S05.E16: Where are the now? Brittani and Sean

[Granny58]

23 hours ago, LeeAnn said:

He's there BECAUSE OF MOM!!!!

Totally because of mom....but it may not be sinister as much as only babying him...to the extreme.  I think she can't stand to see her "child" in any discomfort whatsoever (could also have been the parenting style that contributed to him being a bratty kid).  

I type surgical reports.  Daily there are people who get tendons, ankles, knees, feet repair (including some very elderly people).  They do not afterwards become bedbound for life.  

[Calicocats]

2 hours ago, Granny58 said:

Totally because of mom....but it may not be sinister as much as only babying him...to the extreme.  I think she can't stand to see her "child" in any discomfort whatsoever (could also have been the parenting style that contributed to him being a bratty kid).  

I type surgical reports.  Daily there are people who get tendons, ankles, knees, feet repair (including some very elderly people).  They do not afterwards become bedbound for life.  

EXACTLY!!!!  There is no reason, with modern medicine, for him to be bedbound.  

[aliya]

1 hour ago, Calicocats said:

EXACTLY!!!!  There is no reason, with modern medicine, for him to be bedbound.  

My bishop's wife just had hip replacement. It turns out that she already had a thin fracture, but they went ahead with the replacement. This is increasing her recovery, and she can't put weight on the leg yet, BUT she is up and moving with a walker. I think she's almost 70. Surely Sean (or his mother) could have done something to avoid his situation. Wouldn't it be terrible if mom, in a misguided effort to spare him pain after the injury, had him rest in bed and he never recovered the way he should have?

[Granny58]

6 minutes ago, aliya said:

My bishop's wife just had hip replacement. It turns out that she already had a thin fracture, but they went ahead with the replacement. This is increasing her recovery, and she can't put weight on the leg yet, BUT she is up and moving with a walker. I think she's almost 70. Surely Sean (or his mother) could have done something to avoid his situation. Wouldn't it be terrible if mom, in a misguided effort to spare him pain after the injury, had him rest in bed and he never recovered the way he should have?

and I could see that happening.  Him whining (ow, my leg), her giving in, this scenario escalating.  In fact, I've been thinking about this this morning (isn't that pathetic?).  Bearing in mind that we have limited information, this is really just conjecture.  But if he was a spoiled bratty kid, and mommy defended her little darling and babied him, and dad gets so frikkin' frustrated with the whole thing and yells at Sean, then mommy steps in again and takes Sean's side - I could see this fracturing the marriage, dad throwing up his hands and leaving.  Again, conjecture.  

[Complexity]

9 minutes ago, Granny58 said:

and I could see that happening.  Him whining (ow, my leg), her giving in, this scenario escalating.  In fact, I've been thinking about this this morning (isn't that pathetic?).  Bearing in mind that we have limited information, this is really just conjecture.  But if he was a spoiled bratty kid, and mommy defended her little darling and babied him, and dad gets so frikkin' frustrated with the whole thing and yells at Sean, then mommy steps in again and takes Sean's side - I could see this fracturing the marriage, dad throwing up his hands and leaving.  Again, conjecture.  

Definitely conjecture, but an excellent one. I can see this dynamic playing out very easily the way you suggested. It would fit everything we've seen on the show. Although it is hard to know for sure why Sean's dad took off, we can see this dynamic play out between Sean and his mother.*

*As portrayed by the show which may not be completely accurate.

[bubbly]

On 4/21/2017 at 5:21 PM, bethster2000 said:

Your comment triggered my comment :-)  Great minds, and all that!

The more I think about it, the more turned off I am about Dr. Now.  What the mother was asking about, the lactic acid levels, would have been a very real concern if Sean was running a fever and sliding into sepsis.  Bacteria feed on lactic acid, and bacteria can cause lactic acid buildup to the point of toxicity.  I think the mother has more than a few screws loose, but what she was asking about was valid.  No doctor had better ever yell at me for advocating for my loved ones.  I am invariably polite and respectful to medical professionals, but that's my loved one you are dealing with there.  You better believe I am going to ask as many questions as I want to and give you as much history that I can to make sure loved one gets what they need.

