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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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15 hours ago, MrsStealth said:

I have a poor arthritic knee that needs replace and I have limped around for months.  In the last 3 days, I have screamed "Ow my leg" every time I get up.  I still laugh at myself.

I should do this whenever I stand up. I have arthritic knees too. I can practise my Kentuckian accent (not difficult for a Canadian).

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14 hours ago, embarassed2bhere said:

Dad went to great lengths to give his son a chance.  That is the beautiful, uplifting moment in this entire story.  

The rest was black comedy.  Sad, terrific stuff...

If this was a work of fiction, it would be Oscar-worthy.

You could call it "Ow, ma leg!" but don't let Beatty and Runaway read the Best Picture card at the ceremonies.

They might call out "I can reach ma v agina!" instead.  

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Ok, in the interest of full disclosure I watched this on Friday night (St. Patrick's Day) and thought the beer I drank was making me more angry and frustrated than usual. After reading these comments I see that this really was the most infuriating episode ever. I was so tired of James yelling out, whining, complaining, and being an overall baby. Never a thank you to anyone. I've never seen so much blatant lying. I also have no sympathy for his girlfriend, she's basically taking a back hoe and shoveling pounds of food down his throat. These two can sit in their triple wide and rot. Just let Bailey go...

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8 minutes ago, themabeldifference said:

This episode really killed me. So much whining! So much irresponsibility! James K. is disgusting inside and out. And yes I am going to hell for thinking this. ;)

It started out with just a few of us thinking we were going to hell for our unkind thoughts during this episode.  At this point, I think we're going to have a convoy of buses heading that way . . . with many of us on the bus singing the chorus of "Ow, my leg!!!" which noshing on friiiiiiiiiied rice.

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4 minutes ago, AZChristian said:

It started out with just a few of us thinking we were going to hell for our unkind thoughts during this episode.  At this point, I think we're going to have a convoy of buses heading that way . . . with many of us on the bus singing the chorus of "Ow, my leg!!!" which noshing on friiiiiiiiiied rice.

'Mah' leg.  Ya gotta get that right if you are going to come on the bus with us.  

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3 hours ago, Arynm said:

It is also interesting to note that even though Dr. Now kicked James out of the program, he still allowed his physical therapist to go see him. I am sure James did not pay for that. Dr. Now really does try and try and try, even when the patients don't try at all. His efforts would be better used with any other patient, he is really wasting his time here.

Good points. I think the other thing to remember is that the show is about the super obese. These are not your typical WLS patient with 75-100 lbs to lose, maybe diabetic, but not with major health problems. These patients are generally so sick, with so much weight to lose, and with a lot of work and additional surgeries on the other side of the WLS. There is no reason for Dr Now to expend resources and his time on people at this weight level who will not do the work. As a lapsed lawyer, I can see negligence suits, bad press, complaints to the state medical board, etc if he operates on one of them and things go south. Dr Now is not required to pave the way toward litigation by taking on the non-compliant super obese.

Someone mentioned group therapy, nutrition help, etc. In one of the 'where are they now' Pauline, Amber, and a few others we know (as well as others who were unfamiliar) were in a group therapy session, so unless they just got together for the show, it looks like that's something he offers. I am sure there are dietitians and other help available, if not through his offices, then through the bariatric surgery center at the hospital where he has privileges.

Remember these people are addicts. Addicts lie. You can't believe them when they complain about not being offered resources. I bet they had them, they just didn't use them or want them. How many of these folks have said they know better than Dr Now and that they'll do it on their own? I wouldn't shed a tear over any of them saying that they didn't get help, 'cause I don't believe them. 

Edited by aliya
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2 hours ago, ThinkerBell said:

Am I understanding the origins of James' predicament correctly? He hurt his ankle and was on bed rest, resulting in a weight gain that ultimately broke said bed? He claims he never actually put weight on his leg again and has no idea if his ankle actually healed, and then blames his 800 lb. bulk on that one incident? What a delicate flower!

