S09.E09: Isaac's Story

[PrincessPurrsALot]

Isaac helped raise his siblings after his mom suffered a debilitating stroke when he was 10. While learning to cook for his family, he began comfort-eating. Now to avoid eating himself to death, Isaac must learn to take care of himself for a change.

Original air date 2021.02.17

[ams1001]

The best thing about this episode was the insanely cute dog.

 

[Concerned]

He gave up his tuba scholarship to college to come home and help his sick mama. She reminded me of Sean’s mother who loved her fat son to death. Issac reminds me of Chay because Issac seems to have taken on the female head of household role. The entire episode was dull and, because it covered an entire year but made no reference to Clovid, was likely filmed years ago and put on the shelf. Nice cameos for Mrs. Buttersworth, McDonalds and Pizza Hut, though likely not the branding they want.

[Hellohappylife]

I’m not trying to be insensitive or heartless, because we’ve only seen a small part of their lives, but what exactly is isaac helping his mom with?!? 

 I didn’t get good vibes from the mother. She should have hired a caretaker, home nurse,not make her son give up his fully paid scholarship. The other siblings were old enough to step up, and at this rate The sister will be isaac’s size in no time. They couldn’t even say Thank You when he made the first dinner using Doctor Now’s plan that he was so excited about. 

 After years of watching the show I tend to have little sympathy for these people but seeing someone who is 23 is heartbreaking. 

[Bluesky]

26 minutes ago, Hellohappylife said:

I’m not trying to be insensitive or heartless, because we’ve only seen a small part of their lives, but what exactly is isaac helping his mom with?!? 

 I didn’t get good vibes from the mother. She should have hired a caretaker, home nurse,not make her son give up his fully paid scholarship. The other siblings were old enough to step up, and at this rate The sister will be isaac’s size in no time. They couldn’t even say Thank You when he made the first dinner using Doctor Now’s plan that he was so excited about. 

 

I’ve had Chemo before and the drug side effects are awful, no hair etc. But we are seeing his mother chowing down at the dinner table, wondering around the house not doing much, not looking like she’s in any distress or discomfort, driving to Houston, etc.  She’s as huge as he is.

 It’s his excuse for eating what he wants. 

[CrazyInAlabama]

It's one thing for Isaac to help out when his mother had the stroke, but how is giving up his education helping his mother's cancer treatments?   Did they ever say chemo, or radiation, or both?       

The dog was adorable, and the nieces and nephews too, but if the entire family doesn't stop eating massive amounts of junk, then I bet another generation will be joining the obesity habits of Isaac, and the sister.   The mother, and some others should have joined in with Isaac, and started eating better, and losing weight.     At least the parents took him the last couple of times to Dr. Now's.     

I was hoping Isaac was embracing the entire program, but his statement after his last appointment that he would have to keep losing to get surgery made me suspect that he's another poundticipant who thinks getting surgery means he can go back to his normal diet, and eat what he wants then.    It's a tool, and they just refuse to understand that.     I don't think he'll ever leave his mother's house, and have his own life.    

It was good that he wore something on his feet, but it looked like the same slippers throughout the episode.     

The little dog was adorable.    

[cynicat]

Dr. Now fired off a line that made me literally LOL.  When Isaac asked Dr. Now if he had any suggestions to help, Dr. Now said "I suggest you don't eat so much".

[Caoimhe]

2 hours ago, CrazyInAlabama said:

I was hoping Isaac was embracing the entire program, but his statement after his last appointment that he would have to keep losing to get surgery made me suspect that he's another poundticipant who thinks getting surgery means he can go back to his normal diet, and eat what he wants then.    It's a tool, and they just refuse to understand that.     I don't think he'll ever leave his mother's house, and have his own life.    

He seems to think that once he gets the magic surgery he will just automatically lose weight without changing his eating.  So many people stubbornly cling to their belief in the fairy tale!

[ClareWalks]

I don't think the mom has cancer. Or had it. At all. She seems fine, she is massively obese, there's been no evidence that she is sick. I think she maybe had a stroke, realized how much control it gave her over her family, and went full Munchausen's.

