S03.E07: Pauline's Story

[goodbyeglittergirl]

Ugh. This woman. I found no redeeming qualities whatsoever. I was really surprised (and glad) to see Dr. Now about as mad as I've seen him over this situation. I wish her son could get away from her. He's going to wind up just like her and that's a real shame. 

[Guest]

That van seemed pretty new.

And some point, the van disappeared, replaced by a smaller sedan. I particularly enjoyed the production people forcing her to sit in the front seat with Dillon while they filmed from the back. How that poor kid had any room to steer the car is a miracle of modern technology.

 

And I swear to god, at some point, Pauline was doing a VO that said she couldn't get in the car to go with Dillon to the store. The scene showed Dillon driving, then her trailing behind in the motorized chair/bed. And I thought for one split second between her VO and what was shown on the screen, that Dillon had tied the giant scooter to the back of the car and was pulling her and it down the street and totally laughed out loud.

 

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

What WAS THAT?! It wasn't even a milkshake because after making the sundae, she just poured the milk into the glass. One normally needs a blender to make a milkshake, right? I mean, why not just go balls-to-the-wall and add in a sleeve of Oreos and a tub of Crisco? But hey, to Pauline, she was making a "homemade" meal.

 

Another gripe: the constant crying like a baby about everything. At one point, she even said, "Ouchie" at Dr Now's office. "Ouchie?" Who says that past the age of five? And being "sick to her stomach" and having "dizzy spells?" Right. Again, these are "symptoms" a petulant child uses to get out of going to school because, who can actually verify whether the child is having them or not? You have to take their word these things are going on since they can't be observed or measured. Or, in Pauline's case, you don't. Because she's a liar.

[islandgal140]

I am going to go against the grain here and say that I find Pauline worse than Penny but just by a hair. I disliked Penny more but I just find Pauline worse. I say this merely because at least in Penny's case there is a buffer between her and her son in the form of Edgar and Edgar was a grown ass man when he voluntarily shackled himself to 600+ lbs of dead anchor weight. Pauline's son had no such choice.  Edgar met a 400+lb woman in a bar who was probably the same manipulative bitch she was back than as she is now and decided to marry and breed with her.  Due to that poor (and again I emphasize voluntary) decision he is now required to slavishly bring her food to her EXACT specifications, do all the housework and wipe and wash her ass while she lounges about in bed gaining weight. Liam may not be in the best of situations (who the hell is though) but he seems like an ordinary kid and allowed to be so for the most part. So in that regard, I will wish for Edgar to have a very long life and marriage so that Liam won't be saddled the same way Dillon is now.

 

I felt incredibly sorry for Dillon. They told us nothing of what his and her life was like when he was younger so it is impossible to know when he became her caretaker but he seemed so beaten down and joyless that I don't think it was a recent development. Plus not to be superficial, but he appeared to have a cleft palate of some kind and kids aren't very nice so I wouldn't find it hard to believe that he had a tough time in school and had a tough time making friends. It made me sad to see that as the episode progressed the more downtrodden he appeared the and heavier he got. I think it must have dawned on him that 'it wasn't gonna happen.' His mom will never get down to a manageable 'normal' weight where she can take care of herself and he can get a semblance of a life. 

 

Three funny moments: 

 

1. Dr Now calling her wheelchair a monster.

2. Pauline was another one that seemed to go a lot of places barefoot, but the one time she should have been barefoot - at the pool - she was actually wearing socks. WTF?!?! They actually had a close up of her be-socked feet getting into the water.

3. Dr. Now's gotcha moment when he called the PT and confirmed that they had indeed called 3 TIMES and were lied to by Pauline and he came back and confronted Pauline about it.

 

I don't remember them doing that leg vein surgery on Penny and she was the other one that refused to get out of the bed and walk.

 

The only reason why Pauline was bored and sitting around in TX (like her ass wasn't doing the same shit in Sacramento) was because she didn't have her normal food routine and haunts. She couldn't go on her tamala run to the local supermarket. Notice when she entered the market she asked if they had tamales today. It must be a special that isn't offered everyday.

