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S05.E11: James K's Story


Message added by PrincessPurrsALot

James K. used pidgin English when describing Chinese food.  Such mocking behavior of a presumed accent is racist.  Please do not perpetuate his use of that language. 

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23 minutes ago, kgg said:

Holy crap, he is awful!

A few stray observations:  Lisa is most likely getting paid by the government to be his "caretaker."  In some bizarre way, it behooves them both for him to remain disabled and her to remain his caretaker.  It is guaranteed income.  

The kids - so...am I missing something or did he have two kids with Lisa when he was in his early 20's and then let her raise them with her abusive husband?  James is painting himself to be Lisa's knight in shining armor - and I think that's part of his hold over her - but he is just as abusive.  I feel like Bailey is the only one who sees how worthless he is.  She needs to just separate herself from that toxic situation and live her life.

The catheter:  I am really curious to know what kind it was.  It can't be a condom catheter because his penis HAS to be buried at this point and there's no putting one on if all you've got is what looks like a little belly button where your penis should be.  If it's a typical catheter inserted into the urethra, it would need to be changed frequently.  If it's a suprapubic catheter, I wonder why they've resorted to that.  Some kind of urethral injury?  People with buried penises can pee.  They just can't aim.

I am seriously dubious about the claim that he has never seen a nutritionist.  For anyone who admits him to the hospital, a nutrition consult is going to be a reflex order.  But let's say he never saw a nutritionist - he spent at least two months total hospitalized strictly for weight loss, and was eating an 800 calorie diet.  He knows what 800 calories/day looks like and tastes like.   And clearly they got a list of no-no foods and Lisa read it.  He just didn't care.  At all.

Sitting up in bed - what an accomplishment!  That was more of a work-out for the people lifting him.  My heart is out to the EMTs who are charged with moving this barnacle from place to place.  It is dangerous, hazardous work.  I don't think James is worth it.  I really don't.

Lisa, Bailey, and James' father would be better off if James died.  I don't even feel bad saying that.

Maybe, but Lisa especially is part of the problem. James and Lisa straight up lied to Dr. Now about what James was eating, Lisa was feeding him that 10k calories a day so BS on the nugget that he maybe "slipped up a few times".  

Why the hell did they even bother to do this show? Worst. Couple. Ever. 

  • Love 10
5 hours ago, gardendiva said:

...James, as with Penny, have both exhibited an infuriating combination of traits that make the viewers seethe:

...6.) inability to endure the slightest discomfort, even when it happens during the course of people trying to help. This includes hunger, pain from being moved during the course of care, dealing with any stress, etc.

I agree almost completely with Gardenia's post, but I actually *do* understand #6. [Whatever we may think of his personality], James K must have been in horrible pain with that chronic cellulitis skin infection. People in pain *do* cry out, often angrily, at medical personnel trying to help them. The pain is so overwhelming, it's the only thing on their mind. They can't think clearly. (It isn't just that the person in that situation is 'whining' or 'being a wimp' or trying to make other people feel sorry for them.)

James K is, however, a manipulative monster. He seems to be using his extreme fatness and ill health to force people to stay with him and tend to his every whim. Like 'guilting' his girlfriend into sleeping on the floor right next to him (instead of in the very next room, in her bed) and "pulling his daughter out of school" so she can help change his diapers (one person can't do that alone).

Edited by Crazy Bird Lady
  • Love 10
17 minutes ago, kgg said:

.

I am seriously dubious about the claim that he has never seen a nutritionist.  For anyone who admits him to the hospital, a nutrition consult is going to be a reflex order.  But let's say he never saw a nutritionist - he spent at least two months total hospitalized strictly for weight loss, and was eating an 800 calorie diet.  He knows what 800 calories/day looks like and tastes like.   And clearly they got a list of no-no foods and Lisa read it.  He just didn't care.  At all.

 

As a diabetic who was in and out of hospitals for years, I'm pretty sure at some point a nutritionist talked to him.  Or at the very least recommended.  Usually my visits were overnight in the ER.  I was treated for dehydration and high BG levels.  And whenever I left, no matter what hospital I ended up at, I would get a discharge packet of things to do, including seeing a nutritionist and an endocrinologist (with an helpful page of their addresses and phone numbers!)  There was even diabetes for dummies info.  How to carb count and everything.

James was in the hospital for 10 days at one point.  I find it hard to believe that he didn't get visited by someone while there explaining dietary tips.  I bet Dr. Now gave him a referral and he didn't bother to make an appointment.  And also, Google it. 

