S03.E08: Bettie Jo's Story

[Armchair Critic]

Another one with a boyfriend who is her caretaker. Where do these women find these men? I am lucky if my boyfriend will run to the store for me let alone bathe me, wipe my butt, and baby powder me.

[Hero]

I wonder if these women meet their boyfriends/ husbands on fetish sites? The men obviously get off on takIng care of them.

Bettie Jo and her husband were on a show called Supersize vs. Superskinny.

[CouchTater]

Ok, I spent this episode mostly smiling. I have so much hope for Bettie Jo. What a sweet, humble person.

[Katydid]

How many vehicles did those 2 go through in a year? I think I counted 4.

And the socks and bare feet. Ew. What was going on in the scene of them leaving the therapist office? First Bettie Jo was barefoot, then had on 1 sock, & by the time she got down the stairs she had on 2 socks. Weird.

[Guest]

Another one with a boyfriend who is her caretaker. Where do these women find these men?

YES! What is this? And Bettie Jo and he aren't even, and never were, having sex. I mean, I get every relationship is different, but generally ones in which you aren't having sex are called "friendships," not "marriages."

Bettie Jo seemed like a very kind person. I hope she continues to lose weight and do better for herself.

And people, FOR THE LOVE OF GOD: get some flip flops. Wear them! They sell them at dollar stores!

[poeticlicensed]

Betty Jo and her husband were a case study in codependence. She needs a caretaker, he needs to be needed

 

Both of them need very badly to visit a dentist 

 

The dog was a cutie. 

 

I'm glad she seemed to get it together at the end.

[PityFree]

They got points from me for rigging up some panties for her to wear. They may have fallen down a lot, but it I appreciated the effort.

[mmecorday]

I have to ask -- was Josh rubbing some sort of salve on her butthole?

[hoosiermom]

That's what it looked like to me mmecorday!

[Pixel]

Bettie Jo looks exactly the way I imagine my friend's daughter will when she's an adult. The kid is 9 years old and weighs 180 now, and I've see her scarf down three adult sized fried food dinners in a sitting and her mother does nothing to teach her better eating. It's sickening to me, and I consider it child abuse.

[deedee2]

Did they say if the husband has a job?

[Tuckerlee]

I have to ask -- was Josh rubbing some sort of salve on her butthole?

I honestly don't know why the producers felt the need to show that.  I understand this is a documentary (of the TLC variety), but nobody needed to see that kind of detail to get the point.

 

I really liked Bettie Jo.  Good for her for taking responsibility and taking the steps necessary to change.  She could teach Penny and Pauline a thing or two.  I even ended up liking Josh, her husband, although I wondered why he insisted on stuffing that hotdog into his mouth in front of her at the end. Made me wonder.  But I hope Bettie Jo does well, and I wish her luck. 

[Miss Chevious]

Looks like his only job is being her caretaker. Very sad, really.

[peaceknit]

I wonder if Bettie Jo suffered from PCOS, as it looked like she had a little hair on her jawline. I liked her attitude though. Such a difference from P & P.

Edited February 26, 2015 by peaceknit

[aliya]

Again with the no shoes. I don't get it. If you can wear socks, you can wear flip flops or slippers.  I was impressed that she wanted to do charitable work. I don't think we've seen that before. She had a point - people had helped her, now that she was able, it was good for her to help other people. And, as big as she was (and so short), she still walked a little at first and more after she lost weight. Pauline and Penny take note - get out of yourself and do something for someone else and get your asses up and walk around a little. I realize the therapy session was as much for us as for the couple, but I do hope they had a few more sessions. 

 

I didn't understand about the date - she said they'd never really dated. So how did they court and get married? He just came to her house and hung out until they fell in love? I would love to see his therapy sessions. What kind of childhood do you have to have to be happy being a caretaker to a morbidly obese woman?

[non sequitur]

The washing and lotion scenes at the first were kind of graphic.  I can't imagine having that filmed.