I broke my foot a year ago, and the initial pain was horrible, but I went back to work the next day. I didn't realize I had a fracture until two days later when I saw a doctor, but kept showing up for work for the 8 weeks it took to heal by literally dragging myself on my behind up a flight of twelve stairs each morning. Bed rest was never an option. I think this guy has always looked for the easy way out and has a sense of entitlement that is almost as inflated as his enormous broken down body.

agreed.  my friend is just getting over a broken foot too.  Didn't miss a bit of work.  

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4 minutes ago, Miss Ruth said:

Say what????

James is responsible for his own life.  He creates it with the choices he makes.  Is that what you are asking?  

Just now, GussieK said:

Actually, I think it's mah layg.

YES!  That is exactly right.  

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3 hours ago, Elizabeth9 said:

 

I think TLC owes these people a whole lot more resources. 

I can't find the other quote along these same lines. It was saying they are  not helping these patients because it doesn't make for good ratings. However, the people on the show get the same resources that patients not on the show get. Except they don't have to pay for it. If there were not successes with Dr Na's methods and Dr. Na's patients, then why is he considered so great? Why are people moving their whole lives to live near his office?

My point is everyone on the show is getting the support and help they need to follow the program, just like those not on the show. TLC is not interfering with the outcome by withholding services from the patients to improve ratings.

. Last year everyone in here was sure they were not even given a diet.  But now we see they are given a diet and a nutrition consult.  So many posts were "They are not even given a diet to follow"......There is probably a nutrition help line they can call- who knows? We don't see the papers and consults that they get.  But Dr. Na's PROGRAM WORKS for those that do what he says. If a patient can't make it work it is not the fault of TLC. They are not trying to get the people to fail. In fact, when Lisa's car broke down, I am sure a member of the crew would have driven her to the grocery store if she'd only asked. They have more support than people who just move to Texas on their own without TLC. We don't see everything. We see 90 seconds with Dr. Na. They are probably in his office for 2 hours or more. 

Edited by operalover
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What annoyed me to the end was when he could`nt unwrap his own f... burger. Are your arms paralized or something? Lazy demanding ba...ard. He`s the way he is because he wants to be. He likes his lifstyle. This kind of demanding selfish liefstyle worked for him the last 40 years. The only problem now is, that is body is breaking down because of his irresponsible behavior.

If he would`nt have any health related problems he would probably be really happy. Like Penny he likes everyone else to serve HIS every needs. He is an egomaniac and he will never chance. I doubt that the gastric bypass would do him any good anyway. He would probably overeat the minute he left the hospital and shoot his stitches.

I really pity his family. Poor Bailey, Lisa and Dad.

 

(sorry for my bad english, its not my mother tongue)

Edited by themabeldifference
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52 minutes ago, Granny58 said:

agreed.  my friend is just getting over a broken foot too.  Didn't miss a bit of work.  

Which is easily done, if you're in good shape to begin with.

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1 hour ago, themabeldifference said:

I also made an account just for that reason!!!! Happy I am not the only one.

 

Welcome! Great username! 

Edited by 88Keys
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28 minutes ago, wings707 said:

I loved Dr Now's reaction to Lisa saying "he has had his ups and downs he cheated a little."   That is 10,000 calories a day, 13 times the amount he is supposed to have!  

New article says there will be another episode on him. 

http://www.empireboobookitty.com/2017/03/what-happened-to-james-on-my-600-pound.html 

Oddly, that's not James K. featured in the article's photo.  The first clue is:  he's sitting.

Edited by embarassed2bhere
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Did we ever find out the truth about Bayley? She said she was taken out of school and one person thought she meant college, but the way it came across to me and many others was that she dropped out of High School? She didn't say which one nor did she say she was doing any kind of home schooling or distance learning etc. 

She also wasn't seen in much of the Texas footage that was shown.