James expects everything to be spoon fed to him.  At some point you have to take the initiative.

  • Love 6
2 minutes ago, Runnergirl said:

Maybe, but Lisa especially is part of the problem. James and Lisa straight up lied to Dr. Now about what James was eating, Lisa was feeding him that 10k calories a day so BS on the nugget that he maybe "slipped up a few times".  

Why the hell did they even bother to do this show? Worst. Couple. Ever. 

Oh, I totally agree she is part of the problem, but abused women tend to move from one abuser to another.  Just like an abused woman would lie to the cops about how she got a black eye, Lisa is lying to Dr. Nowzaradan about what he's eating.  These bed-bound people can bully from their beds.  It's kind of fascinating how much power they can hold over their families.  Even the nice one who was in the Air Force - her niece said early on in the episode how she could be not so nice if the junk food on her list wasn't purchased.  However, the niece ended up being an awesome drill sergeant, so that behavior was stopped immediately.  James and Lisa would both be better off if she walked away.  But that's not going to happen unless she wises up.

  • Love 4
1 minute ago, sandrajane said:

As a diabetic who was in and out of hospitals for years, I'm pretty sure at some point a nutritionist talked to him.  Or at the very least recommended.  Usually my visits were overnight in the ER.  I was treated for dehydration and high BG levels.  And whenever I left, no matter what hospital I ended up at, I would get a discharge packet of things to do, including seeing a nutritionist and an endocrinologist (with an helpful page of their addresses and phone numbers!)  There was even diabetes for dummies info.  How to carb count and everything.

James was in the hospital for 10 days at one point.  I find it hard to believe that he didn't get visited by someone while there explaining dietary tips.  I bet Dr. Now gave him a referral and he didn't bother to make an appointment.  And also, Google it. 

James expects everything to be spoon fed to him.  At some point you have to take the initiative.

James was just as honest about the nutritionist as Penny when she said that she was never given a diet.

Speaking of Penny, I can't believe they found someone to top her.  At least Penny was somewhat helpful and seemed to truly love her son.

  • Love 9
21 minutes ago, Crazy Bird Lady said:

[Whatever we may think of his personality], James K must have been in horrible pain with that chronic cellulitis skin infection. People in pain *do* cry out, often angrily, at medical personnel trying to help them. The pain is so overwhelming, it's the only thing on their mind. They can't think clearly. (It isn't just that the person in that situation is 'whining' or 'being a wimp' or trying to make other people feel sorry for them.)

James K is, however, a manipulative monster.

I can agree with this, especially the bit about  the medics getting him out of the ambulance when they arrived in Houston, he was freaked out that they were going to drop him. I can understand that, because I felt the same way once; and once the medics assured me that I wasn't falling off the stretcher, I remember calming down.

  • Love 2
52 minutes ago, Crazy Bird Lady said:

I agree almost completely with Gardenia's post, but I actually *do* understand #6. [Whatever we may think of his personality], James K must have been in horrible pain with that chronic cellulitis skin infection. People in pain *do* cry out, often angrily, at medical personnel trying to help them. The pain is so overwhelming, it's the only thing on their mind. They can't think clearly. (It isn't just that the person in that situation is 'whining' or 'being a wimp' or trying to make other people feel sorry for them.)

James K is, however, a manipulative monster. He seems to be using his extreme fatness and ill health to force people to stay with him and tend to his every whim. Like 'guilting' his girlfriend into sleeping on the floor right next to him (instead of in the very next room, in her bed) and "pulling his daughter out of school" so she can help change his diapers (one person can't do that alone).

As an emergency medical care provider, I understand that, especially if the pain is chronic. But sometimes it just gets to you, especially if you've just cared for a 13 year old girl who had most of her foot cut off by a boat propellor. Not one cry, not one scream. James screamed when they removed the line from his artery. 

Penny is darling compared to James. James is a whiny asshole who can't remove the wrapper from his burger (thanks notyrmomma!).

  • Love 13
6 hours ago, Michael Stabosz said:

I swear, this whole season every episode has had me thinking "This person is terrible.  Worst ever."  Then the next week there is someone even worse.

BTW there is a new episode next week, then another after that with an interesting description...

 

Two brothers weigh nearly 1400 pounds combined, and their father drives them 35 hours to see a doctor even though they can't stand each other.

I have to disagree somewhat.  We had some really sympathetic people this year at the start of the season, like the twins.  They were holding back on us!

