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

[ethalfrida]

Believe it or not baby carrots used to be luxury items. They did cost more because, for the most part, they were whittled down to that size and that was factored into the cost. We never bought them because it was just as easy to cut your own.

[algebra]

One thing I have discovered this month is that antibiotics and prednisone can stall a weight loss program!!

I use the health app on my iPhone and enter every calorie as a data point.so I know my daily average this month has been 1110.91 calories a day. If I can remember to keep my phone with me, it also shows I average 2 miles of walking a day and 4 flights of stairs. That's when the phone is not on the charger or left behind in my purse. It would be a lot more if I kept it on my person consistently.

But due to a respiratory infection, I was put on Augmentin weeks ago, but with no results after 8 days I was switched to Zithromax plus Prednisone for my asthma.

And I have not lost any weight at all for 3 weeks. I have known that antibiotics are given to beef cattle to make them gain weight, and prednisone can help you gain too, but I didn't think it would've that profound an effect.

I don't like to use medication as an excuse for not losing weight but I will be interested to see what changes occur when I finish these meds.

[Rainny]

They would have said that hand-made salads and fresh fish were fancy foods that people with lots of money could eat and that bag salads and frozen fish were all  they could afford. 

 

I remember what started this. We were eating baby carrots and someone said they wish they could afford fancy food like this. I had never heard anyone call baby carrots "fancy food". That's when we found out that these 20-somethings didn't even bother going into the produce section any more because the food is "too expensive" for them. I'm not sure if they really believed this or were just too lazy to cook a meal.

 

I know this comment is a month old, but I have to say, this perception that fresh food is too expensive for most people is perpetuated everywhere. It's on the news often how low income people cannot afford healthy food and how that is the reason for the obesity crisis in this country. 

[scowl]

I know this comment is a month old, but I have to say, this perception that fresh food is too expensive for most people is perpetuated everywhere. It's on the news often how low income people cannot afford healthy food and how that is the reason for the obesity crisis in this country. 

 

And more confusing was their attitude of avoiding the produce section of the grocery store. They said they thought they couldn't afford the "fancy" food in that part of the store, but their attitude was more like they felt they had no business being there. They didn't even know what produce stores were selling these days.

 

This show has clearly shown us that the only foods some people see are fattening foods everywhere they go. Let me be the fortieth or fiftieth poster to say that they should work on these people's perception of food before they cut them open and mess with their digestive system. How can anorexia be considered a mental disorder, yet eating until you weigh 600 lbs. not be a mental disorder?

[Rainny]

And more confusing was their attitude of avoiding the produce section of the grocery store. They said they thought they couldn't afford the "fancy" food in that part of the store, but their attitude was more like they felt they had no business being there. They didn't even know what produce stores were selling these days.

 

This show has clearly shown us that the only foods some people see are fattening foods everywhere they go. Let me be the fortieth or fiftieth poster to say that they should work on these people's perception of food before they cut them open and mess with their digestive system. How can anorexia be considered a mental disorder, yet eating until you weigh 600 lbs. not be a mental disorder?

 

I don't know what gives people this idea. Maybe I don't understand because I grew up on a farm and we grew most of our food. I remember going to the grocery store and seeing all the frozen tv dinners and my mother would say, and no offense to anyone, but she would say that it was food for people whose mother's didn't know how to cook.

 

I know my grandmother would be amused to hear that carrots are fancy food because there were times we had too many and they were eaten at every meal so they wouldn't spoil. 

 

Anyway, I came here because I saw that episode with Penny this morning and it actually made me sad. I agree, I think the people who need this surgery at that size should go through a lot of therapy to straighten out their relationships with food before they get the surgery.

[RealityTVJunkie]

I am very proud of Tara. I thought that she really did change her whole lifestyle. That being said, Penny is another story. I have watched both the 1st show and this one, and just recently watched Penny's story again on Hulu and I have come up with a couple theories if you will...

1) The woman thinks that she looks WAY different than she really does. Like when Dr. Now had her go to the hospital for her weigh-in, did anyone hear her tell the EMT that she "should be in the neighborhood of loosing about 350 lbs"!?! Ok she may think she is bedridden but have someone hand you a mirror.

2) She is a textbook hypochondriac. This is self-explanatory but seems to me that all of her ailments really ARE in her head. Yes she prob really does have diabetes but she doesn't need o2 and if she got up once in the while and walked her muscles wouldn't be so atrophied. Come on the answer is clear!