I do, too.

Ever since I read about how he treated his exwife, I've cooled a great deal toward him.  I also get the overwhelming feeling that his reactions toward his patients, especially this season, aren't genuine and are being driven by viewers on boards like this one.  I liked the Dr Now that decided plural tenses weren't needed and was nonplussed by vagina washing on yellow brick roads, but I don't like the real Nowzardin at all and I'm pretty sure he's a very difficult individual to deal with on a day to day basis.

[Complexity]

21 minutes ago, bubbly said:

Ever since I read about how he treated his exwife, I've cooled a great deal toward him.  I also get the overwhelming feeling that his reactions toward his patients, especially this season, aren't genuine and are being driven by viewers on boards like this one.  I liked the Dr Now that decided plural tenses weren't needed and was nonplussed by vagina washing on yellow brick roads, but I don't like the real Nowzardin at all and I'm pretty sure he's a very difficult individual to deal with on a day to day basis.

Bottom line: It is not professional for a doctor to yell at a patient in any circumstance (except to stop immediate harm). There are other, much more professional ways to express frustration of a parent's unhelpful behavior. In fact, yelling may cause harm to the patient by increasing agitation and decreasing compliance with those enabling the patient. Having an adversarial relationship with a patient or those close to the patient is not a good idea.

The patients Dr. Now sees all have excuses and enablers. It is not possible for a 600 lbs person to work sufficiently to earn enough money to house, feed, and clothe themselves. Nor can they make runs to obtain fast food on a daily basis. Therefore, all of Dr. Now's patients have enablers. And those enablers have to make excuses in order to do their enabling.

If Dr. Now is unable to conduct himself in a professional manner with those people, then maybe he needs to get some help of his own. He chose this line of work. He's been at it for a very long time. He has to know what he's dealing with by now.

If he is behaving this way for the sake of the show, then he is doing his patients and his own self a huge disservice. No patient deserves to be subjected to that kind of behavior simply for a show. Plus, that behavior shows Dr. Now to be unable to conduct himself professionally which may drive away potential patients who could truly use his lifesaving surgery. Neither scenario is good.

It may seem cool to high five Dr. Now's smack down on his patients and their enablers on the show, but it's not cool when considering that these people are actual patients in the real world. Dr. Now's behavior is not only unprofessional and counter-productive, but exposes Dr. Now's own personal need for help.

Maybe Dr. Now should go see Dr. Pleasure for himself.

Edited April 24, 2017 by Complexity
Typo

[marz]

If there is anything I've learned from shows like this (600 pound life, Hoarders, etc.) it is that there are A GREAT DEAL of mentally disturbed people in this country.

I do not blame Dr. Now for getting overly aggressive with these people. SOMEBODY has to confront them.  They are used to running their own show with no consequences.  If they want the help of the medical profession, they have to listen and abide by the rules. Can you imagine being Dr. Now and having to deal with people who ignore his advice and go off their diets after he has spent so much time preparing them for surgery, performing the surgery and then following up?  It must be like a slap in the face to him. What appears on the show is only a small part of the whole process.  I can only the imagine a day in the life of Dr. Now.  I'd lose my temper and b*tch-slap every one of them.

Edited April 24, 2017 by marz
spelling

[Hockeymom]

3 minutes ago, marz said:

 I can only the imagine a day in the life of Dr. Now.  I'd lose my temper and b*tch-slap every one of them.

I guess, but he gets paid either way. Now, if his paycheck was tied into their success, then yes, I would expect some anger.

I think he's used to it. He is seeing people on the edge every day. You don't get to 600 or 1,000 pounds without some underlying issue. 

[Complexity]

Confronting and aggression are not the same thing. I agree that many of his patients and enablers need to be confronted. I disagree that this should be done in an aggressive manner.

It is not (or should not be) personal to Dr. Now. It is his job. Becoming emotionally enmeshed with the patient and/or their enablers is not helpful to anyone. Emotional separation is one reason why psychotherapists are not allowed to treat someone in which they have a personal relationship (or any kind of dual relationship). To remain professional and objective, the focus is on the patient, not the doctor.

Losing one's temper is not okay in a professional environment.

