S07.E13: Kelly's Story

[libgirl2]

I fell asleep before the end and came on here to see how she did. Wow. I had this feeling from the start she wasn't going to make it.

[Johnny Dollar]

I think P-PAL (sorry Princess but I can’t do the quoting thing on my iPad) is correct in that Gary refused to allow Kelly to come back to his house so Dr Now had an excuse for keeping her in rehab for another month (or munt). 

Edited March 28, 2019 by Johnny Dollar
Just because.

[dreadfulLeigh]

2 hours ago, ThereButFor said:

It can be treated.  I have family members who lived for years after suffering CHF including various surgeries.  The tests are possibly a judgement of how well the heart is functioning and how likely it is to hold up through the stresses of surgery. In Kelly’s case the excess weight might have been even more dangerous than the WLS.  I am still feeling terribly sad, Kelly actually had hope for a future.  She and LB are the two deaths that I really feel awful about.

Yes, I feel Kelly’s and LB’s death are quite tragic. They were nice people who seemed so hopeful and (even though this isn’t how the world works) deserving of something good in their lives. 

[Jeeves]

9 hours ago, aliya said:

I have been just  beside myself. I had to call my son and cry to him. He hates this show, but I made him just be quiet and let me tell him about this woman. I think he was surprised I was so upset.  Shoot, I'm surprised I'm so upset. None of us is promised tomorrow, but that said, I was hoping Kelly would go on to have a nice life and finish her degree. She missed out on so much, for so long. It's just all very sad. 

From your keyboard to God's ear.

I shed some tears when Kelly's death was revealed last night, and I thought about her when I got up this morning. It was such a sad waste. I really took to her from the beginning. She was so bright and articulate, she'd been through a lot of cr*p in her life, and was reaching out to make a better life for herself. 

We see an edited-for-the-show version of Dr. Now's meetings with his patients. We don't usually get much of a rundown on all their health issues, so I sat up and took notice when he started reading off the list of Kelly's diseases at her first consultation. I don't even remember them all.  They included diabetes and high blood pressure, and I think an episode with an embolism. What grabbed my attention was the congestive heart failure. When she fell in that taxi and Dr. Now was so concerned that the stress might cause cardiac arrest, I was thinking, Damn Skippy, this is serious sh*t. I'd been expecting show shenanigans after reading the episode description. 

Actually, after Dr. Now first rattled off her health problems and said he was sending her directly to the hospital because he was so concerned about her heart, hope and dread were fighting it out in my head as I watched the show.

BTW, I don't think that she was in the rehab place, either time, for weight loss reasons. The first time it was to get her heart stronger and to get her doing some physical activity. The second time it was for her to recover from the surgery, again, IIRC, to deal with her cardiac disease. Of course, part of the treatment plan was for her to continue to lose weight. But IMO in the absence of her serious heart disease, she wouldn't have been in rehab for those stays. (She might have had a short stay in rehab post-op if she had nowhere to go but I think it was her precarious cardiac status that really drove that admission and stay in rehab.) 

RIP, Kelly. You were dealt a lot of cr*p in this life, and worked to make a better life for yourself despite the obstacles. I believe you're in a better place, with a happy smile on your face.

Edited March 28, 2019 by Jeeves
took out a lotta words

[calpurnia99]

10 hours ago, Miracle Maxie said:

I was wondering during the episode if the reason that the voiceover sounded more animated than usual is that it wasn’t done by Kelly. I wouldn’t put that sort of thing past TLC. 

She died February 19th, about a month ago. I am sure the episode was already in the can by then. They just added the end part with Dr. Now. The call from the medical examiner was most likely a reenactment.

Also he kept sending her to the hospital because he was so concerned about her heart. He kept saying we need to put her on a controlled diet to save her life. I think he sent her 3 or 4 times, and not because she failed to lose wieght either, just because he said she needed to lose even more if she were to have a chance. And then after the surgery he was not going to send her home to recover, but put her in a facility.  He was really worried about her heart. I've not seen other patients go to the facility as much.

Edited March 28, 2019 by calpurnia99

[3girlsforus]

38 minutes ago, Johnny Dollar said:

I think P-PAL (sorry Princess but I can’t do the quoting thing on my iPad) is correct in that Gary refused to allow Kelly to come back to his house so Dr Now had an excuse for keeping her in rehab for another month (or munt). 