 

I hope Bettie Jo is successful, she seemed to really want to change her life.  I wonder if Josh and Bettie Jo will stay together.  Hopefully he won't sabotage her weight loss.

Edited February 26, 2015 by non sequitur

[Desert Rat]

Bettie Jo seems to be the most kind, warmest person on the show. I love that she wanted to help others. What a contrast from Pauline last week! It seemed that Bettie Jo and her husband matured a great deal over the course of the year, as individuals and as a couple. Although we didn't see much, I think they worked hard on therapy, even as much as weight loss. It was sweet when Josh said he wanted to renew their vows. I wish them both a long, happy life. (But please, girlfriend, get something on those feet. $1 flip flops from Wal-Mart, anything.)

[kleebee]

I have to ask -- was Josh rubbing some sort of salve on her butthole?

Not her anus but her upper inner thigh. Undoubtedly due to chafing, and, indeed, way more than we needed to see. :/ Poor kid.

[purpleflowers]

I have to say, Betty Jo suffered some major health setbacks but just look at her attitude and her will to get better. I hope she continues her progress. 

[feetcuzzyfeefee]

I liked Bettie Jo and hope that she reaches her goals.  At least she is somewhat mobile and not laying in the bed asking Josh for pee pads.   Josh at first seemed a little beat-down, but as the show progressed, he seemed to be getting a little more hopeful, too, that he and Bettie Jo would have a more normal life.  I also noticed that her family back in Missouri had a huge fattening meal prepared when she was there.   I will really be looking forward to seeing her follow-up.  And, I don't think she should wear flip-flops.  They are not stable shoes, and I think they would contribute to tripping on someone her size.    Maybe some other kind of a sandal would offer a little more stability.  But, while they are the store looking for shoes, perhaps they could wander over to the tooth products aisle and get some brushes and whitener.

[Chiisai]

Did they say if the husband has a job?

I always wonder about this.  It seems like some people upend their lives and travel a long way to get to Houston.  I'm from Houston, but haven't lived there in about 25 years.  I know the cost of living in many parts of Texas isn't too high. (electricity cost is ri-donk-u-lous, though)  Does the show cover costs while they're spending the year filming?

[notyrmomma]

  But, while they are the store looking for shoes, perhaps they could wander over to the tooth products aisle and get some brushes and whitener.

 

Her husband is too busy putting Desitin on her butt so no one has time to brush.

 

 

 Does the show cover costs while they're spending the year filming?

 

I'm sure they do.  In Penny's case, they rented her an apartment full of furniture, it looks like the ones who move this year are bringing their own stuff.

 

I need to rewatch this episode because I kept missing parts, but I did catch that in the first two months, she lost nothing.  HOW??? Again, this completely baffles me.  And one month after surgery she WANTED to eat Hamburger Helper with what looked like beef!!! I was still on soft foods at one month after my surgery and I still can't eat beef without getting sick six months later. 

 

Another observation - TLC must have heard our cries from last year that these people need therapy, so they are finally showing it.  Good move TLC!  I just wish they would make these people wear shoes!

[Cherrio]

Betty Jo and her husband were a case study in codependence. She needs a caretaker, he needs to be needed

 

Both of them need very badly to visit a dentist 

 

The dog was a cutie. 

 

I'm glad she seemed to get it together at the end.

I am so glad you reminded me of that dog!   He was so cute I wished I could keep him.

            I liked Bettie Jo.    She seemed sweet, innocent but lost.    I dont remember seeing her mother, father?     Seemed like a lot of back story was left out.

            She is so young and did finally lose weight pre-surgery, so I wish the doctor had told her she was strong and smart enough to do it without surgery.

                             The boyfriend was creepy and scary. He was giving me the impression he has a really bad temper.

       And Hamburger Helper?      Where is the nutritionist?    People who have zero idea about how to eat healthy should have to go thru classes, lots of classes.

         When they went out to eat, they were still eating the wrong things.   She could of lost so much more weight.

