The All You Can Eat Buffet: My 600 Pound Life All Episode Discussion

[notyrmomma]

On 2/3/2017 at 2:14 PM, auntjess said:

ThW There's a Facebook page for My 600 lb life viewing & discussion group (as opposed to official show page,) and the wife of an upcoming 600 pounder is there.
Her name is Roni something, and I didn't see husband's name.
She's worrying about comments, but people are pointing out that that's what the page is for.
So when we have a wife of that name, you might check it out.

I was just reading that page, and boy was there a heated discussion last night on how much these people do/don't get paid to be on this show.    Bottom line, they get nearly nothing except the chance to get to the front of the line to see Dr. Now (otherwise it could take years to see him).  Even Amber and Dottie replied...it got pretty nasty.  Tracie from last season also replied IN ALL CAPS.  It's also funny to see the difference in the way Amber "speaks" in her replies as compared to Tracie.  And Tracie has a tax prep business.  I don't think I would let someone do my taxes who can't put together a cohesive written sentence.  

Edited to add: just to clarify, it was stated that they get $2,500 for relocation and $1,500 for casting, which to me really is "nearly nothing" as there is not a chance in HELL I would be seen naked, let alone broadcast on TV, for $4,000.

Edited February 6, 2017 by notyrmomma

[Pers]

2 hours ago, notyrmomma said:

I was just reading that page, and boy was there a heated discussion last night on how much these people do/don't get paid to be on this show.    Bottom line, they get nearly nothing except the chance to get to the front of the line to see Dr. Now (otherwise it could take years to see him).  Even Amber and Dottie replied...it got pretty nasty.  Tracie from last season also replied IN ALL CAPS.  It's also funny to see the difference in the way Amber "speaks" in her replies as compared to Tracie.  And Tracie has a tax prep business.  I don't think I would let someone do my taxes who can't put together a cohesive written sentence.  

Edited to add: just to clarify, it was stated that they get $2,500 for relocation and $1,500 for casting, which to me really is "nearly nothing" as there is not a chance in HELL I would be seen naked, let alone broadcast on TV, for $4,000.

That page is crazy. So many people posting are instantly defensive and snarky. 

[Azubah]

On 2/6/2017 at 5:00 AM, notyrmomma said:

Even Amber and Dottie replied.

Amber's really articulate.

[Banshee]

I didn't know about the Facebook page,  but I guess I shouldn't be surprised. I love this show. I am not supermorbidly obese,  just BMI-"overweight, " but I lost 65 pounds over the last 18 months and this show reminds me of how hard it really can be,  and how other peeps struggle. Right now I'm watching Joe,  who may be my favorite cast member of all time. 

I'm brand-new here,  so please forgive me if this post is out of order in any way.

B.

[Marilee]

On 5/6/2016 at 1:49 AM, Muffyn said:

A few of the women did porn but did not mention it on the show.  

I can't believe this is what's bringing me out of lurkerdom, but who did porn? ?

[notyrmomma]

13 hours ago, Banshee said:

I didn't know about the Facebook page,  but I guess I shouldn't be surprised. I love this show. I am not supermorbidly obese,  just BMI-"overweight, " but I lost 65 pounds over the last 18 months and this show reminds me of how hard it really can be,  and how other peeps struggle. Right now I'm watching Joe,  who may be my favorite cast member of all time. 

I'm brand-new here,  so please forgive me if this post is out of order in any way.

B.

Welcome!  And congrats on your weight loss!

[notyrmomma]

11 hours ago, Marilee said:

I can't believe this is what's bringing me out of lurkerdom, but who did porn? ?

I only know of two: Zaslyn and Pauline - and I don't know about actual porn, but they naked and/or lingerie photo shoots.  Someone also mentioned that Penny did it too, but I don't think so.  What?  You don't want to Google it for yourself?  LOL

[okerry]

1 hour ago, notyrmomma said:

I only know of two: Zaslyn and Pauline - and I don't know about actual porn, but they naked and/or lingerie photo shoots.  Someone also mentioned that Penny did it too, but I don't think so.  What?  You don't want to Google it for yourself?  LOL

I know Zsalyn talked about this, though it may not have been until her follow-up show. She was doing Internet chats and videos for men who have fat fetishes - who are only sexually attracted to grossly overweight women - and IIRC, that's where she met her (now-ex) husband.

