S03.E07: Pauline's Story

[Galloway Cave]

Pauline is 50 years old and 674 pounds.

[MrsClaus]

OMG! What is it with women whose name starts with P?

[notyrmomma]

When she said that she eats when she's not even hungry I knew she was a gonner (all the surgery does is make it to where you get full really quick).  But at least she lost weight!!!  Still haven't figure out how Penny gained.

Edited February 19, 2015 by notyrmomma

[Spooneroonie]

Well, I guess we found Penny's BFF....blames everyone else, tells the doc he's completely wrong, orders everyone around, refuses to leave the bed. Hell, they could be the same person.

She says she's nauseous all the time? That's your

body telling you something!

I'm torn about what to think about Dillon. On one hand, the woman is nearly 700 pounds. If you don't bring her her fast food, what can she really do to him? On the other hand, I'm guessing this is all he knows.

Edited February 19, 2015 by Spooneroonie

[AdorkableWitch]

Dr Now shouldn't have approved her for surgery. Anyone who has to be hospitalized in order to get her weight down shouldn't be approved. I'm angry, and I'm extremely sympathetic to these people, because I struggle with food addiction, too.

[Cherrio]

Penny's lost sister.

 I feel really bad for her son.

 Selfish, horrible person.

 I hope sooner rather than later, her son will leave her and never look back.

[Darknight]

Sorry she's a bitch. Blaming everything on others and making excuses. Sad to say she might die if she doesn't start doing right by herself

[Miss Chevious]

My first thought when I watched Pauline's story: Penny Junior. Excuses up the kazoo, doesn't listen to the doctor, lies about physical therapy and is too lazy to walk. Her grunts and groans were annoying and her attitude that she knows better than the medical professionals was just plain wrong. I feel sorry for her son Dillon. He seemed to gain weight and get more depressed as the show went on.

[Cherrio]

Dr Now shouldn't have approved her for surgery. Anyone who has to be hospitalized in order to get her weight down shouldn't be approved. I'm angry, and I'm extremely sympathetic to these people, because I struggle with food addiction, too.

I agree with you 200%, he shouldnt have done the surgery.

 Best of luck to you, I have read your posts here and I have high hopes for you because you acknowledge things, and I feel thats a huge hurdle.  :)

[Betweenyouandme]

I really felt bad for Dillon. One of his shirt's read, "you don't see me." I wouldn't be surprised if he has no real social interaction. I know he's an adult and can say no, but he seemed so depressed. He probably wonders what he's even do if he left. He might think he'd feel more alone without his mother.

[deedee2]

Dr Now shouldn't have approved her for surgery. Anyone who has to be hospitalized in order to get her weight down shouldn't be approved.

 

I was just coming here to post this. Couldn't believe he approved her surgery after she lost weight in hospital. The whole point of making them lose 20-50 lbs is to see if they can control their impulses, and she couldn't do that on her own. Dr. Now should have insisted that she lose an additional 30 or so lbs after being released as a condition for surgery. It was clear she wasn't psychologically prepared to make changes.

Edited February 19, 2015 by deedee2

[AdorkableWitch]

I agree with you 200%, he shouldnt have done the surgery.

 Best of luck to you, I have read your posts here and I have high hopes for you because you acknowledge things, and I feel thats a huge hurdle.  :)

 

Thanks!

 

Would not be where I am now without help. Reaching out was hard, but I have a solid support team that is helping me persevere. 

[non sequitur]

This was awful.  Pauline should have had intensive therapy before the surgery to try and change her habits and attitude.  

 

I think she is much worse than Penny.  

[MrsClaus]

Maybe I missed something, but did she not get what a blood clot would do to her when she was refusing to get out of bed and walk after the surgery?

 

My dh had his first clot at 36 and his second when he was 37.  He had absolutely none of the risk factors and we even ended up at the local cancer center to see the doctor there who dealt with blood.  He had all kinds of test including genetic testing as well has some painful procedures to determine the cause.  He's on meds for life.

 

I just wanted to reach through the screen and smack her.

 

I don't think her son will have much longer until he will no longer be able to care for her and she ends up in nursing home or dies.

[AdorkableWitch]

So apparently, Pauline was once the World's Heaviest Woman and has been a bit of a publicity seeker. 

[Miss Chevious]

That explains a lot. Still, a lot of resources and medical expertise went into trying to make Pauline's life better and it's truly sad she is so blasé about the wonderful opportunity she was given.

[Guest]

I laughed out loud when Dr Now called that motorized bed/bench a "monster." The poor dog. At some point she's gonna flatten him with that death machine.

