S07.E01 Octavia's Story

[PrincessPurrsALot]

Quote

After being bed bound for a year, Octavia must take it upon herself to change her eating habits and unhealthy lifestyle by traveling to Houston to seek Dr. Now's help, but she must ignore her best friend who is also her worst enabler.

This is the regular episode thread.  It will be open after the US East Coast showing for your post show thoughts. 

Original air date 2018.01.02 

[PrincessPurrsALot]

Pounders, As always, we avoid discussing how money is being snatched from the public's wallet for the poundticipants unless it’s specifically revealed on the show. Anything else is pure speculation and a slippery slope toward talking politics. 

[Emkat]

It's cracking me up that Dr. Now pronounces her name "Activia."

[Morgalisa]

Thank God for Calita. I dont think the enabler lost an ounce.  From the looks of her neck, I think she is diabetic.

I think Octavia was very attractive. I love her hair.

[Sasha888]

1 hour ago, Morgalisa said:

I dont think the enabler lost an ounce.

I don't either, and I don't think she prepared a single healthy meal. It was all Calita. Suddenly with her arrival, the meals actually met the 1200 calories a day goal. Nichelle wasn't trying at ALL to prepare 1200 cal a day meals. She says "I'll do anything for Octavia" but what she really meant was "I'll do anything to help Octavia stay fat because there's no way I'm going to eat 1200 cal a day with her!" She was just there to feed her whatever she wanted and then tell her it wasn't her fault when she didn't lose weight.

Not that it is all on Nichelle...Octavia's an adult. At any time she could have said Nichelle, this is not the kind of meal the Dr had in mind. But look what happened when a new person who held them somewhat accountable was thrown into the mix.

[Hannah94]

1 hour ago, Morgalisa said:

Thank God for Calita. I dont think the enabler lost an ounce.  From the looks of her neck, I think she is diabetic.

I think Octavia was very attractive. I love her hair.

It's a wig. It shifted....

[Kenzie]

I wish the (so-called) background piano music wasn't so loud. 

[junemeatcleaver]

It was refreshing to see a nice manipulator versus someone who snaps when they don't get their plate of a dozen scrambled eggs and ten bacon NOW.  But it could have been less manipulation and more Octavia and her friend became too isolated and got trapped in their delusion and denial.

I'm really glad Dr. Now is paying lip service to these people need to be vetted by a doctor before they load themselves in a van to Houston or take medical transport.  I'm surprised more people don't get seriously ill or die, maybe they do and TLC chooses not to continue filming or they scrap the episodes.

Edited January 3, 2019 by junemeatcleaver

[ChicksDigScars]

How are you all doin'?  It's January! Time for TLC's weight themed programming! Which is better than wall to wall 90 Day Fiance.

It was refreshing to see a clean home, and a subject that kept herself clean. Even Octavia's bed, that she was in 24/7, had clean sheets and a bright comforter. And she made jewelry (when she wasn't eating), and put on some make up when she left the house. It was nice not to see total grossness for a change. I missed the pee pee pad discussion in the beginning. At least she kept Fabreeze by the bed. 

Edited January 3, 2019 by ChicksDigScars

[Pondlass1]

The show follows such a rigid formula it's becoming boring and predictable (for me anyway).  We start off with scenes of rivers and streams while the subject reads a poem.  Then she tells us about her awful life and the only comfort was to eat herself into obesity. Then the usual sponge bath eyesore.  Then the laptop talk with Dr. Now. Then the trip to Houston in some kind of van. They promise to lose 50 pounds.  We know they won't because they film the patient cheating. Dr. Now gets serious and angry.  Patient wakes up to the program and loses required amount.  Surgery. And some post surgery scenes.

It's all the same episode only featuring different people.  I wish they'd shake the formula up a bit.

Octavia seemed to have a loving family, a clean home, and - thank goodness - no dogs.  I wish her well.

It's the enablers that fascinate me more.  Why do they do it?  

[Starlight925]

I always wonder why Dr. Now doesn't start them on therapy right away?  I get that he needs them to commit, but they do need to understand the root of it, and they can do the therapy while they're working on losing the first 50.  