Edited February 19, 2015 by islandgal140

[Bellalisa]

Every time they eat something wrong they know it. They think they can get away with something by maybe not eating 2 days before the weigh-in. You could tell with her "Im not sure if I lost, or how much"- you have to eat like 8000 calories a day to maintain 600 pounds! God! Penny 2.0. Same spouting of "It's my only hope, for my son" at the beginning and then "I know better than the doctor, I'm taking it at my pace"...she didnt pay a dime for all that time in the hospital either. HORRIBLE person with no desire to change at all!

Just the worst episode since Penny! Like all have said here, they could be Denial Twins.

[islandgal140]

I am so glad the season didn't start off with this episode. Ugh. Towards the middle every time she groaned or was huffing and puffing about walking I wanted to shove a wet dirty sock in her mouth. 

 

And I swear to god, at some point, Pauline was doing a VO that said she couldn't get in the car to go with Dillon to the store. The scene showed Dillon driving, then her trailing behind in the motorized chair/bed. And I thought for one split second between her VO and what was shown on the screen, that Dillon had tied the giant scooter to the back of the car and was pulling her and it down the street and totally laughed out loud.

 

 

 

OMG. I thought the same thing for a minute. LOL!!!

 

When they showed a close-up of her feet at the hospital when she was trying to walk (5 days after surgery) her feet looked like they belonged on a drowning victim in a morgue. It was so odd, especially the coloring - almost like marble in a way. 

Edited February 19, 2015 by islandgal140

[Maizie131]

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.

NJRach - with every episode I watch I wonder the same thing - where is the money coming from?  Exorbitant food bill for sure!  I'll bet their children get money as being "caregivers," altho none of them are caring enough to keep food away from them.  Easy for me to say, I guess, but ...

[Maizie131]

I've seen quite a few episodes of this show and I was surprised at Pauline's age (50).   Has there been another person this old?  I sure as hell am not defending her, but It's gotta be harder -- healing, etc. takes longer, etc.  She is one whiny, narcissistic woman (and not long for this world, I might add). 

[ChristmasJones]

I found myself feeling very angry after this episode. Pauline is a seriously mentally ill woman whose pathology happens to take the form of many hundreds of pounds of excess  weight. Her son is the collateral damage, and their existence is fully funded by our government.

 

I want there to be social support programs, but to watch someone eat themselves to death while SSI pays for all that fast food, internet, and cable TV, (not to mention hospital bed and huge electric wheelchair - those cost $$$)... it was too much for me. And then to double dip by getting your child a "job" of being your paid caregiver... ugh!!

 

Fast food is not cheap! Well, there is some that is cheap if you eat small portions off the dollar menus. Occasionally I will get a Jr Bacon Cheeseburger and small fries at Wendy's and that costs about $3, total.  And that would be my entire lunch. I don't think Pauline would eat a small portion like that. I wonder how much money per day they were spending on fast food.

 

I've said this in another thread, but on some weeks I might eat fast food for lunch 2 or 3 days per week. I don't even do this every week and the reason is that while the food may taste OK, it doesn't make me feel too great. I would get ill if I was eating the quantity and frequency of fast food that Pauline does. So I am certain that a huge component of her problem is simply the negative effects of eating all that stuff all the time. I'd like to think that Pauline and her son do more cooking at home than this  episode showed...

 

Free Dillon!!!!!

[ckrtom2]

Pauline's legs, as seen in the beginning of the episode, are some of the most horrendous and horrific we've seen, and that's saying a lot. I wonder if she has serious metabolic and bowel/excretion issues or something wrong with overall system... Otherwise, doesn't she have to be eating a hell of a lot of calories just to stay at her current weight (lose so little)?

[Grasonville]

This article about her having sex to lose weight is from 7 years ago- how's that working out for her?

http://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/health/obese-woman-loses-weight-marathon-sex-article-1.1116995

[gardendiva]

I haven't read through this whole thread yet, so forgive me if I am repeating somebody else, but the whining about fast food being the only option is not a valid argument. Even if there was nothing but Wendy's and McDonald's for miles around, those places all sell salads with grilled chicken. If you absolutely had to eat at a fast food restaurant, there are still healthier choices to be made. But of course that argument is ridiculous. Grocery stores carry all sorts of healthy food; unfortunately it has to be prepared, which is effort that Pauline is too busy for.