          Its easy to understand now why the success rate is so low.

[gunderda]

Her husband made me angry.... 

 

How do you maintain weight eating raisin bran?????? 

I don't even understand how these people maintain weight after surgery. How are they able to remotely eat anything near what they did before surgery?? It has to make them incredibly sick.

[islandgal140]

This was a nice palate cleanser after the horror of Pauline. How refreshing and damn near startling to see someone not only acknowledge and recognize that they are helped by many but to actually go out and volunteer to help others? MIND BLOWN!!!  l loved Bettie Jo!!

 

I don't even know why TLC even bothered to blur out her body during her bathing scene. You basically saw it all. Frankly, I would rather they do away with that requirement since it seems exploitative and demeaning. If I had my choice, I would rather they show me what her actual daily eating regiment looks like than try to stun me with her morbidly obese naked body. Seriously, show me what she eats in a given day for breakfast, lunch, snacks, dinner and give an estimate of her daily calorie intake. That is more informative than - OMG! look at her legs!! OMG look at all those folds of flesh! OMG is that lymphodema? I really, really, really could've done without her bending over and seeing her husband come up from behind and rub some type of salve between her thighs. Jeez!!

 

Another one with a boyfriend who is her caretaker. Where do these women find these men? I am lucky if my boyfriend will run to the store for me let alone bathe me, wipe my butt, and baby powder me.

Yes. I want someone to sprinkle talcum powder in between my folds too. What the hell was with that sheet he shoved in between her folds afterwards?  Was that supposed to serve as some type of skirt or undergarment?

 

I for one was shocked that he wasn't there after her surgery. Isn't that his time to shine?!? I mean he has this abject need to be needed so when will he be needed more than when she is at her weakest post-surgery?

 

You know I understand the crackheads on Intervention. I can even somewhat wrap my head around some of the weirdos on those hoarder shows but I can honestly say I just DO NOT understand these caretakers with this weird obsession of needing to be needed.  Love = your significant other being a complete and utter burden?  What pleasure can be derived by basically being a slave to another person? So you love wiping feces and urine? You get a kick out of having to bathe your spouse because they can't? You want to do all the housework, cooking, food shopping? What happened to you in life to make this seem like the ideal relationship to you? Is he a Dillon (Pauline's son) that got away ? I just don't get it!  He doesn't even seem to be getting any sexual pleasure out of this either going by Bettie Jo's comments at the therapist's office. He sure did storm off when she started talking about their sex life, or rather, lack of a sex life. 

 

While her husband was problematic and clearly had some issues, I didn't dislike him. I don't believe either him or her had a mean bone in their body. 

 

Another episode, another where the hell to they get money from?

 

Co-signing the dental issues. 

Edited February 26, 2015 by islandgal140

[PityFree]

This show made me think that a show where people get dental help would be a wonderful one. Braces, implants, fillings, bleaching, etc. Betty Joe is going to be in a lot of pain someday with her teeth so misaligned. It must be difficult to clean them properly since they are sooooo crooked. Her husband's teeth were basically brown, but I attributed that to his smoking. 

[deedee2]

Her husband made me angry.... 

 

How do you maintain weight eating raisin bran?????? 

I don't even understand how these people maintain weight after surgery. How are they able to remotely eat anything near what they did before surgery?? It has to make them incredibly sick.

 

I wonder the same. Pauline told Dr. Now that she had to eat every 3 hours because she'd get dizzy or nauseous or something. Dr. Now told her emphatically to eat only 3 meals a day, which she obviously refused to do. But still, even with eating small meals every 3 hours - how could a post-surgery 600lb person stuff in enough calories to maintain their weight? I just don't get it.

[Morgalisa]

 

And people, FOR THE LOVE OF GOD: get some flip flops. Wear them! They sell them at dollar stores!