Zsalyn's husband got nasty and rejected her once she started losing some weight. That's why he was acting the way he was. Apparently there are any number of men like this, and these very overweight women sometimes fall for them thinking he's such a great guy because "he doesn't care about my weight!" But the truth is, that's the only thing he's attracted to and it's crushing for these women once they realize that, as Zsalyn finally did.

[Marilee]

1 hour ago, notyrmomma said:

What?  You don't want to Google it for yourself?  LOL

Actually, I got so curious that I did. Zsalynn and Pauline were apparently part of the fetish community. Which in Zsalynn's case, makes sense with a lot of things she said at the beginning of her episode, more especially the story of how she met her douchebag husband. Then there's Pauline, who had a blog where she talked about her "sexercise" routine and how many calories she sweated off having sex marathons with her boyfriend. I don't think the blog is there anymore, and I'm not about to look for it, but she did a interview about it. I stopped there, I don't even want to think about Penny. I'm so mentally scarred now I don't think there's enough therapy in the world to get this out of my head. ?Clearly, I'm going to have to drink till I blackout. LOL

[Marilee]

20 minutes ago, okerry said:

I know Zsalyn talked about this, though it may not have been until her follow-up show. She was doing Internet chats and videos for men who have fat fetishes - who are only sexually attracted to grossly overweight women - and IIRC, that's where she met her (now-ex) husband.

Zsalyn's husband got nasty and rejected her once she started losing some weight. That's why he was acting the way he was. Apparently there are any number of men like this, and these very overweight women sometimes fall for them thinking he's such a great guy because "he doesn't care about my weight!" But the truth is, that's the only thing he's attracted to and it's crushing for these women once they realize that, as Zsalyn finally did.

Oops, I didn't see this till I posted just now. I wish I had, it would've saved me the trauma from googling it myself!

[auntjess]

Don't you hate it when the things you google out of curiosity, follow you around.
Then when someone else uses the computer, they see all the strange things.

[Marilee]

I've wanted to post regarding Marla's episodes for a while and now that I finally got around to registering here goes. I have a whole list of gripes with her but my soon-to-be DH (in 5 weeks!) pointed out something that never crossed my mind. He's in his final year of his general surgery residency and his subspecialty is trauma surgery, that's where his heart really is. So, in any medical situation he immediately thinks of the worst case scenario first. I showed him the clip of Marla frying chicken in bed back when her episode first aired. He knows I'm obsessed with medical reality shows and he usually just rolls his eyes and snickers with me whenever I tell him he needs to see whatever insane clip I've found. He got serious over this one and said that had she turned that fryer over, with the speed that a grease fire can spread combined with the all the stuff that was piled up around the bed, that house would be a raging inferno in a matter of minutes. And obviously at least some of her children and grandchildren were in the house with her because they were the ones that set up her fry station, so if a fire started they could most likely get out in time but it wouldn't matter how much of a path out of there they had at that moment, there'd be no way they could get her out. It's beyond horrific to think that for the rest of their lives her kids would have to live knowing that in order to save their own lives and their children's lives they had no choice but to leave their mom behind. That literally makes me nauseated. I realized it was a fire hazard of course, I just didn't think about how deeply tragic it could've been because I was trying to wrap my mind around the absurdity of the whole thing.

Sorry for the essay! I had to get that out.

[auntjess]

14 minutes ago, Marilee said:

. I showed him the clip of Marla frying chicken in bed back when her episode first aired.

I wonder if the TLC production people would be mandatory reporters.  In some states, don't remember where Marla lived, anyone who witnesses child abuse of endangerment is required to report.