Does anyone have a anyway of finding out what exactly Bayleys school situation is? How old is she etc? 

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1 hour ago, Honey said:

Which is easily done, if you're in good shape to begin with.

Regarding broken feet/ankles and mobility. I have a broken foot from a specific disease that causes bone destruction. I am a member of a support group with many people that are of average weight/health that are not able to use crutches or a knee scooter. For some it is due to age but many just don't "get it", they don't have coordination or maybe cardiac capacity to use crutches. I am an expert according to hospital PT last time I was evaluated to for my escape (hospital discharge). The PT took a video of me on crutches to show patients/supervisors. I have been on them 10 months, I better be good.

I cannot imagine it being easy or even possible for someone of James's size to use crutches and sometimes doctors put people on complete bed rest or wheelchair because they do not want the patient to cause more damage or drop dead from a heart attack. If it is difficult to use assistive devices many patients will also be non compliant and walk on the injured foot/ankle and cause more damage. I am sure his Dr never thought he get to 700+ lbs because he stayed off his ankle.

Edited by spacefly
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5 hours ago, wings707 said:

Yes, I agree 100%.   Rock bottom is an AA term and as useless as the entire organization. 

 Everybody's bottom is different and it is not useless terminology.  It's a metaphor. What finally got me off nicotine was not getting lung cancer (which most people would consider hitting bottom  in the case of nicotine addiction).   I had bronchitis and nearly coughed up lung all day.  I ran out of cigarettes at 11 PM at night, put on  my clothes, got in the car, and drove to the store for cigarettes because no one in my household we go buy them for me. On my way there, I realized that I was as much of an addict as my alcoholic family  and that the behavior I was exhibiting was insane. I quit two weeks later and that was 25 years ago. That realization,  of becoming the thing I hate most in life, was MY bottom. In fact, I think getting cancer wouldn't of been my bottom. I would've smoked through that too. 

 And I will make one more comment about this because it's a very personal issue for me. Since I am not an alcoholic I could not attend regular AA meetings but I could attend open AA meetings and went to as many as I could. Because I learned how to live life in a healthy way more in those meetings than I ever did in a church and certainly more than I did growing up in my family.    I mean, who knew that, as damaged as I was by growing up with a bunch of drunks, it would be a bunch of drunks that gave me the tools to heal myself.

AA, NA, OA only works if a person works it.    Dr. now refers people to counselors. That works too if you follow the advice of the counselor. None of it is magic just like weight-loss surgery is not magic. And nothing will work on a person like James as he is today.   You have to assume responsibility. You have to understand that things don't just happen to you to get you where you are. Things happen to you all the time, the responsibility is in what you do about it. That is the mindset shift that James needs  and Lisa and his daughter as well.  Alot of tools will become productive for him.  If his mindset  shifted, he could lose a lot of weight without the surgery. 

Edited by Kid
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1 hour ago, Stephanie1216 said:

Did we ever find out the truth about Bayley? She said she was taken out of school and one person thought she meant college, but the way it came across to me and many others was that she dropped out of High School? She didn't say which one nor did she say she was doing any kind of home schooling or distance learning etc. 

She also wasn't seen in much of the Texas footage that was shown.

Does anyone have a anyway of finding out what exactly Bayleys school situation is? How old is she etc? 

Someone on this forum said that she is currently 19. That may very well be true But, the impression that I got from the show is that they pulled her out of school when she was in high school and she's been taking care of him for years. How many years that is I'm not sure. I am assuming it's from the time he became bedbound.

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2 hours ago, Honey said:

Which is easily done, if you're in good shape to begin with.

No matter how good a shape one's in, recovering from a broken bone is not "easily done."

----

Other than the constant "ow, mah lag,"  the comment that really made me laugh was when James told Dr. Now, "I have to eat something!" and Dr. Now told James that he's already eaten 800 pounds

Edited by Miss Ruth
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3 hours ago, wings707 said:

'Mah' leg.  Ya gotta get that right if you are going to come on the bus with us.  