Ok, now, I feel so sorry for her son! He is such a good boy. He really doesn't deserve to watch his mom eat herself to death. He and his father (Edgar?) need to be able to have a normal life! Poor Edgar. He seems like he is a good man. He is just a broken man. He should have a wife that can give not just take. Just because she is heavy and bedridden doesn't mean she has to treat him that way! Dogs are treated better than he is. Marriage is a 50/50 partnership. Not just deligation and ridiculing. I am sorry but that is what turned me off about her. That and her attitude on the first show. I was really looking forward to her actually getting better and thinner. But I guess Penny knows best. I'm sorry she just really upsets me. She makes people that go through that life changing experience look bad (if they only watched/or heard her story).

My father was 500 lbs. He had hypertension, diabetes, restless leg syndrome, 2 knee replacements (due to his weight) and he also had sleep apnea. My dad was always in and out of the ER. He was having diabetic strokes almost every other week. They are so scary and hard to diagnose because they don't leave a trace. One day he decided to go through gastric bypass. It took him almost 4 mths to be able to have the surgery. Yes they wanted him to lose some weight by himself before surgery, but they also made him see a psychologist and a dietitian. Only once he was cleared by 3-4 different doctors was he able to have his surgery. All that being said, I am wondering if they make the people on this show go through all of that. I asked him why they made him do all of that and he said, that it is a life changing experience and they have to make sure you are in the right frame of mind and you have all of the tools to succeed.

If Penny DID go through all of that just not shown on the show, then she is really should be ashamed of herself for manipulating the system that much! That was one surgery that wasn't done on someone that really wanted the 2nd chance in life!

Sorry! One more thing that bothered me, was when she justified not going to her son's kindergarten graduation with that she does more for him than working moms do. I beg your pardon but I do everything for my kids and I work! I have NEVER missed a milestone in any of my kids' lives! And I don't plan on it!

Thank you for hearing me. Sorry about the ranting.:)

[RealityTVJunkie]

I saw somebody mention it before, but Penny is like the humans in the movie Wall E. With her lying in bed so much her legs and feet are going to stop working and it's her own fault.

My daughter had a project at school so I had to drop her off which made me have to hustle to get to work on time today. Those are the times I think it would be nice to have a husband to help me out. That's why I shake my head that Penny thinks she is a great mother, her husband is the one who does all the work for her little boy Liam. If Edgar left her she would probably have to go into a nursing home, she should be kissing her husband's behind because who else would do all that for her? Even a paid employee is not going to put up with all her nonsense. But in Penny's mind she thinks that Liam and Edgar are lucky to have her. In reality she is an albatross around their necks.

Thank you!!!

Thank you!!!

[notyrmomma]

RealityTVJunkie - I hear you!  But for some reason, Penny fascinates me.  I had the same surgery as her (gastric sleeve, but mine has been a sucess so far) and for some reason, her story does not piss me off like it reasonably should.  She fascinates me so much that I actually reached out to her on Twitter and have had a few limited conversations with her, and let me tell you, she really does seem to believe that she is doing everything she needs to do to get healthy. She reminds me of the typical posters on bariatricpal.com (the bariatric surgery message board)...completely full of shit.  But nevertheless, I am still completely obsessed with her and all the other 600 pounders who have this surgery and somehow manage not to lose weight.  

[DangerousMinds]

How can anorexia be considered a mental disorder, yet eating until you weigh 600 lbs. not be a mental disorder?

They are both psychiatric disorders.

[leighroda]

One thing I have discovered this month is that antibiotics and prednisone can stall a weight loss program!!

I use the health app on my iPhone and enter every calorie as a data point.so I know my daily average this month has been 1110.91 calories a day. If I can remember to keep my phone with me, it also shows I average 2 miles of walking a day and 4 flights of stairs. That's when the phone is not on the charger or left behind in my purse. It would be a lot more if I kept it on my person consistently.

But due to a respiratory infection, I was put on Augmentin weeks ago, but with no results after 8 days I was switched to Zithromax plus Prednisone for my asthma.

And I have not lost any weight at all for 3 weeks. I have known that antibiotics are given to beef cattle to make them gain weight, and prednisone can help you gain too, but I didn't think it would've that profound an effect.

