S01.E03: Where Are They Now? Penny and Tara

[Galloway Cave]

Penny was the hose beast I thought she would be and Tara was a delight. How does Penny know how much she weighs if she hasn't been on a scale? You can't say you are X number of pounds just because you are a size 4X or whatever she said. It really pissed me off that she tied every last thing back to her, like how her son was so happy she went trick or treating with him. That kid could not have cared less. Watching Edgar frantic-shop was unbelievable. She is making the same amount of money for the family as him by couponing? Dr. Now has her pegged- delusional.

 

Glad to see Tara is doing well and loosing weight. She isn't pinning her weight lose plans on skin surgery either. And congrats on the engagement.

Edited January 22, 2015 by Galloway Cave

[PityFree]

I don't understand the point of bringing all of the grocery bags over to Penny so she can inspect them when Edgar got home from the grocery store. of course I also don't understand having her prepare food in her bed or put leftovers away from her bed or everything else she doesn't her bed.

[Guest]

That kid could not have cared less.

Right?! Poor kid. I'd have been mortified!

I loved the deli counter spread, complete with sanitary gloves, on the bed. I was waiting for her to call numbers for pick up.

How Edgar doesn't take that kid out of the house and never step foot in it again is beyond me. You'd better believe Penny would find a way out of that bed ASAP if either of those two human slaves weren't there serving her.

Oh! And I was just WAITING for her to slam that laptop shut when the therapist was ripping her a new one over her laziness and lying.

Penny is a shitstain on humanity.

[Brooklynista]

That therapist will never hear Penny again and she already knew it when she was telling Penny to cut her shit. Some people have been down so long getting up doesn't cross their mind. That is totally what is going on with Edgar. Taking that kid and walking away from Penny isn't even an option.

Tara had such a great attitude and I loved the contrast between her and that chucklefuck. Tara was focused on being a better example for her kids. Great that she was back on the dating scene and had the nerve to fine herself a good man. Go head girl!

Shallow note: Tara didn't see what I saw when she tried on the white dress in the fitting room. Lycra is a friend to very few. No Bueno.

[aliya]

I loved the deli counter spread, complete with sanitary gloves, on the bed. I was waiting for her to call numbers for pick up.

Ha! Almost choked on that one. So, Penny gets out of bed once every 2 months??? No wonder she can't walk. Why does Edgar go from store to store like that? If Penny wants to be the next coupon queen, she needs to get her ass out of bed and go trolling stores herself. Why don't any of these caregivers just say 'no' and stop. He looked worn out.  What a comparison between her and Tara. That's what taking advantage of all the surgery offers and making a new life for yourself looks like.

 

Not to diss Tara or anything, but if girlfriend is a 3X, I'm a size 2.  Yeah, the white dress didn't do her any favors. I thought she would have bought some kind of top to go over it and smooth out the line a bit.

Edited January 22, 2015 by aliya

[John M]

Shallow note: Tara didn't see what I saw when she tried on the white dress in the fitting room. Lycra is a friend to very few. No Bueno.

 

God I was thinking the same thing, I thought that black dress she was wearing on her first date was very flattering to her figure but that white dress was a disaster, it made her look 100 pounds fatter. But speaking of Lycra Tara's trainer, yum.

[MrsClaus]

I just loved how the editors would show something going on with Penny and then turn around and show how things were going with Tara. Such a contrast between the two. Guess the editors weren't in love with Penny.

I wonder how long Edgar can realistically keep taking care of Penny? Hell I wonder how long Penny can keep living.

Edited January 22, 2015 by MrsClaus

[BostonBlonde]

Shallow note: Tara didn't see what I saw when she tried on the white dress in the fitting room. Lycra is a friend to very few. No Bueno.

 

 

God I was thinking the same thing, I thought that black dress she was wearing on her first date was very flattering to her figure but that white dress was a disaster, it made her look 100 pounds fatter. But speaking of Lycra Tara's trainer, yum.

 

 

RIGHT?

 

Dear God in heaven...I love ya Tara but for the love of all that is holy.....just say NO to that dress.