ETA: Moreover, a patient and their enablers need to change their behaviors because they choose to do so, not because their doctor yells at them. Eventually, the doctor will fade into history. For long-term success, the patient and their enablers have to make their own internal decision to chose a more healthy lifestyle, not do so because their doctor loses his temper and yells at them.

Edited April 24, 2017 by Complexity

[QueBueno]

1 hour ago, Complexity said:

Maybe Dr. Now should go see Dr. Pleasure for himself.

Do you mean Dr. Paradise?  "Dr. Pleasure" might be something else entirely.  ;)

[Complexity]

Just now, QueBueno said:

Do you mean Dr. Paradise?  "Dr. Pleasure" might be something else entirely.  ;)

ROFL!! Yes, I meant Dr. Paradise. Thank you for catching that. Maybe that was a Freudian slip?

[Cherrio]

1 hour ago, Complexity said:

ROFL!! Yes, I meant Dr. Paradise. Thank you for catching that. Maybe that was a Freudian slip?

"Maybe Dr. Now should go see Dr. Pleasure for himself."

Yes, definitely a slip, especially if you remove the for in between Dr. Pleasure and himself.  :)

[Complexity]

Just now, Cherrio said:

"Maybe Dr. Now should go see Dr. Pleasure for himself."

Yes, definitely a slip, especially if you remove the for in between Dr. Pleasure and himself.  :)

ROFLMAO!!! OMG, my side is splitting now! ???

[Pondlass1]

Dr. Now is straightforward and to the point with his patients. He sugar coats nothing.  He's not a therapist and doesn't pretend to be. I think what set him off with Sean's mom was when she made some comment about Sean not getting proper treatment. Helping Sean get healthy is costing thousands and thousands of dollars which could be spent on patients who WANT and appreciate the help. I don't know who's paying here... but it's not Sean or his family.  

All the blights of the developed world - morbidly obese, drug abuse, hoarding, etc., are mental health issues.  Dr. Now fixes the body.  There is a lot more help needed to fix the mind.  And the help is just not available or way too expensive. 

[Moloch Must Die]

Sean reminds me of someone... I finally figured it out, and it's not good.

 

[QueBueno]

3 minutes ago, Moloch Must Die said:

Sean reminds me of someone... I finally figured it out, and it's not good.

 

Sean only pawn in game of life.

[TicketToHellPaid]

Sooooo...as I said...Dr. Now sure got sexy during his tirade...

PS..D.C. Gal, I have you in mind when making these..???

 

Edited April 25, 2017 by TicketToHellPaid

[Otter]

Honestly, I really thought of Billy watching Sean's first episode but then realized that Billy was a mentally stunted and trapped little kid who wanted to please adults.  Sean is a simply a jerk, normal sized or not.  The follow-up just solidified my opinion.  

Regardless, both of them have horrible mothers.  

[aliya]

On 4/24/2017 at 0:23 PM, marz said:

I do not blame Dr. Now for getting overly aggressive with these people. SOMEBODY has to confront them.  ...  Can you imagine being Dr. Now and having to deal with people who ignore his advice and go off their diets after he has spent so much time preparing them for surgery, performing the surgery and then following up? 

Not only that, but as a lapsed lawyer, I'm gonna bet these are the same people who want to sue because the operation 'didn't work' as Now said it was supposed to. 

I agree that someone has to confront them if there is going to be change. Does he have to go off on them the way he has lately? I don't know. We don't see everything. Certainly he hasn't done this to everyone. Perhaps the instances we see are the most egregious and most needful of a smackdown.  I'm OK with that. 

[Otter]

45 minutes ago, aliya said:

Not only that, but as a lapsed lawyer, I'm gonna bet these are the same people who want to sue because the operation 'didn't work' as Now said it was supposed to. 

I agree that someone has to confront them if there is going to be change. Does he have to go off on them the way he has lately? I don't know. We don't see everything. Certainly he hasn't done this to everyone. Perhaps the instances we see are the most egregious and most needful of a smackdown.  I'm OK with that. 

Lol, from one lapsed attorney to another.  