Also, somebody like Pauline has serious emotional problems that need to be resolved first before any weight-loss efforts can be successful. Until she has dealt with the issues behind her food addiction, she will always be a food addict, despite scoldings from Dr. Now.

Edited February 19, 2015 by gardendiva

[gunderda]

Another gripe: the constant crying like a baby about everything. At one point, she even said, "Ouchie" at Dr Now's office. "Ouchie?" Who says that past the age of five? And being "sick to her stomach" and having "dizzy spells?" Right. Again, these are "symptoms" a petulant child uses to get out of going to school because, who can actually verify whether the child is having them or not? You have to take their word these things are going on since they can't be observed or measured. Or, in Pauline's case, you don't. Because she's a liar.

 

OMG YES THIS!!!!  her constant whiny and crying like a freaking 2 year old.  I think that was the part that made me think she was worse than Penny.  The constant whimpering..... her son probably heard that on a constant basis at the beginning when he would maybe try to say no to getting her food. 

 

And she said she was in pain after surgery because she pulled a muscle in her stomach.  WHAT?!? 

 

It was really quite amazing how she was fairly mobile before the surgery and then after she became a permanent lump.

Edited February 19, 2015 by gunderda

[deedee2]

I've said this in another thread, but on some weeks I might eat fast food for lunch 2 or 3 days per week. I don't even do this every week and the reason is that while the food may taste OK, it doesn't make me feel too great. I would get ill if I was eating the quantity and frequency of fast food that Pauline does.

 

 Although I love the taste, I hardly ever eat fast food mainly because it makes me feel unhealthy. Even after just one meal of a burger & large fires, I feel greasy and heavy and unhealthy. It boggles my mind how people can function on a steady diet of McD's, KFC, Pizza Hut and all the junky snacks in between.

 

Many years ago, on one of my diets (been gaining and losing the same 15 lbs my whole adult life) I trained myself to eat lots of vegetables, and that made all the difference in how my body felt. I can't imagine life without a daily dose of fresh produce!

 

These gastric bypass patients need to relearn how to eat for health. I wish the show would incorporate nutritionist advice and perhaps home visits by support staff to teach grocery shopping and cooking basics. Someone like Pauline needs to be taken by the hand and shown step-by-step living skills.

Edited February 19, 2015 by deedee2

[Guest]

This article about her having sex to lose weight is from 7 years ago- how's that working out for her?

http://www.nydailyne...ticle-1.1116995

Who is going to come to my house and uncarve that article out of my head?!

 

“I can’t move much in bed, but I burn 500 calories a session. It’s great exercise just jiggling around,” she told the magazine. “My bed is strengthened and, although I can’t buy sexy lingerie, I drape a nice sheet over me.”

FACTS:

 

1.) "Jiggling around" is not exercise.

2.) A "nice sheet" is not lingerie.

 

Methinks that Pauline is quite the famewhore. This show being the final act of her charade.

[Mrs. P.]

This episode infuriated me. Pauline had the bariatic surgery and spent unwarranted months in the hospital - all paid for by my tax dollars. And she threw it all away because she's lazy and delusional. She makes me sick.

[islandgal140]

This article about her having sex to lose weight is from 7 years ago- how's that working out for her?

http://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/health/obese-woman-loses-weight-marathon-sex-article-1.1116995

 

BWAHHH!! This reminds me of a Golden Girls episode, but than again what doesn't? Dorothy discusses with the girls the time she and her ex-husband Stan embarked on a weight loss through sex diet.

 

Blanche: Did it work?

Dorothy: I GAINED 19 POUNDS!!

 

 

“My bed is strengthened and, although I can’t buy sexy lingerie, I drape a nice sheet over me.”

 

I'm sorry but this is fucking hilarious. I am about to get in trouble at work. I am doing that weird cough thing in order to cover up my laughter. LOL!

Edited February 19, 2015 by islandgal140

[Galloway Cave]

Oh my god, that article. Well that answers my question about marriage. But it sounds like he wasn't Dillon's father. Neither one of them have a filter too because damn. What exactly constitutes a "nice sheet"?