I don't like to use medication as an excuse for not losing weight but I will be interested to see what changes occur when I finish these meds.

I know this was posted several months ago, but its so hard to stay on a diet when you are sick... Prednisone is a steroid, which is likely why you had a hard time with weight loss while you were in it. I got mono a while back and wasn't wanting to eat at all, so my dr put me on prednisone to see if that would help my energy/appetite, it didn't help really when I was sick, but once I was better I gained several pounds in like a 2 week period.

As far as Penny's oxygen is concerned, ARDS (what it said she had upthread) should not cause someone to be oxygen dependent. I was thinking about what people were saying about her being on oxygen and I made 2 observations... 1) I wonder if she truly uses the oxygen, vs dragging the tank around for the attention, maybe she had one tank prescribed back when she was actually sick and doesn't have an ongoing prescription. 2) it is highly unlikely that even if she were prescribed oxygen that she would be on a tank even at home, usually if someone is on constant oxygen therapy they have a concentrator for when they are home, the difference being that a concentrator is a large box that pulls the oxygen from the room air and "concentrates" it to a more pure form of oxygen, the tanks are pure 100% oxygen that are generally just used when you need a more portable source. My point is, that I didn't see a concentrator in Penny's set up, it's a big loud machine (I would say about the size of a microwave) maybe it wasn't on for filming because it is loud, but I didn't even see one. It's purely speculation, but at this point I wouldn't be too surprised if they have been schleping around a empty oxygen tank for the appearance of needing it.

Oh valentines dinner, I think the restaurant is likely rejoicing they may never have to deal with her again. I worked take out for a little while and the restaurant I worked at would usually try really hard to make a take out customer happy if they were upset, the theory was that if something went wrong with a customer who was dining in, it can be easily redeemed, but with take out they are home and if you mess up there is a good chance they won't even call and let you know, they just never come back. I say that to make the point that I'm willing to bet that when Edgar took the food back there was a lot missing and they were not willing to give another meal that was "inedible" but they ate a good portion of it. I'm always weary when something goes wrong and people immediately go to getting comped, I completely agree that the customer should be compensated if they really have a problem, but frequently people have one small issue and want the whole meal comped (which sounds like may be the case). At the same take out job I referenced before, there was a repeat customer who I swear deliberately made her order complicated so we would mess up and she could get something comped, she was on a first name basis with the managers and would ask for them as soon as she walked in. I wouldn't be surprised if Penny was similar. Oh, and the whole blueberry pie filling, I love how she was like "nobody told me you put half a can of pie filling on the blueberry pancakes" how often do you go to a restaurant and they notify you of how something is prepared when you order? It's not like you order the blueberry pancakes and the server is like "just so you know that is prepared by making pancakes and dumping a can of blueberry pie filling on it"

I lose more weight going to the bathroom than she has lost the whole time since having surgery.

[notyrmomma]

I know this was posted several months ago, but its so hard to stay on a diet when you are sick... Prednisone is a steroid, which is likely why you had a hard time with weight loss while you were in it. I got mono a while back and wasn't wanting to eat at all, so my dr put me on prednisone to see if that would help my energy/appetite, it didn't help really when I was sick, but once I was better I gained several pounds in like a 2 week period.

As far as Penny's oxygen is concerned, ARDS (what it said she had upthread) should not cause someone to be oxygen dependent. I was thinking about what people were saying about her being on oxygen and I made 2 observations... 1) I wonder if she truly uses the oxygen, vs dragging the tank around for the attention, maybe she had one tank prescribed back when she was actually sick and doesn't have an ongoing prescription. 2) it is highly unlikely that even if she were prescribed oxygen that she would be on a tank even at home, usually if someone is on constant oxygen therapy they have a concentrator for when they are home, the difference being that a concentrator is a large box that pulls the oxygen from the room air and "concentrates" it to a more pure form of oxygen, the tanks are pure 100% oxygen that are generally just used when you need a more portable source. My point is, that I didn't see a concentrator in Penny's set up, it's a big loud machine (I would say about the size of a microwave) maybe it wasn't on for filming because it is loud, but I didn't even see one. It's purely speculation, but at this point I wouldn't be too surprised if they have been schleping around a empty oxygen tank for the appearance of needing it.

I lose more weight going to the bathroom than she has lost the whole time since having surger

So I recently checked out Penny's Facebook page and as of Christmas, she still appears to be the same weight, still stuck in bed, and still using "oxygen"  (my father uses one of those concentrators, and yes, they are very large and loud).  

