S08.E31: On the Mend

[kicksave]

4 hours ago, Pepper Mostly said:

I feel for her, I do, but Leah does not do everything in her power to make Ali comfortable and potentially prolong her life. That infuriates me.

Kail: "Javi is coming over tonight to fill me in". WTF?? He has to report to you now?

I've said it before, I'll say it again, Kail must be a tiger in the sack,  because the power her magic vag holds over these feebs is astonishing. I guess everyone should have a special talent. But one day she's going to be 40, with five kids, and the quality of the men she'll be able to attract will decline exponentially. I'd love to see where she is in 10 years. (not really. I know).

Jenelle is unspeakable. That is all.

I wonder why Leah hasn't been able to find some regular physical therapy for Ali...there must be some kind of specialized therapy for her somewhere in West Virginia that she benefit from. If not, maybe Leah could find someone to teach her how to give Ali physical therapy at home. I just can't or dont want to believe there is nothing that can be done to give her some therapeutic help.

[Blissfool]

4 hours ago, nikita said:

Chelsea handles her business...except for when Cole's taking a poo and Grandma Donna's at the door LOL

I hate that Cole, in my opinion, has sold out. I think he is caving in to MTV's demands....be more vocal about your distaste over the Adam situation, sprinkle a few f-bombs here and there, confront Chelsea's adversaries for her in person or on the phone, hawk things on your Instagram.  I'm starting to side-eye the guy.

[nikita]

1 hour ago, kicksave said:

And to boot...she hands over some "play gun" for Jace to play with at home. Barb has reason to not want it in her home if Jace, a child with some emotional issues and anger issues might use it for "play" target practice on a dog or cat. Maybe as she and David can get a gig over at NRA tv.

Barb outright said that Jace shoots them in the face with that gun or one like it!

(BTW, Barb's phrasing has been cracking me up: "homophobic sentences" and "the guy was giving her road rage.")

Edited July 31, 2018 by nikita

[ReadMeLattice]

1 hour ago, Pepper Mostly said:

I find it very difficult to believe that a Ronald McDonald house near a children's hospital isn't wheelchair/disabled accessible.

@ghoulina--JINX!

Our daughter had lung surgery earlier this year for a congenital lung issue (thankfully went perfectly and she’ll never have to deal with it again!)- hospitals are actually much more wheelchair inaccessible than you might think. It’s ridiculous but true. So I believe it. 

I know it’s not a popular opinion but Chelsea’s behavior was so childish and immature. This is your child’s safety and a court order, not a catty fight with a mother in law. 

[Snarky McSnarky]

13 hours ago, kicksave said:

LMFAO at Jenelle bragging that she has offers from Netflix and Amazon.....HA HA HA HA HA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! For what? 

I understand Netflix wants to cast Jenelle and David in The Crown as Meghan Markle's white trash relatives.

[LotusFlower]

1 hour ago, missy jo said:

How can Dr Tsao be expected to treat Ali as best he can when Leah LIES to him about the wheelchair and activities?? 

I think Dr. Tsao, or others on the team (is there a team?), need to take a different approach when asking the patient and their family these kinds of questions.  Ali’s health, her day-to-day life, and even her long-term prognosis is so dependent on these issues of protocol and wheelchair use and following doctor’s orders, and all he did was ask if Ali was using the motorized wheelchair at home, got his yes answer, and then quickly moved on.  Doctors have to know that people lie about these kinds of things (taking medication is a big ex. of something people lie about), so why not spend more time on this, esp. since Leah mentioned the word “fatigued” a bunch of times to describe the changes since their last visit.  Maybe ask her how often she uses the wheelchair vs. how often she walks around?  By hours or percentage of time.  At home.  What about at school?  Etc...  Delve a little deeper to find out what’s really going on, or how to help them manage things better.

I realize it’s the parent’s responsibility to do these things and answer questions with honesty, but in the real world - a lot of people don’t.  I read a really interesting article on this topic a little while ago, and this more humanistic and proactive approach is really showing dividends.  I thought of it during the scene with Dr. Tsao - I knew all of us would call Leah out for her lie, cuz we all see scenes of Ali at home, but Dr. Tsao doesn’t, so why not ask more questions?

[shinyclefable]

i feel like i am the only one that noticed all the laundry on nova’s bed & that it was most likely clean underwear. which means its just a triangle of fabric & i was actually surprised at her making a joke about it. ??‍♀️

and i was surprised at her for being so mature & for putting nova first. i was honestly moved a little that she didn’t want to take nova’s relationship with her dad away from her. idk the whole thing seemed real & relatable & it was the first time i have ever seen brianna thinking of others first. 

[CaliforniaLove]

14 minutes ago, LotusFlower said:

Leah mentioned the word “fatigued” a bunch of times

Oh yeah, I forgot about this. It sounded to me like she kept saying "fatigue" when it should have been "fatigued". "Ali has been really fatigue lately". Was that just me?

[Ravello]

15 hours ago, zenme said:

They way Soapy was eating his cheese puffs...his mouth is weird. I know it's already been said, but that's an odd looking kid.

So, when Nathan wanted to take Kaiser for home visits, Jenelle was so adamant that he couldn't because Kaiser didn't have a crib or a high chair, etc., but Jenelle can have Jace in the front seat and without a booster? I didn't realize Jace met the front seat height requirement. He seems petite like his mom. I hope Barbara and Nathan showed the judge the film. That cow has no business being responsible for children.

Poor Lux, I feel sorry for any kid named after soap suds.  Isaac and Lincoln are such cute kids and they each have Dads that love them.

Lux will not compare in the looks department and has no Dad in his life.  

Wonder how many more kids Kail will pump out in the next fifteen years.  Maybe she will have another one with Javi.  I’m very pleased Joe executed a legal custody arrangement to protect Isaac.   Kail could move to Timbuktu tomorrow and try to take the kids with her. 

Chelsea threw a fit over nothing when Aubrees grandma came to the door.  Grow up.  Be thankful her grandparents love her and take her for weekends.  I’m tired of Chelsea and her baby voice. 

Leah loves her kids but is tone deaf on preserving Ali’s energy.  My heart aches for that sweet child.  