[Granny58]

I really adored Isaac.  He seems like a lovely, wounded young man.  I wish I was younger....I would be his girlfriend and take care of him!  I'm visiting my mom so we watched together and both loved this guy.   We do not understand this family at all.  It seems like they treated him like Cinderella.  That mother should NEVER have allowed him to give up his scholarship!!!  Agree with above post...she seems perfectly capable.  And if not, on occasions, how about other capable people (for the time being as they are on the obesity train as well) in that household step up and free Isaac!!!  So pissed at the mother.  And how is sending somebody on a 10 hour journey in a taxi a better idea than taking a day off of work to drive him?  Was that $661 one way?  So they're making over $1200 a day at work and can't take even an unpaid day off?  I suppose that's their rocket scientist brain surgeon jobs they have.   Re the mother and possible Munchausen (my mom and I commented that she is loving the attention), I also have the feeling that she is one of those sweet voiced bullies.  Otherwise, why would dad be a little mouse?  Poor Isaac likely needs YEARS of therapy to get to the roots of his emotions, one of which I believe is feeling unworthy and unloved, handholding with mommy notwithstanding.  He was more concerned with Dr. Now's approval than with his own progress...he lives for the approval of adults in authority, hence his breakdown in Dr. Paradise's office at the first effort of cracking his veneer.  Isaac, honey, I'm sorry I'm an old bat because I would totally take care of you.  

[AZChristian]

If the entire family went on a diet, they could pay Isaac's college tuition with the money they would save on food - and probably have enough left over for him to spend a year in Europe after graduation.

[Hellohappylife]

50 minutes ago, ClareWalks said:

I don't think the mom has cancer. Or had it. At all. She seems fine, she is massively obese, there's been no evidence that she is sick. I think she maybe had a stroke, realized how much control it gave her over her family, and went full Munchausen's.

I’m not gonna try to figure out if she actually has/had cancer.  But if she really has been/is sick for 15+ years I wouldn’t have known otherwise, From what I saw She moved around just fine, did her hair and makeup everyday, put on actual outfits, drove a car. Played soccer. Helped him cook. It really is shocking to see that someone  her age who has had chemo off and on for years still has long healthy hair such as hers.  And overall looks healthy other than her weight. 

My husband was diagnosed with cancer When he was 21 & in his 3rd year of college at University of Wisconsin(he’s now 30, returned and graduated UW after treatment when he was 25) he had Chemo & radiation until he was 24, he came close to dying a few times. lost all of his hair,even his eyelashes and eyebrows, he was pale, he had no desire to eat ,very thin got down to the 100s (before cancer he was a heavy guy about 300 pounds),he didn’t even look like the same person. 

from the pictures we’ve seen of isaacs mom during his childhood/teens, she looked pretty healthy,normal other then her weight. 

 

 

[ams1001]

I want to make one of those cutesy shabby chic style wall signs and put it up in my kitchen. And my living room. And every other room in my house.

[nokat]

Many of us like to crochet and knit I think. Yes, I realize I'm going to hell for even thinking it.

[ams1001]

52 minutes ago, ams1001 said:

I want to make one of those cutesy shabby chic style wall signs and put it up in my kitchen. And my living room. And every other room in my house.

I just remembered I have a little picture frame magnet on my fridge that is empty. Now I know what's going into it.

[libgirl2]

Isaac could have said something like mom, I love you, I gave up a lot to help you but now it's time for me. I need to help myself. I agree taking care of her is his excuse and crutch and she is also manipulating him. The whole family is. Such a shame, so young. At this rate he won't live long. 

Edited February 18, 2021 by libgirl2

[nokat]

25 minutes ago, libgirl2 said:

Isaac could have said something like mom, I love you, I gave up a lot to help you but now it's time for me. I need to help myself. I agree taking care of her is his excuse and crutch and she is also manipulating him. The whole family is. Such a shame, so young. At this rate he won't live long. 

For all of the snark we do, I think we all want people to succeed. Not just losing weight but in life.

[Pondlass1]

I’m assuming TLC paid that taxi bill and him stopping for food five times added in for some extra TV drama.  