 

Even the better options at fast food places are bad options. They are full of sodium and hidden fat. Diet soda is pure chemicals. I don't know what is written in their diet instructions but it needs to be written in huge red font NO FAST FOOD PERIOD. Only food prepared at home and high protein/no carbs. I gave up fast food years ago and occasionally now will get a Subway sandwich when traveling. Roast beef with veggies and oil/vinegar. I always get a migraine and lower GI cramps. There is no winning with that stuff.

[islandgal140]

Oh my god, that article. Well that answers my question about marriage. But it sounds like he wasn't Dillon's father. Neither one of them have a filter too because damn. What exactly constitutes a "nice sheet"?

 

 

I'm guessing something with a high thread count. Or perhaps something in the sateen family?

[wirebitersm]

Someone needs to track down the son and offer him freedom.  Free Dillion!

 

This is horrible, but I hope she eats herself to death within the year.

[AdorkableWitch]

Someone needs to track down the son and offer him freedom.  Free Dillion!

 

This is horrible, but I hope she eats herself to death within the year.

 

We could make some sort of "My Mother is an Obese Narcissist" home, where we can rescue Dillion and Penny's son. 

[Ocean Chick]

I'm afraid it's probably too late for Dillon.  Even if his mother were to die tomorrow, the damage has been done.  All he knows is to buy/eat fast food and to sit around watching tv and surfing the net.  He has no friends, from what we've seen.  No support of any kind.  And yes, I too, had the horrid thought that since their move to Houston, that Dillon is the one having to bed bathe his mother.

 

Pauline and Penny need to be stuck in a nursing home together as roommates and let their relatives go free.  I'd bet they'd both become really mobile really fast if they were only brought healthy foods 3 times a day to their beds.

[Cherrio]

This article about her having sex to lose weight is from 7 years ago- how's that working out for her?

http://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/health/obese-woman-loses-weight-marathon-sex-article-1.1116995

Why did I open that link?    I knew better.

 

I wanted to acknowledge the poster who reminded us how Pauline said "ouchie".     That moment was about the 10th time I wished I could push her into a vat and make a super size won-ton for Penny to eat.

 She is so mentally ill.    But when it affects their children, I only care about the victims like Liam and Dillon.

 Liam is not better off.   Edgar does absolutely nothing to protect him.  Liam sits with Penny in her toilet bed and eats !  That is abuse and neglect, not to mention a severe hazard to his health.

[Goshengir1]

I think Penny and Pauline suffer from the same sort of narcissistic personality disorder which is why their terminology/phrasing sound so similar. Almost as soon as the episode started I thought, uh oh, she's another Penny! People with this disorder always play the victim and are expert manipulators with a million excuses as to why they can't do what they don't want to do.  She made me so, so mad because of how downtrodden and joyless her son became, and noticeably gained weight.  Instead of creating a life for himself he is forced to be his mother's caretaker, and he has no hope to get out of that situation until she dies.  She seemed to have some awareness of what she was doing to him in the beginning, but after the surgery it was just all about her and why she couldn't walk or eat anything other than fast food.  Oh, I pulled a muscle, oh ouchie my toe, oh, oh, oh poor me!  She has every right to eat herself to death and destroy her own life, but she's pulling him down with her.

 

He very rarely talked to the cameras, but one time when he was going through the drive thru he said his mom got mad if he didn't bring her what she wanted.  I shudder to think what she says to him when she gets mad.  She is most likely verbally abusive.

Edited February 19, 2015 by Goshengir1

[gunderda]

Someone needs to track down the son and offer him freedom.  Free Dillion!

 

This is horrible, but I hope she eats herself to death within the year.

 

Don't feel bad.... I also thought the same thing.... 

 

Maybe then Dillon would move back to CA where they had family. 

[Cherrio]

Don't feel bad.... I also thought the same thing.... 

 

Maybe then Dillon would move back to CA where they had family. 

   His family has not helped him so far.  If they cared at all, they would of taken him away from his addict mother. Someone should of helped Dillon. Family, friend, teacher?     WTF is wrong with people?