Wonder when we will read about Barb’s attempt to limit visitation with his gun happy mother.  MTV needs to fire Jenelle. 

[Birdee]

8 hours ago, ghoulina said:

Her cocky "always protected" made me livid. I'm a pretty strong supporter of gun rights, but a gun is NOT a guarantee of protection. You need to really know how to use one. And you need to know WHEN to use one. A gun does not make you invincible. There's always someone bigger and better out there. She thinks she can just whip out a gun and  it will all be fine. That's not how it works. 

Same here. The cavalier attitude was too much, even for her. As a gun owner who has pulled her weapon for actual protection (not just being an idiot) I can't believe how calm she was. I didn't fire mine, thank God, but I was still incredibly shaken up. I didn't even drive myself, let alone my child home. I used to hope the was an actual spark of humanity in her, but I've given up on that. 

2 hours ago, ghoulina said:

It really is confounding not only that a grown woman can't go somewhere without her husband, but that she thinks other people will find that an acceptable excuse for not fulfilling a business contract. I mean, Good Lord, my husband makes me feel better when he's home at night. But I can damn sure go to the store, or work, or the country of Ireland without him. 

Sure, rub in your amazing vacation ;)

1 hour ago, LotusFlower said:

I realize it’s the parent’s responsibility to do these things and answer questions with honesty, but in the real world - a lot of people don’t.  I read a really interesting article on this topic a little while ago, and this more humanistic and proactive approach is really showing dividends.  I thought of it during the scene with Dr. Tsao - I knew all of us would call Leah out for her lie, cuz we all see scenes of Ali at home, but Dr. Tsao doesn’t, so why not ask more questions?

Our pediatrician does this and it's really helpful. Instead of asking if we're all sleeping OK or if Baby Birdee is eating enough, he asked the amount of sleep and an example of a day of meals. It really makes you think and helps you put stuff into perspective. At first we thought he was just being nosey, but when you think about it, it makes sense.  

55 minutes ago, CaliforniaLove said:

Oh yeah, I forgot about this. It sounded to me like she kept saying "fatigue" when it should have been "fatigued". "Ali has been really fatigue lately". Was that just me?

I heard that too, and I'm not surprised. I was surprised to her Ali say she wasn't "feeling well" as opposed to the standard hollar speak of "I ain't feelin' good." 

[Blissfool]

1 hour ago, CaliforniaLove said:

Oh yeah, I forgot about this. It sounded to me like she kept saying "fatigue" when it should have been "fatigued". "Ali has been really fatigue lately". Was that just me?

I didn't notice this, but I guess it's similar to when people online write "suppose" instead of "supposed."

I thought everyone was supposed to know this already, but, alas, I was mistaken.

[teapot]

10 minutes ago, Blissfool said:

I didn't notice this, but I guess it's similar to when people online write "suppose" instead of "supposed."

I thought everyone was supposed to know this already, but, alas, I was mistaken.

your surprised?  you shouldn't of been.

Edited July 31, 2018 by teapot
you guys know me better than this.

[Snarky McSnarky]

15 minutes ago, teapot said:

your surprised?  you shouldn't of been.

Is that you, Michael Abraham?

[A-Lo]

After watching the immediate aftermath of Brianna's surgery, I will never again wish I could afford to have all the procedures she had.  Well, minus one...I never had anything implanted or injected into my butt to make it look elephantine.  That recovery period looked gnarly!  And to top it off, she couldn't wipe and felt free to proudly announce that to the world?  No, thanks.

[heatherchandler]

31 minutes ago, teapot said:

your surprised?  you shouldn't of been.

I seen you teapot.

[JAndy]

2 hours ago, Ravello said:

 

Chelsea threw a fit over nothing when Aubrees grandma came to the door.  Grow up.  Be thankful her grandparents love her and take her for weekends.  I’m tired of Chelsea and her baby voice. 

 

Not defending the hiding in the bathroom, but Chelsea does recognize that the grandparents do love Aubree. She even said to her mom that Aubree would be devestaged if she couldn’t see them. 

FWIW I don’t think that paisley sees them so there is probably more going on there.  

[Scarlett45]

5 hours ago, JocelynCavanaugh said:

She does all this while tearlessly crying and flailing about to any man who will listen -- within Ali's earshot -- about how terrible it all is. I think Leah loves her kids, but she's primarily motivated by getting positive attention and trying to repair her image from when she was on (more) pills. She cares about Ali, but she also cares about having three girls who cheer and wear makeup and do the things she thinks are cool. The fact that one of those girls is terminally ill with a degenerative muscular disease won't stand in her way. I don't care if it's hard. Little kids cry when you won't let them touch a hot stove or jump in a dirty pond or eat Tide pods. Too bad. Adults are supposed to protect them.

A. Fucking. Men. 

I know I’m bias here because not telling your disabled child “no”, when said no is in the best interest of their safety and security is the bane of my Sib existence. She’s not doing Ali any favors. Right now it’s more about HER feelings regarding Ali’s illness than Ali. There’s nothing in this world as strong as a mother’s guilt but NO. Just no. 

[Mkay]

Chelsea seemed to get “scared” of the Linds once Grandma Lind confronted her at the courthouse. She didn’t have on pants, she said.  But she could have put some on and stood at the door with Cole. I have psycho inlaws who we have a no trespass warning on. (MIL attacked me among a million other things) I have a panic attack if I see her. But before the big argument my husband wouldn’t stand up to her. For me ya nice to see that Cole did. It took my MIL putting her hands on me for my husband to finally go off on her. Just a different perspective. 

[snarts]

10 hours ago, ghoulina said:

But I did notice Doctor Tsao didn't come down on her when she said that Ali doesn't always want to use her chair. In fact, he said something like,  "she can walk around no problem." I'm not trying to excuse some of the activities Leah and Cory let her do, but I can sympathize with the desire to let your child enjoy their short life vs the need to protect them. It's hard for me to judge them, because it must be so hard to tell a child with that outlook for the future "no". 