 

Also, I hear what you are saying about antibiotics/steriods not helping you lose weight.  These drugs do stall you initially, especially steriods, because they make you more hungry.  But if you are bed-ridden, you can only eat what someone brings you......so if Ed was only bringing her good and low calorie meals, eventually she would still lose weight.

 

I wonder if she has any restricted feeling left from her surgery?  Her surgery has to be about three years ago at this point.  I am about one year and three months out from the same surgery and I still can't eat a lot--but I don't constantly try to over eat every day.  

[leighroda]

So I recently checked out Penny's Facebook page and as of Christmas, she still appears to be the same weight, still stuck in bed, and still using "oxygen" (my father uses one of those concentrators, and yes, they are very large and loud).

Also, I hear what you are saying about antibiotics/steriods not helping you lose weight. These drugs do stall you initially, especially steriods, because they make you more hungry. But if you are bed-ridden, you can only eat what someone brings you......so if Ed was only bringing her good and low calorie meals, eventually she would still lose weight.

I wonder if she has any restricted feeling left from her surgery? Her surgery has to be about three years ago at this point. I am about one year and three months out from the same surgery and I still can't eat a lot--but I don't constantly try to over eat every day.

Oh sorry, the steroids was a reply to another poster I have no idea about if penny is or was ever on steroids... The other poster said she had gained weight from steroids.

[notyrmomma]

Oh sorry, the steroids was a reply to another poster I have no idea about if penny is or was ever on steroids... The other poster said she had gained weight from steroids.

Even if she is permanently on steriods (she could be) that would only be accountable for an extra 20 to 50...maybe, 500? NO.  

 

I am so excited for this new season!  I wonder if they are going to do any follow-ups on the class of 2015.  I'm actually mostly interest in Marla (African-American Penny or Penny's long lost sister, lol) and the two men who didn't get their surgery until almost the end of the 12 months.

[leighroda]

Even if she is permanently on steriods (she could be) that would only be accountable for an extra 20 to 50...maybe, 500? NO.

I am so excited for this new season! I wonder if they are going to do any follow-ups on the class of 2015. I'm actually mostly interest in Marla (African-American Penny or Penny's long lost sister, lol) and the two men who didn't get their surgery until almost the end of the 12 months.

I think you're misunderstanding me, my comment was directed to another poster who said SHE was on steroids, not Penny... The poster I was quoting attributed her own weight gain to steroids, nothing about Penny, she was relating her own weight gain to Penny, but I was not commenting on whether or not Penny herself was on anything. Sorry for the confusion

[firecrackerz26]

I know I'm late posting on this board, but OMG I just have to!! Penny, along side Pauline, is the most DISGUSTING, CONTROLLING, MANIPULATIVE, SELFISH, LAZY, FAT COW I've ever seen in my life! All she does is lay on her throne of lies, craving attention from everyone, including her poor 5 year old son, ordering her beaten down husband to run around buying her junk food then having to come home and wipe her considerable sizable fat ass, and literally waste up oxygen. On the way to Houston I thought she'd kill Edgar for ordering her a grilled sandwich!

Then when they got to Texas and had 20 people carry her hugely obese self in, mind you that Penny loves attention, Dr Now had her number right away; lots of issues, imaginary ones like you never see her attempt to walk, because she too damn fat and lazy, and the oxygen! The oxygen slays me, she doesn't need it, she wants that oxygen to plead her case with how disabled she is. She has enough oxygen stored in her for 10 people, maybe that oxygen should go to a sick person who REALLY needs it!! And Penny would have NEVER lost any weight on her own had she not been on a controlled diet in the hospital. Then, after surgery, like twin sister Pauline she's to damn lazy to walk.

A few weeks after surgery we hear Dr Now pronounce she's lost no weight after surgery, surprise surprise! He suspects someone is sneaking her food...gee I wonder if her mentally defeated husband is bringing her cartons of Ben and jerry every nite? And when her nurse, who must have patience of gold is explaining her bariatric diet to her, Penny said "nobody said she had to lose weight in the hospital"? I wanted to SCREAM! Dr Now was right to send her home, give the hospital long needed break.