I have very narrow feet, which is a problem in itself.  But I have a friend who is overweight, not super obese, and she has very wide fat feet.  She has an extremely difficult time finding shoes that fit and that are safe.  Even with a man's size flip flop, the pressure will cause them to fail and the straps pop off.  They never last and they are unsafe because they are unstable and much longer than her actual foot size. I noticed at one point that she had some black mules on and they were very long.  They probably have a lot of difficulty finding shoes.

 

I too wonder how they could have the surgery and not lose weight.  I have heard that the super morbidly obese have a metabolism that allows weight gain in the same way that super skinny people can eat a lot and remain skinny.   I would think they would have to eat small amounts almost all day to do that wouldn't they?

[deedee2]

  Even with a man's size flip flop, the pressure will cause them to fail and the straps pop off.  They never last and they are unsafe because they are unstable and much longer than her actual foot size. I noticed at one point that she had some black mules on and they were very long.  They probably have a lot of difficulty finding shoes.

 

 

 

Can they not find a pair of Crocs that fit?

[Cherrio]

I wonder the same. Pauline told Dr. Now that she had to eat every 3 hours because she'd get dizzy or nauseous or something. Dr. Now told her emphatically to eat only 3 meals a day, which she obviously refused to do. But still, even with eating small meals every 3 hours - how could a post-surgery 600lb person stuff in enough calories to maintain their weight? I just don't get it.

My guess would be is that they would rather eat too much and eat the taboo foods and suffer than not.  Same analogy as a junkie who cannot find a vein and keeps jabbing themselves. Its incredibly painful, yet they still do it.

[funky-rat]

Not her anus but her upper inner thigh. Undoubtedly due to chafing, and, indeed, way more than we needed to see. :/ Poor kid.

If she has PCOS (and she may), then she may be getting boils in the crease where the thigh meets the ladyparts/rear end.  They are a hallmark of PCOS (the result of constantly fluxuating hormones) and they are horribly painful, and can get infected.  I have PCOS and I deal with one or two a year, but I know people who have them constantly.

 

 

I wonder the same. Pauline told Dr. Now that she had to eat every 3 hours because she'd get dizzy or nauseous or something. Dr. Now told her emphatically to eat only 3 meals a day, which she obviously refused to do. But still, even with eating small meals every 3 hours - how could a post-surgery 600lb person stuff in enough calories to maintain their weight? I just don't get it.

My husband's late Uncle's wife had vertical gastric banding (not Lap Band) to lose weight, and because the doctor told her it would "cure her Diabetes".  Nope.  Her diabetes is worse than ever because she has trouble eating, even several years out.  She eats every 2 or 3 hours, and if she tries to eat any protein, she vomits it back up, so she ends up chewing it to taste it, and then giving it to the dog.  So she eats things like mashed potatoes, and ice cream, because it's what she can get past the band.  Her weight has stayed off, but her blood sugar is way out of control, and she takes massive amounts of insulin.  So a lot of it is what you eat.  If Pauline was eating 2 cups of rice every 3 hours, for example, that is an incredible amount of starch you're dumping into your body (a cup of rice is generally around 50 carbs - that's an entire meal's worth on a Diabetic diet, for example).  Even if she's not Diabetic, some people's bodies don't process carbs well.  Plus, she's extremely sedentary, which means if she eats even 1800 calories a day, she'll simply maintain.

[Ocean Chick]

I ended up rather liking Betty Jo and her husband both.  They both have massive issues they need to deal with in therapy, but I hope they make it together to the other side.  The husband especially seems fearful of being alone and unloved/unneeded.  I actually think Betty Jo is in a better place emotionally, fat as she is.

 

Add me to the list that think that hole was not a butt hole.  And as to the sheet tucked between the folds of fat after the bath, I'm sure that was to soak up moisture/sweat to keep Betty Jo from developing sores from bacterial infections that can grow in the moist heat in the folds, rather like a sauna.

 

It took Betty Jo a while to catch on to the program, so I'm going to cross my fingers for her, and hope her update next year shows huge improvement.  I really want her to make it, she's so sweet.