Edited January 22, 2015 by BostonBlonde

[PityFree]

Edgar was just barely able to get Penny through the front door. I guarantee that it will only be a couple of months until the fire department has to cut down a wall to remove her from the apartment because she'll no longer fit.

Edgar is going to get seriously injured. He will either be crushed as her wheelchair rolls backwards down a ramp or he will injure his back trying to roll her over to wipe her bottom.

Edited January 22, 2015 by PityFree

[Micks Picks]

Edgar must have some mighty strong drugs to put up with that bitch on bed.  I guess the pills keep him strong emotionally, tho he seems to be complaining a bit, but everybody here is right, his body will go.  Why Penny isn't dead already from a blood clot is beyond me.  Does everybody remember she doesn't need the oxygen?  When she was in hospital it was determined she has no need of it.  She has quite a constitution.  She'll kill off or drive nuts everybody around her and she'll just keep laying there bossing everybody around.

[mrsjoe]

Oh Penny. Loved how she claimed to know she weighed exactly 402 lbs, and also gave her pregnancy weight as her starting weight if I'm remembering her episode. Riiight... Wonder when she's ever been on a scale to check.

Also love all her healthy food claims, like the coupons letting her buy healthier foods. Oh yeah because I see broccoli coupons everyday and their pantry was packed with only healthy things. And the 3 two liters of pop in Edgar's cart must have been for the food Bank.

One last tip - if you're going to try to pretend to eat healthy all the time, you probably shouldn't send your son around trick or treating with a bucket from McDonald's...

[jacksgirl]

The irony (or maybe lack thereof) of Edgar dressing up as a prisoner to push Penny around on Halloween- wow, that is his life! Anyone else think someday we are going to read that Edgar snapped and killed her? If I am on that jury, I'd acquit him, he is an abused spouse. Penny is delusional- plain and simple. Dr. Now prob should have never done the surgery- she isn't willing to try at all. Glad to see Tara doing well. Interesting how I am not happy with my weight at my 140 pounds, yet these people are thrilled to be under 300. It's all relative.

[charmed1]

Yeah I don't know many women who would look good in that white dress. The material was super cheap and clingy so it showed every lump and bump. But good for Tara for losing weight and gaining confidence.

I see Penny is still head chef at Chez Pee-Poop Bed. It still baffles me that she thinks wearing gloves somehow makes it sanitary. From now on, If I'm late for work or a doctors appointment I'm going to blame it on an infection.

[poeticlicensed]

I don't think it was coincidence that they juxtaposed Tara's story with Penny's. Tara was totally motivated to change, and she has made so many huge strides beyond losing weight. She was dating and contemplating moving and living  independent from he mom. I also was glad to see that she realized that she needed to show her daughter how to eat healthy, lest she go down the same road as mom. It sounded like Dr Now was discharging her. It was nice to hear her say that her progress was "on her". 

 

Then we have Penny. Newsflash, moving your huge girth 12 inches from the bed to a wheelchair to have someone push you around wasn't exactly what the doctor, nurses and other health professionals meant when they said that she had to "move around". Moving around burn calories, jumpstarts metabolism and builds muscle. Being pushed in a chair is no better than lying in the damn bed. And I was cringing whenever they showed what she was eating, from the cereal as she was dumping sugar packets on it, to the sandwiches made with white bread, white flour tortillas, deli meat and cheese. And I'm sure she chose to make  those meals because she thought it would show the audience that she was eating healthy? White bread? Sugar? deli meat? I can only imagine what she eats when the cameras aren't rolling. Did anyone catch the shot of the apples and bananas untouched on the counter. Oh, she put a banana in her cereal, then covered it with milk and sugar. Not exactly part of a 1500 calorie a day diet for someone who is supposedly losing weight. And how in the fresh hell could she "just tell" that she had lost weight. Outside of getting on a scale, most people can tell by the way their clothes fit. Since she only wears huge caftans, it would be impossible to tell. 