I can't judge Leah.  It's one thing for an adult to have a progressive debilitating disease, but a young child, with a twin sister, is not going to understand the ramifications of wearing herself out. I'm sure Ali fights her about it every day, wanting to do all the same things Gracie does.  It would break my heart to constantly say no to my child, knowing full well that she'll likely be confined to that wheelchair soon enough.  It's a terrible situation and I can't imagine what she & Corey are going through.  So no, I'm not going to judge, especially when there's low hanging fruit like...

Janelle, fucking liar who lies.  On camera no less.  To her child, who's emotionally traumatized enough.  I really hope Darwin has his way and those two idiots die in a freak household accident that leaves tall the kids & pets unscathed.

Javi, runs one from camera to the next, it's almost comical. 

Briana, her ass did look the same post-surgery.

Finally, although it pains me to say it, Chelsea, why are you afraid of Grandma Donna?  I get not enjoying confrontation, but you're an adult, don't hide behind your husband.  It's your baby daddy's momma, deal with it. 

[Mothra]

5 hours ago, kicksave said:

I wonder why Leah hasn't been able to find some regular physical therapy for Ali...there must be some kind of specialized therapy for her somewhere in West Virginia that she benefit from. If not, maybe Leah could find someone to teach her how to give Ali physical therapy at home. I just can't or dont want to believe there is nothing that can be done to give her some therapeutic help.

I do not have personal experience with anyone who has MD, but my understanding is that it is basically a wasting away of muscle tissue--hence the encouragement to use the wheelchair--so I wonder how much good PT would do.  If using muscles were good for Ali--which is what PT does--then she would be encouraged to be as active as possible in her daily life.  I think.

Edited to add:  I'm from Charleston, where Leah lives, and there are excellent medical facilities there, including a teaching hospital associated with WVU medical school.  Ali should be able to get great medical care there.  I think they go to Dr. Tsao because he is one of the few physicians with any experience in Ali's particular disorder.

Here is what i am really worried about concerning Ali:  that she will die on this show.  Even if we are allowed to watch her deteriorate more and more, to the point where it's clear she's going to die soon, I do not want Leah to allow this to be shown.

Edited July 31, 2018 by Mothra

[DangerousMinds]

2 hours ago, Blissfool said:

I didn't notice this, but I guess it's similar to when people online write "suppose" instead of "supposed."

I thought everyone was supposed to know this already, but, alas, I was mistaken.

Or “use” instead of “used.” This aggravates me to no end!

[Mothra]

Honest to god, when Jenelle pulled out that toy gun, I thought she was going to try to tell Barb that that was the gun Jace was talking about during the road rage incident.

I hope Jenelle *does* stop filming next year, and that we *are* able to follow her on Netflix.

Furthermore, I hope the road rage asshole goes after her for vandalizing his property and engaging in a terroristic threat on his property. 

Kailyn is a disgusting POS, and Javi lets her make him an even worse POS.  Lux is an ugly baby, and no baby whose mother is as fat as Kailyn is should be eating Cheesy Puffs.  And honestly, while Isaac and Lincoln are cute and have great personalities, I think they're ugly, too.  The Kailyn is strong in those ones.

[toodywoody]

soooooo just because someone is a mom, that means people aren't suppose to drive badly in front or back of you?

[luvbadtv]

11 hours ago, WhosThatGirl said:

What celeb teen mom can they replace Janelle with like they did with Farrah on og?

Maybe Cash Me Ousside girl can get pregnant.

[mscav]

15 minutes ago, toodywoody said:

soooooo just because someone is a mom, that means people aren't suppose to drive badly in front or back of you?

 

She forgot to hang her sign letting all the other drivers to only drive badly around others.

[zenme]

5 hours ago, shinyclefable said:

i feel like i am the only one that noticed all the laundry on nova’s bed & that it was most likely clean underwear. which means its just a triangle of fabric & i was actually surprised at her making a joke about it. ??‍♀️

and i was surprised at her for being so mature & for putting nova first. i was honestly moved a little that she didn’t want to take nova’s relationship with her dad away from her. idk the whole thing seemed real & relatable & it was the first time i have ever seen brianna thinking of others first. 

I agree, and I liked the way Devoin was handling Nova and her homework situation. It seemed like Devoin being there not only benefitted Nova, but it gave Devoin the chance to be "the man in the family," and see what that feels like to be there for his family. I think his awareness of what he missed out on with Nova as a baby was genuine.

[Christina87]

7 hours ago, Blissfool said:

I hate that Cole, in my opinion, has sold out. I think he is caving in to MTV's demands....be more vocal about your distaste over the Adam situation, sprinkle a few f-bombs here and there, confront Chelsea's adversaries for her in person or on the phone, hawk things on your Instagram.  I'm starting to side-eye the guy.

I agree, and both Chelsea and Jenelle's segments, with their limited casts, are starting to remind me of gossipy, catty middle school girls. First you have Chelsea and Cole talking shit about adam, and in the next scene, you have Barb calling Nathan to bitch about Jenelle. The whole show could turn into a petty gossip fest as more cast members quit across the board! Time to end it now. 

See, this kind of thing is why I gave Grandma Donna a pass about the "grow up" remark in court. Chelsea was sobbing, and everyone was ready to torch Grandma Donna's house, but Chelsea is sooooo immature and passive aggressive when any sort of confrontation happens! We know she has started having Cole do the drop offs too. I get the feeling that Grandma Donna just wants to talk directly to Chelsea about issues (like the name change) and she makes it as difficult as possible. What did she do before Cole? Call Randy and wait for him to come over before she talked to the Linds? That kind of behavior absolutely DOES warrant a "grow up," to me. Now, if Donna had said, "you are the problem, you crazy bitch, and I fucking hate you," I would have taken issue with it...but I don't think she said anything too harsh given the way Chelsea's behaving. 

Edited August 1, 2018 by Christina87

[lidarose9]

It would not surprise me if Jace ends up shooting David. 