Someone mentioned Cinderella, and that was the theme for this episode IMO. Except for the morbid obesity issue mother looked fine and she was definitely enjoying all the limelight. I’d never allow my child to give up a scholarship just to stay home and cook mounds of greasy beige coloured food for me. Although on the other hand, I don’t think Isaac needed much bidding. But There seemed to be other family members that could’ve stepped up to the plate. Dad seemed checked out....... also Dr Now. 

Issac seemed a nice kid. So sad. Food addiction is as evil and deadly as drug addiction. Fast food should be banned or taxed to the hilt. 

One good thing to come out of the pandemic, many families have discovered the joys of home cooking apparently, which is a good thing.

 

[Hellga]

12 hours ago, Concerned said:

Mrs. Buttersworth

I have never heard of this chain... must be a Texas thing.

10 hours ago, Hellohappylife said:

The sister will be isaac’s size in no time. 

Mom could use the family discount too!  I am surprised that the father managed to avoid getting fat.  Maybe he does physical labor and burns through those calories?  Or just has a better sense of portion sizes. 

7 hours ago, CrazyInAlabama said:

I don't think he'll ever leave his mother's house, and have his own life.    

Agree.  I was thinking about Sean too... he is kind of a reverse Sean in that instead of being infantilized, he has been pushed into caregiver role, but it's just a reverse of the same ugly codependence model, not any improvement.

1 hour ago, Granny58 said:

..he lives for the approval of adults in authority

I was getting the same vibes off him... it's very sad.  Especially for me, because I have always been more of a 'there are nearly 8 billion people in the world, if I care about what all of them think, I will never get anything done' gal myself.   

[libgirl2]

26 minutes ago, Hellga said:

I have never heard of this chain... must be a Texas thing.

Mom could use the family discount too!  I am surprised that the father managed to avoid getting fat.  Maybe he does physical labor and burns through those calories?  Or just has a better sense of portion sizes. 

Agree.  I was thinking about Sean too... he is kind of a reverse Sean in that instead of being infantilized, he has been pushed into caregiver role, but it's just a reverse of the same ugly codependence model, not any improvement.

I was getting the same vibes off him... it's very sad.  Especially for me, because I have always been more of a 'there are nearly 8 billion people in the world, if I care about what all of them think, I will never get anything done' gal myself.   

I have had Mrs. Butterworth and I'm in the Chicago area. 

Dad probably has good genes or they eat all of the food up by the time he gets to it. 

Edited February 18, 2021 by libgirl2

[AZChristian]

35 minutes ago, Hellga said:

I have never heard of this chain... must be a Texas thing.

Mrs. Butterworth is a brand of syrup, not a fast food chain.  Pretty much any grocery store sells it.

[Hellga]

6 minutes ago, AZChristian said:

Mrs. Butterworth is a brand of syrup, not a fast food chain.  Pretty much any grocery store sells it.

Oh.  Ok.   I have never eaten, used for cooking or bought grocery store syrup of any kind, so I wouldn't have known.   Thanks for letting me know.

Edited February 18, 2021 by Hellga

[libgirl2]

10 minutes ago, AZChristian said:

Mrs. Butterworth is a brand of syrup, not a fast food chain.  Pretty much any grocery store sells it.

I haven't had it in ages, but I remember it being really good. 

[nokat]

Just now, libgirl2 said:

I haven't had it in ages, but I remember it being really good. 

I admit to having it on pancakes. It was good.

[nokat]

I can't hate on Isaac. There are people who have been on this show who are just mean. Isaac is not, and he wants to take care of people.

[libgirl2]

4 minutes ago, nokat said:

I can't hate on Isaac. There are people who have been on this show who are just mean. Isaac is not, and he wants to take care of people.

No, I can't either, but he does need to do something for himself. 

[nokat]

Just now, libgirl2 said:

No, I can't either, but he does need to do something for himself. 

I agree. I hope he can. There is a handsome and good guy under the fat.