 

I felt bad for her kid riding around on the front of her wheelchair with his arms wrapped around her neck. He is going to resent the hell out of her someday, probably long after she is dead. And I kept thinking, why does Edgar put up with her shit (literally)? The she said that she coupons savings of  $500/month, which is more than he makes. Which leads me to believe that they are living off SSI, because she is "disabled". He is her caretaker. They probably get food stamps and are on other govt programs. So yeah, he needs her or the benefits stop. When she dies, which she will within a few years, the kid will get SSI and Edgar will live off the kid's benefits. Edgar needs counseling probably more than Penny. 

Edited January 22, 2015 by poeticlicensed

[Brooklynista]

I'm surprised Penny didn't have more sores and infections since she never leaves that damn bed. Perhaps Edgar has some system where he rotates her like a rotisserie chicken every 2 hours.

Just set it and forget it.

I'm surprised Penny didn't have more sores and infections since she never leaves that damn bed. Perhaps Edgar has some system where he rotates her like a rotisserie chicken every 2 hours.

Just set it and forget it.

[aliya]

Just an aside - I thought that was a long list for 3 people, and one of them being a (very sweet) child.  I shop for 2 adults and I'd have to be completely out of food to have a weekly list that long.  I wonder if Penny has stretched her stomach already?  

[charmed1]

It cracked me up every time the screen flashed, "Penny: Weight Unknown"

[poeticlicensed]

Just an aside - I thought that was a long list for 3 people, and one of them being a (very sweet) child.  I shop for 2 adults and I'd have to be completely out of food to have a weekly list that long.

 

If she is saving $500/month using coupons, she must be spending much more than that. Coupons are great, but only those crazy couponing people on another TLC show achieve 90-100% savings. My husband is a coupon king and the best he has ever done is 40%, most of the time it's between 20-30%. Even if she was saving 50%, which is a stretch in my opinion, that would mean they spending $1000/month on food, which is alot for 2 adults and a child. What I have learned about coupons is that they are great if you are planning to buy that product anyway, but if you buy because you have a coupon, you end up spending more than you would have, which means no savings at all. 

 

Penny said she put sprite on her cereal while in the hospital. The thought of that makes me want to gag. Almost as much as someone prepping food in their bed. Dr Now is dead on, Penny controls the food. She makes a list, orders Edgar to buy what's on the list and makes teh food in her BED while Edgar is standing in the kitchen. Truly bizarre. 

[RedKoolAide]

I was hoping Penny had an hour to herself but after watching I'm glad she didn't. Penny is depressing to watch. Edgar is one coupon trip away from killing her delusional ass. I nearly screamed when I saw her son lying in that cesspool bed with her. How anyone thinks that is okay is beyond me. The sound Penny makes when she has to hoist herself up gets on my nerves. It's the same sound every time. She's so full of shit. Her meeting with the therapist was a one and done. She'll never speak to that woman again and I could see in Penny's face she was holding back a tantrum because the therapist was calling her on her shit.

Penny never took any responsibility for her lack of weight loss. It was always a medical issue or a "setback". Her obsession with food and need to control Edgar has morphed into unnecessary couponing. That pantry was crazy. Penny is a sicko.

Tara was like a bright light after watching Penny's segments. I'm happy that she's happy. It was also nice to see her helping her daughter make healthy choices instead of starving herself. Tara's mom is the sweetest and most understanding former caregiver I've seen in this show. So happy Tara never quit.

[momofsquid]

It was absolutely brilliant of the producers to show Tara and Penny side by side. Not only did it demonstrate the contrast, but Tara's wonderful success gave the viewers a relief from the Penny horror show. I found myself watching Tara with a sappy smile and then groaning every time the name of Penny's hometown came up.

[Oldernowiser]

What well and truly pisses me off is that Penny's medicaid bills for this surgery and her other medical problems no doubt run into the hundreds of thousands of dollars while people who could actually use the surgery to change their lives won't be able to have it because of the cost.

I'm a liberal and she's got me thinking like this. Now I hate her even more.

[Goshengir1]

I just got out of a long term relationship with a controlling and manipulative man who always blamed his problems on everyone else. I'm pretty sure he has a personality disorder, and it took me a long time to realize that it was an abusive relationship. It was really, really hard to get out.