Ali is experiencing lung problems and Leah smokes. Ali will eventually need oxygen, more than likely. Oxygen + smoking? Bad. Ali's fatigue may be cuz she is not be getting enough oxygen, so breathing properly is vital. Ali's attitude about the machine was awesome, thinking of it as a robot. A mother with some maturity would find ways to make Ali's medical situation into an adventure as much as possible. Why does the wheelchair have to be a bad thing? Ali was delighted when she first got her motorized wheelchair. It was her hot rod. I agree that Leah and Corey just really don't understand this disease. Yes, Ali is going to die from this disease eventually. At some point she will no longer have the muscles needed to breathe. Leah's job is to make her life as comfortable, calm, happy, and painless as possible with whatever time she has. And stop trying to make her fit into the "normal" box. Ali will never be a "normal" little girl. Both Leah and Corey need some counseling on this. I am surprised the doctor does not urge them to connect with some therapists who specialize in this or support groups. Maybe he does and they ignore it. In any event, Ali is a smart little girl. In spite of Leah's obvious shallow bias towards physical attractiveness and popularity, Ali is a good student and a reader. She seems very mature for her age. She is her own person. She may end up teaching Leah a few things. 

On the other hand, I truly felt for Leah as she stood outside the car trying not to cry in front of Ali. She didn't have a husband or friend there to keep an eye on Ali while she went to the bathroom to bawl her eyes out in private and then compose herself. I know what it's like when the tears come and you just can't stop them. 

[guilfoyleatpp]

I agree that Chelsea wasn’t being very mature in dealing with adumb’s mom, but I also totally get why she’s sick of dealing with them. And why she wants Cole to do it. 

She’s a mom of two and she was a solo mom of one for a long time. She’s pregnant. It seems to me that she never knows what Donna is going to do. The last three interactions we heard about were Donna telling Chelsea to grow up, Donna telling Chelsea, Cole and Aubree that they were believing a bunch of lies about Adumb, and then Donna seeming to flout explicit court orders that Aubree isn’t to see  her dad outside of the visitation center. 

Chelsea then had her attorneys send a letter threatening Donna with loss of visitation if she doesn’t comply with the court order and Donna shows up, unannounced, at Chelsea’s door?

I have 20 years on Chelsea and I would avoid that situation as well. I might want my husband to answer the door, but I’m pretty sure he would refuse to and would also tell me not to answer either. 

Donna doesn’t deserve a confrontation with Chelsea, and it’s pretty clear that she’s clueless about the impact her idiotic decisions have on Chelsea and Aubree. She is Adumb’s mom, after all. 

It would be up to Cole to say “I don’t want to deal with Donna.” We didn’t hear him say that. Yeah, he might be fired up in protective mode for his pregnant wife, but that’s his thing. 

Edited August 1, 2018 by guilfoyleatpp

[Bridget]

5 hours ago, teapot said:

your surprised?  you shouldn't of been.

 

I love you.

Edited August 1, 2018 by Bridget

[smores]

I have no problems with Cole being involved in handoffs with Aubree.  He's Aubree's stepfather, he's active and involved in her life and has absolutely no problem at all with Adam's parents being involved with Aubree as long as they keep her safe (ie, away from Adam while he's an active addict).  There are some cases where I don't think it's a good idea for a stepparent or partner to be involved with custody stuff (Jenelle, for example), but, in cases like Chelsea and Cole, or Leah, Corey and Miranda, or Kail/Javi with Jo/Vee, everyone gets along and it isn't a huge thing if just one person swung by with the kid (or kids).  If, when Kail and Javi were together, Lincoln was sick and Javi ran Isaac over to Jo while Kail stayed home with him, it would be no big deal.  I see Cole and Aubree the same way.  

I also wouldn't have opened the door to Donna if I were Chelsea.  The problem, as I see it, is that Donna keeps putting Aubree in situations that aren't appropriate for her to be in with Adam.  Chelsea had asked for things to be one way and that wasn't honored, so she had to go to court to get it handled.  It still wasn't  honored.  So, she finally had to have it set up that visitation would only take place with Adam at the visitation center.  Chelsea has to keep Aubree safe and while I'm sure Donna and her husband love Aubree, they're apparently blind to their son's issues.  They violated the order and put Aubree in a bad situation, so Chelsea dealt with it.  By showing up at Chelsea's house in response to the letter, Donna was potentially causing a confrontation that Aubree would witness, which wouldn't be ideal.

[BitterApple]

Chelsea's been having Randy fight her battles all her life, so I'm not surprised the torch has been passed to Cole. At the end of the day Aubree is her kid, not Cole's. She needs to grow the fuck up and deal with Donna. She looks completely childish hiding like that.

[Bridget]

@JocelynCavanaugh, your post is so spot on that I don't have the words to express how much I agree with you. Part of me wants to print it out and mail it to Dr. Tsao so he can read it because it's so damn eloquent yet illustrates the serious issues at home/omission of information that Leah doesn't share with him.

I tell my doctor the last time I sneezed because I don't know how pertinent that info is when it comes to diagnosing something! I've never understood why people leave things out/lie to their doctor, especially when it's a specialist. 

I don't have human children, but I also don't understand why Leah is so adamantly opposed to having the girlses see her cry, yet she wants them to feel free to cry? I know breaking down crying in front of kids is bad & can frighten them, but if she needs a good cry at home and doesn't want to scare the girlses, can't she make something up or say she got some bad news? 

I thought I heard Dr. Tsao tell Leah to use the breathing machine every night, but when she explained it to Ali, I could've sworn I heard Leah say "you have to use this every other night." I'm sure when the cool robot arrives, there will be clear instructions (and one will be sent to Corey's house as well - I hope), but it appears to me that Leah shuts down the minute she hears any type of news or professional advice. She's clearly dealing with anxiety, and instead of going to yoga, support groups or therapy, she's a bundle of nerves and goes into fight/flight mode. She isn't getting crucial information she needs that would save her a ton of time spent ruminating over "What if" situations and saving her from having a meltdown. Corey made a phone call and confirmed what we all suspected re: the 1:1 aide.

I don't want to sound cruel and say she's bringing the stress and anxiety on herself, but...

Leah needs to start writing shit down in a mini notebook and stop relying on her memory. I keep one in every purse, just in case. She's overwhelmed and has three kiddos, I get it, but she needs to get it together or she will not be of any use to the girlses because of her not having daily coping skills. She can't even remember what a principal said regarding her daughter's 1:1 aide?

To quote Mama Dawn: "That ain't right."

