S07.E04: Justin's Story

[Twopper]

Well, well, we have a success story with a mostly upbeat patient.   How refreshing to see someone taking care of things by himself.   Driving his own car, moving himself to Texas, going to the gym before he had lost lots of weight, going to the airport.  So glad we never saw the paramedics have to move him.  I am sure there have been patients on here who weighed less than he weighs, who were practically immobile.   Bravo, Justin!!!

I have no words for the mom; and I suspect Justin already had discussed the idea with his dad before he talked with mom.   So glad mom didn't move with him.

I   don't know that much about tattoos, but I thought if he was going to have surgery to remove underarm skin that the tattoo might end up in a slightly different place after they pull the remaining skin tight. 

Edited January 26, 2019 by Twopper
spelling

[Tabbygirl521]

On 1/24/2019 at 9:50 AM, essexjan said:

This was a wonderful episode.  What I loved about it was:

• Justin took full responsibility for the situation he was in.
• He accepted that he had done this to himself and had insight into what had led him to weighing nearly 700lbs.
• He is intelligent and personable, and I can't remember too many other college graduates on this show.
• He had a clean house, which he owned, and his dog was nice and didn't seem neglected. (His dad's bird was cool too.)
• He was uncomplaining and never lost his temper, even with the car rental place not having the extra-large car he'd booked.*
• When he reached his limit unloading the trailer, he just said calmly "Dad, I can't finish this tonight" instead of having an "Ow mah laygs" meltdown.
• At a fast food drive-thru, a healthy option (grilled chicken) was his choice.

Every time Justin was weighed and the scale went down, I said "Yesss!" and did a fist pump. I was so happy for him. I'm also really glad his dad came through when his mum flaked on him. Addicts are unreliable, and I'm glad Justin found the courage to confront his mum - in such a gentle, yet firm, way.

I can't wait to see the follow-up on him, and I wish him every success. I think Dr Now should force patients like Schenee to watch this episode - Clockwork Orange style with their eyelids propped open - to show them how it should be done.

 

 

* I was totally on Justin's side at the car rental. Last time I rented a car in the States, picking it up at Wilmington DE to drive to Rehoboth Beach, my friend and I had made it clear that I am very short (4ft 11) and so we must have a compact car and were assured when we made the booking that we'd have a Camry. So what did they give us? A brand-new $60,000 Ford Mustang! Even with the seats as far forward as they'd go, I couldn't reach the pedals. So despite us paying for two drivers and insurance for me (as I was a foreign visitor and needed to buy insurance), I wasn't able to drive it and so my friend had to drive the whole time. They had nothing else available and thought they were doing us a favour giving us an idiot muscle car.

I liked everything you mention here about Justin. I was also impressed that even in the opening eat-fest, he had a grilled cheese sandwich but also a SALAD. That made me optimistic right there. I was impressed that he was already seeing a psychiatrist (but bummed that it hadn’t been helping). And after he had The Chat with his mom, he was cautious and said he would wait a couple of months before deciding whether her promises were sincere this time - he can set boundaries. 

I also loved the color of his hair. I love red hair and his shade was really nice. 

[CrazyInAlabama]

I suspect Justin's mother couldn't get permission from legal authorities to leave the state.   I'm actually wondering if she had permission on the first trip to Texas.     

I'm sure that there's a reason she was only on video chat, and then he had to go back to South Carolina for his talk with her.       That woman was so high every time they showed her.   

I suspect it's like the situation with Nicole's father, where he got hauled back to Ohio to prison, and at the followup was in prison again, and terminally ill.     

I hope Justin stays in Texas, and his dad and that cool bird stay in Texas too, but maybe further inland than Houston.     

[Delete]

Justin’s story was one of the most inspirational I’ve seen in a while. He was very thoughtful, and articulate throughout. I  thought he and his Dad were absolute cuties. Hope there is a future update on him. 

[Colleenna]

3 hours ago, Barbara Please said:

Justin’s story was one of the most inspirational I’ve seen in a while. He was very thoughtful, and articulate throughout. I  thought he and his Dad were absolute cuties. Hope there is a future update on him. 