Dr, Now and that army of people trying to help.  I watched June's episode today and what a beotch.  I can't imagine the frustration when someone you've devoted so much time to is just so darn ungrateful and uncooperative.  I'd go off too, and a lot worse,  And those nurses don't go off as shown with Steven.  Lord knows why they don't.

I wasn't as loving and patient with my own mom in her dementia and then hospice.  A stranger I may have suffucated.  (Not really)

[DC Gal in VA]

23 hours ago, TicketToHellPaid said:

Sooooo...as I said...Dr. Now sure got sexy during his tirade...

PS..D.C. Gal, I have you in mind when making these..???

 

Heh heh, well yeah he's hot but my boyfriend Sean is soooooo much hotter, especially nekkid!

I'll see myself out.........

[TicketToHellPaid]

Oh D.C..how could you??? Ugh, now I envision his sheet slipping off and omg?, you're under it!!!??

Edited April 26, 2017 by TicketToHellPaid

[Otter]

I'm a west coaster so for the 3rd time watching Sean and Brittani.  

Watching the Seanmom .... she may be terrified of him.  He's such a horrid jerk, the mental abuse may be so intense.  I know Dr. Now diagnosed MSBP and he's certainly more into the dynamic than I ever will be .... but.  She created the beast, but didn't know quite what she was unleashing.  

Not making excuses for her but she's so darn fearful.  

[Tabbygirl521]

4 hours ago, TicketToHellPaid said:

Oh D.C..how could you??? Ugh, now I envision his sheet slipping off and omg?, you're under it!!!??

??????

[Terminally Annoyed]

Hi, I'm new here but have seen (I believe) every episode of this fascinating show.  It's cut down on my snacking, that's for sure.

Did you notice how Sean's skin cleared up and his rampant dandruff cleared up while he was in the hospital? 

[TVWatcher12]

Again: loved ones are almost ALWAYS obese themselves! Sean laying in the back of the van eating a drumstick was like some modern day pic of Henry VIII! His mother is morbidly obese as is Brittani's husband. These people are doomed with obese caretakers!

[SouthernCross]

I'm catching up...so my memory may be a bit faulty.  

I have no issue with him telling mudder off.  Her little freak out was really out of context with what was going on and it definitely raised my eyebrows.  Sean didn't look like he was in any particular distress to me....insisting he wasn't getting the typical standard of care was ridiculous.  Dr N said he just got up to the room and they hadn't even had a chance to do anything yet.  Now I have no idea why he would go straight to a hospital room but whatever.

Last year, I found myself in the ER very very sick.  They started an IV and gave me morphine....but until they did blood work (and ultimately a CT scan etc) they weren't going to be treating me with "massive antibiotics" or anything else.  I found her insistence that he needed "massive antibiotics" and whatever the hell else she rattled off to be ridiculous.  He was just sitting there perhaps uncomfortable....but certainly not in any sort of emergency situation.  In my case, I would eventually be diagnosed with C-diff (thanks amoxicillin) and spent 6 days in the hospital.  I was on several IV antibiotics 24 hours a day, very potent pain meds and whatever I cant remember as I was drugged into oblivion for the first 2 or 3 days from the pain.  My point is I looked and felt like death....no question I was sick...but I didn't get treated for my illness till they knew what the hell it was.  Her demanding specific tests and treatments for illnesses that hadn't even been diagnosed was an ah ha moment to me.  If I recall correctly, after doing all sorts of testing ....the results were....there is nothing wrong with you except of course that he gained XXX amount of weight.

Mudder is going to end up killing him if she doesn't stop.

[TVWatcher12]

I think they need to do an entire family - seriously. Every family (just about) has issues - they are all obese! It is a recipe for failure IMO. It is like sending a person fresh out of rehab to live with a bunch of addicts.

[Complexity]

17 minutes ago, TVWatcher12 said:

I think they need to do an entire family - seriously. Every family (just about) has issues - they are all obese! It is a recipe for failure IMO. It is like sending a person fresh out of rehab to live with a bunch of addicts.

Weight loss is a very personal issue. It requires strong personal resolve to be successful, especially when trying to lose hundreds of pounds.

I doubt each member of any family has that kind of personal resolve at the same time.