This may very well be. I suspect whatever reason it was, it wasn’t just because Gary is a cold-hearted jackass. He just didn’t give off that vibe and the dynamic between them seemed good. We’ve seen family who is unhappily saddled with caring for people before and during surgery and it’s hard to miss that they are not thrilled with the situation. Gary didn’t have that vibe. While watching the show I wondered if she had been difficult or non-compliant while living with Gary so he asked her not to put his family through that again. After all being the food police for a grown woman has to be draining and she was ordering Cheesecake Factory burgers from rehab.  But the timeline on that didn’t seem right. By the time she went to Gary she was back with the program and lost a lot of weight while she was there so the rehab theory seems a lot more plausible. 

I do have to say that I hope Gary’s daughter wasn’t the one who found Kelly after she died. The medical examiner said she was alone when she died so it seems like either Gary or his daughter would have found her when they came home. A horrible thing for either of them but I really hope it wasn’t the young girl. 

[atiyah9369]

10 hours ago, Cherrio said:

For some reason at the beginning of the show I felt she was going to die.   I figured at 9:45 she was in the clear.

I felt terrible for her from the start of the show, as she was really alone, the abuse and the rest.    The sadness on her face was heartbreaking.

She never really had a life, so shame on her so called parents and family.

Yet she was putting herself thru school and there was an intelligent person inside her.

I hope she experienced a little happiness and hope before she died. She deserved so much more.

For me it was when she got stuck in the taxi. I am not sure why it was that scene. I said to myself she isn't going to make it to the end of the show. When she went outside and did the weights is when I said she is going to die. 

[libgirl2]

1 minute ago, atiyah9369 said:

For me it was when she got stuck in the taxi. I am not sure why it was that scene. I said to myself she isn't going to make it to the end of the show. When she went outside and did the weights is when I said she is going to die. 

Even though I had a feeling in my gut she wouldn't make it sooner, that was kind of like the final "yes" in my mind. 

[libgirl2]

I was even worried for Dr. Now when he was trying to pull her up when she was stuck in the cab. He was so concerned. 

[3girlsforus]

10 hours ago, nokat said:

Damn, I got spoiled. Is on the west coast and missed the live chat.
 

Many of us on the live chat got spoiled too because someone posted the news during the chat. As she continued to lose weight, got through her surgery, and was really turning around I hoped the spoiler was wrong. But it wasn’t. Still sad today.

[KateHearts]

5 hours ago, Bronx Babe said:

I'm confused -- isn't congestive heart failure basically a death sentence?  How did Kelly pass all those medical tests to qualify for weight loss surgery?   

CHF isn't a death sentence; many people live with it for many years but it has to be carefully managed with medications, close medical supervision, fluid management, etc.  Some people go on to have pumps placed to help with their circulation, or get transplants if they are eligible.  It's hard to know how bad Kelly's situation was and whether or not she was "safe" for surgery. But obviously they had managed her to the point that they felt the sleeve surgery was worth the risk so that she could lose more weight to help her heart.  

[Hana Chan]

I'm glad that I didn't watch it live last night because I would have been very depressed. This is the kind of heartbreaking result that we don't usually see on a show, but one that really drives home the point of just how severely this level of obesity can affect people. We can snark on those that are self-indulgent and immature, but Kelly was such a sad case. She really was trying to turn things around and unfortunately, her body just gave out on her. This was a worst-case scenario in every way.

[KateHearts]

This was a very different episode in terms of how detailed they got in describing her medical conditions and Dr. Now's explicit instructions after her first visit (education, dietary details, detailed plan for the next several months) and even his checking on her in the waiting room as she headed out of his office. Even after surgery she was short of breath just standing up to get weighed; I can imagine as a physician he saw plenty of warning signs that, although she was obese and needed his help, her more pressing problems were her severe comorbidities. 

The editing was the worst I'd ever heard on this show- choppy voices in varying tones and inflections, obvious cuts between phrases.  I could see how that happened as far as Kelly's voiceovers (although, as someone else said, the show had probably been completed before her death), but Dr. Now's narrations were just horrible.  And I noted that his description of the surgery ("we remove 90 per cent of stomaaach to leave what looks like a sleeve") is the same one used every single week, just with the weekly subject's name plugged in ("today we are attempting to perform gastric sleeve on [different voice] KELLY...")  I realize he is busy and they probably tape a lot of these voice overs all at once but it makes for very repetitive TV. 

Although Kelly's cousin was painted very negatively ("he threw me out"), I would bet that he and his family did not have the means, education or ability to be able to care for a very ill, morbidly obese relative as she recovered from surgery and tried to rehabilitate.  That's a huge undertaking, especially if he needs to work and support his own family. Given the outcome, it's too bad they couldn't edit that to make him seem like less of a villain.

Her best friend who accompanied her to Houston originally just faded off in the distance.  As did her Dad.

[winsomeone]

They said that the EMTs wouldn't transport her to the hospital when she was stuck in the taxi because she weighed 700 pounds. And yet we have seen others that large get transported to the hospital and back just to get weighed? A good thing the firemen were willing to help her get out of that taxi or she might still be stuck in it. So sad.