Another adorable moment: Pauline bragging about how she "gets out so much more now" as we see her in the monster, getting into the handicapped bus, and zooming into the Bingo ball to stuff quesadillas in her cake hole. I doubt that's the kind of "getting out" the doctor meant.

And let me tell you, if some doctor gave me the choice of walking up and down the hospital hallway or undergoing a procedure to place TWO devices in my legs, I'd be sprinting down that hospital hallway like a Black Friday shopper at Walmart looking for the $2 flat screen TV.

[poeticlicensed]

The first few minutes of the show, Pauline seemed desperate to get to Houston to see Dr Now. Once she got there, the first thing he did was to tell her that she had to control her eating and move around. It was downhill after that. 

 

So pray tell, what did she think he was going to do for her?. Do surgery and the pounds would melt away with zero effort or change on her part? I seriously don't get  it.  

[PityFree]

I think I should thank the heavens that we didn't have to watch Dillon change his own mother's pee pad and wipe her @$$. Dillon: Run! Go stay with some of your WOW friends! Lose weight yourself.

[AdorkableWitch]

 

So pray tell, what did she think he was going to do for her?. Do surgery and the pounds would melt away with zero effort or change on her part? I seriously don't get  it.  

 

We call it the "magic pill mentality." She thought that the bypass was going to be the magic diet that would make her lose weight without having to change a damn thing. 

[mmecorday]

Pauline needs counseling. She is never going to be able to deal with her food addiction without some sort of psychiatric intervention. If what she says is true -- that she was deprived of food when she was a child because her parents split up and her family didn't have access to welfare -- she is always going to be seeking food because she's always going to be trying to feed that child who didn't get enough to eat.

 

Also, every time she said she was feeling nauseous, I wanted Drew Barrymore's character from "Never Been Kissed" to pop in and tell her that the correct adjective is nauseated.

[Galloway Cave]

Dillon is Liam in another 12 years. Blank stare, blank life and forever clutching a McDonald's bag and a coke.

 

I never did hear if Pauline had ever been married.

 

Penny and Pauline both said the same things about their "journey", almost word for word.

Edited February 19, 2015 by Galloway Cave

[Cherrio]

What I always wonder is WHY WHY WHY doesnt anyone get these children away from these people?   Liam should not be with Penny. Dillion should of never been allowed to grow up to be a slave to his mother.

 I agree with the poster who said Dillion got heavier and look worse and worse as each month went by.

[Cranky One]

That article was from a few years ago. She said she hoped some doctor or nutritionis would reach out and help her. She obviously doesn't want help.

I felt so bad for her son.

Edited February 19, 2015 by Cranky One

[Tuckerlee]

I laughed out loud when Dr Now called that motorized bed/bench a "monster." The poor dog. At some point she's gonna flatten him with that death machine.

Another adorable moment: Pauline bragging about how she "gets out so much more now" as we see her in the monster, getting into the handicapped bus, and zooming into the Bingo ball to stuff quesadillas in her cake hole. I doubt that's the kind of "getting out" the doctor meant.

And let me tell you, if some doctor gave me the choice of walking up and down the hospital hallway or undergoing a procedure to place TWO devices in my legs, I'd be sprinting down that hospital hallway like a Black Friday shopper at Walmart looking for the $2 flat screen TV.

I was in fear for that dog also.  She almost fell back on him when she sat down on that new hospital bed in Houston.  She could easily crush him and not find him for days...or longer.

 

I LOL when she said, after her first visit with Dr. Now, that she was so bored and had nothing to do but sit around in her chair.  WTH was she doing before that?  Sitting around in her bed?  The level of delusion with Pauline may have surpassed Penny's level of delusion.  Almost.  I give it to Penny by a hair because at least Pauline wasn't on oxygen for no reason at all.

 

I knew it was over when Pauline kept cancelling those PT appointments.  She doesn't want to change.  I imagine Dillon knows nothing but this life of being caregiver to his mother.  He needs more psychological help than she does.  I felt for him, and I hope he breaks free at some point.  Pauline should want better for her son if nothing else.  As far as I'm concerned, she is an abusive mother. 

[deedee2]

Dillon is Liam in another 12 years. Blank stare, blank life and forever clutching a McDonald's bag and a coke.

 

 

Tragic waste. He looks so checked out, as if he doesn't feel like he actually exists. reminds me of some of the Hoarders kids who were resigned to living in squalor.

 

 

I knew it was over when Pauline kept cancelling those PT appointments.

 

How fake was it when she perkily said to Dr. Now, "Oh! That was THEM calling??" as if she didn't know. Unbelievable.

Edited February 19, 2015 by deedee2

[Darknight]

I agree she should've never had the surgery. She's ungrateful and isn't willing to change.