[notyrmomma]

51 minutes ago, Marilee said:

I've wanted to post regarding Marla's episodes for a while and now that I finally got around to registering here goes. I have a whole list of gripes with her but my soon-to-be DH (in 5 weeks!) pointed out something that never crossed my mind. He's in his final year of his general surgery residency and his subspecialty is trauma surgery, that's where his heart really is. So, in any medical situation he immediately thinks of the worst case scenario first. I showed him the clip of Marla frying chicken in bed back when her episode first aired. He knows I'm obsessed with medical reality shows and he usually just rolls his eyes and snickers with me whenever I tell him he needs to see whatever insane clip I've found. He got serious over this one and said that had she turned that fryer over, with the speed that a grease fire can spread combined with the all the stuff that was piled up around the bed, that house would be a raging inferno in a matter of minutes. And obviously at least some of her children and grandchildren were in the house with her because they were the ones that set up her fry station, so if a fire started they could most likely get out in time but it wouldn't matter how much of a path out of there they had at that moment, there'd be no way they could get her out. It's beyond horrific to think that for the rest of their lives her kids would have to live knowing that in order to save their own lives and their children's lives they had no choice but to leave their mom behind. That literally makes me nauseated. I realized it was a fire hazard of course, I just didn't think about how deeply tragic it could've been because I was trying to wrap my mind around the absurdity of the whole thing.

Sorry for the essay! I had to get that out.

Just to add to the visual if anyone forgot...she was deep fat frying chicken literally in her bed--they got a rickety old card table (it looked like the kind with a little padding and vinyl on the top, you know, for playing cards, not cooking) and in order to get it close enough to her, they kept the front two legs folded.  So here is Marla, deep fat frying on a table that looked like it was from the 80s with only two out of the four legs.    

[notyrmomma]

Oh, and on another note, I have been meaning to bring this up all day.  In reference to the poor and how they can only afford fast food.  Yeah, no.   This morning as a treat to my son and an incentive to get him out of the house early, I promised to take him to McDonalds for breakfast. I haven't had or taken him to breakfast at McDonalds in years.  He ordered a bacon, egg, and cheese McGriddles with a hash brown and diet coke (because he thought the milk would be too small)...my total was FREAKING $6.31! FOR ONE FREAKING BREAKFAST!  I didn't really say much to my son at the time because I didn't want to spoil the treat, but I was so outraged that I kept the receipt.   They up-charged me $.60 just for the soda.  How can people afford to spend like that every day? I could buy a loaf of bread, eggs, a small tub of margarine, and a gallon of milk for that price and a family could have breakfast for a couple of days.

[Marilee]

1 hour ago, notyrmomma said:

Oh, and on another note, I have been meaning to bring this up all day.  In reference to the poor and how they can only afford fast food.  Yeah, no.   This morning as a treat to my son and an incentive to get him out of the house early, I promised to take him to McDonalds for breakfast. I haven't had or taken him to breakfast at McDonalds in years.  He ordered a bacon, egg, and cheese McGriddles with a hash brown and diet coke (because he thought the milk would be too small)...my total was FREAKING $6.31! FOR ONE FREAKING BREAKFAST!  I didn't really say much to my son at the time because I didn't want to spoil the treat, but I was so outraged that I kept the receipt.   They up-charged me $.60 just for the soda.  How can people afford to spend like that every day? I could buy a loaf of bread, eggs, a small tub of margarine, and a gallon of milk for that price and a family could have breakfast for a couple of days.

I thought about that too. It's possible they can afford it because if the patient is receiving disability their medical care is taken care of through Medicare/Medicaid and they wouldn't have to worry about those expenses plus if they have minor children they'd be covered too. The other household members could be getting a stipend for being the full time caretakers but they'd still qualify as low income so their rent and utilities may be subsidized. I'm sure they also qualify for SNAP benefits and depending on how many there are in the household that could be a pretty good amount. That'd cover their regular groceries thus freeing up their cash as disposable income to spend on the fast food. I could be totally wrong but it might explain things.

[Marilee]

12 hours ago, auntjess said:

I wonder if the TLC production people would be mandatory reporters.  In some states, don't remember where Marla lived, anyone who witnesses child abuse of endangerment is required to report.

I doubt it or there'd be a lot of families with TLC shows that would have been reported a long time ago. Off the top of my head, the Duggars come to mind. There were several incidents that go all the way back to their first specials. When they showed them building their house before TLC stepped in and finished it, they had some of the very young kids using power tools and climbing all over construction equipment. If I remember correctly, dumb ass JimBob was driving around in a bulldozer with a few little kids riding in the bucket on the front. I don't know if that's the correct term but in the thing that that scoops the dirt.

Anyway, one of the camera guys that worked on Teen Mom and Teen Mom 2 did a AMA on Reddit and said they were not allowed to intervene even in the worst incidents of neglect and abuse. Amber didn't get arrested for domestic abuse until the scene of her beating up Gary actually aired. 