[Bobby88]

29 minutes ago, Pondlass1 said:

Someone mentioned Cinderella, and that was the theme for this episode IMO. Except for the morbid obesity issue mother looked fine and she was definitely enjoying all the limelight. I’d never allow my child to give up a scholarship just to stay home and cook mounds of greasy beige coloured food for me. Although on the other hand, I don’t think Isaac needed much bidding. But There seemed to be other family members that could’ve stepped up to the plate. Dad seemed checked out....... also Dr Now. 

Did anyone else find it weird and inappropriate the way Mom kept holding Isaac's hand in the waiting room? Almost like they were a couple instead of mother and son? I actually kept forgetting that the father was even in the picture until the camera would get a shot of him (always with resting bitch face) with the caption "Tony, Isaac's father". There are some serious boundary issues in this family. 

I accidentally deleted it after I was done and can't do a re-watch, so someone correct me if I'm wrong about Isaac's backstory. He said that for the first three years of his life, he was allergic to nearly every food known to man and miraculously "overcame" this at about age four. At that time, he became addicted to food and was 100 lbs by age six, 200 by age ten, etc. Given the mom's (IMO) questionable cancer diagnosis, something tells me that there never was any such food allergy or if there was, it was way less severe, and has nothing to do with him being nearly 700 lbs now. It just sounds to me like mom invented the story as an excuse for why her son was overeating and why she overfed him. It's not like Isaac would be able to remember any of that now anyway, although I think he claimed he did. It was sort of in the same category as Ashley the Catfish's backstory, only he wasn't the one to make it up.

I get serious Munchausen's vibes from Mom. As far as her cancer is concerned, isn't uterine cancer one of the most treatable forms of female cancer? I'm a guy, so I wouldn't know for sure, but as I understand it, there is a very low recurrence rate and needing constant chemo treatments like she kept claiming (while being more or less the same size as her son) is practically unheard of. According to both Isaac and mom, she got cancer WITHIN THE FIRST YEAR OF HIM BEING AT COLLEGE AND LIVING ON HIS OWN! That seems awfully convenient. As right as her son is starting to show signs of getting some of his eating habits under control, she needs more chemo! I detect a pattern here.

I wouldn't be surprised if Dr. Now mentioned some of these suspicions privately to Dr. Paradise before Isaac's first session. You could tell by the way he asked the mother "How's the chemo going?" that he's onto her. And it's certainly no coincidence that she went to the therapy session with her son.

 

[Pepper Mostly]

1 hour ago, Hellga said:

 

Mom could use the family discount too!  I am surprised that the father managed to avoid getting fat.  Maybe he does physical labor and burns through those calories?  Or just has a better sense of portion sizes.  

Heh. Dad gets what's left after the rest of the family has fallen upon the day's menu like ravening beasts. He doesn't look that scrappy, so he probably hangs back and as a result gets a few scraps.  

[ams1001]

19 minutes ago, Bobby88 said:

I accidentally deleted it after I was done and can't do a re-watch, so someone correct me if I'm wrong about Isaac's backstory. He said that for the first three years of his life, he was allergic to nearly every food known to man and miraculously "overcame" this at about age four. At that time, he became addicted to food and was 100 lbs by age six, 200 by age ten, etc. Given the mom's (IMO) questionable cancer diagnosis, something tells me that there never was any such food allergy or if there was, it was way less severe, and has nothing to do with him being nearly 700 lbs now. It just sounds to me like mom invented the story as an excuse for why her son was overeating and why she overfed him. It's not like Isaac would be able to remember any of that now anyway, although I think he claimed he did. It was sort of in the same category as Ashley the Catfish's backstory, only he wasn't the one to make it up.

Kids do outgrow some food allergies, but I don't know how likely that is when if they have multiple foods they're allergic to. I'm curious which ones they were. My friend's younger son was allergic to dairy as an infant to the point that she had to stop eating it while she was nursing, but he can eat it now (he's 13; not sure at what age he was able to tolerate it).

When he was talking to his mom about his plan for that first healthy dinner of shrimp and salad, she was sounding supportive but her expression seemed skeptical.