 

3 hours ago, GussieK said:

Actually, I think it's mah layg.

Well, I do have just a BIT of advantage here.  I got a new knee 9 months ago.  And I did yell "Ow . . . mah layg" a few times during the first couple of weeks.  However, I'm now back to climbing 1/2 mile up a dirt path to zipline, so I know that it's possible to get better IF ONE WORKS AT IT!!!!

ETA:  I think the reason James told Lisa to take the paper off his burger was that he didn't want to stop shoveling in fries long enough to do it himself.  We know he wasn't worried about getting the sheets dirty with the burger wrapper.

Edited by AZChristian
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I'm doing some work, listening to James on YT, and looking at the responses here. A couple of random thoughts:

1. James's screaming at the EMTs made me wonder why they didn't cut a hole in the side of the house like they've done for other people. This made made me think of Walter Hudson (look him up). His casket was enormous. I think WLS may have been in its infancy back when Hudson was alive, so maybe his only choice was Dick Gregory.  I remember hearing about him and Michael Hebranko on Howard Stern's show eons ago.

2. Last Sunday, while mentioning my own upcoming eye surgery (1st eye done, all is well), I learned that one of the women at church is having hip surgery soon. I have never heard a peep from this woman about her hip, though when she discussed the surgery with me, she said she was glad to have it because she was in pain. Today, for the first time, I noticed she had a bit of a limp. Let me say it again - not one word from this older lady about how much pain she is in, but James cries like a baby. As Mrs Slocombe used to say, "Weak as water!"

3. James, "Diet's going good!  Exercise is going great!" Lying liars who lie.

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I admit it: I watched the episode again.  I think it's morbid fascination.

And folks?  If you look really carefully during the bathing sequence when poor Lisa is washing his cellulitis boils, there's rotting flesh.  Enough to notice.  Must have been from those boils that popped and sting like wasps.  The skin is just hanging there, angry, moist, red, yet yellowish, tender, inflamed.

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6 hours ago, Toaster Strudel said:

Not only that... but he's not pooping logs... there was a huge stain I could see when they were folding over the quilted pad he shits on.  He has bad diarrhea.

I hate you so much right now...

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Really, guys, James was one of the worst, anywhere, ever. In every way.  That said:

- one can't compare the recovery of a broken foot/ankle bone between a <200 lb person and a >500 lb person.  Do you know what 300 extra pounds actually feels like to move around, in the best of circumstances?  No? Maybe give it a try. Then break your foot and try again. 

- one can't compare any kind of surgery to his pain. Pain from surgeries varies, depending on the body, the surgeon, the personality of the person being operated on. After my gall bladder was removed, I was up taking care of my toddler daughter the next day. My husband laid in bed for a month after his (not that I'm bitter). My FIL's hip surgery was a piece of cake, he was up and walking the same day. My mom had her knee replaced a month ago and is still on heavy duty pain killers and stuck in the house.  So what?  James's body is an oozing, festering mass of inflamed flesh. I see nothing but pain there - every moment of every day. I'd probably cry "mah legs" too. 

So much judging based on specious comparisons. And really, there's no comparing him to anyone, anywhere. He's a disgusting, pathetic man-baby but damn he's in a lot of pain. And yet food still has a strong enough hold to be more important. Damn.  That's really sobering. 

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3 hours ago, embarassed2bhere said:

Oddly, that's not James K. featured in the article's photo.  The first clue is:  he's sitting.

I looked closely at his face and it does look like him.  The shorter hair and beard is new but look at the face again.  I could be wrong but I can see it.   I assumed he had actually lost weight and that pic was him down  to 600.  The article is about him, another clue.  LOL!

OR that is a pic before he broke his ankle and gained even more.

