S03.E14: Marla's Story

[ChristmasJones]

Tonight a woman named Marla is featured

[Brooklynista]

The preview called it a "heartbreaking" episode. Not sure I'm ready for anything heavier than butt wings.

[lulu69]

To be honest, when I heard "heartbreaking" in the promo I automatically assumed this will be the episode where the patient doesn't make it. I hope I'm wrong. (Btw, this is my quess not spoiler info)

Edited April 8, 2015 by lulu69

[Hero]

Did she say in the preview that she was part of a kidnapping?

[HalcyonDays]

Just a reminder to everyone to please keep the discussion considerate and respectful, and to limit the unnecessarily body shaming and general shaming overall. Please take the time and read this brief Mod Note before posting. Thank you.

[notyrmomma]

lulu69 - I said the same thing!

[MarysWetBar]

My son walked through the family room..glanced at the tv while she was being removed from the house on a stretcher. ..and said"awww...her Cleopatra moment..sweeeeeet". I'm dying here.

[Brooklynista]

Not sure I can finish this one. I'm furious and sad at the same damn time

[Miss Chevious]

It's a shame Marla's daughters both inherited the fat gene. Like many of the caregivers we've seen on previous episodes, they could benefit from following the same low cal diet their mother is on.

And I certainly hope Marla's refusal to walk doesn't foreshadow another Penny/Pauline outcome.

[Armchair Critic]

This is not going to end well....

[notyrmomma]

I bet we are supposed to wait until the show is over, but I am YELLING at the TV.  Right now she is making Penny look like a personal trainer and Pauline like a Weight Watcher coach, LOL!  What an ungrateful person!!!!!

[CouchTater]

I wonder if they tried therapy for her. Clearly needed here.

[turbogirlnyc]

Her stomach is the size of an orange? Why is she not losing any weight? I get that she's not moving but still...

[Brooklynista]

Enraged. Simply enraged. Marla must hate her daughter or still suffering from PTSD from the kidnapping. Either way, this woman is infuriating.

I'm really wondering if she saw Penny fry wontons in bed and decided it was simply genius or if there's a youtube channel on how to maintain obesity. Maybe the channel showcases recipes like bed pan meatloaf and wash me up leg split fried chicken.

Edited April 9, 2015 by Brooklynista

[lazylump]

Alright, that was no "Cup" of jello she got.  She asked for a cup, and I was thinking a cup you get as part of a 6 pack in the grocery store, not a tupperware container of Jello.  I also see the pop on the floor beside the bed.  Not good, not good at all.  

[honeywest]

Could Marla have had some brain damage from the blood clot that accounted for her behavior after the surgery--all that childishness and hostility?

 

That ending was a lot more hopeful than I expected.

[BostonBlonde]

All I have to say is...................Hot male nurse/"Murse" guy...Call me. :)

 

I'll travel to TX. I should be rewarded for enduring this season's episodes. Right? 

Edited April 9, 2015 by BostonBlonde

[notyrmomma]

Well, that pulled that one out of the brink of death in the last 2 minutes of the show.  There were so many things..going on here, I don't think I can get to them all.  What a complete B-I -Itch this lady is...."that fish is nasty"...deep fat frying on a rickety table on her bed (all she needed was it to fall and she would be DEAD)...we noticed the soda bottle too (I'm 7 months out of bariatric surgery, I can't even drink diet without extreme pain).

[Tru ReNewal]

No, sorry TLC. You will not sway me with your lame attempt at a feel-good ending. 266 lbs lost? No way, no how.

 

What a miserable, ungrateful layabout.  I had major Penny flashbacks with the "I need to do things at my own pace" nonsense.... knowing all too well that this time next year, she still be twiddling those one pound weights over her head and her poor, put-upon daughter still taking care of her feeding, watering and wiping.

 

I still think Penny and Pauline are worse for their sheer manipulative power, but man was Marla's attitude SUCKED. 

[Armchair Critic]

I want to see a follow up on her, but I am skeptical that she will lose much.

[non sequitur]

It was really surprising how easily the paramedics and hospital workers were able to move her in and out of the bed.  

 

The deep fry pot thing was horrifying, so much can go wrong on an unsecured table.  

 

That's it, it's hard to care when she doesn't even try.

[charmed1]

Poor Sierra. The only heartbreak I felt was for her. And the other kids who had to ride to Houston with Marla and watch her nearly die. What a manipulative shrew. Sierra was put in a terrible situation.

I don't think I've seen Dr. Now so enraged. Of course his voice is at Victor Newman level of rage, but still. With Penny, he was exasperated, with Betty Jo's husband, I could see his disgust, mixed with anger, but Marla really got his blood boiling.