[KarmaG]

This episode annoyed and infuriated me. Dr Now should have said no. There's no way she should have had the surgery when the only way she lost weight was by being IN the hospital. The drinkie and ouchie show some of her immaturity. And O M G, I thought she wanted to change for her son (which is one reason it did NOT work, she has to do it for herself) but clearly she gives no shits about him and his well being. Like others up thread, I thought the same about her having a kitchen in the apartment but not using it. Just another Penny. I can't even say it makes for good tv because I don't like watching people like her. Sure, I know not every person will have great results, got it. I just don't want to see the "expert" who happens to be almost 700lbs. If you could do it on your own, or if your way worked, you wouldn't have to ask the dr to do surgery.

[lilacgirl]

When Paula moved in to the new place, the first thing I thought of was "Did she just rent the same apartment as Penny?" I don't know why it struck me like that. lol

[candg123]

Pauline was horrible! I really thought that I couldn't dislike anyone more than Penny, but this woman may have her beat. Also, I just don't understand why Dr. Now continues to this surgery on people that so obviously have psychological problems. I feel like he needs to say no to them until they get the psychological help they need first. The surgery is not a magic bullet. They need to prove that they have the tools to be successful post surgery. Pauline most certainly did not, and I think he was wrong for doing her surgery.

[CarolMK]

OMG. I am glad that the show is showing us a few people who fail with this, lest we all think that everyone who weighs 600 + pounds will be successful. Pauline is as bad as an alcoholic in the gutter or a homeless herion addict. She appears to be beyond hope. I think Dr. Now did her surgery and previously hospitalized her because he truly feared that she would die soon without it. I'm amazed she already made it to 50 years old at her weight. I'm now wondering if it's possible for someone in this weight range to live until they're 70. If so, her poor son has a lifetime of misery ahead of him.

Upthread, somebody mentioned a nursing home. If a severely obese person has no caretaker, is this the alternative? And how much extra care do these people need? I imagine it would take several nurses to lift her and clean her properly. Again, like others have said, I wonder how they have enough money to constantly buy fast food while on disability. 

[gunderda]

   His family has not helped him so far.  If they cared at all, they would of taken him away from his addict mother. Someone should of helped Dillon. Family, friend, teacher?     WTF is wrong with people?

It's possible they tried and determined that as long as she is living he won't leave. 

And besides family it's possible that no one else had a clue of what's going on.  All they know is that he has a handicap mom that he has to help.

 

I hope now that her episode has aired that someone does step in to help him. 

[Muffyn]

Pauline was horrible! I really thought that I couldn't dislike anyone more than Penny, but this woman may have her beat. Also, I just don't understand why Dr. Now continues to this surgery on people that so obviously have psychological problems. I feel like he needs to say no to them until they get the psychological help they need first. The surgery is not a magic bullet. They need to prove that they have the tools to be successful post surgery. Pauline most certainly did not, and I think he was wrong for doing her surgery.

I very much suspect she was approved for surgery because she is on the show.  They had already invested time and resources in chronicling her life.  She was more than comfortable letting them film her naked, having her ass washed, etc., so she makes for good reality TV.  Given that she needed to be hospitalized to lose any weight, there was no reason to believe that she would be successful with weight loss after having the surgery.  She is not committed to weight loss or lifestyle change.  I noticed she was doing something several of the posters here have mentioned, eating many small, high-calorie meals after the surgery.  Just because she can't eat as much at once doesn't stop her from eating almost constantly.  

 

I had a friend who is somewhat similar in her excuses for weight gain.  She also does not cook and, when she had a back injury, she almost lived off of pizza.  But she could find a way to walk to the local KFC.  I have another friend who calls herself a master food assembler.  While she also doesn't cook, she purchases many reasonably healthy precooked items.  In our area, this is fairly easy to do and supermarkets will deliver.  (Given that Pauline has "Dhilly" at her beck and call, she does not need delivery). In that case, it becomes just an excuse to say you cannot find healthier alternatives.  It would also lessen Pauline's ability to enjoy her manipulation of others.

[Muffyn]

@dutronc, this may be a chicken and the egg situation.  Hmm, chickens and eggs, two things Pauline would prefer fried! 

[ethalfrida]

From L.A. It doesn't take 5 days to get to Houston even if you stop and sleep over. It takes about 22 hours straight through. What were they doing?

[Spooneroonie]

From L.A. It doesn't take 5 days to get to Houston even if you stop and sleep over. It takes about 22 hours straight through. What were they doing?