Edited by wings707
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I will say I have no doubt he's in real pain from those legs.  But he's also someone prone to exaggerate, and not known to deny himself anything - as long as someone else is providing the service.  My hypochondriac brother reports a pain level of 10 at all times - even when carrying out normal conversations, eating, getting up and down off the couch, etc.  He MIGHT be at a 2 on the official pain scale they show you at the hospital, but some people are just crybabies.  

@dahling - tell your mom that she will feel better.  The first two months after my knee replacement were horrible, until they realized that I have something called arthrofibrosis - which basically means that the harder I pushed in physical therapy, the more adhesions and scar tissue were building up.  It wasn't until they realized this and cut back on the intensity of the PT that I started to improve.  And once that happened - BAM.  I'm 9 months out now and doing great.  Although I don't plan to have the other knee done until the day after hell freezes over.

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2 minutes ago, wings707 said:

I looked closely at his face and it does look like him.  The shorter hair and beard is new but look at the face again.  I could be wrong but I can see it.   I assumed he had actually lost weight and that pic was him down  to 600.  The article is about him, another clue.  LOL!

I finally read the article.  I'm doubtful it's him as well.  Did you ever see one inch of their home in Kentucky or Texas that had actual decor in the background?  But it's confusing for sure that the article claims to be about him.  Did it actually say he lost weight?  I thought it was just a recap of the episode, with a "what do you think happened" question at the end.

As many of the commenters pointed out, the picture doesn't look like James, and the article is very poorly written. Hard to tell what in the world the writer knows . . . if anything . . . about the case.

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12 minutes ago, wings707 said:

I looked closely at his face and it does look like him.  The shorter hair and beard is new but look at the face again.  I could be wrong but I can see it.   I assumed he had actually lost weight and that pic was him down  to 600.  The article is about him, another clue.  LOL!

That is a picture of another James from an earlier season (2?). I remember he is an accountant from somewhere in Texas. He was never bedbound and actually lost a whole lot of weight. He had a followup episode showing skin removal etc. 

Id be pissed if I were him, using my picture and this guys story. They arent even close. 

ETA:  I looked under 600lb life topic and his story is S01 E02 where are they now?  Olivia and James 

Edited by SouthernCross
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1 hour ago, Anchorabu said:

On the upside, mom has a new catch phrase - when I was helping her dress this morning she would yell "Ow! Mah leg!" :-)

BTW save room for mom and me on the bus...every time James would start hollering "Ow! Mah leg!" Or "Ow! Mah ANYTHING" we would cackle like evil chipmunks.

I love that. 

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26 minutes ago, AZChristian said:

I finally read the article.  I'm doubtful it's him as well.  Did you ever see one inch of their home in Kentucky or Texas that had actual decor in the background?  But it's confusing for sure that the article claims to be about him.  Did it actually say he lost weight?  I thought it was just a recap of the episode, with a "what do you think happened" question at the end.

As many of the commenters pointed out, the picture doesn't look like James, and the article is very poorly written. Hard to tell what in the world the writer knows . . . if anything . . . about the case.

I read part of the article too and it looks like whatever the longer equivalent to clickbait is. It was basically a recap of the TV show and comments on forums like this with no new information and no real "journalism." IMO, thrown together to generate ad revenue purely because of the interest in the episode.

There's one picture online of James where he's standing before his foot injury, wearing a blue shirt and hat. His eyes look absolutely dead and cold. He looks like a mean, nasty person even when he wasn't 600+ pounds and I wouldn't be at all surprised to learn he had a long history of abusive behavior.

Edited by MillieSparklepants
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42 minutes ago, dahling said:

James's body is an oozing, festering mass of inflamed flesh.

Bed.  Made.  Lie.  

Literally.

I don't care how much self-inflicted pain he is in.  There is no excuse for forcing his daughter into a life of servitude in lieu of an education.  There is no excuse for him being an infantile excuse for a man.  There is no excuse for him being confined to that bed like a huge blob of snot.  He did it to himself.  At what point does pity stop and personal responsibility kick in?