Back to Marla, she was from Nashville and interestingly enough Vanderbilt Medical Center has one of the top Level 1 burn units in the nation.

Edited February 11, 2017 by Marilee
edited to add re. Marla

[Muffyn]

On ‎2‎/‎10‎/‎2017 at 5:37 AM, notyrmomma said:

I only know of two: Zaslyn and Pauline - and I don't know about actual porn, but they naked and/or lingerie photo shoots.  Someone also mentioned that Penny did it too, but I don't think so.  What?  You don't want to Google it for yourself?  LOL

Penny did what is known as feeder porn.  She would sit in her toilet bed wearing lingerie or something short which, given that she didn't wear pants took no effort, and make a show of eating large quantities of food.  

On ‎2‎/‎10‎/‎2017 at 7:32 AM, okerry said:

I know Zsalyn talked about this, though it may not have been until her follow-up show. She was doing Internet chats and videos for men who have fat fetishes - who are only sexually attracted to grossly overweight women - and IIRC, that's where she met her (now-ex) husband.

Zsalyn's husband got nasty and rejected her once she started losing some weight. That's why he was acting the way he was. Apparently there are any number of men like this, and these very overweight women sometimes fall for them thinking he's such a great guy because "he doesn't care about my weight!" But the truth is, that's the only thing he's attracted to and it's crushing for these women once they realize that, as Zsalyn finally did.

Zsalynn was really active with NAAFA:  https://www.bing.com/search?q=naafa&form=EDGNTC&qs=MB&cvid=50fd88573d584d8a902ab0d33a9f802b&pq=naafa&cc=US&setlang=en-US&PC=LCTS .  A friend was very involved with this organization.   When she would go to their conferences there were always many people who were there to find a partner for life or just for fun.  Many of the men were just normal guys who are attracted to large women or were already married to a large woman and being emotionally supportive.  (And of course women with women and women with men).  And then there were the Gareth equivalents.  They were physically attracted to large women but also treated them poorly because they thought they could.  So at an organization focused on supporting large people, there are jerks like Gareth who use it as a place to find people they can emotionally abuse.  Those are the guys that often date many women and, when in relationships, cheat.  We saw that with Gareth on the show. 

14 hours ago, auntjess said:

I wonder if the TLC production people would be mandatory reporters.  In some states, don't remember where Marla lived, anyone who witnesses child abuse of endangerment is required to report.

Doctors, teachers, psychiatrists, social workers, etc. are mandatory reporters.  TV producers are not.  They wouldn't be expected to be able to assess.  Of course, anyone can make a call if they see something that is putting people into danger.  On shows like Hoarders, there are psychiatrists as part of  the show; they are mandatory reporters and have made calls when needed. 

[AZChristian]

According to childwelfare.gov:

In approximately 18 States and Puerto Rico, any person who suspects child abuse or neglect is required to report.  Of these 18 States, 16 States and Puerto Rico specify certain professionals who must report, but also require all persons to report suspected abuse or neglect, regardless of profession.  (Delaware, Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Texas, and Utah.)

New Jersey and Wyoming require all persons to report without specifying any professions. In all other States, territories, and the District of Columbia, any person is permitted to report. These voluntary reporters of abuse are often referred to as “permissive reporters.”

================

Were I working on any of these "reality shows" where I see children in these situations, I - as a mother and a human being - would feel required to alert the proper authorities.  Even if that resulted in my being fired, I'd do it.  I wonder if the lawyers for these types of shows know the law well enough to NOT film in those states, because they know they can't fire someone on the production crew for obeying the law and reporting.

[auntjess]

8 hours ago, AZChristian said:

Were I working on any of these "reality shows" where I see children in these situations, I - as a mother and a human being - would feel required to alert the proper authorities.  Even if that resulted in my being fired, I'd do it.

 

10 hours ago, Marilee said:

Anyway, one of the camera guys that worked on Teen Mom and Teen Mom 2 did a AMA on Reddit and said they were not allowed to intervene even in the worst incidents of neglect and abuse.

I agree,  anyone should report.  In the Teen Mom case, sounds like they cared more about not harming the show. 
Screw them.