[MadLove]

8 hours ago, Snarky McSnarky said:

I understand Netflix wants to cast Jenelle and David in The Crown as Meghan Markle's white trash relatives.

OMG this made me pee my pants. It's perfect casting...hahaha

[BitterApple]

4 hours ago, Mothra said:

 

Here is what i am really worried about concerning Ali:  that she will die on this show.  Even if we are allowed to watch her deteriorate more and more, to the point where it's clear she's going to die soon, I do not want Leah to allow this to be shown.

Ali seemed really resigned this episode. The fact that she did so poorly on that breathing test is scary. IIRC, Leah said the breathing machine is going to be a permanent part of Ali's life, so it sounds like things are going downhill rapidly. I agree it would be beyond awful if the end happened while they were still filming. I'm not sure how accurately they can predict that sort of thing, but I agree if it gets to that point Leah needs to remove herself and the kids from the show.

[JocelynCavanaugh]

35 minutes ago, Bridget said:

I thought I heard Dr. Tsao tell Leah to use the breathing machine every night, but when she explained it to Ali, I could've sworn I heard Leah say "you have to use this every other night." I'm sure when the cool robot arrives, there will be clear instructions (and one will be sent to Corey's house as well - I hope), but it appears to me that Leah shuts down the minute she hears any type of news or professional advice. She's clearly dealing with anxiety, and instead of going to yoga, support groups or therapy, she's a bundle of nerves and goes into fight/flight mode. She isn't getting crucial information she needs that would save her a ton of time spent ruminating over "What if" situations and saving her from having a meltdown. Corey made a phone call and confirmed what we all suspected re: the 1:1 aide.

This is really a good point, too. She visibly goes into a fugue state the moment someone starts to tell her something she can't handle. Dr. Tsao is the best example, but I could come up with others. He was very calmly explaining Ali's current status, and very obviously in the middle of a paragraph of important information, when Leah blurted over him mid-sentence to talk about how scared some other symptom made her feel. That's not your therapist, Leah! This is the time to bust out that Hello Kitty notepad and glitter gel pen and jot down some pertinent items. She kept doing the same thing to Kailyn when they went to dinner before the podcast -- nervously interrupting someone else's flow to make it about her. It's not necessarily a narcissistic thing; I have no problem believing that she has a clinical anxiety disorder, but she needs to Stand in Her Power, Live Her Why, and get a handle on it because it's making her life so much harder than it has to be. 

I also have a crossover show I'm planning to pitch to the networks, if Viacom and Discovery are willing to hear me out: bring in Dr. Now and let him and Dr. Tsao join forces to politely but firmly s-p-e-l-l this s-h-i-t out for Leah in heavily accented English. I need Dr. Now to ask Leah what Ali's "eating habit" is and calmly keep asking the same questions until she actually answers them. Then Tsao can tag in with the relevant MD info, and if Leah starts to be all butI'mjustlikerillyscaredanditslikerillyscaryyuhknow, Now can be like "NO EXCUSES LEAH THIS IS ABOUT LIFE AND DEATH. STOP TELL ME SHE USE HER WHEELCHAIR. IT'S MAT-E-MATICALLY IMPOSSIBLE." The NOW AND TSAO Power Hour: Hey Y'all Doin'. I will start a GoFundMe, I'm not joking.

[Bridget]

1 hour ago, JocelynCavanaugh said:

This is really a good point, too. She visibly goes into a fugue state the moment someone starts to tell her something she can't handle. Dr. Tsao is the best example, but I could come up with others. He was very calmly explaining Ali's current status, and very obviously in the middle of a paragraph of important information, when Leah blurted over him mid-sentence to talk about how scared some other symptom made her feel. That's not your therapist, Leah! This is the time to bust out that Hello Kitty notepad and glitter gel pen and jot down some pertinent items. She kept doing the same thing to Kailyn when they went to dinner before the podcast -- nervously interrupting someone else's flow to make it about her. It's not necessarily a narcissistic thing; I have no problem believing that she has a clinical anxiety disorder, but she needs to Stand in Her Power, Live Her Why, and get a handle on it because it's making her life so much harder than it has to be. 

I also have a crossover show I'm planning to pitch to the networks, if Viacom and Discovery are willing to hear me out: bring in Dr. Now and let him and Dr. Tsao join forces to politely but firmly s-p-e-l-l this s-h-i-t out for Leah in heavily accented English. I need Dr. Now to ask Leah what Ali's "eating habit" is and calmly keep asking the same questions until she actually answers them. Then Tsao can tag in with the relevant MD info, and if Leah starts to be all butI'mjustlikerillyscaredanditslikerillyscaryyuhknow, Now can be like "NO EXCUSES LEAH THIS IS ABOUT LIFE AND DEATH. STOP TELL ME SHE USE HER WHEELCHAIR. IT'S MAT-E-MATICALLY IMPOSSIBLE." The NOW AND TSAO Power Hour: Hey Y'all Doin'. I will start a GoFundMe, I'm not joking.

Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes to everything, especially the bolded parts. I caught her interrupting her Dr. Tsao too! Thank you for the reminder. That's why she needs a notepad to write shit down: so she can let the doc speak freely, LISTEN to what they say while being present & engaged, add notes if necessary and then she can refer to your questions when he is finished spouting words of wisdom from the fountain of Tsao.

I have a good friend who I only get to see a few times a year and we have our mini notepads with us when we meet for lunch. It's filled up with things to ask each other as well as provides us a place to jot down follow up questions when the other person is talking. It might sound odd out of context, but it's to make sure we both are actively listening to one another instead of thinking to ourselves "don't forget to tell _______ about ___________" or interrupting one another. The notepad/pen combo works on so many levels, I promise.

In my opinion, Leah has got a neon sign above her head that reads "Anxiety and ADD/HD" in blinking lights. There's nothing wrong with that, but unless she's being treated for those things and taking appropriate medication, she's going to continue to be a frazzled mom who is always stressed out.

I will SO COLLABORATE on the pitch with you for the crossover show. (Also, I just really want to hear Dr. Now ask me, in person, "How y'all doin'?") I hope Dr. Tsao wears another fun tie like he did during the televised visit. I wonder if he owns any Scooby Doo ties....(Disney's not really my jam, but Scooby Doo is.) I want Dr. Now to read her the riot act in only the way he can! Your description of him is beyond perfection! (Dr. Lola isn't invited to participate, right? Can you even imagine her in a session with Leah?)
 