  • Love 5
23 minutes ago, Runnergirl said:

As an emergency medical care provider, I understand that, especially if the pain is chronic. But sometimes it just gets to you, especially if you've just cared for a 13 year old girl who had most of her foot cut off by a boat propellor. Not one cry, not one scream. James screamed when they removed the line from his artery. 

Penny is darling compared to James. James is a whiny asshole who can't remove the wrapper from his burger (thanks notyrmomma!).

Like when they are pushing him up to sit up he is all "waaaa waaa waaa waaaa" then they sit him up there (kinda) and he is all "waaa waaa owww owww oowwie" they say take a deep breath and he does and HE'S FUCKING FINE!! He is the baby boy who cried wolf ...he cries over nothing so his actual pain gets no pity. 

  • Love 5
3 hours ago, Carrie said:

Actually as a newbie, I have a technical question:. How does one copy only a portion of someone else's post to which to respond?  I am on an iPhone - a rather old one to be honest.  Does that make a difference as to functions available?

I only  know how to do it by copying the whole quote and deleting what I don't want.  That is harder to do on a phone than on my computer.  Does anyone know another way?

  • Love 4
3 hours ago, Cherrio said:

Dr. Now should of done a new version of weight loss surgery.   Put James under with fried rice scented Versed and sew his mouth shut.

Two huge problems solved at once. Can't eat and can't talk.  No more Ow, my leg.

Funny you said that years ago before bypass surgery ,doctors  would wire the jaws shut  of obese patients   all food thru a straw  ...It worked

  • Love 5
2 hours ago, kgg said:

People with buried penises can pee.  They just can't aim.

I say this without a trace of snarkiness--I have learned so much from reading these 13 (so far) pages. As awful as the episode was, I have actually learned a few things from the episode and (especially) from reading these posts. The one I've quoted is my favorite bit of medical trivia.

It has always amused me to hear Dr. Now ask his patients "how are y'all?" But, yeah, last night's were epic.

Edited by Jordan Baker
Spellcheck doesn't like "snarkiness".
  • Love 2

Oh my god. He can't even be touched. Being brought into the Houston house he expected that his legs wouldn't even touch the sides of the doorframe? And he whines like a child constantly? I get it, your legs hurt, but how the FUCK does that even happen to your legs? You have to just sit there and do nothing about this for years! It's like hearing about that woman whose skin grew around her toilet seat and she got stuck to it, I was like "how the HELL long was this LOON sitting on that toilet?!" I can't even feel sorry for someone in that situation. It'd be like being hit by a car that is moving toward you in plain sight at 0.02 mph.

  • Love 5
1 hour ago, notyrmomma said:

James was just as honest about the nutritionist as Penny when she said that she was never given a diet.

Speaking of Penny, I can't believe they found someone to top her.  At least Penny was somewhat helpful and seemed to truly love her son.

Penny is still the worst for me; maybe because she was so canny and self-righteous in her manipulation. James seems to be a desperate, bawling, mindless infant with no cognitive, reasoned impulses- motivated solely by the reptilian brain's cry " I want; I want; I want!"  The complete chaos of his life - and, sadly, impenetrable underlying despair - make him less despicable than sly, egocentric Penny who relished spinning webs of power from her pee-pee pad in her perverse little world.

'

  • Love 17
4 hours ago, bethster2000 said:

Here's the thing about the Chinese food that really bugged me: if he had a craving, he could have made it work for him.  He could have had cashew chicken, or moo goo gai pan, or kung pao anything.  And no rice.  And no egg rolls!  The sodium issue would still be there, but at least he would have been eating low carb.

But no.  This whiny excuse for a human being had a craaaaaaaaaaving and he was siiiiiiiiiiick of eating fish and chicken.  He immediately goes for rice and egg rolls.  FRIED rice, if you please.  And, he says with a disgusting Baby Huey level of smug self-satisfaction, he'll also have dessert.

He's disgusting, laying there oozing from his cellutlitis and stinking of his own shit.  What a repulsive excuse for a human being.  And I say that with no regard whatsoever for his weight situation.

ETA: 844 pounds!  My God.  844 pounds!

Gawd, yes, Baby Huey in a somewhat human form!  Perfect analogy.

His girlfriend did everything but burp and breastfeed this selfish piece of work.

It would have been nice to hear him tell Dr. Now "look, I can touch my wee-wee now."  He probably hasn't been able to do that in forever.  I know I'm going to have nightmares from that cellulitis and hearing "owwwwwwwww" over and over again.  What a waste of resources and everyone's time who had to wait on that sorry asshole.