His Twitter profile picture doesn't even look like the same man! According to his Instagram account, he took part in a fundraising walk!! 

YAY Justin!! If anyone here knows him, please tell him how freaking AWESOME he is. Here's hoping he becomes part of Dr. Now's 5% .

[newyawk]

This was a really nice episode. We had a patient that was willing to do what it takes to lose the weight, and look at the long term rather than short term obstacles, who was goal oriented, and had parents that were supportive and in his mom's case,  were willing to be accountable for past missteps.  Justin is a good guy and has a lot of inner strength. I hope we get to see him on a Where Are They Now. 

[JJ1]

One thing I especially respected about Justin is that even though he recognizes that his mother’s bad behavior has created a lot of psychological problems for him, he also has enough self-awareness to know that he is the only person who can turn it around. He reached out for therapy even before the show and didn’t wallow in self-pity. He simply made a decision that he was going to change his life, put a plan together and started marching forward. And kudos to his dad for being there to help in Houston.  I expect we will be hearing great things about Justin in the future!

[ZeldaZee]

On 1/25/2019 at 6:14 PM, Tabbygirl521 said:

I also loved the color of his hair. I love red hair and his shade was really nice. 

I know, right?! I'm a pale redhead but not a "ginger" (yes, there's a difference!) and when my friends would tease me with that term I always thought, "man, I wish."

[Hellga]

I am watching the supersized version now, and they added some interesting factoids.

His Dad must be a pilot too, that's where his interest in flying comes from - they said Justin's first time in the airplane was when his Dad took him flying in a private plane.   And his favorite childhood memory was woodworking with his Dad - it makes me so glad the two of them were able to reconnect and spend more time together in Texas!

And they did not say how tall he is, just "over 6 feet" - so he is fairly tall, that must have been helping him carry all that weight. 

Also, I couldn't help but notice how he was really careful not to throw his mother under the bus when Dr. Now was asking him what triggered his depression and overeating.  Just about everyone else we have seen on this show gleefully blamed everyone and everything, but he did not, even though he had a better reason to blame her than most.

And he actually saw the value of going outside his comfort zone very early on, when he realized that he was avoiding going in public because he was not sure what he could handle, and when he went to the airport, it showed him he could handle quite a lot.  

His favorite books are The Hobbit and Gulliver's Travels.  This guy just can't get any more likeable! 

The bonus scene was the flat tire Justin got on the drive to Houston.  He changed it himself!  And he said it was the first time he had to do it.  His Dad did turn around and come back to help, but by the time he arrived, Justin was almost done!  I am impressed!   Although a part of me believes that men are born knowing how to do this kind of stuff!  :)

I don't remember if I just missed it during the original episode or there was some additional info in the supersized version that based on Dr. Paradise's advice, Justin wanted to confront his Mom about being unreliable because that is something he had not been able to do ever before, and it was a fear that he needed to face.  That makes it very clear why he felt the conversation with her went well - his goal was not to change her (I don't think anyone can change someone else, a person has to want to change themselves) but to change how he dealt with her, and he accomplished that.   

His favorite place in Houston is the Arboretum and Nature Center.  Good for him!  Spending time in nature has never hurt anyone! 

A text box insert said his dream job would be a CEO of his own digital marketing firm.  I would say it's entirely within his reach!  And this TV exposure would probably help him.  He is one of the most likeable people I have ever seen on reality TV and he has shown himself as an articulate, intelligent man and behaved with dignity even given TLC's format.  His work must be good too, if in a few years of working he has earned enough to buy a house and maintain it even after he stopped making money...   

Besides the pilot license dream we were shown, text boxes said he would like to visit Scotland and take up boxing.  Nice goals! 

[ZeldaZee]

40 minutes ago, Hellga said:

I am watching the supersized version now, and they added some interesting factoids.

All of these factoids just reiterate, "Dude, did you sign up for the wrong show?" Seriously, Justin better have some literal bodies in the crawlspace because it seems unfathomable that TLC would cast someone that knows what an arboretum is without there being SOME angle. Unless the angle is just how left-field this episode was to all of us. Good one, TLC, good one...