[Desert Rat]

I feel so bad for Dillion. He is on hold waiting for something to change. Either Pauline will become independent or she will die. At this point, sadly, his only hope for a normal life is if she passes soon. I think he would be relieved. I hope it's not too late for Dillon.

[aliya]

I've seen Pauline on the UK show 'Supersize vs Superskinny.' They would send the supersizers to the US to meet a morbidly obese person and see how life would be for them if they don't do something about their weight now. A clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j1_6kozwQLw  I thought she was just another obese person who 1) wanted to help someone avoid their fate and 2) would welcome help if they could get it. 

 

Boy, was I wrong. What a piece of work. So, she won't walk, but is OK with getting some kind of pipe in her legs to avoid a blood clot (had no idea they could do that, so that was interesting)?  Of course - because with the operation, she could get more sympathy. 'My legs were so bad, I needed an operation.' Your legs were bad because you wouldn't get up, you lazy...   She's in the bed for 5 days and other people leave after 2??? 

 

What a difference between her and Mayra Rosales, Olivia, and even Amber. I don't think I heard Mayra make one complaint, and she had several surgeries.

 

As far as thinking that Dr Now shouldn't have taken her case, I think that he knows he is the last chance for many of these people since most doctors won't operate at that weight level. I see a kind heart in him. It's not his fault if every now and then he gets a jerk for a patient.

[purpleflowers]

It was a depressing episode because at the beginning she seemed so torn up about what she was doing to her son and her weight spiraling out of control that you might believe she was truly on the brink of changing. At some point her attitude totally shifted. Dr. Now really did whatever he could possibly do for Pauline. He may give tough love and be blunt, but considering the amount of times Pauline squandered her opportunities and gave feeble excuses , Dr. Now went above and beyond for her. I also felt the same as a poster above in regards to the procedure in her leg to prevent blood clots; I would never choose that over potentially strenuous walking. That just goes to show the extent of her denial and whatever other issue in her psyche. She is willing to risk blood clots that can be life-threatening so she doesn't have to move. I also felt really bad for Dillon. Last week's episode was a mother enabling her grown child (with Susan) and this week it is somewhat the opposite but different because Dillon is not the parent and not as responsible in my mind because of this alternate dynamic. 

Someone upthread mentioned that they knew it was hopeless when Pauline was told she had to limit her food intake. What I find interesting is that Amber, the young girl, told Dr. Now on her first visit a very similar description of her eating habits as Pauline (she keeps eating even if she is sick to her stomach and full), but she managed to find a way to control her eating. I wonder how the two of them differ psychologically and with their food addictions.

Edited February 19, 2015 by purpleflowers

[xls]

This was awful.  Pauline should have had intensive therapy before the surgery to try and change her habits and attitude.  

 

I think she is much worse than Penny.  

ITA, very exasperating woman. 

[Toaster Strudel]

I just love it when they explain their expertise at cheating on their diet while "losing weight."  You know, how you have to cheat just the right amount, a big portion of rice won't hurt you, how great they are now at balancing the diet with their cravings, how it's OK to continue indulging in their favorite fast food fares as long as they are having "less."  Then they are pleased with themselves because they are not gaining weight as fast as they used to.  Progress!

 

"Here comes the tears!" said an exasperated Dr Now, much to my delight.  Poor Dillon, she must torture him constantly.

[Meraji]

I appreciated Dr. Now a lot more in this episode than in previous ones. I feel like we usually hear the same passive advice from him, which makes him seem a bit indifferent. But here we got to see more and him not taking any bs from Pauline. I agree that he approves these surgeries for bad-risk patients because where else are they going to go and what would their lives be like without that chance?

 

I really wish they showed things like counseling (maybe not the actual sessions), nutrition advice, and examples of proper shopping/cooking. I would hate to think Dr. Now telling the patients: more protein, fewer carbs is the only help they get.  And I wholeheartedly agree that the caretakers should be referred to psychologists or counseling. I feel very sorry for Dillon and certainly saw the future for Penny's child in him.

 

Here's Pauline's obesity help profile: http://www.obesityhelp.com/member/pauline611/ There are pictures and one shows her as a bride.  Nothing newer than 2009 in the profile.

Edited February 19, 2015 by Meraji

[deedee2]

Here's Pauline's obesity help profile: http://www.obesityhelp.com/member/pauline611/ There are pictures and one shows her as a bride.  Nothing newer than 2009 in the profile.

 

Wait, so she'd already had weigh loss surgery a few years ago?

[Darknight]

She had surgery before?