[nokat]

5 minutes ago, ams1001 said:

Kids do outgrow some food allergies, but I don't know how likely that is when if they have multiple foods they're allergic to. I'm curious which ones they were. My friend's younger son was allergic to dairy as an infant to the point that she had to stop eating it while she was nursing, but he can eat it now (he's 13; not sure at what age he was able to tolerate it).

When he was talking to his mom about his plan for that first healthy dinner of shrimp and salad, she was sounding supportive but her expression seemed skeptical.

Kids can outgrow them. I have to do a rotating diet so I don't start reacting. I should clarify, I at first start reacting in mild ways. If I ignore it, then it is more serious.

Edited February 18, 2021 by nokat

[Hellga]

11 minutes ago, ams1001 said:

Kids do outgrow some food allergies, but I don't know how likely that is when if they have multiple foods they're allergic to.

Some infants have major allergy issues and others have food tolerability issues (tolerability and allergy are often confused, for foods and for medications) to where they cannot even have real food as they cannot tolerate any actual proteins so they have to have special formula that contains aminoacids all broken down.  The vilest tasting thing I ever had to put in my mouth.  This is quite possibly what he had, and usually it does resolve by the age of 3 or so.   Definitely not an excuse to overfeed him to this state once allergies resolved.  Besides, her other kids are also morbidly obese and they had no such issues.

Also, I remember there was a discussion about 'hypo-allergenic' in the chat, that I didn't have chance to respond to as I was running to the kitchen every 10 minutes.  When something (or, I suppose, someONE) is 'allergENic' - they *cause* allergies, when someone is experiencing allergies, it's 'allergic'.  Usually the term is 'polyallergic' if there are allergies to multiple things.  The only context I can think of for 'hyperallergic' is a severe allergic reaction, it refers to the severity and not to how many things someone may or may not be allergic to.  Given that they aren't using proper words to describe what's happening to him lends credence to the thought they are making it up as an excuse and it never was actually medically diagnosed...

Edited February 18, 2021 by Hellga

[Bobby88]

2 minutes ago, ams1001 said:

Kids do outgrow some food allergies, but I don't know how likely that is when if they have multiple foods they're allergic to. I'm curious which ones they were. My friend's younger son was allergic to dairy as an infant to the point that she had to stop eating it while she was nursing, but he can eat it now (he's 13; not sure at what age he was able to tolerate it).

When he was talking to his mom about his plan for that first healthy dinner of shrimp and salad, she was sounding supportive but her expression seemed skeptical.

I had to have soy milk until I was about five. Some kids do have really severe food allergies which they outgrow.

But something about this story with Isaac just doesn't feel right. The whole family dynamic doesn't feel right.

[Caoimhe]

Just re-watching this morning.  Mom being on steroids for the last months of pregnancy won’t have helped Isaac at all.  She did talk about him having food allergies and “being so small” but as was mentioned in live chat I don’t think she understands what size a normal child should be.  It sounds like she really pushed him to eat once his sensitivities resolved.

[sempervivum]

This poor fat baby boy will NEVER escape mom. 

 

[pdlinda]

2 hours ago, Pondlass1 said:

One good thing to come out of the pandemic, many families have discovered the joys of home cooking apparently, which is a good thing.

As was mentioned upthread I believe ALL the recent episodes with only vaguely "successful" story lines were filmed YEARS AGO, way before the pandemic!  The producers must have kept these episodes "in the can" for times they needed shows to comply with their contract with TLC and they didn't have new episodes to air.  

Also, I agree (hope) that the show paid for those exorbitant taxi rides (2 visits both ways= $4,000!!!); however, I doubt they would still do that today.

In recent years the show seems to have reduced "discretionary" spending for the poundticipants (long hospital stays with a controlled diet, dieticians sent to the home, and long stays in rehab facilities, to name a few that insurance must have mostly paid for, but the show picked up the tab for the rest of the immense costs of such services).

[TVbitch]

4 hours ago, ams1001 said:

I want to make one of those cutesy shabby chic style wall signs and put it up in my kitchen. And my living room. And every other room in my house.

I think you mean... "Don't do dat." 