[sara1025]

I'm only about 30 minutes into the episode, but so far Justin is one of the few that I'm not repulsed by. I really do have sympathy for him and want him to succeed. Also, he's not a bad looking guy and I think he would be very attractive if he manages to lose lots of weight.  I like how he actually sounds mature not whiny when he speaks, unlike some of the other men on the show (i.e. James, Stephen, etc).

edit: Almost finished the episode and I'm so happy for his progress! Hopefully he continues and is finally able to live a happy, healthy life.

Edited January 27, 2019 by sara1025

[BuyMoreAndSave]

4 hours ago, Hellga said:

And they did not say how tall he is, just "over 6 feet" - so he is fairly tall, that must have been helping him carry all that weight. 

He did an AMA on the My 600-Lb Life forum on Reddit and said he was 6'2", which explains why he was still walking while many other patients of his weight or less were immobile (also the fact that he was young and the health issues didn't catch up with him yet).

3 hours ago, ZeldaZee said:

All of these factoids just reiterate, "Dude, did you sign up for the wrong show?" Seriously, Justin better have some literal bodies in the crawlspace because it seems unfathomable that TLC would cast someone that knows what an arboretum is without there being SOME angle. Unless the angle is just how left-field this episode was to all of us. Good one, TLC, good one...

The patients this season have been a lot more likeable. Maybe TLC is changing their angle. Also my guess is a lot of people go on the show to get the weight loss surgery because they can't otherwise afford it, ie. are poor and uneducated and don't have insurance that would cover it or access to doctors that are more close by. However I think he chose to go on the show because he was a fan of the show and wanted to be treated by Dr. Now specifically. His dad asked in the episode why he couldn't find a doctor that was more close by and he said "Because there's only one Dr. Now."

[CrazyInAlabama]

I watching the rerun of the original episode, and I find it scary how close he was to the edge.   Saying he wasn't sure he could go on terrified me.  

And the pictures with the mother when he was young were awful.    That woman hasn't had a sober moment judging from her in the pictures, and on the show.      She may have learned to keep on a steady dose, but not one picture, or any of the video of her showed her sober.      The fact she claimed to be worried about his weight and health, and then comes over to make a huge pile of garbage food for him told me all I want to know about her.    His mother reminded me of Lisa, from the James K episode, where in the update episode, Dr. Now found she was not a passive enabler, but a deliberate one.     

Edited January 27, 2019 by CrazyInAlabama

[Concerned]

He had his own business, but went on disability. I wonder if he lacked medical insurance as a self employed person and couldn’t buy it because of morbid obesity. He went on disability to gain Medicaid to cover his medical bills. 

[Scarlett45]

21 minutes ago, Concerned said:

He had his own business, but went on disability. I wonder if he lacked medical insurance as a self employed person and couldn’t buy it because of morbid obesity. He went on disability to gain Medicaid to cover his medical bills. 

He said that it was too difficult to keep working because of his weight and he went on disability- I assume to be able to support himself, food, lights, mortgage payment etc. He never mentioned issues with medical bills- which isn’t surprising given he was 26. 

[TVbitch]

Wow, his bed had sheets on it AND it was made! Go Justin, go! 

This young man was truly snatched from the jaws of defeat ...and he did it himself! I hope he is super proud of that. Dad gets loads of credit, too. What a caring, down to earth man. I was boo-hooing at the end over their tatoos and Dad trying not to cry.  

[Hannah94]

On 1/27/2019 at 7:59 PM, TVbitch said:

Wow, his bed had sheets on it AND it was made! Go Justin, go! 

This young man was truly snatched from the jaws of defeat ...and he did it himself! I hope he is super proud of that. Dad gets loads of credit, too. What a caring, down to earth man. I was boo-hooing at the end over their tatoos and Dad trying not to cry.  

I confess, I busted a tear in that bonding moment. The father and son matching tats - so sentimental and sweet, as well as a powerful and meaningful message (unlike some of the tats on this show that appear to be random cartoon drawings). I am a huge tat fan; I have several myself, but they all tell a story and have significance, similar to Justin's and his father's tats. Loved loved loved this episode! 