[Marilee]

13 hours ago, auntjess said:

I agree,  anyone should report.  In the Teen Mom case, sounds like they cared more about not harming the show. 
Screw them.

Exactly! With the Amber and Gary incident their baby Leah, who was 2 or 3 at the time, was standing there during the whole thing. Somebody on that crew should have dropped what they were doing, job be damned, and got that child out of there! They definitely use the endangerment incidents to create drama depending on which mom is getting the bad edit that week. That's why I barely watch it anymore.

In the case of my 600lb life, along with Marla putting her grandkids in danger, two scenes that really bothered me were Zsalynn's husband being emotionally abusive to their daughter telling her she wasn't worthy enough to justify him marrying her mother. Emotionally abusing Zsalynn in front of her was sickening too. It was really telling when he called the hospital and Zsalynn's friend asked Hannah if she wanted to talk to her dad and she was like "No way!". I liked Zsalynn but I'd fight tooth and nail before I'd let him share custody. To be quite honest, I was surprised he'd even want to. He was so heartless and skeevy l figured he'd walk and not look back.

[Banshee]

On 2/10/2017 at 8:26 PM, Marilee said:

 had she turned that fryer over, with the speed that a grease fire can spread combined with the all the stuff that was piled up around the bed, that house would be a raging inferno in a matter of minutes. And obviously at least some of her children and grandchildren were in the house with her because they were the ones that set up her fry station, so if a fire started they could most likely get out in time but it wouldn't matter how much of a path out of there they had at that moment, there'd be no way they could get her out. It's beyond horrific to think that for the rest of their lives her kids would have to live knowing that in order to save their own lives and their children's lives they had no choice but to leave their mom behind. That literally makes me nauseated. I realized it was a fire hazard of course, I just didn't think about how deeply tragic it could've been because I was trying to wrap my mind around the absurdity of the whole thing.

Best wishes on your upcoming nuptials! I have never used my Fry Daddy because I'm afraid of grease fires. It's been in the box for ages. I saw her and thought the same thing! 

[Marilee]

On 2/12/2017 at 3:17 PM, Banshee said:

Best wishes on your upcoming nuptials! I have never used my Fry Daddy because I'm afraid of grease fires. It's been in the box for ages. I saw her and thought the same thing! 

Thank you! We're excited! Needless to say, there is no Fry Daddy on our registries lol 

[Marilee]

I wonder if some of the patients have been on narcotic painkillers long before they have surgery? One of the major complaints is pain from carrying all that weight around so I wouldn't be surprised. Some shots of Penny show her looking really out of it and then her half-closed eyes when she's mumbling about how "nobody told me that I had to lose weight when I got here.". And then was Angel sitting on the edge of her bed with her eyes closed and her mouth open a little. Sitting up could be the only way she can sleep and breathe comfortably, I can't remember if she was on oxygen or not, but to me it really looked like the "nodding off" side effect of narcotic drugs.  

Side note--I hate to mention Angel in the same post as Penny. I liked Angel and her family a lot. They were clueless about her aftercare and made a huge error in judgement by going to the er instead of calling Dr. Now but I think his firm lecture sunk in. She looked pretty after she had her makeup done ?

Edited February 15, 2017 by Marilee
clarity

[auntjess]

If this were set up for real life, rather than a TV show, the logical thing, to me at least, is to have them weighed in their home town.
We know Dr. Now can do this, and some shows took people to warehouses to be weighed on a commercial scale.
From that weight, then have them lose the 50 lbs at home, be weighed to veify it, THEN make the trip.  Just that bit of loss would make the trip a bit easier, and they'd be ready for surgery, or at least closer to ready, when they got there.
 