[mrsjoe]

What I always wonder is WHY WHY WHY doesnt anyone get these children away from these people?   Liam should not be with Penny. Dillion should of never been allowed to grow up to be a slave to his mother.

 I agree with the poster who said Dillion got heavier and look worse and worse as each month went by.

Oh yeah. In the last Bingo shot when they were eating the same junk food side by side, all I could think was "how long before Dillon is 600 lbs?" He looked well on his way already. He clearly gained weight during the year. I wonder how much. The saddest part is that the damage is likely done. I suspect even if his mom died this year, he would continue to chow down on fast food and cokes because it's all he knows.

Oh and speaking of fast food, I had to laugh when they were in an apartment with a kitchen and she was arguing she HAD to have fast food because that was all there was in the area. I guess the grocery store we saw must have only sold tamales. Absolutely no alternatives to fast food anywhere to be found within driving distance of the apartment...

[swankie]

Man, Pauline!  What a douchebag!  I think she's doing major damage to her son.  He seems very depressed.  And does she take baths?  She had on the same clothes during the whole show.  I'm getting a Penny vibe from Pauline.  A big whiny asshole!

 

 

I'm quoting this from my post in the all episodes thread.  Didn't know there was a thread for Pauline.  Pauline is a clone of Penny.  They both irritate me because they make me hate them and I want to love everybody.  Pauline's whining was very rage inducing to me.  The doctor should have said, "Look what you're doing to your poor son!  He shouldn't have to see your gross obese ass!"  I know he wouldn't say that, but if it would get her mad enough to follow the rules, why not?  Also what they should have done is brought her food in and placed it at the nurses station and told her if she wanted it she would have to get herself out of that bed and get it.  It's so easy to say, "Walking makes me dizzy!" and use it as an excuse for not moving.  And then to think she's done so well because she lost 4 lbs in a month.  And worse than that, argue with the doctor when he says that it wasn't good to only lose 4 lbs in a month.  What a tool!

[mrsjoe]

She had surgery before?

My guess is that she joined the site when she first became interested in having surgery, but then likely couldn't find a doctor willing to take her on (with good reason). On these sites "beginning your weightloss surgery journey" as she says usually means you are just in the info gathering phase.

[deedee2]

My guess is that she joined the site when she first became interested in having surgery, but then likely couldn't find a doctor willing to take her on (with good reason). On these sites "beginning your weightloss surgery journey" as she says usually means you are just in the info gathering phase.

There's a picture of her in a hospital bed, and also a few pictures of her posing in what looks like progress shots. She definitely looks significantly smaller in some shots compared to others.

[feetcuzzyfeefee]

My thought was that Pauline couldn't be bothered to write her own script, so she just borrowed Penny's narrative.   "I know what's best for my body".  "I need to go at my own pace.  That's the only way to be successful".  "I am getting better.  Dr. Now doesn't know me like I do".   I think the store with the tamales was in Sacramento.  But heavens.  Only fast food in Houston?   My grandson was cooking egg whites and vegetables when he was 15.  I should send him to Pauline for a while to show them "This is what no-carb cooking looks like".    When Pauline was in Sacramento, she said that her niece came over twice a week to wash her hair and give her a bed bath.  I shudder to think that her son had to give her bed baths while they were in Houston.  And, she did have on the same clothes in just about every doctor visit.    Kudos to her for at least trying water aerobics and recognizing the value of water walking.  (I have had some knee problems in the past and did water walking three times a week.  It was great and didn't hurt my knee at all.  But, I also moved my arms while doing the water walking which greatly increases the aerobic value).   I hope she sees the light, and that someone gets that young man away from that situation.   I was also sad that she was so concerned about her own surgery while letting her son do without the reconstructive surgery he needed on his upper lip.  What a sad, sad family.

Edited February 19, 2015 by feetcuzzyfeefee

[poeticlicensed]

No wonder Dr Now has his practice in Houston. Apparently there are no grocery stores or markets that sell lowfat high protein food. Fast food is the only option, even with a car. Given that, I would imagine the line is out the door of his clinic [end snark]

 

I mean really? Fast food is the ONLY option, then cut to shot of Dillon driving a van through the drive in. Same with in the road. Yes, it's fast food, but go to the store and pack a cooler with healthy food, you don't need to stop for fast food.

 

Pauline was infuriating 

[notyrmomma]

No wonder Dr Now has his practice in Houston. Apparently there are no grocery stores or markets that sell lowfat high protein food. Fast food is the only option, even with a car. Given that, I would imagine the line is out the door of his clinic [end snark]

 

I mean really? Fast food is the ONLY option, then cut to shot of Dillon driving a van through the drive in. Same with in the road. Yes, it's fast food, but go to the store and pack a cooler with healthy food, you don't need to stop for fast food.