My heart goes out to Edgar. He was obviously frustrated and miserable. When he was at the store and trying to reach Penny to make sure he was buying the right things because he would catch hell if he didn't, but she had turned her phone off in a classic passive aggressive manipulation, I felt so awful for him. It is horrible to be caught in that situation. He probably worries about what would happen to Liam if he left, and Penny has him so manipulated he feels like he can't place any boundaries or do anything to stand up for himself. So sad.

When she was going on and on about how she kept her promise to her son about going trick or treating with him and getting out and making progress, and it looked like Edgar was going to get a hernia pushing her 600 pound ass in a wheelchair, I just couldn't believe how delusional she was. It made me so mad! She is mentally ill and her family is trapped.

Tara was like a breath of fresh air.

[charmed1]

When she was going on and on about how she kept her promise to her son about going trick or treating with him and getting out and making progress, and it looked like Edgar was going to get a hernia pushing her 600 pound ass in a wheelchair, I just couldn't believe how delusional she was.

And screaming at him because her damned oxygen cord kept getting caught in the wheelchair. The oxygen that the doctor already said she doesn't need.

Even with his hair dyed Ronald Reagan black, Dr. Now looks so much older than he did last season. I don't know why, but that made me really sad.

[islandgal140]

Dr. Now read Penny for filth the entire episode. I mean he read her like a cheap Harlequin novel, from cover to cover.  I loved it. Let it be known, Dr. Now is not the one. However, at the end it was still good to hear him say that he would be there again to help her if she ever gained some sanity. 

 

It cracked me up every time the screen flashed, "Penny: Weight Unknown"

 

 

I kept waiting for the screen to flash: "Penny, Capacity for Delusion: Unlimited"

 

Penny kills me, just kills me. There is nothing physically wrong with her, yet according to her, everything is wrong with her so much so that she can't even breath the regular ole oxygen in the air like a normal person. I don't think I have ever seen a more infuriating person on my tv screen. 

 

Seeing her teeny tiny feet and what looked to be a complete lack of ankles, Penny looks like a human version of the people from the film Wall-E. Her self-imposed immobilization has caused the muscles in her body to atrophy. It would take intense therapy to get her walking again, so she will likely never walk again, because Penny and great effort/intense do not belong in the same sentence. She is not even the biggest person featured on the show and yet she seemed the most doughy, almost as if there weren't any bones in her body.

 

I guess I shouldn't be surprised that she was still trying to sell the cock and bull story of her having lost over 200 lbs since surgery, and yet there I was with my jaw on the ground as she trotted that shit out to the therapist, whom I guarantee she never spoke to again.

 

So, Penny gets out of bed once every 2 months??? No wonder she can't walk. 

 

She was bragging about this was the most active she has been in a while. Think about that.  Standing up for less than a minute and sitting down in a wheelchair to be pushed around by her poor downtrodden husband is the most exercise she gets. She was even complaining about being in the chair, since apparently even sitting up to long is too much for her. Jezz Louise. 

 

In contrast, Tara, despite her unfortunate wardrobe choices, was a treasure. I really loved that she loved herself in the moment. She wasn't waiting to get down to her ideal weight to feel sexy, go out on a date and find love. She was calling herself sexy, going out and getting hers at 300 lbs. I was yelling 'get it girl' during the entirety of her segments.

[PityFree]

I loved the sweet looks Tara's boyfriend always seemed to give her. I hope he is as wonderful as he seems. Tara and her family deserve the best. (The trainer at that warehouse gym place was a cutie, too.)

 

That said, I am very concerned that Edgar leaves Liam alone with Penny. He is still pretty small. What on earth could she do - other than call 911 - if there was an emergency? If he choked on a bite of food? Unless he was actually eating in the bed with her, there is no way she could do the Heimlich maneuver on him. If there was a fire? She'd have to convince him to run outside alone without her. If he fell and hurt himself? Leaving Liam with her is no better than leaving her with a plant to babysit him.