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23 minutes ago, SouthernCross said:

That is a picture of another James from an earlier season (2?). I remember he is an accountant from somewhere in Texas. He was never bedbound and actually lost a whole lot of weight. He had a followup episode showing skin removal etc. 

Id be pissed if I were him, using my picture and this guys story. They arent even close. 

ETA:  I looked under 600lb life topic and his story is S01 E02 where are they now?  Olivia and James 

Huge mistake!  Thanks

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7 minutes ago, bethster2000 said:

Bed.  Made.  Lie.  

Literally.

I don't care how much self-inflicted pain he is in.  There is no excuse for forcing his daughter into a life of servitude in lieu of an education.  There is no excuse for him being an infantile excuse for a man.  There is no excuse for him being confined to that bed like a huge blob of snot.  He did it to himself.  At what point does pity stop and personal responsibility kick in?

You quoted me, so I'm guessing that was directed at me. I said he was the worst, and I never tried to excuse what he's done to his family. I'm just saying that he's in an unimaginable amount of pain.  I can be disgusted and repulsed by him while having empathy for his pain. It's a good exercise. 

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1 hour ago, bethster2000 said:

I admit it: I watched the episode again.  I think it's morbid fascination.

And folks?  If you look really carefully during the bathing sequence when poor Lisa is washing his cellulitis boils, there's rotting flesh.  Enough to notice.  Must have been from those boils that popped and sting like wasps.  The skin is just hanging there, angry, moist, red, yet yellowish, tender, inflamed.

Editors must have cut out the scenes of the EMT's covering their faces, then bolting outside to vomit when they stepped into that hellhole and the odor hit their noses.  Rotting flesh, excrement-soaked mattress and who knows what else on the sheets, a filthy aquarium and neglected reptiles in terrarium...... ugh.

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30 minutes ago, Trees said:

Editors must have cut out the scenes of the EMT's covering their faces, then bolting outside to vomit when they stepped into that hellhole and the odor hit their noses.  Rotting flesh, excrement-soaked mattress and who knows what else on the sheets, a filthy aquarium and neglected reptiles in terrarium...... ugh.

We are exposed to a lot of odors:)  I don't mind vomit or urine, but when patients poop themselves, that gets me every time. That and the lingering odor of infection and oozing wounds. I have a feeling if James were to be lowered into a hydrogen peroxide bath, it would foam up to the heavens.

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Dashing off, I thoroughly enjoyed your summation!!!  LOL!!!!! 

I really love this forum too.   When I was watching my 600 pound life  "alone"  before I found this forum,  I thought it was just me "seeing" some things.

With regard to his legs, there was one thing I did not understand. I have no medical knowledge whatsoever. He was hospitalized for a while, I think Dr. Now hospitalized him twice.   What I did not understand was why his legs did not improve. I'm assuming they were treating his legs during his long hospital stays. Maybe they did improve but then deteriorated again when he got out and continued doing the same old, same old??

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6 hours ago, GussieK said:

Actually, I think it's mah layg.

You are correct.  I don't realize how different my Southern accent is until I visit other parts of the country.  People will either comment on it or just look at me like I'm from another planet.  There are those of us who are educated and grammatically correct, but I hear enough of the "mah laygs" from other people.  I don't say that but I'm afraid I'm guilty of "friiiiid."  I didn't even think about their accent until it was mentioned here. LOL.

Dr. Now has probably been in Texas long enough to understand James and family.

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1 hour ago, Dashing Off said:

Hey, everyone. I too have decided to create an account just because this thread.  This episode, oh my god this episode. I was blown away, but my boyfriend was even more so. He's German, and is fascinated by this show. We watched this together when it first aired, and we were both completely floored by it. Here's just some of our reactions.

I wish I could have joined you!  Sounds like a great way to share the horror.  My husband won't watch with me.

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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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