[Guest]

Pauline told Dr. Now that she had to eat every 3 hours because she'd get dizzy or nauseous or something.

If Pauline's mouth is open, either she's putting food in it or a lie's coming out of it. She's about as dizzy and nauseous as I am the Queen of England.

 

Count me in as not understanding how these women can have this type of surgery and barely lose any weight. I thought their stomach size was signifcantly reduced with this procedure and they could barely eat a few tablespoons of food at a time? I really wish instead of using the surgery as a quick fix, they would instead re-educate the participants about food, nutrition, and eating right. Follow them for a year and they will probably lose the same amount of weight as undergoing a major operation. The basic problem with Bettie Jo (and all the others) is that post-op, they go right back into the food situations that got them there in the first place - poor quality, high-fat/high-calorie crap.

[Miss Chevious]

Yes I agree. Hamburger Helper was not something Bettie Jo should have been eating. And her skinny as a rail husband wasn't helping either. Don't all of Dr. Now's patient get a diet plan? I'm sure they must get detailed lists of what and how much to eat and what to avoid. The problem is they don't follow it. Or in Pauline's case, throw it out entirely.

My dear cousin got a vertical gastric sleeve (VGS) last year and she got a detailed list of what to eat and suggested meal plans for breakfast, lunch and dinner. She had just liquids at first, then mushy and soft foods. After the first month, she was able to eat regular foods following her meal plans. She has lost a lot of weight and continues to lose at a steady pace.

I wish Bettie Jo a lot of luck, she seemed sincere about wanting to lose the weight, her main impediment seems to be her husband. I hope she succeeds .

[Cherrio]

If Pauline's mouth is open, either she's putting food in it or a lie's coming out of it. She's about as dizzy and nauseous as I am the Queen of England.

 

Count me in as not understanding how these women can have this type of surgery and barely lose any weight. I thought their stomach size was signifcantly reduced with this procedure and they could barely eat a few tablespoons of food at a time? I really wish instead of using the surgery as a quick fix, they would instead re-educate the participants about food, nutrition, and eating right. Follow them for a year and they will probably lose the same amount of weight as undergoing a major operation. The basic problem with Bettie Jo (and all the others) is that post-op, they go right back into the food situations that got them there in the first place - poor quality, high-fat/high-calorie crap.

Its the I want it now, Mc-give it to me now world we live in.   It makes no sense to me either because the patients still have to learn and live a completely new lifestyle that has nothing to do with the surgery. We have seen so many of them still shoveling large quantities of the wrong kinds of food in their mouths post surgery.

       It will never work unless they are willing to change.  

[CarolMK]

I think Bettie Jo and her husband were pretty poor, as it showed in the lack of dental care in both of them and also showing them getting their groceries from a discount store, Save a Lot. They don't have the money for fast food meals 3 times a day as we've seen in some of the others, but it shows that you can get morbidly obese on a limited income. Eating things like cereal and hamburger helper are relatively cheap on sale, and it also showed her eating what looked to be canned vegetables, which in my opinion are not nearly as appetizing as fresh or frozen, plus they're loaded with sodium. I like that Bettie Jo volunteered at the food bank, it may well be that she and her husband have been dependent on one at some point in their past. They both seemed to benefit from therapy, so I'm very hopeful she will continue to do well. It's interesting that the only family shown was her cousin, aunt and grandfather, so I wonder if maybe she doesn't have a relationship with her parents or any siblings she may have.