Plus, since they are all moving to Houston without knowing a soul, it gives them someone to talk to, to vent to, to help them understand their own struggles.

40 minutes ago, Pondlass1 said:

It's the enablers that fascinate me more.  Why do they do it?  

I think a lot of times, the enablers don't want the participant to lose the weight, because often, friendships and relationships are treated like competitions.  These are the same types of "friends" who get jealous of a promotion, an engagement, a raise.  If Octavia is successful, then Nichelle (in her mind) is unsuccessful.

Nichelle was never going to eat salads and chicken, unless it's drowned in Ranch dressing and fried.  So she keeps "treating" her friend to fried chicken and other garbage, to purposely keep Octavia stuck.  Octavia obviously couldn't even move to her own living room for 9 months, so Nichelle almost abused her a la "Misery".

Thank the Lord for Calita.  I love how Dr. Now was holding her, too, responsible, and how she stepped up to the plate and batted that eating plan out of the park.  We all need a Calita in our lives sometimes.  Calita, if you're reading here, you done good.

[CrazyInAlabama]

From knowing several people who have had weight loss surgery, I suspect that the patients see therapists to qualify for the program, a nutritionist, and a lot of other things we never see.     I'm guessing continuing with the therapist is something they're encouraged to do, after surgery, but then they can't make them do it.     

My friends also could join support groups for patients, and that was surreal.    One friend had a support group where there were about ten regular members, and they rotated meetings in their houses, and they were potluck type refreshments.     My friend's wife was shocked at the 'snacks' people brought that were definitely not correct for the post WLS diet, and how the people who brought the worst items, with the most empty calories were complaining about their weight loss stopping, or reversing.    

[junemeatcleaver]

1 minute ago, Sterling said:

I always wonder why Dr. Now doesn't start them on therapy right away?  I get that he needs them to commit, but they do need to understand the root of it, and they can do the therapy while they're working on losing the first 50.

Therapy should be the first thing they begin because most of the participants on this show have experienced major trauma. I suspect therapy doesn't come up until later because TLC wants lots footage of their (assumed) personality disorders on full display.  I do know a psych evaluation is required before bariatric surgery in the real world, I wonder if people on the show get them but that doesn't get shown. 

[Starlight925]

1 hour ago, CrazyInAlabama said:

From knowing several people who have had weight loss surgery, I suspect that the patients see therapists to qualify for the program, a nutritionist, and a lot of other things we never see.     I'm guessing continuing with the therapist is something they're encouraged to do, after surgery, but then they can't make them do it.     

My friends also could join support groups for patients, and that was surreal.    One friend had a support group where there were about ten regular members, and they rotated meetings in their houses, and they were potluck type refreshments.     My friend's wife was shocked at the 'snacks' people brought that were definitely not correct for the post WLS diet, and how the people who brought the worst items, with the most empty calories were complaining about their weight loss stopping, or reversing.    

Therapy should be the first line of defense for these participants, even before they move to Houston.  In fact, it should be a prerequisite.  

And yeah, pretty shocking that they wouldn't do potluck "on plan" foods....salads, cold cuts, etc.  Surgery alone doesn't work.

Edited January 3, 2019 by Sterling

[Pondlass1]

8 minutes ago, Sterling said:

think a lot of times, the enablers don't want the participant to lose the weight, because often, friendships and relationships are treated like competitions.

A good point.  But often it's family and even children that are cleaning and feeding the bed-bound obese.  It seems such a simple thing to limit the amount of food and take away the phone, since the enabler is in charge and the obese cannot move.  I wouldn't care how much they yelled.  But, then, I've never been in that situation.

[Ray Adverb]

49 minutes ago, Pondlass1 said:

The show follows such a rigid formula it's becoming boring and predictable (for me anyway).  We start off with scenes of rivers and streams while the subject reads a poem.  Then she tells us about her awful life and the only comfort was to eat herself into obesity. Then the usual sponge bath eyesore.  Then the laptop talk with Dr. Now. Then the trip to Houston in some kind of van. They promise to lose 50 pounds.  We know they won't because they film the patient cheating. Dr. Now gets serious and angry.  Patient wakes up to the program and loses required amount.  Surgery. And some post surgery scenes.