 

Her trick-or-treating was ridiculous. Parents/adults who take kids TOTing usually stay on the sidewalk and let the kids ring the doorbell. They don't usually insist on being rolled up onto every porch along with their kids. Of course, she had to show off the hair and makeup she put so much effort into. Was she supposed to be dressed up as something? It seems odd for her to have put sooooooooo much time and bother into her appearance to roll around the neighborhood in the dark.      

 

ETA: I agree with everyone else who mentioned that we saw the first and last online therapy session! HA!

Edited January 22, 2015 by PityFree

[gunderda]

I was honestly SHOCKED that Penny could get out of bed.  

 

The whole grocery shopping thing was very confusing.... He went with a list yet seemed to call constantly to check to see if she wanted cake mix.  So did she purposely leave cake mix off the list to look better for the show?? He seemed very concerned that he would catch hell for not getting cake mix even though it was obviously not on the list. 

 

And I don't for a minute believe they are just eating tiny tortilla wraps for a meal and she's full after a couple of bites.  After the film crew left she likely sent poor Edgar off to McDonalds. 

 

The one house they showed her being pushed up to, the lady seem to know them so I just assumed why Edgar pushed her up there.  Most of the other houses she seemed to stay down on the sidewalk.  At least Edgar is getting some good exercise, too bad that's only once every month or two. 

[Katydid]

Wow. So many things I wish I could un-see. Gotta love seeing Penny perched on her bed with the grocery bags placed around her like she was a kid surrounded by Christmas gifts she couldn't wait to rip into. She gets out of bed once every 2 months? Even if it were true that her infection/wound was preventing her from walking, couldn't she do some arms exercises or something, anything, just to move some? How is this woman even still alive while others who have worked so hard and lost the weight (Henry comes to mind) still end up passing away far too young?

I don't know what she was supposed to be for Halloween either, but I kept thinking that her insisting to go trick-or-treating probably had less to do with being there for her son and more to do with being around all that candy. I'm shocked they didn't catch her sneaking a piece (or 20) of his candy during the course of the evening. I can't figure out what Edgar's deal is. He doesn't come across as a chubbie chaser (Gareth) or caregiver fetishist (Christina's ex). I think the best outcome at this point would be for him to divorce her, get custody of their son, and put her into a nursing facility.

Tara is awesome! What a refreshing contrast to Penny. Although I did notice that it didn't seem her daughter had lost weight by the end, it's good that they are at least aware of the pattern and took small steps to make changes for her.

[Pj3422]

Just like I need hoarding shows as background noise to cleaning, I need Penny as background noise to workout. And I really wished her Halloween costume had been as one of those prisoners that they put in restraint chairs (See any episode of "Jail.").

Edited January 22, 2015 by Pj3422

[okerry]

>>>Seeing her teeny tiny feet and what looked to be a complete lack of ankles, Penny looks like a human version of the people from the film Wall-E.<<<

 

ha! You are so right! At least in the movie, they managed to turn things around - but Penny never will. She really isn't "delusional" - she's a hardcore narcissist. As someone else pointed out, most of the other super-obese patients are clearly suffering from some sort of severe depression and/or past abuse, but Penny isn't depressed at all. She's the narcissistic star of the Penny Show, and is perfectly happy.

 

It's sometimes said that narcissism is the only disease where everyone else gets treatment while the patient stays perfectly happy. This is a classic case. Edgar's life is a nightmare and that poor child is going to be in the same boat very soon, because he's getting big enough to start being a Penny slave, too. At least this show is bringing this stuff to light.

[Guest]

 

The she said that she coupons savings of  $500/month, which is more than he makes.

To hear Penny tell it, she thinks of that $500 "savings" as actual income. Like the family should be grateful she's pulling in "$500 a week" in coupon savings simply by sitting in her own squalor and making their lives a second-by-second living hell. That's is some insane logic. And from the looks of that pantry (where I am pretty sure I spied a ton of boxes of Kraft Mac & Cheese), they had enough food to last them weeks.