Edited August 1, 2018 by Bridget

[Emkat]

I am Team Devoin (what kind of dumbass name is that anyway?!) 

I thought what he said about the girls was really sweet and very insightful on his part.

[SheTalksShit]

One thing I’ll say about Devoin, he knows his place. Like he didn’t say anything when Javi was there, never offers any opinions on that.

As for his convo with Bri, I can’t tell if he sensed where Bri was going with the convo and just knew all the right things to say to soften her heart, or if he’s sincere, but Bri’s feelings about him staying there definitely shifted once he said what he said. 

As for Javi, I can tell he means a lot more to Bri than she wants to let on. I don’t think it was right of her mother or her sister to get involved like that. They are too much. 

I wish we could see the footage of Jenelle actually pulling this gun on the dude, bc surely it’s on tape. Why didn’t MTV air that footage? 

[SheTalksShit]

4 hours ago, BitterApple said:

Ali seemed really resigned this episode. The fact that she did so poorly on that breathing test is scary. IIRC, Leah said the breathing machine is going to be a permanent part of Ali's life, so it sounds like things are going downhill rapidly. I agree it would be beyond awful if the end happened while they were still filming. I'm not sure how accurately they can predict that sort of thing, but I agree if it gets to that point Leah needs to remove herself and the kids from the show.

The Dr. said she has a rare form of MD called limb-girdle, with a titan mutation and it’s slow-progressive. Slow-progressive is generally considered good, as opposed to rapid progressive. But it does seem like things are going downhill. Idk. I’m thinking the titan mutation is what’s perhaps making it progress faster. 

He did say her strength is good, it’s her energy/breathing that’s the problem, it seems. In other words, she’s tiring out quickly bc her lungs are not working properly. 

[jacksgirl]

Long story short I hope. Was dealing with scary medical condition recently. Every time I went to doctor, I felt like my IQ dropped 40 points. I was so stressed that I would forget questions, or worse ask questions and while I heard the answer I could not process it. Having questions written down before hand helped, but follow up questions and answers are still a struggle for me. Leah should take one of her brightest friends or relatives from the holler to these appointments. Dealing with Ali's probable future is terrifying and my heart goes out to Corey and Leah, but she can do better and should.

[luvbadtv]

8 hours ago, JocelynCavanaugh said:

. I need Dr. Now to ask Leah what Ali's "eating habit" is and calmly keep asking the same questions until she actually answers them. Then Tsao can tag in with the relevant MD info, and if Leah starts to be all butI'mjustlikerillyscaredanditslikerillyscaryyuhknow, Now can be like "NO EXCUSES LEAH THIS IS ABOUT LIFE AND DEATH. STOP TELL ME SHE USE HER WHEELCHAIR. IT'S MAT-E-MATICALLY IMPOSSIBLE." The NOW AND TSAO Power Hour: Hey Y'all Doin'. I will start a GoFundMe, I'm not joking.

When my kids were old enough to talk and went to the pediatrician, the doctor always asked them about what they were eating, were they wearing their seatbelt, etc. I don't understand why Dr. Tsao isn't asking Ali directly.

 

I agree with the posters that have mentioned Leah taking notes.  She also shouldn't go to these appointments alone.  It's easier to remember what was said if you write it down and have a second person listening to clarify anything you may have misunderstood.

[Mothra]

13 hours ago, toodywoody said:

soooooo just because someone is a mom, that means people aren't suppose to drive badly in front or back of you?

What do you think that "baby on board" sign means?  lol  It means the *mom* gets to disregard all safety issues and wave a gun around in front of her damaged child while mowing down your personal property.  I'ma get me one of them.  I have some threatening driving to do that I've been holding off on for fear of retribution.  Now I know the rules!

12 hours ago, mscav said:

 

She forgot to hang her sign letting all the other drivers to only drive badly around others.

Dammit to hell.

[Christina87]

10 hours ago, MadLove said:

OMG this made me pee my pants. It's perfect casting...hahaha

"DUDE!!! What do you MEAN I have to memorize these lines?! Why can't I just say what I want to say? Dude, I'm not being nourished here, having to remember EXACTLY WHAT TO SAY alllllll the time!!! I'm so anxiety ridden and I need to smoke! I'm so stressed out having to say these lines! I'm not filming today. I don't feel like it. It's too tiring, dude! I mean, who even works every day? Don't people regularly just refuse to do their job and get away with it? Not like I committed another felony! Yeah, I don't feel like memorizing lines today. I'm taking a sick day, dude. LEAVE ME ALOOOOOOONE!"

[BitterApple]

Regarding Devoin, I'm neutral at this stage. Similar to Chris, I'm finding it a little suspect he wants to play the caring dad when he's conveniently low on cash and has no place to stay. I thought the conversation he had with Brianna was mature on both their ends, but the real test will be whether he continues to be involved once he has his own place. I also thought it was a bit interesting how he talked more affectionately about Stella than he did Nova. 

[Mothra]

14 hours ago, snarts said:

I can't judge Leah.  It's one thing for an adult to have a progressive debilitating disease, but a young child, with a twin sister, is not going to understand the ramifications of wearing herself out. I'm sure Ali fights her about it every day, wanting to do all the same things Gracie does.  It would break my heart to constantly say no to my child, knowing full well that she'll likely be confined to that wheelchair soon enough.  It's a terrible situation and I can't imagine what she & Corey are going through. 

I'm with you on this.  And I also wondered about the reality of Ali's being able to use her wheelchair inside Leah's house.  I don't know whether the house was retrofitted to enlarge doorways and halls (Ali's wheelchair is pretty big, although it's a child-size chair; most "accessible" houses have at least 36" clearance *everywhere*) and create a roll-in shower.  Does the toilet have room for Ali to roll up to it, and bars to help her transfer to the toilet seat?  Is there room in her bedroom for her to wheel up to her bed, and assistive bars to help her transfer to the bed?  Are her clothes hung low enough that she can get to them without standing up?  How about sinks?  Is there room under the bathroom sink for her to roll her chair right up to it to brush her teeth?