It's all the same episode only featuring different people.  I wish they'd shake the formula up a bit.

I know, right.  That's why I'm getting so bored with this show and didn't make it through last night.  It's like a sitcom that is always in reruns.

Quote

It's the enablers that fascinate me more.  Why do they do it?  

Well there are a lot of reasons. 

It could be that they find the addict easier to control when he is in the throes of his addiction.  We've seen some of that with female participants married to "chubby chasers".

It could be that the enabler is simply meek and the addict strong and aggressive.  I think it's too easy for us at home to think we'd be tough and stand up to the addict, but it's always easy to be tough in your imagination when there are no real stakes or effort.

It could be love.  It's a twisted love, but some people think that giving a person they love the thing that makes them happy is always good, regardless of the destructive nature of that thing.

[mmecorday]

Quote

The show follows such a rigid formula it's becoming boring and predictable (for me anyway).  We start off with scenes of rivers and streams while the subject reads a poem.  Then she tells us about her awful life and the only comfort was to eat herself into obesity. Then the usual sponge bath eyesore.  Then the laptop talk with Dr. Now. Then the trip to Houston in some kind of van. They promise to lose 50 pounds.  We know they won't because they film the patient cheating. Dr. Now gets serious and angry.  Patient wakes up to the program and loses required amount.  Surgery. And some post surgery scenes.

It's all the same episode only featuring different people.  I wish they'd shake the formula up a bit.

That cracking noise was the sound of you hitting the nail right on the head. This show has become the Mad Libs of reality TV. Also, two hours is too long, unless we actually see the patient make some progress.

What Octavia went through as a child is horrific and I hope the man who raped her was brought to justice.

[berwoman]

I miss the days when we'd actually get to see someone work hard, stick to plan and have success.  Now we have to wait until the "Second Year" episodes...  I used to find this show uplifting..  Look at that person work hard and lose weight!  Now I find it depressing - Look at the super-fattie be slovenly, completely unaware and combative!  

Not that this will prevent me from watching, mind you.

[toodles]

I'm going to raise my hand and say I don't care about the backstories.  I FF through them.  

I always like it when Dr Now calls out the enablers who are frequently close to the same size as the patient.  The look of surprise and shock is just amusing.  And it's usually the same story.  While I understand the relationship between enabler and patient is complicated, the 600 pounders don't get this way alone.

Nechelle was a good example of this. She pouted for two weeks after her scolding.  She didn't want to hear it.  What did she think was going to happen?  Do these people these people even watch this show?

Before they ever get to Houston, they should be required to watch Sean, Assantis, Penny, Lisa and James.  All people who thought they were smarter than the program.  Then watch several success stories like Diana. 

Edited January 3, 2019 by toodles

[Kid]

Can someone tell me what she has to be stressed about? Just asking.

I did not watch the broadcast so I missed the live chat. I will be on board next week.

Edited January 3, 2019 by Kid

[Granny58]

3 hours ago, Pondlass1 said:

It's the enablers that fascinate me more.  Why do they do it?  

what fascinates me (or perplexes me) is why lay on a bed all day staring at a phone or walls being BORED when you could try...STANDING.  Do SOMETHING.  I know depriving yourself of food is difficult, but trying to be mobile should be somewhat more exciting.  

[Kid]

She finally started doing well and I am happy for her.  She deserves a better life as life had put her through the ringer as a child and teenager.  Very pretty woman.

Edited January 3, 2019 by Kid

[KateHearts]

I find it funny that there's always some sort of "stressful period"after their initial burst out of the gate "I have to do this! It will be the hardest thing I've ever done but I know I have to or I'll DIE!"  After an initial loss of some 50 pounds or so, they are discharged from the hospital or otherwise left to their own devices- and fail miserably. Then they have the month or two where they are so STRESSED or their life is so HECTIC- this is the baffler- they can't follow the diet because they are too busy with their stress.  Last night it was "trying to work out things with Nichelle."  I mean, what does that entail that precludes eating chicken breast and must include Popeye's fried chicken with biscuits?  Is there heavy construction involved? Travel? A deadline? What is the reason you *need* to eat enough to gain a whopping 60 lbs and you can't possibly do what you did when you arrived in Houston to save your life??!