[feetcuzzyfeefee]

If you don't get all of the skin folds dry after bathing, the moisture gets trapped, comes up to body temperature, and bad things happen to the skin.  That's probably why the husband was tucking fabric into her skin folds, and then powdering them.  I feel sorry for very heavy people with "folds" in a hot, humid climate.  And, even people who are not too overweight who lose weight might end up with an "apron" of fat which can become problematic if not removed.   I have an extremely overweight friend who thought that insulin, etc., would take care of her high blood sugar and she could eat what she wanted, and she is paying a very high price now.  She reached the point of no return, and now I fear it's just a matter of time until she has a major organ failure.  For some of these older (and I mean 40 plus) women who keep eating massive amounts of carbs, I just don't know how they could not have diabetes.  I know that everyone processes food differently, but as you pack on the pounds, and pack in the carbs, systems break down, and your pancreas just can't keep up with the amount of insulin needed to process all of the sugars caused by the carbs.  I know it would be horrifying, but if TLC showed a person actually dying by inches due to the effects of not getting Type II diabetes under control, I think that a lot of food manufacturers (yes -- WHY do we need food "manufacturers") would go out of business because carb sales would fall off tremendously.  On the other hand, even after being shown horrifying pictures of lungs after years of smoking, people with tracheotomy (sp?) tubes, leathery skin, etc., people still smoke.  I think a camera following my friend for the last ten years might save a few people from reaching for the bread basket or bag of chips.

As for Bettie Jo not losing weight for two months after surgery -- without moving around much, she didn't need very many calories.  I was glad to notice after her final visit to Dr. Now, she was able to get up off the chair by herself using only leg power because there weren't any arms on the chair for her to push off of.   Her husband was very encouraged that she could get out more and they could do more "couple" things together.  Maybe he will see that being a partner is way preferable to being a caretaker. 

Edited February 26, 2015 by feetcuzzyfeefee

[Hero]

I wonder where her and her husband met? He does have really pretty eyes.

Their relationship is so odd. His need to be wanted is really concerning. I feel like their relationship won't last with her weight loss.

[KarmaG]

Just getting into the episode. Dislike the excuses already. She was 180lbs at the age of 12, before being raped. The sexual assault is not the reason for the weight though that's the one she gave. I hope she gets counseling to understand the real reason.

[Cherrio]

Just getting into the episode. Dislike the excuses already. She was 180lbs at the age of 12, before being raped. The sexual assault is not the reason for the weight though that's the one she gave. I hope she gets counseling to understand the real reason.

Good point.

[CourtneyCourt]

I wonder if Bettie Jo suffered from PCOS, as it looked like she had a little hair on her jawline. I liked her attitude though. Such a difference from P & P.

I thought the same thing. Her weight alone, as well as all the other females make me think they have PCOS and/or never get periods. I did like her attitude and she actually went to the gym!

[gunderda]

I wonder where her and her husband met? He does have really pretty eyes.

Their relationship is so odd. His need to be wanted is really concerning. I feel like their relationship won't last with her weight loss.

 

If he cleaned up a bit and didn't look so dirty and got new teeth he'd be a pretty good looking guy. 

 

Someone else guessed they met on the internet.  I would probably assume the same.  

I'm oddly interested in knowing how he gets his kicks if they aren't physical with each other.  I don't think alone time in the shower would be quite enough after awhile...

[KarmaG]

I wonder if these women meet their boyfriends/ husbands on fetish sites? The men obviously get off on takIng care of them.

Bettie Jo and her husband were on a show called Supersize vs. Superskinny.

 

Since they were teens when they met I figured they met in high school.

 

 

How many vehicles did those 2 go through in a year? I think I counted 4.

And the socks and bare feet. Ew. What was going on in the scene of them leaving the therapist office? First Bettie Jo was barefoot, then had on 1 sock, & by the time she got down the stairs she had on 2 socks. Weird.

 

 

All vehicles shown, except the old van, were rentals. I picked up on that when they first showed the Suburban.

When she went home for the visit, they got there around midnight and there was a large spread on the table...fried chicken, potato salad etc. I  guess at least they put the raw veg and ranch dressing in front of her but c'mon people..she's on a weight loss journey/show. Those foods aren't acceptable and by the looks of Grandpa, he shouldn't be eating them either.

[KarmaG]

I am so glad you reminded me of that dog!   He was so cute I wished I could keep him.

