S12.E07 Charles' Journey

[CrazyInAlabama]

After quitting his drug addiction, a man instead became addicted to food and soon found himself unable to stop even as he continues to put on weight.

This is the show for 17 April. Sorry for the confusion. 

Edited April 11 by CrazyInAlabama

[aliya]

Have we started yet?

[LizzyB]

I think this is Shakiya's journey, isn't it? Different chat?

[ams1001]

What a dull episode. The journey went absolutely nowhere.

[Elizzikra]

35 minutes ago, ams1001 said:

What a dull episode. The journey went absolutely nowhere.

It was a master class in self delusion. I was stunned that Charles lost weight - and good for him - but I would bet that he gained it back. I think he really needed the promise of surgery to stick to the plan. 

God love his brother. That kid has the patience of a saint. I don't know that he will deny Charles anything but I was really impressed by how he encouraged Charles and embraced different ways of cooking and eating. His roast chicken looked good (and yes, I know it's not hard to roast a chicken but still...).

[Brooklynista]

Well, this was a nothing burrger episode. I would have appreciated it if we saw a new patient after Charles closed that laptop.

[Chatty Cake]

Another pounder who knew better than Dr. Now despite not being able to do anything for himself. 
Also some blanks to fill in about the brother. The sister said early on that everyone in the family had used drugs. Did that include the brother?  Something seemed off with him despite the fact that he was nice and caring with his brother. The trip to Texas with no appointment was risky and I’m surprised that brother and sister thought that was a good idea. 
Charles refusal to go to Texas when he had nothing going on in that apartment was a shame. 

[cynicat]

I got the feeling that he never planned to go to Texas and was playing the show.

[msuvig]

How tall is Charles? He must be reallllllly short if Dr Now says 100 lbs is a good weight for him???

[Chatty Cake]

18 minutes ago, msuvig said:

How tall is Charles? He must be reallllllly short if Dr Now says 100 lbs is a good weight for him???

5ft

 

1 hour ago, cynicat said:

I got the feeling that he never planned to go to Texas and was playing the show.

At one point got the feeling that the brother had a script. I think Charles and Bradley were content to stay in Washington, in the apartment not working and just hanging out all day. Charles should have felt bad that his brother isn’t going anywhere because of him. Both are enablers but the brother seemed young. 

Edited April 18 by Chatty Cake

[cpcathy]

So… they decided to grill all their food, yet had no grill. They drive to the park grill and they make….wait for it…hot dogs.

[libgirl2]

23 minutes ago, cpcathy said:

So… they decided to grill all their food, yet had no grill. They drive to the park grill and they make….wait for it…hot dogs.

I guess they tried? Maybe they were turkey dogs? 

Edited April 18 by libgirl2

[AZChristian]

I thought his first weight loss was great.  But no way in h**l that his blood pressure was 138/72.  

[libgirl2]

23 minutes ago, AZChristian said:

I thought his first weight loss was great.  But no way in h**l that his blood pressure was 138/72.  

Without my meds, my BP is worse! And I weigh a fourth of his weight. 

[snarkish]

Hi, folks. I've been reading from the wings for a season or so now. 

I wanted to chime in regarding his height. I am a mere 4'10". Even if Charles is 5 feet, 100 pounds is a ridiculously low weight to be at. At my leanest I got to 95 pounds in high school and I looked way too thin. Yes, I have to lose weight (currently 180 and size 14) but my goal is not to be under 125. One of the reasons I have been quiet is although I watch this like a train-wreck, Dr. Now's recommendations (jumping to a 1200 calorie diet immediately, no immediate psychotherapy, etc.) really concern me. 

[CrazyInAlabama]

I looked at the ideal weight chart, for 100 lbs. Charles can't be 5', he must be shorter.    

I think Charles was another delusional poundticipant, who thinks he doesn't have to diet to get surgery, will instantly receive surgery when he goes to Houston, and can fly back to Washington right after surgery.   And he'll magically lose hundreds of pounds without dieting.   

If they ever considered moving to Houston for a few months, I bet the logistics of moving, getting an affordable place, and probably losing their Washington affordable housing changed their minds.    

[SDVegas]

3 hours ago, cpcathy said:

So… they decided to grill all their food, yet had no grill. They drive to the park grill and they make….wait for it…hot dogs.

And instead of getting a rideshare to the park every time they wanted to grill, it would have been cheaper to just buy a small grill. 
 

 

I know the answer to this, but I’ll ask it anyway. 