Well, it did take poor Dillon quite awhile to stuff her in the van (which almost had to be a rental), so unless she was sitting on a bedpan, all that extra time was probably for bathroom breaks. As much as I loathe Pauline, we did see that she *can* use a restroom, whereas Penny shit the bed.

[Cherrio]

It's possible they tried and determined that as long as she is living he won't leave. 

And besides family it's possible that no one else had a clue of what's going on.  All they know is that he has a handicap mom that he has to help.

 

I hope now that her episode has aired that someone does step in to help him. 

The point I made was that as a child, Dillon does not have to help his mother. He should not be helping his mother then or now. That is where family, friends or the school gets involved and calls Child Protective Services.    As a child he cannot make a decision to stay or leave, its made by a professional or guardian who has his best interests in mind.

 In his case, the family must know whats going on, what has been going on because the niece is involved and Pauline has been a fame whore apparently in the news and on tv.

[aliya]

When they showed a close-up of her feet at the hospital when she was trying to walk (5 days after surgery) her feet looked like they belonged on a drowning victim in a morgue. 

Well, I won't forget that image for awhile.  : )

 

First, the BS about having to get fast food on the road or in TX. Please. As others have said, even gas stations have a few healthy choices these days. And when she told the son she wanted a chicken salad, I thought it was in the fridge - as in 'I'll make up a  bunch of chicken salad so I can eat it during the day and make sure my protein is covered.' But no, she gets it from a fast food place. WTH? I suppose that even in Houston : )  they have groceries that have rotisserie chickens and a salad bar? Even if she didn't want to cook, there is decent prepared food available at the grocery store that would keep her on her program. 

 

I can't imagine riding around, in the street, in the monster all stretchered out like that. Looks dangerous.

 

And what the heck is a  quart of tamales?  Isn't that what she said? She's not even trying to lose weight. In the clip from the UK, the doctor sees what he always calls 'full fat' soda (regular soda, not diet) and says she shouldn't be drinking it. She says she doesn't like the flavor of the diet. I admit to being a Pepsi addict. When I was diagnosed with diabetes, I gave up 'full fat' sodas on day 1. I learned to like diet Pepsi and I learned to drink carbonated water. You can learn to do a lot of things when you're motivated. Apparently, even with free surgery, Pauline wasn't motivated to do anything but complain. 

 

Word to the whiny voice and tears. That got old real fast. 

 

Re the socks in the pool. Maybe she was spending so much money on food, she couldn't afford the little slipper things you can buy for swimming. You can mess up your feet doing exercises in the pool because the bottom isn't 100% smooth. I use them and wouldn't do pool walking, etc. without them.

Edited February 19, 2015 by aliya

[scowl]

I stopped watching this one because I don't enjoy hating people who can't hear me yell at them.

 

 Although I love the taste, I hardly ever eat fast food mainly because it makes me feel unhealthy. Even after just one meal of a burger & large fires, I feel greasy and heavy and unhealthy.

 

I eat a $5 meal at McDonald's every weekend before my weekly run which is at least 8 miles and closer to 16 if a marathon is coming up. People think that's crazy but it give me plenty fo energy. I love fast food but I know it will kill me if I pretend it's real food. 

[Cherrio]

I stopped watching this one because I don't enjoy hating people who can't hear me yell at them.

 

 

 

F-ing hilarious !

[NYCFree]

I agree with CarolMK above. I think Dr. Now knew that Pauline was far a far from ideal candidate for surgery but feared she would soon die without it. I think he hoped that once she saw success with losing weight in the hospital, she would be more inclined to continue.

I am glad that this show has success and "failure" stories.

I would be interested in knowing more about why she was so adamantly against physical therapy, but was willing to work in a pool. I have started exercising in the water, both Aqua Zumba and the "Senior" water aerobics classes at my local "Y". They are ideal for an obese person with joint issues like myself. They give a hell of a workout (at least for me, I don't know if a fit person would find them as challenging). Penny had a physical therapist come to her house, but didn't seem to really do any work. Pauline would do at least some exercise, but no physical therapy. I found that very odd.

[anstar]

I think Penny and Pauline suffer from the same sort of narcissistic personality disorder which is why their terminology/phrasing sound so similar.