  • Love 5

A colossal weight gain of 150+ pounds in two months...how?  Could it be at least in part due to retention of fluid with the CHF?  

I work with sick people in my career, many of them with self induced chronic diseases.  They love to delude themselves.  poor old James is a classic example of how not speaking the truth to our clients perpetrates this type of disorder.  His girlfriend is just as sick, and is next in line for heart failure.   Wonder if she also is a smoker, with that raspy voice of hers?  Maybe that is how she can tolerate what must be some noxious odors coming outta that bed.  I become nauseous remembering the filth.

  • Love 6
2 hours ago, LuciaMia said:

Im afraid to ask what that even means...

The enhanced version is where they send you a large sheet of multi sized bubble wrap that covers a button if pushed on says "ow mah leg!" and a can of fake poo smell spray (yes, it exists as a gag gift at party stores) and at home viewers can close their eyes and imagine just a tiny part of Lisa's life / s 

Actually I think it is just a longer version of the aired episode thank goodness. 

  • Love 9
3 minutes ago, Momof2Cats said:

The enhanced version is where they send you a large sheet of multi sized bubble wrap that covers a button if pushed on says "ow mah leg!" and a can of fake poo smell spray (yes, it exists as a gag gift at party stores) and at home viewers can close their eyes and imagine just a tiny part of Lisa's life / s 

Actually I think it is just a longer version of the aired episode thank goodness. 

LOL.  I think that in " Supersized" episodes, they scroll factoids about the patient across the bottom of the screen - most of it not particularly enlightening.  For James important facts might include something like:. " his favorite candy is Twix  bars" or, " he won the hamburger-eating contest at the 1989  Kentucky 4-H fair" - usually complete nonsense that doesn't answer the questions thst might help us better understand how this man possibly got to this place in his life.

  • Love 8

I ate Chinese food tonight for dinner. I had steamed vegetables and chicken with the sauce on the side and a cup of brown rice (which I didn't finish). It's all about choices and this lump just keeps making the wrong ones. My sympathy is nonexistent.

I've got the rerun on to see if there was any of the horror that I missed. Somehow I don't think my opinion of James is going to improve at all on a second viewing.

  • Love 6
46 minutes ago, AVM said:

Funny you said that years ago before bypass surgery ,doctors  would wire the jaws shut  of obese patients   all food thru a straw  ...It worked

Not sure this would help him lose weight. 

I'd bet this guy could suck a turkey through a straw without missing a beat but it might cut down on the "ow, my legs" mantra.

I forgot a couple of things:

First, I didn't think any guy on this show could be a bigger baby than Sean.  Remember him in the back of a van munching on a huge turkey leg on his way to Houston?  

Second, I *think* we are going to be treated this season to someone named Steven Assanti, who is well known on YouTube for his rants.  I read on the defunct imbd board that he was the guy that fell off the lawnmower in one of the previews.  Apparently he was kicked out of a hospital for ordering in pizza.  

  • Love 10
22 hours ago, Ivylady said:

I'm trying to figure out how ordering food is cheaper than getting a cab/Uber/Lyft each way to the grocery store once a week. No matter how you do it, the math doesn't work. 

I'm on a budget right now because of financial reasons, and the first thing we cut is takeout. I miss it, and I'm tired of eating my own cooking, but the math doesn't work out.

There was a grocery store chain where I used to live... can't remember if it was in Minnesota or Tennessee or Florida. Anyway. They had a series of commercials where they would show people spending $20 max and in one case it was a single mom and her daughter and for $20 they bought enough food to makes dinners for a week for the both of them. One was a group of college-aged/young adult kids who made a huge party feast for 10 people (apps, sides, a couple of mains, desserts, drinks). And a few other examples of how far $20 could go shopping at their stores. It takes planning and thought and a little effort to execute but way, way cheaper than eating out/ordering out. And they could all benefit from a healthier diet.

  • Love 2

I'm taking one for the team and watching the Supersized version. I love the pop-ups.  They said the breakfast he had  was 1630 calories & 103 grams of fat.  That has to be wrong.  It seems kind of low to me. He had 6 fried eggs, 6 sausages, 6 biscuits (4 broken up in a bowl with gravy & 2 broken up over the eggs & sausage) with a mountain of gravy poured over everything.  I'll have to check the calories later. 

Another pop-up said he had been suffering with a fever, vomiting & bowel issues the past month.  Oh my, can you imagine trying to clean up after "bowel issues?"