 

And OMG...did anyone catch her glee when she found out lobster tails were on sale?! LOBSTER. F'ING. TAILS. I just cannot.

 

 

 

I'm a liberal and she's got me thinking like this. Now I hate her even more.

Sit right next to me! All I kept thinking was "well, there's a real welfare queen," and I hate that phrase.

 

ETA: I have no idea what happened with the jacked-up code in this post. I tried to fix it, but can't!

Edited January 22, 2015 by Guest

[charmed1]

Just like I need hoarding shows as background noise to cleaning, I need Penny as background noise to workout.

Totally. Except for me, she keeps me from reaching for that extra snack.

When Penny opened her laptop, I thought she was about to get on Facebook like she was in her first episode. I remember that scene vividly because she was eating in bed while on Facebook and the dog was at the foot of the pee-poop bed, waiting for whatever crumbs fell. Yet she cried to Dr. Now about how hard she was working.

I would love it if Edgar pulled a Nissa and served Penny with divorce papers right in her face.

Edited January 22, 2015 by charmed1

[ThatGreyCat]

So if Penny only gets out of bed once every couple of months she is urinating and defecating in bed all day, everyday?  Gross.  I agree Edgar seems like a mentally abused and manipulated spouse, and he also seems a little off, or slow.  I feel mean saying that, but it's the impression I got.  I think that's how Penny trapped him in that nightmare of a life.  Penny is a horrid, horrid person.  Revolting.

 

I had to laugh - on all of the previous My 600-pound Life: Where are they Now episodes they show twitter comments from people watching the show that are always praising and encouraging the subjects, saying how happy they are for them, how great they look, etc.  I noticed that this was the first episode that there was no twitter commentary on screen from the viewers.  I have a feeling that the Penny comments were far from positive!!

Edited January 22, 2015 by ThatGreyCat

[Ocean Chick]

Edgar doesn't exist anymore.  There's a body there, but his soul checked out long ago.  That prisoner costume was sooooo on-the-nose.  And for those of you wondering what Penny was supposed to be for Halloween?  She was masquerading as The Perfect Mother, dontcha know.

 

Tara still has a long ways to go before she's in the healthy zone, but at least her mind is in the right place.  She'll always be heavier than what she should be, but she lives in Louisiana, home of the "Big Boned", so no one will blink twice at her when she walks by.  And yes, that white dress was unfortunate.  I hope her daughter gets healthier in her attitudes towards food/body size.

[CarolMK]

As repulsive as it was to watch Penny and her bullshit, I think it's a good idea that the second half of her story was shown...this way, at least people who may be in a situation like hers will see that if you don't put any effort into cooperating, then you won't lose weight and will be no better off than before. I do agree that Penny is mentally ill, possibly

her husband is as well. Penny doesn't want to change. she seems to enjoy being sick and bedridden in a way most of us can't understand. 

 

I loved Tara. So happy that she met her goals and found a nice man to marry. She was so motivated, I kept cheering for her every time I saw her. In the future, I do

wonder if she'll consider some skin removal surgery on her upper arms and thighs, it would help with her movement and with clothes fitting properly. For those who

mentioned she looks heavier than she is, probably the excess skin that's still there is to blame for that. But when you compare it to pictures of when she was 606 lbs,

she looks so much better that it's amazing.

[essinad]

So if Penny only gets out of bed once every couple of months she is urinating and defecating in bed all day, everyday?

 

How often are the sheets changed? D:

 

Does Edgar not have any friends or family that can give him a pep talk? So, what if he brings Penny the wrong food? What's she going to do -- stand up? Penny must have bomb disability checks is all I can figure.

 

Remember in her episode last season they said friends and family donated money for them to go to Texas for her surgery. I wonder how those who gave her money are feeling now? I wonder what her stomach is like now. Doesn't it stretch back out again if you continue to overeat?

[gunderda]

Did I hear Tara clearly when she said she was 32?

[shoovenbooty]

I see Penny is still head chef at Chez Pee-Poop Bed. It still baffles me that she thinks wearing gloves somehow makes it sanitary.