 

I think it's actually Histrionic Personality Disorder

 

 

Individuals with Histrionic Personality Disorder may have difficulty achieving emotional intimacy in romantic or sexual relationships. Without being aware of it, they often act out a role (e.g., “victim” or “princess”) in their relationships to others. They may seek to control their partner through emotional manipulation or seductiveness on one level, whereas displaying a marked dependency on them at another level.

(This "victim" mentality and emotional manipulation extend to all areas of their lives, not just romantic/sexual relationships.)

 

whereas Narcissistic Personality Disorder is:

 

 

Narcissistic Personality Disorder is characterized by a long-standing pattern of grandiosity (either in fantasy or actual behavior), an overwhelming need for admiration, and usually a complete lack of empathy toward others.  People with narcissistic personality disorder often display snobbish, disdainful, or patronizing attitudes.

 

I'm not a psychiatrist (and I don't play one on TV), but I was a mental health deputy once upon a time, and I had to have some basic understanding to do my job.

I was still so frustrated watching this episode I wanted to reach into the screen and slap her!  Gastric bypass on her was a giant waste of time, energy and money better spent somewhere else. 

Edited February 20, 2015 by anstar

[PityFree]

She was willing to work out in the pool because she wasn't actually doing anything besides floating. look at that footage again - she just bobs around.

[aliya]

I am positive she said "pork tamales."

Ah. OK. I've never had a tamale and don't eat pork, so nothing sounded familiar to me. 

[ethalfrida]

Ah. OK. I've never had a tamale and don't eat pork, so nothing sounded familiar to me. 

tamales come in many flavors and fillings... sweet with raisins and condensed milk, chicken with green chili (my fave), beef and pork. here, they are sold by the dozen. They are usually healthier than regular fast food. But, I guess not if you eat the whole dozen for one meal. I buy mine from a lady I know who sellsvthem on thecweekend. But there is a lady who comes around Saturday mornings jingling a bell. It is a wonderful process!  I can only imagine how delish they are in Houston. 

 

I am torn between annoyance and understanding because it must be difficult to control herself. But she could at least try to find an apple or something.

[jcbrown]

 

From L.A. It doesn't take 5 days to get to Houston even if you stop and sleep over. It takes about 22 hours straight through. What were they doing?

They were driving form Sacramento so five more hours makes sense. I wondered how she was going to pee since she made such a big deal about being unable to roll her enormous ass out of the van.

 

I also heard "quart of tamales" so thanks to those who heard something that makes more sense.

 

And am I the only one who heard the dog whine when they came back to the van after the first appointment with Dr. Now? It sounded to me like they left the dog in the van while they went to the appointment.

 

I agree with being frustrated with this show when it features wastes of skin like Pauline and Penny. I did actually find myself yelling at the TV in response to some comment she made, "he wants you to get your fat ass off the couch!" It's kind of too bad this show can't do a more nuanced look at these people and have experts speaking to some of their dysfunction. Might make it slightly easier not to want to slap them quite so hard.

Edited February 20, 2015 by jcbrown

[swankie]

This article about her having sex to lose weight is from 7 years ago- how's that working out for her?

http://www.nydailyne...ticle-1.1116995

 

 

I bet he wore her belly button out! (Because there's no way he could get through that big galumph of fat sitting on top of her lady parts. (Barf!))  The fact that she's willing to let them do an article on her sex life with her ex just shows how narcissistic she really is.  I'm nowhere near her size (Thank God!) and my body is in pretty good shape, but I would be mortified to let anyone of the opposite sex other than my significant other and my doctor see me naked.  No way do I want my child to see me in the nude, let alone clean my ass.  I felt almost as sorry for the niece who had to do it before the move to Texas.  I wonder how much she was being paid by Pauline for that service.

[alegtostandon]

I love tamales, too, dutronc. I tried making them one year, they are easy to make, just a very long process.

When Pauline's episode first started, I actually liked her. I thought she was sincere at wanting to lose this weight. I thought she really felt guilty about how she has ruined her sons life and wanted to change that.