            I liked Bettie Jo.    She seemed sweet, innocent but lost.    I dont remember seeing her mother, father?     Seemed like a lot of back story was left out.

            She is so young and did finally lose weight pre-surgery, so I wish the doctor had told her she was strong and smart enough to do it without surgery.

                             The boyfriend was creepy and scary. He was giving me the impression he has a really bad temper.

       And Hamburger Helper?      Where is the nutritionist?    People who have zero idea about how to eat healthy should have to go thru classes, lots of classes.

         When they went out to eat, they were still eating the wrong things.   She could of lost so much more weight.

          Its easy to understand now why the success rate is so low.

 

I was watching (and hubs is half watching while playing a vid game) and we said the same thing. She proved diet and exercise worked for her. She should have been given more direction on that and sent home, with support. Her not losing the first two months didn't surprise me and it can't ALL be blamed on Josh but some of it can.  And yes, seeing what they were eating in the last scene just told me she won't last on the weight loss train for long. I truly believe she'll be back to her old size within a couple of years. I hope I am wrong.

[Ocean Chick]

I'm oddly interested in knowing how he gets his kicks if they aren't physical with each other.  I don't think alone time in the shower would be quite enough after awhile...





 

 

Could be that he's asexual or has a naturally low sex drive.  It happens.  And if so, he's probably better off in a non-sexual marriage like this.  Might be why he's so worried about his wife losing weight - maybe he worries that once she's at a low enough number she might want sex, and he's just not that into it.

[Cherrio]

Could be that he's asexual or has a naturally low sex drive.  It happens.  And if so, he's probably better off in a non-sexual marriage like this.  Might be why he's so worried about his wife losing weight - maybe he worries that once she's at a low enough number she might want sex, and he's just not that into it.

I think he may get kinky with the Hamburger Helper, the Strokin-noff flavor?

[KarmaG]

I don't even know why TLC even bothered to blur out her body during her bathing scene. You basically saw it all. Frankly, I would rather they do away with that requirement since it seems exploitative and demeaning. If I had my choice, I would rather they show me what her actual daily eating regiment looks like than try to stun me with her morbidly obese naked body. Seriously, show me what she eats in a given day for breakfast, lunch, snacks, dinner and give an estimate of her daily calorie intake. That is more informative than - OMG! look at her legs!! OMG look at all those folds of flesh! OMG is that lymphodema? I really, really, really could've done without her bending over and seeing her husband come up from behind and rub some type of salve between her thighs. Jeez!!

 

So much this. The shock factor of what their bodies look like is long gone. We've seen it for several seasons now. It adds nothing to the show. Show me how much they eat every damn day, how often they eat every day. That will help me understand but the body shots? Don't help anyone.

[Guest dutronc]

What bothered me most about this episode was the scripted-feeling parts of, "well, we don't know if Dr Now blar blar blar Oh yay blar blar blar so we moved to Houston." I also didn't need the lecture from the cousin at the beginning. I was generally worried for Bettie Jo when she went back to visit her family after losing 100 lbs because I didn't think her family would be able to tell. 

 

In any case, this episode made me really sad. I mean, I'm a little hopeful for Bettie Jo, but her dependency and need for her husband will hold her back. 

Edited February 26, 2015 by dutronc

[silversage]

Was just able to watch this episode and I have such mixed feelings. She seems positive but hubby holds her back. I think without him she may have lost more weight in the beginning because in all those months she really could/should have lost more. It did seem good that she could walk around and be somewhat active before surgery. Youth may be on her side. But since she's only 24 why couldn't she use her youth and mobility to get control when the folds started forming? Maybe she couldn't afford therapy but like some are saying upthread the excuses seem sorta lame. At least she's on the right track for now.

 

Cherrio- you are funny. I laughed so hard at your last comment.

[Hero]

The thing that kind of shocked me the most was how much Bettie Jo weighed and how short she was. It's crazy that her body could even support her.

My sister is the height as her and weighs about 110 lbs. I don't think I could imagine her at 600lbs.