[Morgalisa]

I try to give them a break and not be so judgmental because I have about 30 pounds to lose that I am always working on, not always succesfully. When I do lose weight, I only maintain it for a couple of years. And these people are dealing with depression usually and I am not. I find myself sometimes loving my dogs with food, so I can somewhat identify with the enablers.  When I was thin people praised me no matter what I ate. I eat better now that I am overweight than I ever did when I was slender.

[CrazyInAlabama]

I think there's also a caretaker syndrome going on too.    They want the person totally dependent on them, because it makes the caretaker look like they're sacrificing their life to help the person.   But in reality, they don't want the person to get better so they can always look like the heroic rescuer.  

[DC Gal in VA]

2 hours ago, Kid said:

Can someone tell me what she has to be stressed about? Just asking.

I did not watch the broadcast so I missed the live chat. I will be on board next week.

Since that very subject was addressed by many during last night's Live Chat in quite a hilarious and epic fashion, you might want to check out the comments. We were in rare form!

[DC Gal in VA]

Just wondering if anyone else here had the same reaction as I did when, after yet another weight gain and a thorough (well deserved) tongue lashing from Dr. Now, the two sisters seemed to have a "Come to Jesus" moment type conversation?

Octavia spoke quite eloquently to Nichelle about what both of them did wrong and that they both need to own their behaviors and bad choices. Nichelle was being a bit pouty and seemed to just not get it but Octavia pressed on and they both seemed to turn a corner. I admit I choked up when Octavia said that the same abusive shit that happened to her had happened to Nichelle. I felt like the Grinch after he discovered a love of humanity (actually, "Who"-manity is more appropriate) and my snark-filled, dried up raisin of a heart grew three times its size.

And then--SCREECH!--they ordered fried chicken fingers and French fries and proceeded to inhale them.

WTF? Dead. Resurrected. Re-deceased. 

What did you all think about that? I was so damned confused and felt sucker punched.

Edited January 3, 2019 by DC Gal in VA
Additional comments.

[Kid]

37 minutes ago, DC Gal in VA said:

Since that very subject was addressed by many during last night's Live Chat in quite a hilarious and epic fashion, you might want to check out the comments. We were in rare form!

Will do!!Next week I will be on the live chat. This started before I knew it started so I missed it last night. Thank you for the info.

[DC Gal in VA]

1 minute ago, Kid said:

Will do!!Next week I will be on the live chat. This started before I knew it started so I missed it last night. Thank you for the info.

Cool beans Kid. I predict that you will definitely laugh out loud at the monumental snark that was last night's Live Chat!

[Tabbygirl521]

29 minutes ago, DC Gal in VA said:

Just wondering if anyone else here had the same reaction as I did when, after yet another weight gain and a thorough (well deserved) tongue lashing from Dr. Now, the two sisters seemed to have a "Come to Jesus" moment type conversation?

Octavia spoke quite eloquently to Nichelle about what both of them did wrong and that they both need to own their behaviors and bad choices. Nichelle was being a bit pouty and seemed to just not get it but Octavia pressed on and they both seemed to turn a corner. I admit I choked up when Octavia said that the same abusive shit that happened to her had happened to Nichelle. I felt like the Grinch after he discovered a love of humanity (actually, "Who"-manity is more appropriate) and my snark-filled, dried up raisin of a heart grew three times its size.

And then--SCREECH!--they ordered fried chicken fingers and French fries and proceeded to inhale them.

WTF? Dead. Resurrected. Re-deceased. 

What did you all think about that? I was so damned confused and felt sucker punched.

I wanted to bash my head against the wall. I was SO happy when Octavia was layingniy all out, then WHAM. But I suppose it was unrealistic to expect a sudden, lasting epiphany amidst all that dysfunction. But! She got there eventually and I really wish her well. I liked her all along, even though she was driving me a little crazy at times. I don’t know why I had trouble empathizing at all with Nichelle, though, except she seemed like a control freak who didn’t want Octavia to “escape” and leave her alone in her misery. 