 

I cannot BELIEVE she prepares food in that bed! She pees and craps in that bed all day long, then makes her family dinner in it?? SICK!  She doesn't get out of bed for months at a time and the sheets never get changed (I noticed she had a stain behind her head on the sheet, and it was the same stained sheet the entire episode). Beyond disgusting. I feel SO sorry for that little boy. And the husband, but to a lesser degree because I think it's ridiculous that he enables her.

[mmecorday]

Here's what I don't understand. Penny's oxygen is not medically necessary -- so how does she obtain it? Can you just go into a prescription center or hospital supply store and say, "Hey, I need a couple of oxygen tanks"?

[charmed1]

Tara still has a long ways to go before she's in the healthy zone, but at least her mind is in the right place. She'll always be heavier than what she should be, but she lives in Louisiana, home of the "Big Boned", so no one will blink twice at her when she walks by. And yes, that white dress was unfortunate. I hope her daughter gets healthier in her attitudes towards food/body size.

I don't mean to offend anyone from Louisiana because I love eating there, but just going out to eat in Louisiana is hard for me because the portions are so huge. I mean insanely huge. I was sick to my stomach on several occasions from trying not to offend my hosts. It's good eatin' there for sure, but it's a lot of eatin'.

Also, Penny is gross. I don't think I can emphasize that enough.

[RedKoolAide]

Did I hear Tara clearly when she said she was 32?

I think she said she was 37. I thought she was in her mid-40's.

[gunderda]

I think she said she was 37. I thought she was in her mid-40's.

 

I did too! I must have misheard when she said her age. 37 is a lot more believable but still a little shocking. 

[lovesnark]

How often are the sheets changed? D:

 

Does Edgar not have any friends or family that can give him a pep talk? So, what if he brings Penny the wrong food? What's she going to do -- stand up? Penny must have bomb disability checks is all I can figure.

 

Remember in her episode last season they said friends and family donated money for them to go to Texas for her surgery. I wonder how those who gave her money are feeling now? I wonder what her stomach is like now. Doesn't it stretch back out again if you continue to overeat?

I don't think the sheets are changed very often. There was  a big smear of something on them the entire episode. I had to keep telling myself the smear was food, not something that belonged in the toilet - barf.

 

Here is my fantasy for Edgar and their son. A therapist reaches out to Edgar and offers to help him for free. He learns that in the big picture, he has all the power in that house and stops letting her have any input about what groceries he buys. When she pitches a fit about it, he calmly tells her it's unhealthy for their son to hear her ranting and takes him out to the park or something. After some time, he realizes that he has to move out and build a life for his child and tells Penny that she'll have to get on her laptop and phone and start applying for benefits because he's outta there. I can dream.........

 

Tara's portion was wonderful. I'm glad she's so positive and wish her all the best.

[amitville]

I don't think the sheets are changed very often. There was  a big smear of something on them the entire episode. I had to keep telling myself the smear was food, not something that belonged in the toilet - barf.

 

Here is my fantasy for Edgar and their son. A therapist reaches out to Edgar and offers to help him for free. He learns that in the big picture, he has all the power in that house and stops letting her have any input about what groceries he buys. When she pitches a fit about it, he calmly tells her it's unhealthy for their son to hear her ranting and takes him out to the park or something. After some time, he realizes that he has to move out and build a life for his child and tells Penny that she'll have to get on her laptop and phone and start applying for benefits because he's outta there. I can dream.........

 

Tara's portion was wonderful. I'm glad she's so positive and wish her all the best.

 

I must thank you , you have put into words what i could not.

Edited January 22, 2015 by amitville

[mrsjoe]

Just an aside - I thought that was a long list for 3 people, and one of them being a (very sweet) child.  I shop for 2 adults and I'd have to be completely out of food to have a weekly list that long.  I wonder if Penny has stretched her stomach already?  