More to come........I may be done at midnight.  I keep stopping to rewind to make sure I've read pop-ups correctly.

  • Love 13
12 minutes ago, Maggienolia said:

There was a grocery store chain where I used to live... can't remember if it was in Minnesota or Tennessee or Florida. Anyway. They had a series of commercials where they would show people spending $20 max and in one case it was a single mom and her daughter and for $20 they bought enough food to makes dinners for a week for the both of them. One was a group of college-aged/young adult kids who made a huge party feast for 10 people (apps, sides, a couple of mains, desserts, drinks). And a few other examples of how far $20 could go shopping at their stores. It takes planning and thought and a little effort to execute but way, way cheaper than eating out/ordering out. And they could all benefit from a healthier diet.

Oh my goodness, that sounds wonderful!  I think we cut corners to save time and end up paying more.  A couple of months ago, I had to fork over almost $2,000 for a car repair.  Spending that kind of money in one sitting is irksome to me.  So I started bringing my food to work (including my coffee) and not ordering out.  It's amazing how it all adds up!  I was spending at least $15/weekday during the day and then another $60 or so a week in takeout.  In fewer than 4 months, I'll be able to save that much just from not spending it on outside food.  I also find that I make better food choices when I have to take the time to go to the grocery store and plan and prep meals.

  • Love 5

I had missed the first 40 minutes last night and caught up tonight - it sounds like they were REALLY, REALLY stretching for the "trauma" that caused him to start eating. Alkie mom died, house burned down, had a losing streak on Xbox, favorite team lost the playoffs.... nothing like some of the others, who suffered horrible abuse as kids.

  • Love 11
1 hour ago, operalover said:

Like when they are pushing him up to sit up he is all "waaaa waaa waaa waaaa" then they sit him up there (kinda) and he is all "waaa waaa owww owww oowwie" they say take a deep breath and he does and HE'S FUCKING FINE!! He is the baby boy who cried wolf ...he cries over nothing so his actual pain gets no pity. 

God forgive me, when they were telling him he was going to have to endure some contact with things as they tried to get him through the door, I wanted one of those patient attendants to reach out and give James a quick slap upside the head. 

And I have NEVER seen Dr. Now so angry. Not that he didn't have every right. I agree that Lisa is with James for economic reasons. He treats her horribly.

  • Love 4
22 minutes ago, Barb23 said:

Another pop-up said he had been suffering with a fever, vomiting & bowel issues the past month.  Oh my, can you imagine trying to clean up after "bowel issues?"

In honor of you taking one for the team, I will dedicate the new opera I am writing about James to you Barb23.

As Jonathan Larsen's inspiration for RENT came from La Boheme, so does mine.    

La B-(M)heme.

Edited by Cherrio
  • Love 7
8 minutes ago, Ms. Bubba said:

I had missed the first 40 minutes last night and caught up tonight - it sounds like they were REALLY, REALLY stretching for the "trauma" that caused him to start eating. Alkie mom died, house burned down, had a losing streak on Xbox, favorite team lost the playoffs.... nothing like some of the others, who suffered horrible abuse as kids.

And not only did the house burn down once, the pop-up said he's survived three house fires. I bet that was the mattress's fault, too.

  • Love 7
11 minutes ago, spacefly said:

"James is a self proclaimed expert in the female persuasion" or so the pop-up says. He advised the EMTs on the trip to Houston.

I saw that too. Nearly choked on my tea. Yeah. I can see where he would be a total lady killer. Uh-huh. Irresistible. Mmmmhmmmm. Yup. Gonna go throw up now. Why do I watch this crap??? Why??? 

  • Love 10
22 hours ago, Barb23 said:

I laughed when they said he was going to Texas by ambulance. As a person who has unfortunately ridden in one a few times, I can attest he had a very bumpy ride for 15 hours.  Serves him right except for the poor EMT's that had to listen to him whine.  Maybe they were able to give him a sedative so he slept most of the way.  And my heart goes to the EMT's  that had to change his poop pad.  Oh the smell.......I'm hoping they were flooring it with sirens going (with the windows open) just to get their quicker.  No wonder they drove thru the night.

On the supersized version they showed he told the EMTs he said he is an expert on lady persuasion lol. Yea I am watching it again. It is just ao good, especially when Dr Now goes off.

  • Love 4
Message added by PrincessPurrsALot

James K. used pidgin English when describing Chinese food.  Such mocking behavior of a presumed accent is racist.  Please do not perpetuate his use of that language. 

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