Rather than fooling with Liam when she gets home she has to bitch at Edgar to move furniture, we don't want Penny to strain a neck muscle looking at the tv. And she doesn't look sugar deprived waiting for her big helping of meatloaf and potatoes, she knows what's good for her diet, like Pauline! And OMG, I almost EXPLODED about the wontons! And it looked like she had several! Yes she knows lots about food, Penny you're setting a great example to your son.

I was glad Dr Now called to the office, of course it again took every fireman in town to lift her...and making a remark that she felt like Cleopatra!!!?? OMG!! I wanted to slap her into next year. When we found out she gained 5 lbs at home, wow, I have to say that was, next to Pauline, the maddest I'd ever seen the doc! And she damn well deserved it, whining that the scale was wrong...yea right. Her ever loyal Edgar just keeps cheering as she has trained him to do, and even promises her ice cream.

Penny spouted all this out that she did this for her son, no she didn't! She did this to call attention to herself, manipulate people to think she's a saint, Liam would be better off with one of her sisters while Penny gets some real help and Edgar isn't under her spell, Penny, if you're reading this--you are a horrible mother, if you cared about your son you would have taken that surgery seriously. You're a MASTER MANIPULATOR who has her husband completely doing everything, even wiping your ugly fat ass, and the thing is you don't seem embarrassed about that! Oh, and I don't even believe you can wipe your vag since the surgery! You should be sorry for even saying Liam should be proud of you for having the surgery, all that child is going to remember is you laying in you bed, controlling everying, manipulating, and being as selfish as you are a fat bitch! Not to mention a huge ass liar!

[aliya]

I've been listening to Opie and Anthony on YouTube. I knew who they were,but don't think I was ever in one of their markets. Anyway, they talk about Penny and they are as disgusted as you are. 

 

eta - deleted the url. I probably should have put a warning for the language.  I'm listening to it now, and tho I don't have an issue with the language, others might. So, if you do a search for Opie and Anthony 600 lb life, you'll find it, if you are so inclined.   

Edited March 7, 2016 by aliya

[firecrackerz26]

I'm not sure that this was mentioned on this forum or not, but I saw somewhere that Penny may be also suffering from that Munchausen disease, where she can't get enough attention and uses pretending to be sick to get it--like we saw Dr Now say she had some imaginary issues and sickness, like the oxygen. There was that and a few other ailments she couldn't describe why she needed medical care for...and she seemed to really like the attention she got in the hospital and even from EMS carrying her out of the house, so maybe this was part of the situation...

[Minivanessa]

IIRC, the despicable Penny, prior to seeking out Dr. Now, had won a disability ruling against a former employer. Something to do with a condition that affects the lungs and requires oxygen. If it's some kind of worker's compensation deal, it's possible that her no longer needing oxygen might have reopened her disability case. In other words, if she no longer needs oxygen her disability status could be reassessed, and she could lose some or all of her disability benefits. If so, that explains how she keeps up with the oxygen thing. 

 

And if so, that would be why she argued with Dr. Now about her need for oxygen. It would be great karma if that scene on TV got her disability benefits cut, but I doubt that it did. She still wears those tubes in her nose, but as mentioned above, it looks less like she's really using oxygen and more like shenanigans.

Edited March 14, 2016 by Jeeves

[Lemonade]

Long thread, very cool !! I was not aware of the "Where are they now" show, only saw the original Penny show. I always disliked her more than Pauline, because of Liam. TYTY so much to all of you who mentioned the "Where are they now" episode, I was able to watch it at Amazon [ok I paid 1.99 for the standard def, I HAD to see how it played out] As always, Penny doesn't change, blaming hubby for keeping liam waiting outside.  I'll certainly look to see what other discussions are going on. Very happy to have found this board!.

[Dharma]

 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.

 

Edgar needs counseling probably more than Penny. 

 

Yes I noticed and caught her comment how she said she put diet soda on her cereal when she was in the hospital. Oh yes he needs therapy badly He is the pure definition of enabling

[Tabbygirl521]

Oh lord. I am watching this right now. WHY? I haven't seen Penny before but you all had warned of her. I should feel some compassion for such a messed-up individual but it is SO hard.

The way she treats her child is gross and inappropriate. Why doesn't Edgar take the kid and RUN?

Glad to see Tara looking well, though.

Edited March 30, 2016 by Tabbygirl521

[Katt]

I've always been of the opinion that hate is a far worse word than fuck, but I fucking hate Penny!