Edited April 9, 2015 by charmed1

[CouchTater]

That ending felt rushed or tacked on. Or did I fall asleep and miss a major part of the show??? Just kidding, I know I didn't, there just seems have been a time warp within the show.

[PityFree]

Well, at least we were spared from watching the boiling oil tip over on that wobbly, rotting table and burn her. That was idiotic. 

 

She sure was flexible! She practically put her ankle behind her ear so that her daughter could wash her crotch. 

 

Also I need to side eye the "... and suddenly I was 700 pounds!" Exactly how long was the kidnapper boyfriend on the lamb? A decade? How long does it take to gain 550 pounds? 

[MrsChappy]

There is something unnerving about the look in her eye. Scary.

[BostonBlonde]

She sure was flexible! She practically put her ankle behind her ear so that her daughter could wash her crotch. 

 

 

I nearly fell off the chair, rolled down the stairs & ran screaming through the streets until I had unseen that....

 

Seriously...she can toss a leg behind her head yet cant wash her own business. YaaaaaaNo.

[Pixel]

Oh my god, Marla made me want to punch something. I don't even know why she seeked out the surgery when she obviously doesn't give a shit about changing or saving herself. I'm not buying the little show we saw at the end of the hour. The day will never come when we see her hop happily out of bed to walk across the room.

Edited April 9, 2015 by Pixel

[Brooklynista]

Seriously, that split she did when her daughter was washing her? Damn!

I'm 140 pounds and I think I need to get myself to some hot yoga classes.

And how was it that with a nearly 300 pound weight loss, she could still barely stand? My bet is now that the camera crew is gone she's climbed back in that bed and hasn't budged.

Edited April 9, 2015 by Brooklynista

[Cherrio]

Well, at least we were spared from watching the boiling oil tip over on that wobbly, rotting table and burn her. That was idiotic. 

 

She sure was flexible! She practically put her ankle behind her ear so that her daughter could wash her crotch. 

 

Also I need to side eye the "... and suddenly I was 700 pounds!" Exactly how long was the kidnapper boyfriend on the lamb? A decade? How long does it take to gain 550 pounds? 

I groaned out loud when I saw the Brian Boitano shower move.  I am speechless. Only thing left to do is give her a 5.8

[mjt626]

Sierra honey....find your self-esteem, an exercise program, a nice young lady and jog as far away from your mother as possible.

I've never seen anyone refuse to stand up. Not walk, just stand up.

Edited April 9, 2015 by mjt626

[Cranky One]

I groaned out loud when I saw the Brian Boitano shower move. I am speechless. Only thing left to do is give her a 5.8

I am crying from laughing over here at your post, Cherrio!

Marla pissed me off and I hope Sierra realizes she better get with the program since she's a mini Marla in the weight department

Edited April 9, 2015 by Cranky One

[aliya]

Wow - loved seeing Dr Now get angry!  Marla, Marla, Marla...just refusing to get out of bed.. there are no words. Although 'ungrateful, selfish bitch' comes to mind.

Edited April 9, 2015 by aliya

[hoosiermom]

I about died when I saw her deep frying things on her lap! I know we aren't suppose to say mean things so------ her nails were nicely done?

[feetcuzzyfeefee]

rude and disrespectful most of the show, and then has a change of heart at the end.  I don't know -- I think I'll wait for the follow-up to see how this all turned out.   Getting on her laptop AND phone when the therapists came in and she wouldn't even look at them??   How rude can you get?  I think I would have just rolled her out into the street at that point and said "Good luck". 

[RedKoolAide]

I'm kinda jealous at Marla's split skills.

Marla was absolutely horrendous. She's in the top three of the worst people on this show, along side Penny and Pauline. A 43 y/o woman staring off into nothing and refusing to engage in conversation is disturbing. She's really immature.

I don't remember what age she said she was held hostage, but she looked overweight in every picture after the childhood pic. I'm not buying she gained a ton a weight after that because didn't she say she was already 700 lbs during the kidnapping? Or did I hear it wrong?

I liked Sierra. She loved her mom, but she called her on her bs.

[mrsjoe]

Her stomach is the size of an orange? Why is she not losing any weight? I get that she's not moving but still...

  

Alright, that was no "Cup" of jello she got.  She asked for a cup, and I was thinking a cup you get as part of a 6 pack in the grocery store, not a tupperware container of Jello.  I also see the pop on the floor beside the bed.  Not good, not good at all.

  

I saw the pop too. Right next to the bed where she could drink directly from the 2 liter all day no doubt. THAT is how you stop losing weight with a tiny stomach, by drinking your calories. And if that's her serving size of jello, I'm guessing she's the eat all day type.

