much essential these days, but an Apple Watch? Is a luxury. She said something about having to do "paperwork"--so, banking stuff maybe? Sandy was absolutely determined to have Cindy move to Houston, so that she could take over her care. And maybe her bank book.

I wondered if the Apple Watch was her “fall alert” for those rare times she gets up on her feet (no doubt to forage for more food).  I have one and have told my husband that if I fall down the stairs carrying the laundry up and down from the basement he’ll get notified. 😁

[libgirl2]

7 minutes ago, Caoimhe said:

I wondered if the Apple Watch was her “fall alert” for those rare times she gets up on her feet (no doubt to forage for more food).  I have one and have told my husband that if I fall down the stairs carrying the laundry up and down from the basement he’ll get notified. 😁

I'm sure that is it. 

[Twopper]

7 hours ago, Pepper Mostly said:

Maybe Cindy has some family money, an inheritance, an annuity--something? She had her own apartment, was able to pay a carer, had a Mac laptop and an Apple Watch. I mean, a laptop is pretty much essential these days, but an Apple Watch? Is a luxury. She said something about having to do "paperwork"--so, banking stuff maybe? Sandy was absolutely determined to have Cindy move to Houston, so that she could take over her care. And maybe her bank book.

That has me perplexed, too.  I went back to watch the parts I had missed during the chat last night.  There was a mention of her going on disability after the fall down the stairs at which point she really began to gain weight.

In the scene with Dr Now when he is visiting her at Sandy's house he says "you get all the benefits you can receive from social services provided to you."  Even with closed captions I wasn't quite sure what he had said immediately before that.  So I don't know if he meant that she had them now or would get them in the future in his program and was using them to motivate her to get with his program. 

1 hour ago, libgirl2 said:

I didn't think she was short, but considering her weight made her look much bigger than the last woman, Carrie, she had to have been . 

It was hard to guess her height because even when she stood on the scale she was bent over.  I think even if she straightened out she would be shorter than Dr Now even in his bent over shape.  I would guess she is about 5'2"     When he was weighing her, I recalled his telling one woman who weighed about that much that it was the equivalent of a 6 foot man who weighed 800 pounds.  

 

2 hours ago, AZChristian said:

Maybe that's all Sandy was giving her, but Sandy's husband and daughter were giving her a lot of secret food in the hopes that she would eat herself to death (and get out of their house) sooner rather than later.

Well, at the risk of sounding snarky,  Sandy's daughter looks like a potential pounticipant in a few years and probably resented having to care for Cindy.  I would have.   I cannot imagine Luis and Kandy were happy to have her there, and I would expect that Cindy could pick up on their resentment in a hurry, but she was probably unpleasant when not fed,   That roomed looked so barren;  I would be depressed if left alone there.  I can't stand Cindy, but I understand that living with Sandy's family would be much worse than staying in my own home with a care taker.   And she doesn't fit into their bathroom.    I did expect her to go directly to the hospital since she was in the ambulance, but it only took her to Sandy's. 

I was confused as to the time line of the show and COVID.  the EMTs had masks and they had Cindy wear one.  Dr Now did not wear a mask to meet with Cindy so I wondered if that was really early during COVID when the public was told not to buy up masks because they were needed for medical personnel.  Maybe because Dr Now wasn't working with COVID patients, he wasn't considered front line enough for a mask.

[libgirl2]

3 minutes ago, Twopper said:

I was confused as to the time line of the show and COVID.  the EMTs had masks and they had Cindy wear one.  Dr Now did not wear a mask to meet with Cindy so I wondered if that was really early during COVID when the public was told not to buy up masks because they were needed for medical personnel.  Maybe because Dr Now wasn't working with COVID patients, he wasn't considered front line enough for a mask.

I was confused with that too. It seemed masks were hit or miss. 

[nokat]

6 minutes ago, Twopper said:

Well, at the risk of sounding snarky

Laughing, are you new here. We live for snark.

[Twopper]

8 minutes ago, nokat said:

Laughing, are you new here. We live for snark.

nope, not new at all.  I hope everyone gets a laugh out of that line.

[Schnickelfritz]

Anyone else hoping for a last minute update along the lines of...

In breaking news, a former My 600 Lb Lifer was killed in a freak accident while being transported by ambulance to her home in southern Texas. While in transit, the doors of the ambulance flew open and  the former reality tv (not) star launched onto the highway.  She did manage to land in a ditch but tragically starved to death as she was without food for an entire hour while waiting for help. The victim claimed that no one was listening to her, that she didn't need any help, it was all Sandy's fault and asked where the neared Popeye's was.

In unrelated news. one lane of the highway will be closed indefinitely as workers fill a mysterious crater that appeared.

[Kid]

14 hours ago, magemaud said:

@nutella fitzgerald, please don’t let this episode discourage you from watching this franchise. Cindy was probably the most boring poundticipant (as they are called here) EVER! We didn’t see the usual horrifying scenes of her shoving enormous amounts of food in her mouth or the arduous journey to get to Dr. Now’s, nor the drama of whether or not she would lose the weight necessary to be approved for weight loss surgery. She said from the beginning she didn’t want to go. It was two long hours of her in bed, whining about how hard she was working while in reality doing absolutely nothing. 

 

In her defense, and I HATE defending her, she was clear from the beginning that she did not want to do it.  She could not gave been more clear.

I found Sandy more dispicable.  She drags her to Houston and continues to do what the healthcare person in Cindy's home was  doing -FEED HER!!  There was no way for Cindy to get food without someone getting it for her. I believe Sandy just wanted to be on TV and play the hero.

 

Edited January 21, 2021 by Kid

[CrazyInAlabama]

I wonder if either Cindy smelled bad, and that's why some wore the masks?  Or it was during regular flu season, so the EMT's were wearing masks?    If her oral hygiene was as bad as the rest of her hygiene, she might have had the dreaded "Dragon Breath".   

I wonder if that stuff she put on her hair was that hair leave in styling creme?   

Edited January 22, 2021 by CrazyInAlabama

[Lunula]

18 minutes ago, Kid said:

In her defense, and I HATE defending her, she was clear from the beginning that she did not want to do it.  She could not gave been more clear.

I found Sandy more dispicable.  She drags her to Houston and continues to do what the healthcare person in Cindy's home was  doing -FEED HER!!  There was no way for Cindy to get food without someone getting it for her. I believe Sandy just wanted to be on TV and play the hero.

This.

Cindy checked out a long time ago. That, ladies and gentlemen, is someone who wants to die. Even when Dr. Now tried to evoke an emotion about her dying soon, she could barely muster the enthusiasm I typically have when I go check my mail. 

As others stated, I was thinking she must have money given how hard that initial care giver was trying to keep her disabled and in her care. Second that with Sandy's behavior. At first I thought, "Wow, what a great friend. Sandy really loves her." - but that wore out pretty quickly when we saw that she lied about having her room all set up and that she was unable to lose weight in her care. All the hand wringing and, "You're not serious!" statements we heard when Cindy said she didn't want to do the program seemed pretty hollow in the end. Cindy can't even get up to go to the bathroom, so you were bringing her enough food that she gained weight. At 600 lbs. Do you know how many calories that is? Seriously? 

Pretty sad life, sad existence and sad that she's given up on herself and the world. I'm guessing we'll hear of her death in the next couple years. No way in hell she's pulling herself out of that pit. 

Edited January 21, 2021 by Lunula
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