[deedee2]

Dumb question: Why is tonight's 8pm show called "My 600 lb Life: Extended"? It's only an hour long, so where is the "extended" part?

Edited March 30, 2016 by deedee2

[Katt]

Not a dumb question at all... They have extra scenes and less scenes. lol

[deedee2]

Not a dumb question at all... They have extra scenes and less scenes. lol

So ... they add a couple of  "never before seen" scenes, and take out others -- in order to keep it 1 hour? That's not exactly "extended", but ok.

[Katt]

Yes, very misleading. 

[notyrmomma]

So ... they add a couple of  "never before seen" scenes, and take out others -- in order to keep it 1 hour? That's not exactly "extended", but ok.

Actually, I think they are supposed to "tease" next week's (or maybe its tonight's) where are they now ep.

[deedee2]

Actually, I think they are supposed to "tease" next week's (or maybe its tonight's) where are they now ep.

Oh, ok, I did see a teaser for a 'where are they now' during tonight's Ashley D ep. Still not worth the 'extended' tag. lol

[Micks Picks]

Maybe I blinked, but I didn't see anything new on Penny.  Same as last time IIRC.  

 

But I was surprised at Melissa with 4 kids now.  One would think she'd be worn down to the bone with so many young kids.  She does try to take care of herself and looked 100% better with a couple of feet chopped off her hair.

[Peanutbuttercup]

I just started watching this episode, somehow have never seen it before. I am transfixed with horror as I see Penny in her poop bed and realize that she is wearing the exact same pajamas I had before my surgery, back when I weighed 200+ lbs more than I do now. I don't think they are the same size (though they might be close) but otherwise they are the same. Ordered from one of those catalogs with immense clothing for immense people who are too big to shop in any brick and mortar store.

If I needed any motivation to stay on track and be fanatical about maintaining my weight loss, that sure as hell was it. I don't ever even want to shop in the plus size section again, let alone share wardrobe choices with Poop Bed Penny. It really brings me back to what an awful place I was in (never a poop bed thank goodness).

Edited April 29, 2016 by Peanutbuttercup
more thoughts

[operalover]

Good luck PeanutButterCup with your weight loss. Yes Penny is good for inspiration! What a lazy controlling pc of work she is.

[millennium]

On 3/30/2016 at 7:46 PM, deedee2 said:

Dumb question: Why is tonight's 8pm show called "My 600 lb Life: Extended"? It's only an hour long, so where is the "extended" part?

 Maybe they should call it  "My 600 lb Life: Distended."

[amitville]

On 2/1/2015 at 8:06 PM, Muffyn said:

While Penny is probably still getting disability, she was doing feeder porn.  Edgar was helping her with that.  I don’t know if she still does that (and I’m not willing to search for it – even I have limits).  That may be the $500 per month she now claims to be supplementing by couponing. 

i did not know that Penny did feeder porn . oh dear lord i just threw up in my mouth 

[notyrmomma]

4 hours ago, amitville said:

i did not know that Penny did feeder porn . oh dear lord i just threw up in my mouth 

I think Muffyn was kidding.  It was Pauline who did the porn and I think Zaslyn did porn too, not that that little correction makes you throw up any less.  

[Muffyn]

I wasn't kidding.  Penny did do porn.  She would sit in her (toilet) bed and eat.

Zsalynn did some photo shoots, typically clothed in bikinis or lingerie. 

[notyrmomma]

I would say post pics or it didn't happen Muffyn, but I don't want them to ban you for life from this site (and kill any of the other lovely readers we have here), LOL  Just kidding, she probably did but I know that Zaz and Pauline talked about it more...well, bragged about it more.  

I once watched a documentary about some guy who married this woman and just kept feeding and feeding her so he could take pictures of her and post them online--she totally had Stockholm Syndrome.   The day that they decided that she wouldn't be able to get out of bed anymore was like a really happy day for them and it was documented in video...really sick stuff.  Eventually her husband let her get WLS because the doctors told him she would die otherwise, but despite this, she managed to keep herself around the 400 pound mark.  I think most of these 600 pounders would be just happy to stay around the 400 pound mark as their "fatness" is their identity(Penny, i'm looking at you!)