Could Marla have had some brain damage from the blood clot that accounted for her behavior after the surgery--all that childishness and hostility?.

I would like to be able to give her the benefit of the doubt on that, but poor Sierra's repeated statements of optimism that her mom would change, lead me to believe Sierra has dealt with a lifetime of her mom's bad behaviors. I guarantee Marla didn't get everyone to do her bidding for years by being nice and thankful.

I agree Sierra was was the most heartbreaking part of the story. TLC can't have meant that Marla's story was heartbreaking with their previews BS...More like infuriating...

[Pixel]

The only thing heartbreaking about this episode was watching tax dollars being wasted on someone who doesn't care enough to use the opportunity placed in her lap.

[purpleflowers]

Well they certainly saved the most depressing for last this season! It was just moment after moment of smacking my forehead and yelling at the TV screen. And about those splits Marla did...seriously?! For all that can be learned from seeing the horror of morbid obesity through scenes of cleaning and dressing and daily routines, this was one thing which absolutely added nothing in that department. Just too much, TLC! 

 

I agree about the way Marla looked in her eyes; she seemed checked out, possibly depressed, and like she was half asleep. As others have said, her attitude was just awful and I can't remember even Pauline being so rude. She had so many people helping her and so many health resources at her disposal and chose to squander them.  And I have to say, Dr. Nowzaradan, I now have a totally new level of respect for you! My gosh, the man was as patient as he could be and he truly wanted Marla to get better even when she didn't care! I just really admire how he handled this situation. I have never seen him get so irate with a patient before; I don't blame him. Seeing him smile when she finally stood up--that showed me how much he cared. 

 

I also think that last few minutes was not very inspiring. Hopefully her update will be a positive one. The daughter Sierra kept talking about wanting a relationship with her mother; I felt like there was something more to that than just the weight loss aspect. I really did like Sierra too. 

 

I am still confused as to how Doctor Now decides when the weight loss surgery is appropriate for each patient. He said Marla was probably 7 or 800 pounds when they were performing the surgery; I thought he wouldn't do it at that high of a weight for safety and/or insurance reasons? 

Edited April 9, 2015 by purpleflowers

[Scorpiosunshine]

Enraged. Simply enraged. Marla must hate her daughter or still suffering from PTSD from the kidnapping. Either way, this woman is infuriating.

I'm really wondering in she saw Penny's fry wonton in bed and decided it was simply genius or if there's a youtube channel on how to maintain obesity. Maybe the channel showcases recipes like bed pan meatloaf and wash me up leg split fried chicken.

Hahaha! I'm dying!!

Maria pissed me off. It wasn't just her laziness, disregard for her health and her life, or how she proclaimed she needed a break from sitting on her ass for 7 months, or the way she lazed about while the world orbited around to both literally and figuratively clean up her shit . What angered me most was watching her daughter cry over her useless mother, give up her life, care for her and worry.. only to have said mother demand food, then laugh and snicker at the daughter when Sierra called her out. How dare she, that witch.

I love and respect my mother more than words, but if she were obese, couldn't move, and were too lazy to even try, especially after being handed all those gifts to regain her health, and if she sat there and laughed at me while she demanded I fetch food, it would happen one damn time.

I would have esnatched that jello away and told her she better get ready to walk or go fucking hungry.

It was disgusting to watch her roll her eyes like a child, ignore the nurses while she clicked on her laptop, then that one time her eyes were rolling back like there was something wrong, yet the camera panned down to her tapping her talons on her perch.

Hell no.

"Move away from me!" She says with that growl. Ha! Move away or what? You can't move, you lump.

They'd have a fast recovery if I were their caregiver. I'd give no fucks about attitudes or eye rolls or lame threats.

I get that as a daughter, she probably didn't want to disrespect her mom, but screw that. Her mom was incredibly disrespectful, but besides that, this is life or death.

Ugh, then that clapping and kowtowing because she lifted her ass for 3 seconds. Big whoop. Clap when she keeps doing it.

I was so sick of her saying they were pushing too hard... 7 months down the road!

[cheatincheetos]

Yet another episode with Dr. Now telling us that "(patient) is in the worst shape I've ever seen." Just like Hoarders. Every house is the worst-est hoarding case ever until next week.

[Micks Picks]

She was kidnapped at that weight?  How did they do that?  Kidnappers came in and got her and threw her over their shoulders?  I don't think so.  And why would they kidnap her?  Like nobody had any money to exchange her for.  And if she was my mother, I'd be tickled to death to have somebody remove her.