 

That's my impression, especially after Dr. Now said the thing about being willing to help her again if she was ready.  Made it seem like they would likely make the stomach smaller and possibly add a bypass.  Of course, I have wondered since her original episode if they didn't cut enough of her stomach away. I've had the same surgery, and I would have expected it to be much too painful to eat as much as she at in the early stages.  You can eat small amounts of crappy food all day and not lose weight, but she seems to be able to eat larger amounts of crappy food all day. Not to give her an excuse or anything, but it does make me wonder. Of course, even with a smaller stomach though, she would be failing because like I said, you can pack in high calorie foods all day.

 

I don't think the sheets are changed very often. There was  a big smear of something on them the entire episode. I had to keep telling myself the smear was food, not something that belonged in the toilet - barf.

 

According to Penny, the filming was only like a three day event.  She also mentioned that they had her read a lot of scripted stuff, which I think was just her trying to make TLC more questionable in advance, knowing full well she was going to look horrible again.  But come on, we all know TLC does that kind of stuff, but it's not like they altered the video to make her look fatter! I just don't see how she could possibly be "only 400 lbs" based on the sizes everyone else was when they hit that weight, even allowing for height differences. She looks exactly the same, if not bigger than she was at the beginning.

 

Tara was super positive next to Penny, but I wonder if Olivia is the better juxtaposition.  Olivia couldn't walk, had the same lymphedema problems and was on oxygen, not to mention was like 20 years older or more. Olivia was in severe pain when she first tried moving around, but guess what - she did it and is losing weight and off oxygen. 

[Toaster Strudel]

There is a payoff for Edgar.  He likes this.  He's got to be into this, on some level.

[Oldernowiser]

Okay, so I'm running out of things to watch while on the treadmill, so I watched Penny again.

Gawdamighty. I had forgotten.

First off, she's somehow managed to be the supreme victim, She Who Knows All, and head bitch in charge, ALL AT THE SAME TIME. It's kind of amazing. Sometimes she manages piteous, superior, and controlling in the same sentence. It's remarkable.

She "couldn't live without wontons"? She knows "just from looking" at food how many calories it contains? It's "far better" for her to eat three plates full of deep-fried garbage than for her not to eat? No one gave her a diet to follow when she left the hospital?

She's a freaking WONDER. At this point, I suspect Edgar is so beaten down (because you know if she was that detestable on camera she's an utter nightmare when they're off) that he's just waiting for her to die and I can't blame him.

[lovesnark]

All of the people featured on this show were as sick, some worse, than perpetual victim Penny. Dr Now said it all when he said with Penny, it's all about control. She's so comfortable in her role as a victim, controlling the poor sap stuck catering to her every need is all she has. As long as Edgar is there to make it so she has no need to ever get out of bed, she's happy as can be.

 

We should start a collection to buy noise canceling headphones for Edgar and their son and send them with a note "To be used when you go grocery shopping without Penny's list and choose to bring healthier foods into the house. Best wishes" I mean, really. What's she going to do? Scream at him and throw some of the stuff piled on her stinky bed? I'd spring for Pay Per View to see that.

[charmed1]

I did too! I must have misheard when she said her age. 37 is a lot more believable but still a little shocking.

I was surprised we're the same age as well. Tara looks a lot older than me, but she's also had a really difficult life. I'm glad to see she's finally happy and realized it was beyond time to move out of her mom's house.

Didn't Penny say that she met Edgar in line at the buffet? Or am I just imagining that?

[Galloway Cave]

Yeah, Penny is in full-on damage control mode on Twitter. This little gem to someone:

"I have posted on my coupon book Eat To Live do Not Live To Eat and many other mantras I wear bracelet I made with that on it."

 

I liked that Tara was thinking about moving out on her own first, instead of moving right in with Eugene. She needs to have some time living on her own instead of going from one caretaker to another.

 

I don't even want to think about the bed pan process that Edgar has to go through, in the area right next to the kitchen and probably in front of that child.

 

Maybe Edgar should let her scream for a while. Giver her lungs a good workout, then maybe she wouldn't need oxygen anymore.

[Toaster Strudel]

Her Twitter handle is "pixiewings?" Kill me now.

 

I really think Edgar is as sick in the head as she is.

 

The couponing just made me angry.  Why?