[88Keys]

Are we allowed to post about other forums?  Because Justin was posting on the Reddit forum after his episode airs.  He seems just as intelligent and well-spoken on the internet as he did on the show.  I wanted to share this one quote from him, because it blew my mind.  Someone commented that he listened to Dr. Now from Day 1, and he had this response:

 

"The way I was looking at it, there's no point in wasting Dr. Now's time. He's been at this longer than I've been alive and knows what he's talking about. So I've always felt that if he's willing to put the time in with me then it's only right that I give him my all."

 

 When was the last time we saw a patient at all worried about wasting the doctor's time?!

[cpcathy]

What a great guy, I wish Justin the very best.

[Wanda]

33 minutes ago, 88Keys said:

Are we allowed to post about other forums?  Because Justin was posting on the Reddit forum after his episode airs.  He seems just as intelligent and well-spoken on the internet as he did on the show.  I wanted to share this one quote from him, because it blew my mind.  Someone commented that he listened to Dr. Now from Day 1, and he had this response:

 

"The way I was looking at it, there's no point in wasting Dr. Now's time. He's been at this longer than I've been alive and knows what he's talking about. So I've always felt that if he's willing to put the time in with me then it's only right that I give him my all."

 

 When was the last time we saw a patient at all worried about wasting the doctor's time?!

Diana has a very similar attitude about the whole thing and she, like Justin, never missed a weight loss goal, never made excuses and when Dr Now would tell her she was doing a good job would reply that she was simply doing what he told her to do. Their episodes should be required viewing just like going to a therapist. When people whine that “I’m working hard, why aren’t I losing weight?” Just say “lets go to the tape shall we”.

[libgirl2]

1 hour ago, 88Keys said:

Are we allowed to post about other forums?  Because Justin was posting on the Reddit forum after his episode airs.  He seems just as intelligent and well-spoken on the internet as he did on the show.  I wanted to share this one quote from him, because it blew my mind.  Someone commented that he listened to Dr. Now from Day 1, and he had this response:

 

"The way I was looking at it, there's no point in wasting Dr. Now's time. He's been at this longer than I've been alive and knows what he's talking about. So I've always felt that if he's willing to put the time in with me then it's only right that I give him my all."

 

 When was the last time we saw a patient at all worried about wasting the doctor's time?!

How refreshing and it only reinforces my feelings of what a decent guy Justin is. 

[gameshowjunkie]

3 hours ago, 88Keys said:

Are we allowed to post about other forums?  Because Justin was posting on the Reddit forum after his episode airs.  He seems just as intelligent and well-spoken on the internet as he did on the show.  I wanted to share this one quote from him, because it blew my mind.  Someone commented that he listened to Dr. Now from Day 1, and he had this response:

 

"The way I was looking at it, there's no point in wasting Dr. Now's time. He's been at this longer than I've been alive and knows what he's talking about. So I've always felt that if he's willing to put the time in with me then it's only right that I give him my all."

 

 When was the last time we saw a patient at all worried about wasting the doctor's time?!

That is awesome. I am really rooting for him. I hope he has a wonderful life. He is such a young man - he can do anything he dreams of now.

[BuyMoreAndSave]

Instagram update from Justin this weekend. Looking good and he might be close to goal weight already!

Edited February 5, 2019 by BuyMoreAndSave

[Minivanessa]

@BuyMoreAndSave - thanks for posting the IG pic. Because of that I found Justin's IG account and am following him. My favorite comment to that photo you posted: 

And I found this, which is adorable on so many levels:

[Hannah94]

32 minutes ago, Jeeves said:

 

And I found this, which is adorable on so many levels:

That is a saying used several times a day between my co-workers and me. We always pronounce it "munt" and "turdy"....cracks me up every time. Love Dr. Now!

[crazycatlady58]

Is it weird the I want that Dr. Now poster?