In short, I wonder about the genuine ability of Ali to stay in her wheelchair all the time at home.  If she has to keep getting up and down, that it seems to me would be more tiring for her than being on the couch, walking to the bathroom, walking back to the couch again.

The school, otoh, ought to be able to accommodate her chair everywhere.  The ADA requires that public buildings be accessible, and the IDEA makes sure that includes schools.  This is another reason I think it would be foolish for Ali to be home-schooled, btw.

I want to know more about this "breathing machine."  Is it a nebulizer?  I know Ali has asthma, and I'm betting this is what it is--but why would Ali call it a "robot?"  I know it's not a ventilator--that would require medical supervision.  Maybe a CPAP, since it was a sleep test?  But again--why "robot?"

Add to all this the unimaginable emotional toll of caring for a child who is going to die before she should--it's just not fair.  It's hard enough to care for a child with a significant disability and have to fight for every goddam little thing, like keeping an aide with her in school, but to be doing this with the backdrop of always wondering if this is going to be the crisis that ends her life--unbearable.

[Mothra]

12 hours ago, lidarose9 said:

And stop trying to make her fit into the "normal" box. Ali will never be a "normal" little girl.

<putting on my disability rights activist hat>

Nope.  Ali *is* normal.  She is normal for Ali.  Just like having a smoker's cough is normal for Leah, Ali's situation and symptoms are normal for Ali.  All the things that make you, you, including what you probably think of as abnormalities, are *normal* for you. 

I think what you mean is that she is not a *typical* little girl.  Nothing abnormal about her, just atypical.

Being picky, I know, and not meaning to make anybody feel bad, but words matter, and to people with disabilities and their supporters, "normal" versus "typical" is a real hot-button issue.

<taking off disability rights activist hat>

That is all.

[Rebecca]

On 7/31/2018 at 1:38 AM, CDC said:

I just watched a mother use her daughter's underwear to wipe tears off her face.  Obviously, I found this pretty gross.  Then, I watched that mother shove her daughter's underwear up her own nose to collect snot.  I'm not sure how to process this experience.

 

(Edit: For those who don't watch but only read about the episodes, it was Briana.)

That was gross, get off your ass and get a tissue. Or, if your ass surgery prevents that ASK SOMEONE TO BRING ONE. She’s just so classless. GURL, YOU ON TV!

On 7/31/2018 at 7:43 AM, Lm2162 said:

So...do we really think that Javi is a fame whore still?

At this point he's just kind of looking like a desperate ho to me?

I mean, I think he's both, but it seems like his issues go deeper than just wanting to be famous.

I think he’s a “love” whore and a fame whore, just about equally. I think now those things are linked for him - being a whore for “love” has led to more fame and more fame has led to more “love” whoredom. I don’t see any other explanation for “dating” Briana and then knocking up the other chick ASAP. He needs the “love” but he also knows these moves maximize his show participation. Now we’re sure to hear Kailyn’s thoughts on his choices, etc on the show. Briana’s too, probably. Just imagine the coven’s reaction..

On 7/31/2018 at 7:54 AM, Pepper Mostly said:

I've said it before, I'll say it again, Kail must be a tiger in the sack,  because the power her magic vag holds over these feebs is astonishing. I guess everyone should have a special talent. 

I feel pretty certain that she took Javi’s virginity and that plays a big role. It’s also likely she took Jo’s. I think that’s why there’s more loyalty to her from them than she warrants. Chris doesn’t seem to give a fuck in that way and it’s doubtful he was a virgin until Kailyn so that seems to further validate my thoughts somewhat.

On 7/31/2018 at 8:11 AM, Brooklynista said:

Why couldn't Chelsea open the door when Grandma Donna rang the bell?  What exactly was she scared of this woman doing?   If I were Cole I would get truly tired of Chelsea's womanchild antics. Running from the door?? Come on!

Deal with her like a grown up.  If the Donna came to give her shit, Chelsea should have served it back to her and let her know what is and is not going to fly where Aubree is concerned.  She didn't need to make Cole get off the toilet to come and deal with her.

Address her woman to woman, goodnight and close the door.

This. It reminded me of when she’s call her dad about everything Adam did. She could’ve answered the door and listened and then said bye, as you said, if it got rude. Plus, Cole would “finish” and join her at the door soon enough, I’d assume. That was bullshit.

22 hours ago, jennyf said:

She may have been upset because she knew that something was wrong — Chelsea and Cole must have told her that her dad is not allowed to see her at her grandparents’ house anymore. So by them going against that rule, Aubree could feel complicit and like she’s doing something wrong even though she’s not. Which is upsetting and confusing, even if she loves her dad. Kids tend to think they’re to blame when stuff is contentious between their parents. 

This. It reminded me somewhat of when Javi showed up at Kailyn’s uninvited after they split and Isaac said “you’re not supposed to be here” to him and Kailyn described it as if it was him being afraid of Javi, when obviously he loves him and generally isn’t afraid of him. I assumed Isaac was upset because he knew Kailyn didn’t want Javi there and didn’t want Javi to get in trouble/there to be drama between the people he loves.

22 hours ago, teapot said:

maybe they're just regular job offers, like customer service

you are now online with Jenelle.  how can I help you?

CUSTOMER:  I seem to have gotten locked out of my account

JENELLE:  DUDE, LEAVE ME ALONE!!!!

UBT: And I’m fuckin’ rakin’!

16 hours ago, teapot said:

your surprised?  you shouldn't of been.

Nails. Chalkboard. ? 

15 hours ago, heatherchandler said:

I seen you teapot.

Wit Kieffer? ? 

9 hours ago, JocelynCavanaugh said:

This is really a good point, too. She visibly goes into a fugue state the moment someone starts to tell her something she can't handle. Dr. Tsao is the best example, but I could come up with others. He was very calmly explaining Ali's current status, and very obviously in the middle of a paragraph of important information, when Leah blurted over him mid-sentence to talk about how scared some other symptom made her feel. That's not your therapist, Leah! This is the time to bust out that Hello Kitty notepad and glitter gel pen and jot down some pertinent items. She kept doing the same thing to Kailyn when they went to dinner before the podcast -- nervously interrupting someone else's flow to make it about her. It's not necessarily a narcissistic thing; I have no problem believing that she has a clinical anxiety disorder, but she needs to Stand in Her Power, Live Her Why, and get a handle on it because it's making her life so much harder than it has to be. 