I know it sounds good in theory, but it's not that easy in reality.

[aliya]

On 4/22/2017 at 5:10 PM, Momof2boyz said:

Yes I recall from the original episode that the falling down the stairs accident happened while he was in high school so he never graduated 

Thinking about this again... So he falls down the stairs and is house/bed bound. The mother was wrong for not scouring the earth for medical care for him, but OK. It's been what, 7 years now? They have online GED. Shoot, they have online community college classes and bachelor's programs. I would bet that most states have some kind of limited employment programs for the disabled, (so people don't lose their disability payments), even if they are at home. During that time, he could have done something else with his life besides knit in bed. 

[Aw my lahgs]

37 minutes ago, aliya said:

Thinking about this again... So he falls down the stairs and is house/bed bound. The mother was wrong for not scouring the earth for medical care for him, but OK. It's been what, 7 years now? They have online GED. Shoot, they have online community college classes and bachelor's programs. I would bet that most states have some kind of limited employment programs for the disabled, (so people don't lose their disability payments), even if they are at home. During that time, he could have done something else with his life besides knit in bed. 

They have free online public school. There's no reason for him to have quit school.

[aliya]

On 5/8/2017 at 6:04 PM, Aw my lahgs said:

They have free online public school. There's no reason for him to have quit school.

Holy crap. I'm playing a computer game and all of a sudden this crystal clear picture of a grimacing Whitney Thore pops up!  Did not need that! : )

Edited May 11, 2017 by aliya
darned autocorrect

[NeitherSparky]

I just read on the My 600-Pound Life support FB group that Sean's mom passed away, did anyone else hear that? His name was Sean Milliken right?

[MrsClaus]

I saw that on FB and wondered if anyone here had heard anything about it.

[Groovitude]

She passed away from kidney disease, apparently. Sean needs support and guidance right now. Some groups I'm in asked us not to discuss the episodes pertaining to Sean and his mom, as he's trying to cope.

Amber Cecilia (Amber Rachdi) and her husband confirmed this in one group they are in, and several other admins in other groups confirmed as well. 

[Wings]

Wow, he is going to be in trouble.  I cannot imagine what his life will be like without her.  I am not in any FB groups so I will continue to comment here.  

[auntjess]

Hope he can find someone to mentor him, and I worry that he could easily be taken advantage of, as he's vulnerable.
Maybe some type of group home or halfway house.
Does he have any family on his father's side?

[Wings]

I don't worry about him (or anyone on TV), my children occupy the worry slot.  He is a sad one and his life will be how he makes it,  not who he finds to help him.  He has to create his own life.  He will just find someone else to take care of him, I have no doubt about that.  Sean, get a grip, you are on your own now.  Sound harsh?  It isn't, he has to do what all of us have done without live in help or our mothers. 

Edited May 10, 2017 by wings707

[aliya]

On 5/9/2017 at 7:21 PM, Groovitude said:

Amber Cecilia (Amber Rachdi) and her husband confirmed this in one group they are in, and several other admins in other groups confirmed as well. 

Amber got married? Good for her.

Edited May 11, 2017 by aliya

[lenny]

I'm sure it's snacks.....just something to hold Her over between meals. You know, a cake or two and a few dozen Krispy Kremes.

[auntjess]

On ‎4‎/‎19‎/‎2017 at 10:08 PM, Dianaofthehunt said:

We’re going to need a second “where is he now” segment on Sean, because made zero progress during this episode.

I rewatched this again, and it was like a follow-up on Brittani, but deja vu on Sean.
I'm hoping this series gets picked up, just so that we can see what becomes of Sean, and several others.
(In his original episode, don't I remember him getting out on the patio?)

Edited August 4, 2017 by auntjess

[Ralphster]

Why the fuck didn't Dr. Now call adult protective services on Sean's mother? He called APS on James's girlfriend Lisa, even though it was clear that James was happily shoveling in every bite. Further, James and Lisa were both adults who had met as adults; Sean and Renee were in a very different dynamic. Sean had never been allowed to individuate psychologically and he was very much Renee's slave psychologically and physically. Yet even as Dr. Now verbally insinuated that Renee was engaging in Munchausen syndrome by proxy, he never called APS. I'd say it was very much warranted in Sean's case, but no dice. I don't understand. Did he or the show think that Sean provided better television undisturbed? Makes zero sense otherwise.