 

Pauline was infuriating 

A couple of weeks ago, I ended up stopping at a 7-11 to pick up an easy snack for my son who had a 4-hour band practice.  Normally, I stay out of convenience stores because of all the junk, but I was shocked at the healthy options that they had!  They had a whole refrigerator case full of healthy snacks like hard boiled eggs, cheese sticks, fresh cut up fruit, carrot sticks, etc.  She has no desire to lose weight.  What a waste of oxygen.

[NJRach]

What a nasty, lazy ass person. And Dillon is nothing more than a trained service dog. What a waste his life is.

 

What I wonder is what do these people live on? Social Secuity isn't much and her food bill must be the size of the national budget.

[alegtostandon]

What a nasty, lazy ass person. And Dillon is nothing more than a trained service dog. What a waste his life is.

 

What I wonder is what do these people live on? Social Secuity isn't much and her food bill must be the size of the national budget.

What a sad existence. For the both of them. I wonder if Dillon graduated from high school or if he dropped out to care for his mom.

I was wondering how much money they brought in, also, NJRach. The apartments they lived in seemed to be pretty nice. That bed & go cart she rode around in are pretty expensive. I wonder if someplace donated those. That van seemed pretty new.

I could not believe Pauline riding down the street like she was a car in that go cart thing. Dr.Now was disgusted with her still using that thing & she just did not get it.

Her son was so well trained, he just sat there with a straight face as she spewed all of her lies to the doctor. I wonder what Pauline would have done if he would have said "Mom, you knew that was the physical therapist calling.". Probably hell to pay when they were alone.

Edited February 19, 2015 by alegtostandon

[RedKoolAide]

Pauline is a disgusting human being. The lies, using crocodile tears to get out of being held accountable, having her son take care of her, refusing to walk after surgery when it's vital to progress, etc. There's so much that can be said about how horrible she is but you all have covered it.

I wonder if Pauline even knows how to cook? The only thing I saw her do was grill a slab of meat on a Foreman grill in the living room, I think? She's so gross. It might not be Penny's pee/poop bed but it's still gross. She also makes the same annoying noises Penny makes when those mean people make her stand up and attempt to walk.

I understand having childhood trauma can affect you for the rest of your life, but I believe Pauline is just a bitch. She's mean, self-absorbed, a liar, and lazy as all hell.

What I found the most disturbing watching last night was that Dillon rarely spoke. He seems to internalize a lot of the abuse his mother heaps on him. He needs serious psychological counseling or he will snap. I can't believe she's okay with her adult/teenage son seeing her in her big ass panties/bras and helping with her bed baths. That's fucking sick. She's an asshole. Then she had the nerve to say that she thinks she might have ruined Dillon's life. There's no might about it! You have ruined his life, you dumb bitch!

I hope next week is a person who actually wants to change. Pauline made me stabby.

Edited February 19, 2015 by RedKoolAide

[Grasonville]

I agree that she needed mental help even more than the surgery. Didn't the screen say she had been in the hospital 5 months?  As opposed to people who leave after 3 DAYS?

 

Is her son "paid" by the state to be her caregiver?  Is she paid to be a useless needy refuse to do anything waste of space?.

 

Those extra large beds and wheelchairs are VERY expensive - no doubt provided by SSI.

 

Did she EVER work? 

 

I didn't notice any computer either in CAL or Texas?  Is that another way she isolates her son and keeps him all to herself?

 

I think the rule should be a minimum of 6 months psychological evaluation as well as demonstrated weight loss brought about by PT and a diet they agree to follow before you and me and every other tax payer in the US pays for this.

[Armchair Critic]

Dare I ask? Was the person who was rinsing her butt off in the shower her son? egads! I got a phone call during the show so missed some of it.

[Toaster Strudel]

How much exercise was she getting in that pool, anyway?  Fat floats, she's very buoyant, so the water pretty much lifts her weight. Maybe it's less effort to be in the water than to lie in bed and lift up a 100-lb arm to shove greasy food down the hatch.

[PityFree]

I saw Dillon using a computer at their apartment in Houston.

[gunderda]

"We eat fast food because that's all there is"  uhhhhhhh you have a kitchen.  

 

I about died at that statement.

 

There was another ridiculous one that I was going to mention but now I can't remember it. 

 

Poor Dillon.  That kid gained SO much weight by the end.  Hopefully he's getting some interaction with people online. 

 

When they showed them having ice cream, she had a large bowl of ice cream PLUS a large glass of a milkshake. 

And the whole time I couldn't decide if her or Penny was worse.