[DC Gal in VA]

6 minutes ago, Tabbygirl521 said:

I wanted to bash my head against the wall. I was SO happy when Octavia was layingniy all out, then WHAM. But I suppose it was unrealistic to expect a sudden, lasting epiphany amidst all that dysfunction. But! She got there eventually and I really wish her well. I liked her all along, even though she was driving me a little crazy at times. I don’t know why I had trouble empathizing at all with Nichelle, though, except she seemed like a control freak who didn’t want Octavia to “escape” and leave her alone in her misery. 

After all my snark, like you, I actually liked her and wish her well too. I want Nichelle to succeed as well but I really don't have much hope for her. I would be absolutely ecstatic if she proved me wrong.

I think you nailed it on the head with the part of the sentence I bolded. It seemed to me that as long as Octavia was screwing up and making excuses like she was, including arguing with Dr. Now, everything was okey doke. She (Nichelle) knew from jump that she did not have the will nor even the desire to make any real changes and kept sabotaging Octavia which, in reality, wasn't all that hard, so that, IMHO, she could maintain their sick dynamic.

I will be interested in seeing a follow-up on Octavia.

[Kid]

59 minutes ago, DC Gal in VA said:

I felt like the Grinch after he discovered a love of humanity (actually, "Who"-manity is more appropriate) and my snark-filled, dried up raisin of a heart grew three times its size.

😂😂😂😂😂  It’s moments like this that make me love you Pounders so much!!!! My favorite group on PTV!!

She did indeed show a lot of insight into the problem and that impressed me. What also impressed me was how she took care of her sister after her mother died. That’s why I was so happy when she turned a corner. This woman is deserving of better unlike some of the people that have been on the show. 

[calpurnia99]

I would have loved to have seen their actual conversations when the cameras were not around. I think it was something like "well we done good by eating the eggs for breakfast and then we done good for lunch with that salad and chicken so now we deserve a little treat for dinner so let's go get 4 tons of bar-b-q" "I know you came here to save your life and you are on TV but you have plenty of time, one small treat won't hurt" then "Let's just get the fast food order one time cause I'm so stressed, then starting tomorrow I'll get back on the plan and eat even less and we still have 2 weeks before the weigh in, so I'll do real good the 5 days before and Dr. Now won't even know!" We never actually see these conversations but I'd love to listen to the rationale those 2 gave each other for going off the plan. And you know when, like how these two order fattening take-out In Front of the cameras, that what they were doing when the cameras weren't there was much worse.

Octavia had 3 enablers: her sister, her room mate, and Nichelle. She told Dr. Now her room mate was her enabler, but then just brought a different enabler. 

Dr. Now told her to go to a local clinic, get weighed and some health checks, get on a diet and then come to Houston. I think she did not want to go through all of that, for laziness and not wanting to put in any effort. But she must have called TLC to let them know she was about to leave for Houston. 

She was really pretty, I was honestly surprised she had no boyfriend or husband. I was also kind of confused about how she moved out of her sister's house into her own place, like how did they get her out? How did she find a roomate?

It was obvious she could not wait to get back home to Nichelle so she could eat.

The other crazy thing that happens every single show is the person says I was a fat kid, I always was eating and I got even fatter, by the time I was 7 I weighed 200 pounds, when I was 13 I was 300 pounds, and then this trauma happened so I got even fatter (the sexual abuse),  but THEN THIS REALLY BAD THING HAPPENED (grandmother dies) so I turned to food! You already were only 16 and 450 pounds when the horrible thing happened. If the horrible thing had not happened, you already were telling us you were eating uncontrollably for 14 years prior. I always laugh at the "And then I ate even more!" And then of course another horrible thing happens, and it makes them turn to food.

[ams1001]

3 hours ago, CrazyInAlabama said:

I think there's also a caretaker syndrome going on too.    They want the person totally dependent on them, because it makes the caretaker look like they're sacrificing their life to help the person.   But in reality, they don't want the person to get better so they can always look like the heroic rescuer.  

That's probably why she did so much better when she got an actual professional aide. Her job is caretaking (and I'm sure she wasn't paid nearly enough!) but she's not emotionally entwined with these people. 