If his first caretaker washed his hair and his back, he couldn’t stand for more than a few seconds so couldn’t actually shower, and he admittedly couldn’t really wipe himself well, was any other part of his body ever getting cleaned?

Edited April 18 by SDVegas

[pvandal]

I watched this episode because I also live in Everett. Most city shots like when you see the Funko sign are Everett but the Ken’s Grocery where they showed them shopping is 25 miles to the south in Seattle. I wonder why he needs groceries from a specialty market. Ken’s is not cheap. And we have a Trader Joe’s at the mall if he needs fancier than Safeway.

It is fun seeing local places. Like the lake he was fishing in, I live a few miles from it.

[lilysmom]

6 hours ago, snarkish said:

Hi, folks. I've been reading from the wings for a season or so now. 

I wanted to chime in regarding his height. I am a mere 4'10". Even if Charles is 5 feet, 100 pounds is a ridiculously low weight to be at. At my leanest I got to 95 pounds in high school and I looked way too thin. Yes, I have to lose weight (currently 180 and size 14) but my goal is not to be under 125. One of the reasons I have been quiet is although I watch this like a train-wreck, Dr. Now's recommendations (jumping to a 1200 calorie diet immediately, no immediate psychotherapy, etc.) really concern me. 

I so totally agree with  you concerning the 1200 calorie diet cold turkey and no therapy.

I guess to me, it doesn't matter what Dr. Now says his goal weight should be, (100 or 200 or 300lbs) he isn't going to reach any of them anyway. I think he wanted to impress on him how dire his situation is. And yes, therapy right away!

[CrazyInAlabama]

11 hours ago, pvandal said:

I watched this episode because I also live in Everett. Most city shots like when you see the Funko sign are Everett but the Ken’s Grocery where they showed them shopping is 25 miles to the south in Seattle. I wonder why he needs groceries from a specialty market. Ken’s is not cheap. And we have a Trader Joe’s at the mall if he needs fancier than Safeway.

It is fun seeing local places. Like the lake he was fishing in, I live a few miles from it.

Most stores don't allow filming, so for the grocery trip the visits have to be at places that will allow the camera crew. 

They changed the first few scenes with the personal care assistant we'll never see again.   

The remark about the state paying his bill to buy burgers, fast food places aren't legal, but lots of big box and convenience stores have microwave burgers too.   And pizza, and all kinds of stuff.     

First Bonus Scene (at least that I noticed) is Charles doing foot exercises.    

I'm sick of seeing the outside of the town house, and Charles' brown t-shirt.   

I still can't believe how rude Charles is to hang up on the video call with Dr. Now.   This is  after the reams of excuses about why he hasn't gone for a local weigh-in, the protein shakes not on the diet, and his total defiance of everything. 

Bonus scene-Charles and brother eating out.  Large taco salad, and Fanta orange is Charles' order.  Definitely not on the diet. 

Month 7-Flight to Houston.  Of course Charles will be stared at, he has a camera crew with him.  I can't believe he thinks Dr. Now will be happy to seem him without an appointment, or without any contact except hanging up on Dr. Now.   His visit to Dr. Now's office is interesting.   The look on Charles and the brother's face when he weighs in at 677 is stunned. 

Did I fall asleep and miss the B-B-Q stop?   Or did they cut it?    (Last night, it was followed by Happy Farmer B-B-Q, and I bet epic amounts of carry out food and desserts.  That place does have grilled options too.)

Then, after the clinic weigh-in Everett when Charles and Bradley say they'll never move to Houston is so wrong. But Charles still claims he will lose 40 lbs., and thinks Dr. Now will let him fly down to Houston and back immediately after surgery is bizarre.  Then, Charles tells Dr. Now that he should get surgery in Seattle, which was the logical thing to do anyway.    I wonder if he's already been refused for local programs?    There's nothing Dr. Now can do to get another surgeon to take Charles in their program.    (I can't believe I'm watching this tonight). 

 

 

Edited April 19 by CrazyInAlabama

[Elizzikra]

Quote

a nothing burrger

Dat is not on de diet.

Quote

But Charles still claims he will lose 40 lbs., and thinks Dr. Now will let him fly down to Houston and back immediately after surgery is bizarre.  (I can't believe I'm watching this tonight). 

Didn't he, at the end, ask Dr. Now if he could get surgery in Seattle? Like Dr. Now could do like, ubersurgery? 

Quote

If they ever considered moving to Houston for a few months, I bet the logistics of moving, getting an affordable place, and probably losing their Washington affordable housing changed their minds.   

