Jump to content

Type keyword(s) to search
Log-in Changes With Upcoming Upgrade

S13.E03: Karen’s Journey

CrazyInAlabama

By CrazyInAlabama
in My 600-lb Life

  • Reply
  • Start Topic

Recommended Posts

CrazyInAlabama

CrazyInAlabama

  • Author
(edited)

Karen S, age 42, from: Rocky Mount NC

Lovely home, clean and very nice. Not the norm for this show sadly. Unfortunately, she's on the ground floor and bathroom is upstairs. 16 stairs up to the shower. Lives with her twin son Ryan, and daughter, Amber.

Her legs look so painful. She has asthma, and anxiety. Avoids doctor's appointments, housebound. Physically abused as a child. Parentified over younger siblings.

Breakfast is a dozen eggs, lots of sausage, and two plates worth. Always was overweight, and panic attacks in seventh grade to the present. 

Sexually abused as a 15 year old.  Lead to self harm.   In mental hospital for months. Had a job working with others to help them, and had a panic attack at work, and only works from home, counseling as a social worker. Nearly 400 lbs by 23.  Depression and anxiety counseling, met a man, that produced the twins, when man left.

Her son is shown grocery shopping while she tells him what she wants over the phone. 

Her goal is to be healthy enough to participate in her children's graduation activities next year.

An entire family meal of KFC is an awful way to show her kids how to eat.   I'm really hoping she'll embrace the program and change. 

Dr. Now compromises and let's her go to a local clinic for a weigh in.   I'm not getting a good feeling about this, and her 'journey'.  

Her degree is in social work.  

Month 1 nweigh-in at local clinic  lbs.    Having her first online therapy appointment with Dr. Paradise.  He gives her homework to open the black out curtains every morning, and take her cute little dog for a walk. 

45 minutes into the episode and nothing, this isn't good, and I'm betting she'll never even attempt to see Dr. Now in person.  She's opening curtains, and trying to take dog for a walk.  Failed at dog walking.   Still no local clinic visit. Her test trip to the clinic location is bizarre. She's backing out on the clinic visit. 

Bailed on the local clinic appointment, and ducking out on Dr. Now's calls. 

She finally talks to Dr. Now, and claims she lost 100 lbs. No way, and still no weigh-in.

If she can go to the grocery store trips, she can go to the clinic.   Her lunch is a huge delivery from Chick-Fil-A,  A clinic representaltive brings a scale and will do some tests.  

Weight 604 lbs. How can she say she lost weight? She was just guessing before. Dr. Now will set up a local appointment at the clinic in two months. 

The highlight of hour 2 is the hairdresser making house calls, and Karen's delusion she lost 100 lbs when she has no ideal what she weighed at the beginning. 

90 minutes into the episode she chickens out on the weigh in, because 'there might be people at the clinic'.  Not a surprise. The clinic parking lot is empty.     What a nothing episode. 

The nurse practitioner from the clinic  is bringing a scale for weigh in to her house.  First weigh in was 604 lbs, second is 583.  Karen claims the scale is wrong, because she lost at least 200 lbs. 

She finally talks to Dr. Now, she claims the scale is wrong.  When she says everyone tells her she lost so much weight, and Dr. Now asks who told her, because she never goes out.   Dr. Now tells her to lose 50 lbs, weigh in at the local clinic, and have more sessions with Dr. Paradise. 

Two months later, she demands the scale be brought to her again, and if she made her goal Dr. Now will keep working with her.  If she hasn't met her goal, and she hasn't, then she's out of the program. 

Last weigh in 583, 572 this time, so down 11 lbs. And again she says the scale is defective, and she's not calling Dr. Now.  She's actually mad at Dr. Now, claims she lost 100 lbs, and she knows more than Dr. Now.    As Dr. Now's book title says "Scales Don't Lie, People Do" 

She also quits on Dr. Paradise, and claims she has a local therapist she's working with.    

The ending scene is Karen claiming she's losing weight, She's not. She was a waste of time for Dr. Now, and Dr. Paradise.  She's down to 552 on her home scale. She's still claiming her scale weighs her too high.   She also claims her own scale is lying, and she's lost 200 lbs.  I beleive nothing she says.   

Edited by CrazyInAlabama
  • Like 1
  • Sad 2
  • Thanks 5
  • Applause 1
  • Useful 1
BAForever

BAForever

Episode made me incredibly sad. Her mental illness is affecting not only her, but her (seemingly) very nice children. 

Her daughter seemed bright and supportive, but struggling with her own weight. Her son missed the weight problem, but those 2 kids need to be busy with school activities and friends- not caring for their delusional mother. 

  • Like 8
Tango64

Tango64

There apparently is a serious problem in this country with faulty scales. It is outrageous that both the scales brought to weigh her were so wildly off that they could not register her obvious 200-lb. weight loss. It was so bad that the poor woman had to buy her own scale and what do you know, that one was faulty also!