[55Unicorns]

On 2/10/2017 at 7:26 PM, Marilee said:

I've wanted to post regarding Marla's episodes for a while and now that I finally got around to registering here goes. I have a whole list of gripes with her but my soon-to-be DH (in 5 weeks!) pointed out something that never crossed my mind. He's in his final year of his general surgery residency and his subspecialty is trauma surgery, that's where his heart really is. So, in any medical situation he immediately thinks of the worst case scenario first. I showed him the clip of Marla frying chicken in bed back when her episode first aired. He knows I'm obsessed with medical reality shows and he usually just rolls his eyes and snickers with me whenever I tell him he needs to see whatever insane clip I've found. He got serious over this one and said that had she turned that fryer over, with the speed that a grease fire can spread combined with the all the stuff that was piled up around the bed, that house would be a raging inferno in a matter of minutes. And obviously at least some of her children and grandchildren were in the house with her because they were the ones that set up her fry station, so if a fire started they could most likely get out in time but it wouldn't matter how much of a path out of there they had at that moment, there'd be no way they could get her out. It's beyond horrific to think that for the rest of their lives her kids would have to live knowing that in order to save their own lives and their children's lives they had no choice but to leave their mom behind. That literally makes me nauseated. I realized it was a fire hazard of course, I just didn't think about how deeply tragic it could've been because I was trying to wrap my mind around the absurdity of the whole thing.

Sorry for the essay! I had to get that out.

Wow...that never occurred to me, but he's right.

[Ryan Chamberlain]

This show just makes me sad.  It's interesting enough, and motivating enough (for people who want to lose weight),  But, it's pretty tragic.

I've noticed a strong pattern in alot of the female patients. A lot of them seem to have been sexually abused in their childhood/teenage years. Which, lead to them gaining all the weight.

It really is just a tragic show.

Edited February 20, 2017 by Ryan Chamberlain

[DC Gal in VA]

Went over to TV Guide's website to check out upcoming episodes of this show. It says that the next show will be aired February 22nd and feature a patient named Michael who is 700 lbs. Just wondering if there will be a topic added here to discuss this episode.  Thanks.

[PrincessPurrsALot]

11 minutes ago, DC Gal in VA said:

Went over to TV Guide's website to check out upcoming episodes of this show. It says that the next show will be aired February 22nd and feature a patient named Michael who is 700 lbs. Just wondering if there will be a topic added here to discuss this episode.  Thanks.

If the one of the moderators has not started a thread for a new episode, you can.  (Always check to make sure it doesn't exist first).  When creating the thread, you see an option to use the episode format. 

I added a thread for Michael's episode that airs tomorrow night. 

[DC Gal in VA]

29 minutes ago, PrincessPaws said:

If the one of the moderators has not started a thread for a new episode, you can.  (Always check to make sure it doesn't exist first).  When creating the thread, you see an option to use the episode format. 

I added a thread for Michael's episode that airs tomorrow night. 

Oh thanks so much PrincessPaws! Relatively new here, so I didn't know that could be done unless you were a moderator. BTW, the TV Guide description says he has a family AND a temper! Should be an interesting--read snark worthy--one.

[notyrmomma]

5 hours ago, DC Gal in VA said:

Oh thanks so much PrincessPaws! Relatively new here, so I didn't know that could be done unless you were a moderator. BTW, the TV Guide description says he has a family AND a temper! Should be an interesting--read snark worthy--one.

What a co-inky-dink, I have a temper and a family too! LOL  Although if history is any guide on this show, temper = whiney bitch

[beisenbp]

Don't these people have therapy BEFORE they go to surgery?  I know it has been required of others I know personally who have done the surgery.  They had to do 6 months therapy first.  I guess I don't understand why, if you have therapy, and you are told to lost X amount of weight before surgery, that you can't just keep doing that, and adding exercise, and forego the surgery. 

[Toaster Strudel]

Judging from this week's promos, the next episode is going to be a beast!

[okerry]

3 hours ago, Toaster Strudel said:

Judging from this week's promos, the next episode is going to be a beast!

Is Whitney Thore from My Big Fat Totally Fake Life going to be on it? ;)

[Toaster Strudel]

18 minutes ago, okerry said:

Is Whitney Thore from My Big Fat Totally Fake Life going to be on it? ;)

Something much more rabid this way comes!

[gonecrackers]

I know they often have no other way to get there, but them being propped on pillows, not strapped in at all, in the back of these vans must be illegal, & really dangerous. If any of them got rear ended it would not be good.

[Marilee]

2 hours ago, gonecrackers said:

I know they often have no other way to get there, but them being propped on pillows, not strapped in at all, in the back of these vans must be illegal, & really dangerous. If any of them got rear ended it would not be good.