I also have a crossover show I'm planning to pitch to the networks, if Viacom and Discovery are willing to hear me out: bring in Dr. Now and let him and Dr. Tsao join forces to politely but firmly s-p-e-l-l this s-h-i-t out for Leah in heavily accented English. I need Dr. Now to ask Leah what Ali's "eating habit" is and calmly keep asking the same questions until she actually answers them. Then Tsao can tag in with the relevant MD info, and if Leah starts to be all butI'mjustlikerillyscaredanditslikerillyscaryyuhknow, Now can be like "NO EXCUSES LEAH THIS IS ABOUT LIFE AND DEATH. STOP TELL ME SHE USE HER WHEELCHAIR. IT'S MAT-E-MATICALLY IMPOSSIBLE." The NOW AND TSAO Power Hour: Hey Y'all Doin'. I will start a GoFundMe, I'm not joking.

You’re on fucking fire in this thread! I wish Dr Tsao and Cory and Leah could read your posts.

I wish Leah could read this blog by a woman who had a terminally ill child. She started it before her child died and has continued it after she has died. It’s very hard to read but also inspirational. It would be wonderful for Leah to be in communication with someone who has been there. She really needs a dose of reality. Here is the site: https://juliannayuri.com/

(Just a friendly warning, I followed the blog before Julianna died and I cried for a very long time after reading almost any post. Even the “light” posts. It might be easier going in knowing she’s died already but just prepare yourself to be devastated.)

[Christina87]

10 hours ago, smores said:

I have no problems with Cole being involved in handoffs with Aubree.  He's Aubree's stepfather, he's active and involved in her life and has absolutely no problem at all with Adam's parents being involved with Aubree as long as they keep her safe (ie, away from Adam while he's an active addict).  There are some cases where I don't think it's a good idea for a stepparent or partner to be involved with custody stuff (Jenelle, for example), but, in cases like Chelsea and Cole, or Leah, Corey and Miranda, or Kail/Javi with Jo/Vee, everyone gets along and it isn't a huge thing if just one person swung by with the kid (or kids).  If, when Kail and Javi were together, Lincoln was sick and Javi ran Isaac over to Jo while Kail stayed home with him, it would be no big deal.  I see Cole and Aubree the same way.  

I also wouldn't have opened the door to Donna if I were Chelsea.  The problem, as I see it, is that Donna keeps putting Aubree in situations that aren't appropriate for her to be in with Adam.  Chelsea had asked for things to be one way and that wasn't honored, so she had to go to court to get it handled.  It still wasn't  honored.  So, she finally had to have it set up that visitation would only take place with Adam at the visitation center.  Chelsea has to keep Aubree safe and while I'm sure Donna and her husband love Aubree, they're apparently blind to their son's issues.  They violated the order and put Aubree in a bad situation, so Chelsea dealt with it.  By showing up at Chelsea's house in response to the letter, Donna was potentially causing a confrontation that Aubree would witness, which wouldn't be ideal.

I see what you're saying, but it seems like over the years, things between Chelsea and the Linds have been very amicable. Of course, we don't see the Linds, but I've gotten the feeling they're generally reasonable people, and Chelsea for the most part has thought highly of them. I still think she should be civil, because she's not dealing with a Jenelle type here. Most of the world is civil, and I'm doubting this middle aged Midwestern grandma is too big of a threat. Donna doesn't strike me as the type to angrily knock on peoples' doors hoping for brawls, or we would have heard about it by now. Plus, we know she was coming to apologize!

i do think there is an issue, but it's been escalated on BOTH sides, with Donna (enabling and believing adam, making a snide remark) and Chelsea (avoiding Donna, refusing to be upfront, trash talking their family on TV for a living).

Have you ever wanted to talk to someone so badly that it made you do slightly crazy things? I have. It's tough when you have had a good relationship with someone, and for whatever reason they will not interact with you anymore. I see this with Barb chasing jenelle too. Donna may feel, rightly or wrongly, that Chelsea is hiding behind Cole to avoid ever having to talk to her again. I don't have any problem with Cole doing the dropoffs, but it's funny how all that started when Donna wanted to talk to her. For those of you who watch counting on, Chelsea is acting like Jinger when she whispers what she wants to Jessa and lets her fight her battles. I think Chelsea's a good person and has some awesome qualities, but fighting her own battles isn't one of them. She absolutely does need to grow up and civilly relay her concerns to Mrs. Lind. If she reacts poorly, at least Chelsea tried. 

It's kind of ironic, though. Donna is resorting to things like showing up at her house unannounced because she really wants to clear the air, get her point across and SEE CHELSEA. she is likely acting out of character because she wants to talk to her so badly. Sound familiar? Chelsea literally acted crazy for years to talk to adam when he was avoiding her! 

Now donna could be 100% psycho, and we'd never know because she's not on the show. I'm just taking my judgment of her based on their mostly amicable relationship over the years, and the fact that while adam has been raked over the coals, she has always seemed to feel his parents are good people, though enablers. I feel like if she's done anything awful, we would have heard about it by now. We have, however, seen Chelsea enlist others to fight insignificant battles time and time again!

[BARISTA]

15 hours ago, snarts said:

Chelsea, why are you afraid of Grandma Donna?  I get not enjoying confrontation, but you're an adult, don't hide behind your husband.  It's your baby daddy's momma, deal with it. 

I found this so irritating to watch. Lean on Cole for support yes but if an issue arises between you and Aubree's father's family, don't run and hide and get Cole to deal with it,, that's the epitome of childishness imo. You're Aubree's mom, this is your responsibility. This is similar to Jenelle getting David to do drop offs so that she can "avoid" her other baby daddy. What are these girls teaching their daughters ? When you're grown and something uncomfortable arises in life, go and run behind the nearest man you can find? I hate that :( 

@ghoulina off topic and out of curiosity, what did you think of Ireland?