[cheatincheetos]

Ironic line of the week:

 

Marla, about halfway through the show: "I don't appreciate the doctor's attitude."

[charmed1]

Who was the man who was with Sierra and Marla while they were in Houston? He was too old to be her son. I assumed he was her boyfriend.

[Tru ReNewal]

Marla didn't enjoy much, but she really seemed to enjoy her pain meds!  The look of ecstasy when the nurse delivered some into her IV was something I've seen somewhere before..... like Intervention.

[Foghorn Leghorn]

She was kidnapped at that weight?  How did they do that?  Kidnappers came in and got her and threw her over their shoulders?  I don't think so.  And why would they kidnap her?  Like nobody had any money to exchange her for.  And if she was my mother, I'd be tickled to death to have somebody remove her.

 

It was a boyfriend she had just broken up with who held her against her will.  

The body releases a hormone called Relaxin in pregnant women and in obese people which gives them super flexibility.  We haven't seen it displayed quite like this before on the show and hope it never is shown again but Marla was sure proud to show us her woohoo, thank God for that gauze!

[poeticlicensed]

So if Marla hasn't gotten off the bed in years and can't stand up, where does she pee and poop? I mean seriously. Especially when eating enough to maintain 800 pounds. I shudder to even think about it. 

 

What an ungrateful, miserable woman. When  her daughters said that if they don't bring their mom what she wants, she get mad, I can surely believe it. I'm sure she is back to ordering  them to bring her fast food and microwave meals. What was she deep frying It looked like chicken fingers, but then she covered them in some kind of sauce and rolled them in pieces of white bread, I thought I was going to hurl. 

 

Best part of the ep was watching Dr. Now drive his car over to see Marla. Worst part was him telling her over and over that this was her last chance. She had many last chances.  

Edited April 9, 2015 by poeticlicensed

[stormy]

I hope we find out one day that this ended well.

My heart goes out to Sierra.

[gunderda]

So if Marla hasn't gotten off the bed in years and can't stand up, where does she pee and poop? I mean seriously. Especially when eating enough to maintain 800 pounds. I shudder to even think about it. 

She had one of those bags that takes care of that (can't think of the correct term).  I was wondering about that and then did see it in one of the scenes in the hospital where they were trying to get her to stand up.  Did she have it before that? I don't know... but i'm kind of assuming she did. 

 

Add me to the list of those super impressed with her split skills.  That looked like it took no effort what so over for her to throw her leg up like that.

 

One interesting thing to me.... the one daughter seemed to be the main care taker at the beginning when they were still in Nashville.  That daughter went back to Nashville immediately and we didn't see or hear from her after.  Makes me wonder if she basically said "good riddance" to her mom. 

 

I knew Sierra would not do as Dr Now told her to do and ignore her mom. 

 

I thought for SURE she was going to be dead by the end of the episode.  A bit of a bizarre choice as a season finale.

[Pepper Mostly]

I nearly fell off the chair, rolled down the stairs & ran screaming through the streets until I had unseen that....

 

Seriously...she can toss a leg behind her head yet cant wash her own business. YaaaaaaNo.

hahahahahaha, this made me laugh really, really hard!

 

So if Marla hasn't gotten off the bed in years and can't stand up, where does she pee and poop? I mean seriously. Especially when eating enough to maintain 800 pounds. I shudder to even think about it. 

 

What an ungrateful, miserable woman. When  her daughters said that if they don't bring their mom what she wants, she get mad, I can surely believe it. I'm sure she is back to ordering  them to bring her fast food and microwave meals. What was she deep frying It looked like chicken fingers, but then she covered them in some kind of sauce and rolled them in pieces of white bread, I thought I was going to hurl. 

 

Best part of the ep was watching Dr. Now drive his car over to see Marla. Worst part was him telling her over and over that this was her last chance. She had many last chances.  

every last one of these people says "I just really love food!" Honey. that shit you are eating might technically be called food, but come ON. I could understand it better if they were Paul Pruhomme levels of fat because they were eating fabulous, delicious food (and Chef Prudhomme lost the weight in the end!) But they are eating junk! None of what they eat looks remotely appetizing! Fast food is addictive, I know. But these are adults! Eat an apple once in a while! How can they live on that garbage?

 

I agree that watching Dr. Now driving his car to Marla's house was made of awesome. In his white coat. And he entered the house with his stethoscope around his neck! I love him.

[charmed1]

I figured that the other daughter probably had a job and/or children to care for back home and handed off her duties to Sierra and whomever that guy was. I'm glad she got a reprieve from taking care of Marla. I was curious as to who the younger children belonged to.