We should be writing our representatives to demand an investigation into Big Scale. 

  • LOL 9
Mollywolly555

Mollywolly555

I think Karen was putting on her "sane, competent  professional" act for the cameras. 

I seriously question her 4.0 GPA. The delusion is outrageously strong in this one. 

She never said,   "Please, thank you,  etc., to her kids. She kind of ordered them around. I doubtt she is that calm when her groceries or door dash is late. 

Her codependent daughter, Amber has learned to read the signs and tone in Karen's voice so she fulfills the servant/cook/cleaner/ role handily, as well as sympathizing with mom Karen, this reinforcing the agoraphobia and overeating. She knows better than to challenge Mom. So sad. Amber will never leave mom.

The crazy talk about the scales was seriously off the charts. Lying about having a therapist also. No one has that kind of patience unless you have incredible insurance to cover the visits. 

My son has OCD, about germs, and it is what it is. He understands that it is is unpredictable but a part of his life, and  manages very well most of the time.  

 

  • Like 5
Elizzikra

Elizzikra

2 hours ago, Pi237 said:

Didn’t she have a bag of fast food next to her during her virtual appointment with Dr Now? An appointment where she said she was going to follow his plan and lose 100lbs? 

Yes, although it seemed to be one wrap and some sort of side in a little bowl. We have definitely seen larger fast food orders.

  • Like 2
Nerfect Drifty

Nerfect Drifty

12 hours ago, Elizzikra said:

Yes, although it seemed to be one wrap and some sort of side in a little bowl. We have definitely seen larger fast food orders.

I found this particularly interesting and very instructive into the general minds of these patients.  I think that by having a smaller order she is doing better than having a huge meal, but that's not enough.  If she's doing this habitually, which I am sure she is, it would lead to a slow weight loss.  But she thinks that since she is merely overeating instead of being outright gluttonous, this counts as hard work and should be reflected in the scale.

I'm not picking on Karen here.  I think most of the patients do this, at least at first.  That's why it's uncommon to see someone hit the the doctor's goal weight on the second visit.  Exceptions are the ones that actually follow the program closely and meet the doctor's weight loss goals the first time, and the really massive screwups like Penny and James King who don't even try, continuing in their gluttony.

  • Like 2
  • Applause 1
  • Useful 1
Morgalisa

Morgalisa

There were signs of noncompliance from the beginning.  In addition to ordering take out, she was eating fruit.  Also, thumbing through Dr Now's book and not repeatedly reading it entirely.  Very little exercize; I think it's supposed to be 1 hour twice a day.  Also eating half her salad and "saving"  the rest when Dr Now says eat what you can in 15 minutes and if you stop, don't go back.

I did enjoy her tidy house.  She had a very flat affect.  I felt like she was hiding her real reactions and I sensed underlying anger or rage.

What was that dish she made with canned soup over ground beef in the oven?

And finally, she mentioned her son's graduation but not her daughter. Hmmm.

  • Like 4
BAForever

BAForever

9 minutes ago, Morgalisa said:

I did enjoy her tidy house.  She had a very flat affect.  

And finally, she mentioned her son's graduation but not her daughter. Hmmm.

The house was clean @Morgalisa, I noticed that too. I guessing Amber is responsible.

Her affect was off- very monotone speech and little emotion at first. Plus she often would repeat Dr. Now's name in a conversation. We armchair psychologists are having a field day with Karen. 

Did not catch Amber maybe not graduating high school. Praying she did, if not, she's trapped. 😥

  • Like 4
Cementhead

Cementhead

(edited)

I also appreciated the neat & tidy house and even noticed cleaning supplies scattered about in the kitchen. 

I kept hoping that Amber would get onboard with the program but didn't hold out much hope when towards the beginning of the episode she turned her nose up at mom's banana with some sort of 'I don't know how you can eat that stuff' comment. 

Then she ridiculed Dr. Now's book; 'his face is on the cover??' and also when mom did the chair exercises.

The poor dog was so looking forward to that walk around the block.  If only Amber could have started to do it.  Would have been good for both dog and her.

Speaking of the dog, this brings me to Dr. Paradise's session with Karen.  I have to say, this was my very favourite Dr. Paradise session ever.  I loved everything he had to say. 

One other thing; I was confused when Karen said she worked from home but then later told Dr. Now that she was in school for social work.  Perhaps both? 

 

Edited by Cementhead
added a thought.
  • Like 1
BAForever

BAForever

(edited)

@Tango64, usually when she answered a question, she would answer it and say "Dr. Now". Like every time. Just struck me as odd, of course it's his name- it just seemed unusual to always say it. Her social communication/conversation skills may be off since she seems to have little contact socially with people besides her children. Just adds to her mystery. Sorry I didn't explain my thoughts well, maybe I need to get out more too. 😃

Edited by BAForever
  • Like 2

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
Go to topic listing
×
×
  • Create New...