[CrazyInAlabama]

I think Isaac's mother is one of those people who want everyone to focus on them, and their lifelong goal is that when they finally die, their survivors will be left without any direction, or anything in their lives, and fall apart.   It's not love, it's being a bully.   

[libgirl2]

In Hispanic culture (and many others) there is always one child, male or female, who is their parents' caretaker. They don't marry or they marry after their parents pass away. My aunt was one of 5 daughters and she took care of my grandparents in their old age,  while her sisters married and had children. My ex's uncle was the same, his siblings all married and he took care of his parents. 

[Cherrio]

The whole family seemed zoned out and stupid.  A taxi?

At least we were spared a shower scene, of course he might not shower so........He has one of those I never shave because I am too lazy beards too.

I found it very disturbing that Dr. Paradise allowed his parents in the session.  I agree with everyone else that there is something very wrong with that mother.

Just once I wish they would use this scale.

[libgirl2]

Taking another look at him, he would be one hell of a cute guy if he lost some weight! 

[Mothra]

14 hours ago, Bluesky said:

I’ve had Chemo before and the drug side effects are awful, no hair etc. But we are seeing his mother chowing down at the dinner table, wondering around the house not doing much, not looking like she’s in any distress or discomfort, driving to Houston, etc.  She’s as huge as he is.

 It’s his excuse for eating what he wants. 

I've had two rounds of chemo, years apart, and I can tell you there's chemo and then there's CHEMO.  His mom appears to me to have had the milder version, which really is not too bad at all.  I don't know what the family did for cooking and whatever else Isaac did while he was away at college, but it seemed to me, too, that he was not giving his mom any chemo-specific help.  And there were what--four other children?

I think maybe Isaac enjoys being the martyr giving up his dreams to do for others.  Maybe he had no choice as a young boy when his mom had the stroke.  It sounds like he had a great adolescence, no bullying, popular, lots of activities.  But then he went to college and suddenly when his mom was diagnosed with cancer he went back into backbone of the family mode.  I understand his dropping out for a short while to help when she was having surgery, but once she was pretty stable, he should have gone back to school.  He didn't say anything about his college experience--was he being bullied or shunned because of his weight?  Was the work a lot harder than he was used to (did he mention that at one time they were home-schooled?); was his tuba-playing (or sax or piano) not up to par?  I think college wasn't going as well as high school had, and he was glad of a reason to drop out.

He seemed like a sweet guy, with a nice family, but I'm not sure he'll be successful.  I think he's discovered his niche and is quite comfortable in it.  If he can lose weight to a safer size, I doubt that he'll go much farther--why should he?

[Mothra]

30 minutes ago, libgirl2 said:

In Hispanic culture (and many others) there is always one child, male or female, who is their parents' caretaker. They don't marry or they marry after their parents pass away. My aunt was one of 5 daughters and she took care of my grandparents in their old age,  while her sisters married and had children. My ex's uncle was the same, his siblings all married and he took care of his parents. 

The movie "Water for Chocolate"!!!

[mittsigirl]

My daughter died of cancer. When she began her chemo treatments, they cut her beautiful, long hair because it was starting to fall out anyway.  She never felt much like eating anything, and she lost weight, never gained anything. Once she began radiation treatments, she swelled up from them, but you could tell it wasn't just from gaining weight. This Mother may have had cancer, but she sure never looked like my daughter did, she shouldn't have been so big, yet she was very large. And her hair seemed normal. But then I never lived with them, so I don't know the real story. Why couldn't the rest of the family help out the Mother, why only Isaac? 

[Scarlett45]

20 minutes ago, Mothra said:

I think college wasn't going as well as high school had, and he was glad of a reason to drop out.

He seemed like a sweet guy, with a nice family, but I'm not sure he'll be successful.  I think he's discovered his niche and is quite comfortable in it.  If he can lose weight to a safer size, I doubt that he'll go much farther--why should he?