I had the same thought. Dr. Now keeps saying, "so-and-so is too heavy, it's too dangerous and they should not have traveled all this way on their own, they should have arranged for medical transport, they couldn't have survived riding much longer etc..." of course he's right so then why do they not counsel the patient about this when making the appointment? I'm sure he's probably referrals only from the persons primary care physician so he'd know basic information. If not, you'd still think that weight and mobility would be part of the standard questions asked when they make the appointment. I mean, if it's that much of a risk.

[Marilee]

I was just thinking about those poor first responders that had to rescue Lupe from the toilet. That's probably going to go down in history as one of the most unintentionally funny calls each of them has ever had. My DH2B and his colleagues have a twisted sense of humor over things like that. It saves their sanity because the trauma service combined with the hours he works is brutal. Usually it's not the patient it's the situation. Recently, he was doing surgical consult on a veteran who was drunk and fell out of a deer stand while hunting. The guy's buddies brought him in and he was fighting tooth and nail until he finally had to be restrained. He kept yelling at everyone that came in the room to "put your f-ing face in the dirt and get ready cause here comes the thunder." He ended up having a ruptured spleen but one of the things made this case funny was my DH2B telling the staff afterwards that after we get married that's the phrase he's going to use to greet me whenever he comes home lol ?

Edited February 27, 2017 by Marilee

[TurtlePower]

14 hours ago, Marilee said:

I had the same thought. Dr. Now keeps saying, "so-and-so is too heavy, it's too dangerous and they should not have traveled all this way on their own, they should have arranged for medical transport, they couldn't have survived riding much longer etc..." of course he's right so then why do they not counsel the patient about this when making the appointment? I'm sure he's probably referrals only from the persons primary care physician so he'd know basic information. If not, you'd still think that weight and mobility would be part of the standard questions asked when they make the appointment. I mean, if it's that much of a risk.

The cost of such transport can't be cheap, not sure TLC would want to foot the bill for it and many of those folks probably can't afford it. And the patient probably wouldn't have as many opportunities to be recorded eating junk food en rt to Dr. Now. the drive adds to the drama. 

 

2 hours ago, Marilee said:

I was just thinking about those poor first responders that had to rescue Lupe from the toilet. That's probably going to go down in history as one of the most unintentionally funny calls each of them has ever had. My DH2B and his colleagues have a twisted sense of humor over things like that. It saves their sanity because the trauma service combined with the hours he works is brutal. Usually it's not the patient it's the situation. Recently, he was doing surgical consult on a veteran who was drunk and fell out of a deer stand while hunting. The guy's buddies brought him in and he was fighting tooth and nail until he finally had to be restrained. He kept yelling at everyone that came in the room to "put your f-ing face in the dirt and get ready cause here comes the thunder." He ended up having a ruptured spleen but one of the things made this case funny was my DH2B telling the staff afterwards that after we get married that's the phrase he's going to use to greet me whenever he comes home lol ?

Emergency medical care is part of my job and I've had some doozies in my time. We had to bust down a bannister to extract a very obese patient from his home or we wouldn't have been able to get him out. He was what we call a "frequent flier" who eventually would up being found deceased in his home.

We do have twisted humor but calls like Lupe's are usually more awkward, unless the patient does/says something funny. It's hard on us, it's embarrassing for the patient. Like the story above, our funniest and most memorable calls are often intoxicated people. They say the craziest things. Funniest thing I've heard in the past couple years was an intoxicated woman yelling, "You're an alien weirdo!" at law enforcement. 

[Marilee]

13 hours ago, Runnergirl said:

The cost of such transport can't be cheap, not sure TLC would want to foot the bill for it and many of those folks probably can't afford it. And the patient probably wouldn't have as many opportunities to be recorded eating junk food en rt to Dr. Now. the drive adds to the drama. 

This is true!

13 hours ago, Runnergirl said:

He was what we call a "frequent flier"

These are the patients that frustrate everyone on staff the most. He's point blank asked patients how many times he's going to have to put them back together before they either admit they've got a problem or he has to pronounce them dead then tell their family and break their hearts. The saddest cases are when kids are involved, once a patient's little boy said to him, "my daddy's drunk will he be ok?" He told him yes then the kid asked if his dad was going to go jail again. He said no and the little boy said "ok, thank you." and just went back to playing a game he had with him. It's heartbreaking that that child was so resigned to the fact his daddy was an alcoholic and trips to the er/jail because his dad got wasted then did something stupid was a normal way of life.