[Hannah94]

14 minutes ago, crazycatlady58 said:

Is it weird the I want that Dr. Now poster?

No, not at all. I am actually going to try to print this out and have it put on canvas. 

[libgirl2]

He looks fantastic and he has a fantastic attitude! 

[crazycatlady58]

14 minutes ago, Hannah94 said:

No, not at all. I am actually going to try to print this out and have it put on canvas. 

I wonder if you can buy one? I do not have a computer to print one out

[Hannah94]

1 minute ago, crazycatlady58 said:

I wonder if you can buy one? I do not have a computer to print one out

 Here is a wonderful site for such purchases. https://www.etsy.com/market/dr_now

[crazycatlady58]

1 hour ago, Hannah94 said:

 Here is a wonderful site for such purchases. https://www.etsy.com/market/dr_now

Thank you

[GoGamecox]

So I just watched my very first episodes of this show last night, and I saw two episodes with Justin (one where he confronted his mom, one where he moved with his dad to Houston). I liked him instantly and was cheering for him to succeed. Based on what everyone else is writing, it seems like he's a lot more likable than the average person on this show.

I live in South Carolina, so I know the Rock Hill area a little bit, and it was interesting to see the footage from there. 

I may be hooked on this show now. Uh oh.

[WonTon]

Justin was the bomb! Extremely easy to root for!

[suev3333]

On 2/5/2019 at 8:10 AM, Jeeves said:

@BuyMoreAndSave - thanks for posting the IG pic. Because of that I found Justin's IG account and am following him. My favorite comment to that photo you posted: 

And I found this, which is adorable on so many levels:

Lmao 😅. That is awesome!  I need that on my fridge.!

[ShortyMac]

Really happy for him.

[Minivanessa]

A couple of recent posts on Justin's IG account. The first one is a "throwback" pic, taken he thinks near the end of filming. 

And here's a composite before/after photo set he posted on February 27. I don't know when the second photo was taken but assume it's recent:

[Hellga]

He is half the man he was (physically) and at least twice the man mentally!  Good job Justin and best of luck going forward!

[AZChristian]

Absolutely awesome!  He was given a chance to live a whole new life, and he grabbed that opportunity with both hands and ran with it!!!!  They should make EVERY new patient in Dr. Now's office watch a chronological series of clips of Justin's journey.

[libgirl2]

He looks so good! 

[Minivanessa]

I've been following Justin on Instagram. Here are a couple of fairly recent posts. I hope we get to see an update episode. What a pleasant change from all the the Champions of Dysfunction that we've been treated to this season!

This was posted about two weeks ago:

This was also two weeks ago, in Myrtle Beach:

This was also two weeks ago: 

This was posted a week ago: 

[libgirl2]

3 minutes ago, Jeeves said:

I've been following Justin on Instagram. Here are a couple of fairly recent posts. I hope we get to see an update episode. What a pleasant change from all the the Champions of Dysfunction that we've been treated to this season!

This was posted about two weeks ago:

This was also two weeks ago, in Myrtle Beach:

This was also two weeks ago: 

This was posted a week ago: 

he looks great! 

[ilovebeaarthur]

3 hours ago, Jeeves said:

I've been following Justin on Instagram. Here are a couple of fairly recent posts. I hope we get to see an update episode. What a pleasant change from all the the Champions of Dysfunction that we've been treated to this season!

This was posted about two weeks ago:

This was also two weeks ago, in Myrtle Beach:

He also posts comments frequently on the 600 lb Life subreddit on Reddit. He's truly a genuine person, and I'm so happy he's doing well.

[Concerned]

Look at the difference between Justin’s story and most others — he trusted Dr Now and followed the program. Others distrust him, feel they know better, make excuses for cheating, and are consumed by self deception.

[Tabbygirl521]

He looks so healthy and happy. I love this guy!

[Cementhead]

Just caught this episode last night and wow, what a great show.  I loved Justin and his equally adorable father.  And I loved Dr. Now for recognizing that Justin was one of the  most inspirational patients he has ever had in the program.   I hope Justin is out there living his best life! 

Edited May 8, 2020 by Cementhead