Edited August 5, 2020 by Ralphster

[CrazyInAlabama]

APS will do nothing in an overfeeding case, like Sean's.    Dr. Now tried to get APS involved in the James K follow up episode, and they weren't even interested.    The mother ruined him, because she never wanted him to grow up, or leave her.    

[Ralphster]

On 8/5/2020 at 7:36 AM, CrazyInAlabama said:

APS will do nothing in an overfeeding case, like Sean's.    Dr. Now tried to get APS involved in the James K follow up episode, and they weren't even interested.    The mother ruined him, because she never wanted him to grow up, or leave her.    

I understand those things quite well. My point, which I could have expressed better/more clearly, is that it made no sense to call APS on James, so why not call APS on Sean as well? If anything, it would have made more sense as Sean was someone who was not capable of caring for himself. I personally am fine with allowing someone like Sean to eat himself to death, but Dr. Now kept doing these half-measures that did nothing but waste resources. If your philosophy is that people like Sean should be helped to the fullest extent possible, then calling APS would be reasonable. Maybe APS would have had a better idea of what could have helped Sean; who knows. I do believe that Dr. Now was way out of his depth with Sean but refused to admit this to himself.

[CrazyInAlabama]

I think Dr. Now kept trying with Sean because he hoped he would get through to him.    He did lose weight, but then Mommy Dearest would feel him back over 1,000 lbs again.    I think Dr. Now kept trying because he hoped after the mother died that Sean would stop letting her programming ruin his life, but it was too late for Sean even then. 

[Ralphster]

6 hours ago, CrazyInAlabama said:

I think Dr. Now kept trying with Sean because he hoped he would get through to him.    He did lose weight, but then Mommy Dearest would feel him back over 1,000 lbs again.    I think Dr. Now kept trying because he hoped after the mother died that Sean would stop letting her programming ruin his life, but it was too late for Sean even then. 

Yeah, I agree with this assessment completely. I just think that Dr. Now did not fully appreciate the depth and breadth of the pathology that existed between Sean and Renee. I don't think Dr. Now's mention of Munchausen syndrome by proxy was terribly off-base, but I am confused as to why he did not pursue this line of thought; he mentioned it and then continued treating Sean as though the possibility of Munchausen's did not exist. And even though having Renee out of Sean's life was ostensibly a good thing, it clearly sent Sean into a spiral of depression from which he was unable to recover. So I think Dr. Now should have brought out the big guns instead of continuing his use of smaller measures which didn't ever actually change anything. If anything, it would have made more sense to call APS on Renee than it did on Lisa; Renee had a different relationship with Sean (obviously, as he was her son) and had been programming him to be submissive since birth. If Renee wasn't indulging in Munchausen's, it was something very close, which is a different dynamic than that which Lisa and James had.

[mamadrama]

On 8/11/2020 at 5:01 PM, Ralphster said:

Yeah, I agree with this assessment completely. I just think that Dr. Now did not fully appreciate the depth and breadth of the pathology that existed between Sean and Renee. I don't think Dr. Now's mention of Munchausen syndrome by proxy was terribly off-base, but I am confused as to why he did not pursue this line of thought; he mentioned it and then continued treating Sean as though the possibility of Munchausen's did not exist. And even though having Renee out of Sean's life was ostensibly a good thing, it clearly sent Sean into a spiral of depression from which he was unable to recover. So I think Dr. Now should have brought out the big guns instead of continuing his use of smaller measures which didn't ever actually change anything. If anything, it would have made more sense to call APS on Renee than it did on Lisa; Renee had a different relationship with Sean (obviously, as he was her son) and had been programming him to be submissive since birth. If Renee wasn't indulging in Munchausen's, it was something very close, which is a different dynamic than that which Lisa and James had.

We don't know that Dr. Now didn't call on Renee-we just know that it didn't happen on camera. Actually, we don't even know that much. He may have and it just didn't make the editing cut.