I've always thought Dr. Now and the show make light of how difficult moving out of state is when you are dependent on benefits (even if you aren't). The apartment in Seattle seemed nice from the outside but there were four adults living there and presumably all contributing to the rent. If Charles and his brother moved to Houston, they would have to afford a place on their own and the sister and her boyfriend would have to somehow afford the Seattle place on their own (or move). Also Charles would have to reapply for benefits in Texas if he leaves Washington. That also can take time and it didn't seem they had money to live on without benefits. 

Quote

Charles and Bradley were content to stay in Washington, in the apartment not working

Oh Bradley worked. He was at Charles's beck and call 24/7. He's earning whatever he makes as Charles's caregiver. 

[Texasmom1970]

On 4/18/2024 at 7:19 AM, cpcathy said:

So… they decided to grill all their food, yet had no grill. They drive to the park grill and they make….wait for it…hot dogs.

I shouldn't say much. With my sweet tooth I'd be out there trying to grill a pie or cheesecake. 😀

[Scratches19]

Hello fellow Dr. Now watchers. I almost never get to live chat during the show since we typically watch it after it’s been recorded on Monday or Tuesday night following.
 

My eating habit tonight was four slices of leftover pizza. Right now I can relate to the pound participants because I’ve been having a little trouble maintaining the progress I made last year. And it’s the same thing when he mentioned the sugar high and the endorphins from food and the stress interactions I could totally get that.  But my BMI is one fourth of the 133 BMI. I’d have you reach 1200 lbs to hit that BMI. 
 

I was torn watching Charles on this episode because he had flashes of self awareness and humanity yet I suspected he was going to be one of those ones in denial, and the whole set up there with paid enablers and the drugs around the family history were both red flags.  
Frankly it was hard to watch due to some very recent history involving a family member who lived up there and the drug culture that ultimately took the life of at least one person close to that family member. I was up there several times trying to deal with the aftermath last year. And dealing with other sketchy drug people in the process.
So yeah it was triggering and I could recognize subtle signs. It all looks suspect to me because I’ve seen it. Functional addiction looks a lot like what you saw with family.

I suspect brother and even Charles may have been dabbling in stuff although it could just be he was habituated to the kind of Happy Talk that you heard from him. Its classic addict talk.  On the one hand it feels like it’s supportive on the other hand, he’s simply enabling while helping. Hard to explain, but I see it for what it is and when the chips fell, it was, he (brother) who did not want to go to Houston. That was clear to me.

Brother was Mr. Supportive on camera but when it came to having to actually move, and he thought he might not be able to manipulate Charles, he had to come out strong on not going to Houston. Watch how he looks during that last call to Dr Now. Brother is giddy because he got what he wanted. Once Charles clearly decided to stay here he then reversed back to cheerleader and helper (and bullshitter). 

Moving is not easy in any situation, but think about the incentives they had to stay including housing support. Paid caretaker role for the brother, and probably probably food assistance. Not trying to run afoul of the forum guidelines here just noting the realities that they had things pretty wired and a nice apartment, and moving to Houston would disrupt all that and they might never be able to get back to that set up. I’m sure that was the brother’s calculus. 

About the bed situation. Why did we keep seeing a different bed in every scene?  It seemed like sometimes the bed was double height on a boxspring, sometimes it was a bigger mattress on the floor, sometimes it look like a kid’s mattress. So what was going on with that bed situation? Confusing.

Huge red flag when he did not make the initial weigh in appointment because “van wouldn’t start”. Yet they rideshare to get food at the grocery store, go fishing, and they later rideshare to the park to grill hot dogs they could have grilled in a frying pan at home?

Then there was the paid tourism in Houston by rideshare. At some point I just felt like there was much more going on here than meets the eye. The brother felt very scripted and angelic on camera. Which reminded me very much of having dealt with addicts who give you a great story. Great story and let me tell you it’s amazing how they can lie. The Pacific Northwest is rife with meth addicts. 
 

The whole thing was very difficult to watch. The one highlight was when he actually did lose 73 pounds. But then that was squandered. 

I hope somehow he can sustain more weight loss and keep eating the healthy diet, but I’m not optimistic. Andv he needs to become independent of any paid enablers. 

 

Edited April 23 by Scratches19

[Scratches19]

On 4/18/2024 at 7:22 AM, AZChristian said:

I thought his first weight loss was great.  But no way in h**l that his blood pressure was 138/72.  

I think possibly he was on BP meds (noticed at one point he downed some pills as part of his daily routine). Funny though, we had the same reaction.