[CocoaGoddess]

I finally saw the Penny episode, and I've never, ever been so appalled in my life. What a despicable human being, and I hate that she makes me actively root AGAINST her. 
And I don't feel sorry for Edgar's downtrodden ass, he's allowing his kid to live in abuse and filth and is putting his own comfort and stability over the wellbeing of his kid. And then he chuckled merrily as Penny badmouthed the dietitian and called her advice "bullshit". Welp. 

I can't really say anything that hasn't been said since this waste of space made her reality tv show debut two years ago, but I was curious about her progress and sought out her Facebook, and found this posting from December:

Quote

My huge weight loss has helped change everything. I am able yo walk further than I have in years baby steps yes but steps none the less feel Great! I have completed went off all my medications and the medications for their side effects. I am now 2.5 years insulin free when I was being fitted for insulin pump before the surgery. The experience may have been horrid TLC may have made Me look like a hot mess with their editing but the surgery itself has changed my life 2016 will begin my plastic portions of surgeries I have now an estimated 70 lbs minimum of skin to be removed. I have as much skin to be removed as my 8 year old son weighs.

Really. 

[Guest]

HA! I caught a rerun of Penny's episode the other night and also visited her FB page for an update. I did see the mention of the skin removal surgery which leads me to believe that Penny will be gracing us with her presence on a 600-lb follow-up show this winter when the series returns. I was gonna ask, "Why, TLC, whyyyyyyyy???" But realized why: because I will watch the shit out the episode because, while Penny is a vile, loathsome shrew, she's infinitely hate-watchable. 

Also noticed that all of her FB pictures feature her STILL in that stank-ass bed of hers. Oh, and they also moved into a new double-wide and Penny's hoping to get enough money to build a ramp for her wheelchair -- which she totally DOES. NOT. NEED. Perpetual victimhood is not a physically debilitating condition.

[lenny]

I keep reading on this forum about the loathsome Penny and could never run across a showing of her episode so actually spent $1.99 to watch it on Amazon. Now I understand. Perpetual victimhood is so well said. This woman has a country's worth of self pity going on. Dr. Now doesn't have enough tough love to get through to her. I'm sure the only reason she wasn't dismissed from his practice within 6 months of surgery is she makes a wonderful villain for the show.  I mean, what could be better fodder than a selfish, abusive mother. That poor kid doesn't stand a chance of growing up to be a happy, stable, successful human being.....not with her and Edgar's example in his face everyday.

[auntjess]

I think Penny was the first "do it at my own pace" person on the show.

[mysticalflute]

"Update" on Penny...

http://www.inquisitr.com/4348379/my-600-lb-life-penny-update/

Sigh. Such a lost cause.

[auntjess]

I didn't know you could have a Gofundme without saying what it's for.
And they're just trying for $200?
I've got her first one, set to record, but may get too annoyed to watch it all.

[Guest]

On 7/6/2017 at 5:37 PM, mysticalflute said:

"Update" on Penny...

http://www.inquisitr.com/4348379/my-600-lb-life-penny-update/

Sigh. Such a lost cause.

Sayeth Penny:

Quote

“I like this picture. It is from Thanksgiving. It made me mad. I had been on a few rounds of steroids, and my face is a little rounder than it actually is now.”

Please. Her face is round not because of "steroids," but because she's still shoving ham sandwiches and cake into it. 

[AZChristian]

1 hour ago, Giant Misfit said:

Please. Her face is round not because of "steroids," but because she's still shoving ham sandwiches and cake into it. 

But steroids are a better excuse than "this new mattress makes me look fat."

[PumpkinPK]

On 1/28/2015 at 4:20 PM, Armchair Critic said:

 Who would choose to go to the bathroom in bed? Also if you aren't bathing in a tub or taking a shower I would think you would feel sticky and funky, let alone smell. She has to have mental issues or just be extremely lazy.

 

 

In her original episode, there was a chocolate-eyed, dark-haired, tall and strapping young paramedic who I found quite fetching.  When he was helping the team load her back into the ambulance (after a Dr. Now or hospital visit, I don't remember), he shriveled his nose and got a look on his face like he had just smelled the most offensive and disgusting smell.

I only noticed it because I was only watching him, but I really hoped someone else saw it too.

[Ralphster]

Quite late to the party but I second those who say that addictions aren't a disease. You can change the derailment that addiction brings. You can't change something like cancer.

[Selina]

Why did Tara’s friend/date look like he borrowed his style from Bel Biv Devoe 🤔