13 hours ago, Runnergirl said:

calls like Lupe's are usually more awkward, unless the patient does/says something funny. It's hard on us, it's embarrassing for the patient.

When my fiancé was an intern he got the task of removing a little over $2 in change from a guy's rectum. Fortunately they got enough info and medical history without having to ask the guy just exactly how and why he ended up with coins in his butt. The joke that time was that he must not have had pockets. Then it gets better: when dh2b asked his attending what to do with the biohazard bag of butthole change, the attending told him that since he'd be on for the next 16 hours overnight his suggestion was that he should go down to the cafeteria and get some coffee with it. ?

Edited February 28, 2017 by Marilee

[Oldernowiser]

I've never understood why they don't just lend these people a scale so there would be more daily feedback on their weight loss (or that magical thinking "I've been really 'trying' but stress" weight gain). Yes, those high-weight scales are expensive, but compared to shlepping the 600ers to the hospital in a oversized ambulance, it would be chump change.

Then I remember it's television and therefore 75% bullshit. Then I remember it's TLC and therefore 99% bullshit.

So I slap myself upside the head and get on with my life.

[AZChristian]

I recently spent a morning volunteering at a food bank.  In the storage part of the facility, there was a huge industrial scale (big enough to weigh a grocery cart full of food).  I stepped on it (I'm NOT 600+), and it accurately weighed me.  

So maybe every grocery store in the world has a big scale in the back.  How hard would it be if certain chains were to partner with doctors to allow extra-large patients to weigh themselves once a week or so?  It would only take one employee 5 minutes to accompany the patient, and the employee wouldn't even have to look.

Where there's a will, there's a way.  The problem is, TLC has no "will" to actually avoid drama and help these people to succeed.  JMO.

[AdorkableWitch]

12 hours ago, Oldernowiser said:

I've never understood why they don't just lend these people a scale so there would be more daily feedback on their weight loss (or that magical thinking "I've been really 'trying' but stress" weight gain). Yes, those high-weight scales are expensive, but compared to shlepping the 600ers to the hospital in a oversized ambulance, it would be chump change.

Then I remember it's television and therefore 75% bullshit. Then I remember it's TLC and therefore 99% bullshit.

So I slap myself upside the head and get on with my life.

 

Scales are not the answer. The scale is somewhat the enemy here. Many doctors do not want their patients weighing themselves, because daily fluctuations in weight are a part of life. It is so easy for me to start believing the number on the scale is the only thing that matters, and to let it dictate my life. What these patients need is treatment in a clinical setting for their compulsive overeating, and to find some sort of way to deal with life without the food. They have an addiction. It may or may not be physical, but it is certainly psychological.

[Brooklynista]

I'm thinking we need a cook-off. 

Let's put Penny's pee pad wontons up against Nicole's saggy couch meatloaf. 

[NeitherSparky]

29 minutes ago, Brooklynista said:

I'm thinking we need a cook-off. 

Let's put Penny's pee pad wontons up against Nicole's saggy couch meatloaf. 

Now now, no spoilers on Nicole yet outside of her own thread please. Some of us are on the west coast. :)

[Brooklynista]

11 minutes ago, NeitherSparky said:

Now now, no spoilers on Nicole yet outside of her own thread please. Some of us are on the west coast. :)

So sorry!! Many apologies.

[NeitherSparky]

Just now, Brooklynista said:

So sorry!! Many apologies.

Ha ha no worries, with the way her thread is blowing up (and she's already got a spinoff thread) I guess it must be hard to hold it in. :D

[Ms. Bubba]

I caught a rerun of Chay's episode the other night, was he really deepfrying bacon and biscuits in hot oil? OMG.

[Cherrio]

On 3/1/2017 at 8:49 PM, Brooklynista said:

I'm thinking we need a cook-off. 

Let's put Penny's pee pad wontons up against Nicole's saggy couch meatloaf. 

IIRC, Penny also made a meatloaf , just smaller which my mom used to call hand grenades.  She wore blue gloves while sitting in her bed/toilet/dining room.

[ChristmasJones]

I looked for a forum for Skin Tight - but didn't find one.. anyone know if there is a place here to discuss it?