I often wonder how people can all share the same experiences in their lives but react so differently to them. I do have problems with adults still blaming their problems in adulthood, especially a 51 year old woman, on their childhood. My parents divorced in my early teens, we kids were devastated. We were always tagged as being the 'perfect' family. My dad was a government representative for a major pharmaceutical company so we moved a lot-5 different schools in 3rd grade alone. Because of that, we never lived near other family & it was difficult to make and form friendships. When my parents divorced, my mom uprooted us once again from our beautiful home in suburban Chicago and moved us to a much smaller home in the Phoenix area. My dad remarried a co-worked a month later, huge surprise to all of us. That was so tough on my mom, who still had hope he would 'come home'. Yes, my dad paid child support but was over a year before my mom was able to find a job. Money was much tighter than what we were use to. We all survived it. You learn how to put that time behind you and be grateful for the better times ahead.

From what I understood Pauline to say last night, her parents divorced and money was tight. She said there was no such thing as welfare at that time, which I do not understand because welfare has been around since the 1930's. She said she would hoard food cuz she did not know where the next meal was going to come from. She then said her parents got back together and all was good after that. She made no mention of having a rough life after that.

It seemed to me that both Pauline & Penny actually enjoy the attention they are getting from their weight and the disability it has caused them. They enjoy being waited on hand & foot. Just turned my stomach last night when she was lying on her throne & demanded her servant son to get her dinner for her. She should have been dragging her ass out of that bed & get it herself. And if she knew so much better than the doctors as to what was good for her and the proper way for her to lose weight for her body, why did she even need the doctor?

Edited February 21, 2015 by alegtostandon

[CarolMK]

After reading all the articles linked to this thread, I'm starting to think that Pauline is just a major famewhore like the Kardashians and the Duggars. She doesn't want to lose weight, she wants to be on tv and in news articles and collect whatever paycheck is available. As soon as I saw that she'd been on Dr. Phil, Dr. Drew, and the Supersized vs. Superskinny show, she lost all credibility. Sadly, she'll probably be one of those people who manages to hang around the next 25 years trying to cash in like getting herself

put into the Guinness Book of World Records. I couldn't believe it when I read that she actually contacted them to confirm herself as the "world's heaviest woman".

[purpleflowers]

 

 

Anyway, topic. I'm still kind of baffled by Pauline's existence. I don't think this article was posted. 

Interesting! That article links Pauline's youtube channel. She has some vlogs that were very recently posted, though I don't know how recently they were filmed. I watched a few of them which seem to have been filmed in October and November, so I'm not sure if they were post-surgery or not...and I am seeing more of Pauline's victim mentality in it. It looks like it is rubbing off on her son a bit as well. And it also appears she is still wanting to move as little as possible. So frustrating, so very frustrating to watch. And baffling too, because it one video she is being very realistic about the surgery and how it is not a quick fix and that one can "cheat the system" and have the wrong foods at frequent intervals post-surgery. Then, she turns around and seemingly does just that! I don't get it. 

 

ETA: It appears Pauline has had blood clots in the past, maybe that is why Dr. Now made sure to implant that filter or whatever apparatus it was in her leg after she refused to move. 

Edited February 20, 2015 by purpleflowers

[swankie]

That article links Pauline's youtube channel. She has some vlogs that were very recently posted, though I don't know how recently they were filmed.

 

 

I swear, in her first vlog she actually said, "Oh Goddie!" as she was trying to get from her mobile chair to the inside of the apartment.  And of course, she was light headed, dizzy and nauseated the whole few minutes she was standing.  smdh

 

Her second vlog was posted on Feb 5, and she doesn't have any comments yet.  Shows how small a following she has. 

Edited February 20, 2015 by swankie

[Sile]

I keep thinking that there can't possibly be anybody worse.... and they keep finding them.  I realized during this episode that I'm basically hate watching the show at this point.

 

Pauline was even too lazy to keep track of her bingo cards.  The blue machine on the stand was an electronic device that you can pay extra for and it marks your numbers on the screen and tells you if you have a bingo.  I haven't been to bingo for years, I used to go with my mom when I was young, but they had just come out at that time and were called TEDs, for The Electronic Dauber.

 

God forbid she would actually have to stretch out  her arm and pull a muscle reaching to mark one of her 8000 bingo cards.  Ouchie!