 

2 hours ago, DC Gal in VA said:

Just wondering if anyone else here had the same reaction as I did when, after yet another weight gain and a thorough (well deserved) tongue lashing from Dr. Now, the two sisters seemed to have a "Come to Jesus" moment type conversation?

Octavia spoke quite eloquently to Nichelle about what both of them did wrong and that they both need to own their behaviors and bad choices. Nichelle was being a bit pouty and seemed to just not get it but Octavia pressed on and they both seemed to turn a corner. I admit I choked up when Octavia said that the same abusive shit that happened to her had happened to Nichelle. I felt like the Grinch after he discovered a love of humanity (actually, "Who"-manity is more appropriate) and my snark-filled, dried up raisin of a heart grew three times its size.

And then--SCREECH!--they ordered fried chicken fingers and French fries and proceeded to inhale them.

WTF? Dead. Resurrected. Re-deceased. 

What did you all think about that? I was so damned confused and felt sucker punched.

Yeah, in the live chat I said something like "is she really getting real?" and then two minutes later I was like,

[TVbitch]

Dr. Now could get sooooo exasperated by some of these patients and discharge them, but he seems to understand there will be excuses and backsliding and he gives them every chance and then some. I'm glad, because Octavia seemed to finally take ownership and get on the right path after being given a bunch of chances. 

I posted in a way earlier thread why Dr. Now does not pursue therapy for patients until after the surgery, and I can't remember the specifics now, but he has a statistical reason for this. I think it was that patients statistically do better if they start therapy after surgery. But I have never seen him deny therapy for anyone who requests it. Octavia definitely needed the therapy, given her history. I was surprised they did not show us any of that, as they usually do. 

Edited January 4, 2019 by TVbitch

[mmecorday]

I wonder how many times Dr. Now walks into an exam room and wonders, "OK, which one is the patient?"

I think Octavia has stress eating confused with eating out of boredom.

[aliya]

13 hours ago, CrazyInAlabama said:

My friends also could join support groups for patients, and that was surreal.    One friend had a support group where there were about ten regular members, and they rotated meetings in their houses, and they were potluck type refreshments.     My friend's wife was shocked at the 'snacks' people brought that were definitely not correct for the post WLS diet, and how the people who brought the worst items, with the most empty calories were complaining about their weight loss stopping, or reversing.    

1. It's been years since my friend's WLS, and she eats whatever she wants. This is not a good thing and she is still very overweight.

2. I thought about the surgery and did all the pre-stuff up to the psych eval. For a long time, I was on a FB page for mature people getting the sleeve. So many had problems after surgery - not just medical issues, but an inability to stay away from the foods they abused previously, which was leading to weight gain. A lot of the women were besides themselves with fear - they had the surgery, there wasn't anything left, and they still didn't have their eating under control. It was sad, really. 

3. Did anyone see the extended show tonight? What was the name of Activia's jewelry business? The print was small - I thought it was Crayons and Chickens, but that's probably not it. : ) 

[Morgalisa]

Crayons and Chickens, cracked me up. 

Octavia said she needed therapy and then made every excuse in the world why she couldn't go. 

[Dot]

I was surprised at how boring this episode was. Usually TLC starts any of its shows with what it thinks is the most interesting to lure new viewers & keep previous viewers. If this is an example, it's gonna be a really long, tedious season.

Among Octavia's delusions, the best was her saying she's been the "backbone" for everyone else, never herself. She weighed over 400 #s in h.s. When was she ever physically able to assist another human being?

I hated that tangle of hair. She could lost 10 #s just by getting a haircut.

[hookedontv]

I haven’t watched yet but here I am, reading through the comments first. 

I really despise the name Nichelle. 

There. 

I said it. 

[Brooklynista]

7 hours ago, Dot said:

I was surprised at how boring this episode was. Usually TLC starts any of its shows with what it thinks is the most interesting to lure new viewers & keep previous viewers. If this is an example, it's gonna be a really long, tedious season.

Among Octavia's delusions, the best was her saying she's been the "backbone" for everyone else, never herself. She weighed over 400 #s in h.s. When was she ever physically able to assist another human being?