I got that feeling too. I did think Issac was a sweet guy, who had a natural talent and inclination towards caregiving. If he had the aptitude academically he would've been a good fit for nursing school, if not, perhaps a career as a professional caregiver. We NEED more men in the field, especially to assist with the care of men who are often bigger and taller. This of course is all assuming he got down to a decent weight- he may have always been obese, but a life in the 200s/300s is very different than a life in the 600s!

 

He was so young and had such a sweet spirit, but his lamenting about not wanting weight loss surgery if it conflicted with his Mom's treatments, and his Mom sitting there and NOT saying anything to stop him......ummmmhmmmm. I dont think he will ever break away. Best case he may lose some weight and live in the 400s and be his parents' caregiver for the rest of their lives. Nothing wrong with that if it truly fulfills him and he wants that, but he may live to regret never trying anything else.

 

44 minutes ago, libgirl2 said:

In Hispanic culture (and many others) there is always one child, male or female, who is their parents' caretaker. They don't marry or they marry after their parents pass away. My aunt was one of 5 daughters and she took care of my grandparents in their old age,  while her sisters married and had children. My ex's uncle was the same, his siblings all married and he took care of his parents. 

Yes this was more of universal arrangement in many cultures before social programs etc for the elderly (like social security, pension programs etc) The child that would be the parents' caretaker would inherit the home, as they were the one living there and didn't pursue marriage or another residence as they were caring for the parents. The son would provide the financial support, a daughter would provide the domestic support- if they did get married the spouse understood they were to "fill in" that support structure. 

If Issac wants to be his mother's caregiver that is fine if its HIS choice, and he has thought about pursuing other things, but I do think his Mom should've encouraged him to stay in school.

[fonfereksglen]

2 hours ago, pdlinda said:

As was mentioned upthread I believe ALL the recent episodes with only vaguely "successful" story lines were filmed YEARS AGO, way before the pandemic!  The producers must have kept these episodes "in the can" for times they needed shows to comply with their contract with TLC and they didn't have new episodes to air.  

 

During last night's episode, Dr. Now was wearing his fancy stethoscope and his white coat full of pins and medals on the lapels.  Both are relatively new.  I would agree that it is possible that they never intended to show this episode.  

[Scarlett45]

28 minutes ago, libgirl2 said:

Taking another look at him, he would be one hell of a cute guy if he lost some weight! 

Yes his family was full of attractive people. his hair was so shinny!

[mittsigirl]

1 hour ago, Scarlett45 said:

Yes his family was full of attractive people. his hair was so shinny!

LOL, maybe Isaac uses mayonnaise on his hair like Ed (from 90 Days) does!

[Hellga]

1 hour ago, Scarlett45 said:

Yes this was more of universal arrangement in many cultures before social programs etc for the elderly (like social security, pension programs etc)

I've literally never heard of that.  Not a part of Russian culture.  Back in the old days, the eldest son would get married and bring his wife into his parents' house and she would be taking care of the in-laws but they would have their own family and everything, and younger kids were also expected to help if they lived around...  life was generally a more communal affair.  But everyone was expected to get married and have a family unless they joined a monastery or went into military (until they retired from it) or had something wrong with them.  Not everyone did (or wanted to) but it was never a forced option in order 'to take care of parents'... Even today in Russia people almost never go to nursing homes and such (unless they have no family), though nowadays it's more commonly a daughter who is the primary caregiver vs. a daughter in law... and now it's often the grandchildren - assuming no major things like medical care/ADLs needed, just regular help with groceries, cleaning, etc. because they get to a) move away from their parents and have more personal freedom and b) get to inherit the property after the grandparent passes (if both spouses are living, usually they take care of each other).  

Edited February 18, 2021 by Hellga

[WonTon]

My thoughts:

I really liked Isaac. He seems like a very genuine, kind, caring person. However, I'm confused as to why it's his job to take care of his mom and do all the cooking. The entire family, even mom, looked totally capable. And I feel surrounded by them it's going to be very hard for him to keep the weight off - although I am definitely rooting for him. 

I was so happy no shower scene. I HATE those. We already know these people's lives are hard, no need to humiliate them further.

And, I think maybe, we have a new candidate for cutest dog ever for this show. What a doll!

Edited February 18, 2021 by WonTon