I hated that tangle of hair. She could lost 10 #s just by getting a haircut.

I'm positive she gives herself a haircut every night when she takes that wig off.

[Mothra]

21 hours ago, mmecorday said:

What Octavia went through as a child is horrific and I hope the man who raped her was brought to justice.

Me, too.  I'm hoping that because his face was not blurred out in the photograph he was convicted.  If he were only the "alleged" rapist, I doubt that TLC could show his face.

So many of the patients on this show, especially the women (and it seems to me a preponderance of the black women) suffered child sexual abuse, leading them to overeat to the point of endangering their lives.  No one ever approves of rape (I hope, anyway), but to rape a child and absolutely destroy her life merits long, miserable imprisonment without parole.  The rapist might as well have murdered those little girls, as some of them do.  Particularly egregious when the child is placed in the care, at least part-time, of the rapist and thus has no chance of escape to a neighbor or someone else who might help.

[Hannah94]

9 hours ago, mmecorday said:

I wonder how many times Dr. Now walks into an exam room and wonders, "OK, which one is the patient?"

I think Octavia has stress eating confused with eating out of boredom.

Yes, I am not exactly certain what stress and hectic lifestyles these pounders are talking about. They don't leave their mattress. How can that possibly be "hectic"? While I can understand being so obese that you are immobile is stressful, when you are shoveling 30,000 calories of junk into your mouth on the daily, I can barely muster up empathy. And the enablers are even worse. I'll never understand how they try to explain that they are eating junk and not doing anything they are supposed to be doing to get better because they are "so busy". Do they not realize the cameras are rolling and we can see all they are doing is laying in bed 24/7, pooping and peeing on pads? If that is a busy life, my life is insanely and impossibly BUSY. 

Edited January 4, 2019 by Hannah94

[4N6MAL]

On 1/3/2019 at 6:02 AM, Kenzie said:

I wish the (so-called) background piano music wasn't so loud. 

Yes, I need the volume up to hear the narrative but then the music is distorted by the speakers in the TV.

[Lesia]

20 hours ago, Kid said:

Can someone tell me what she has to be stressed about? Just asking.

i know!  No job, no bills, no lawn mowing, no raking, no driving to appointments, no shopping, no schedule to adhere to, NOTHING!

[Hannah94]

Just now, Lesia said:

i know!  No job, no bills, no lawn mowing, no raking, no driving to appointments, no shopping, no schedule to adhere to, NOTHING!

Well, after she ate that 10 pound pile of nachos FOR BREAKFAST, she immediately asked what would be for lunch. That has to be stressful. :/ Total snark in this reply, btw. I would like to see her follow up. I think after her (2nd) home care aide leaves, she (and her fatty enabler) will be back up in weight. Cracked me up when Dr. Now said "why do you need two people taking care of you?" 

[Pondlass1]

Dr Now cracks me up sometimes.  One enabler said “She gets so mad if I don’t bring her the food she wants” wherein Dr Now  responded “So?  She can’t get out of bed and hit you can she?”

LOL. 🤣

[Hannah94]

2 minutes ago, Pondlass1 said:

Dr Now cracks me up sometimes.  One enabler said “She gets so mad if I don’t bring her the food she wants” wherein Dr Now  responded “So?  She can’t get out of bed and hit you can she?”

LOL. 🤣

He is utterly fantastic. My favorite line of his was when James K (weighed 800+ lbs) said "But I'm hungry. I need food!" And Dr. Now said "you have 800 pound of food in your body." 

[dahling]

10 hours ago, Dot said:

I was surprised at how boring this episode was. Usually TLC starts any of its shows with what it thinks is the most interesting to lure new viewers & keep previous viewers. If this is an example, it's gonna be a really long, tedious season.

This echoes my thoughts as the episode went nowhere for 1 hour 55 minutes.  This is more like mid-season filler.  Can't believe they opened with this. If they had to open with this because it's the best they got, then I may not make it through the season. 

[Elizzikra]

Quote

I was also kind of confused about how she moved out of her sister's house into her own place, like how did they get her out? How did she find a roomate?

I'm not sure how they got her out but the roommate was a friend. She asked the friend to move in with her and help care for her.