[calpurnia99]

27 minutes ago, KateHearts said:

CHF isn't a death sentence; many people live with it for many years but it has to be carefully managed with medications, close medical supervision, fluid management, etc.  Some people go on to have pumps placed to help with their circulation, or get transplants if they are eligible.  It's hard to know how bad Kelly's situation was and whether or not she was "safe" for surgery. But obviously they had managed her to the point that they felt the sleeve surgery was worth the risk so that she could lose more weight to help her heart.  

You just don't know. My dad was living with Congestive Heart Failure, my mom is very efficient - she was managing his diet perfectly, no salt AT all in anything.  All the proper foods. He was sticking with the no bagels, but he was miserable not eating bagels or pizza but he did it, no cheating He was taking all the pills- my mother had them all laid out. One day he went out to the store and his heart gave out and he fell over and died.  Of course he was 80 but I guess his heart just gave out.

Edited March 28, 2019 by calpurnia99

[calpurnia99]

5 minutes ago, KateHearts said:

T

Although Kelly's cousin was painted very negatively ("he threw me out"), I would bet that he and his family did not have the means, education or ability to be able to care for a very ill, morbidly obese relative as she recovered from surgery and tried to rehabilitate.  That's a huge undertaking, especially if he needs to work and support his own family. Given the outcome, it's too bad they couldn't edit that to make him seem like less of a villain.

The cousin's house was the nicest and largest we have ever seen on this show. It was spotless with beautiful furniture and it looked to have 4 or 5 bedrooms. I would guess they had money and education.  I wonder if she was sloppy and they didn't like that? 

[DC Gal in VA]

3 minutes ago, winsomeone said:

They said that the EMTs wouldn't transport her to the hospital when she was stuck in the taxi because she weighed 700 pounds. And yet we have seen others that large get transported to the hospital and back just to get weighed? A good thing the firemen were willing to help her get out of that taxi or she might still be stuck in it. So sad.

It was explained during the Live Chat that ambulances that transport people her size have to be ordered in advance and that regular ambulances aren't equipped for 700+ pound people. I didn't know that either. That scene was not just awful and humiliating for her but life threatening as well. All so sad.

[3girlsforus]

3 minutes ago, winsomeone said:

They said that the EMTs wouldn't transport her to the hospital when she was stuck in the taxi because she weighed 700 pounds. And yet we have seen others that large get transported to the hospital and back just to get weighed? A good thing the firemen were willing to help her get out of that taxi or she might still be stuck in it. So sad.

Transport and calling 911 are different. When you call 911 for assistance, as they did, you get a regular ambulance. When you set up a transport you can request a specialized ambulance which is equipped for someone of Kelly's size. I suspect there is a way to specify a special ambulance for a 911 situation of a morbidly obese person and obviously Dr. Now would know how to do that. I also suspect that response time is longer since there would be less available and potentially farther away. Dr. Now seemed much less concerned about the actual transport than getting her unstuck so time was of the essence. He didn't even call that police officer - he flagged him down for the extra hands. The 911 call was for even more extra hands, not transport. I'm sure Dr. Now would have preferred they just take her but he knows they aren't all equipped to do it. With his business I'm sure one of his pet peeves is that every ambulance can't handle that size patients but it just isn't practical. 

[88Keys]

8 hours ago, NeitherSparky said:

First of all, I said I'd do it! (photo)

Anyways, I was NOT expecting that ending. That's really too too bad. 😞 Also I liked Gary at first but had to kind of side-eye him after he "threw" Kelly out (as she said). I know we don't know what all happened there, maybe she went a little crazy on everyone in the household. Just another reminder of how we're only shown a fraction of the reality.

Do you have a whole MST3k room in your house?  That's awesome!

As for Gary, I don't think we should be too hard on him, or assume that he literally threw Kelly out.  I'm guessing there is a lot more to that story.  Kelly had a LOT of health problems, and maybe the doctor said she would be better off at the rehab center.  Or maybe she really was awful to live with.  I noticed in the beginning of the episode, she said that none of her family came to visit her except her dad.  

3 hours ago, libgirl2 said:

I fell asleep before the end and came on here to see how she did. Wow. I had this feeling from the start she wasn't going to make it.

I also ducked out early, but when I saw her getting the surgery near the end, I thought she was "safe."  Then I checked the thread.  😞

3 minutes ago, winsomeone said:

They said that the EMTs wouldn't transport her to the hospital when she was stuck in the taxi because she weighed 700 pounds. And yet we have seen others that large get transported to the hospital and back just to get weighed? A good thing the firemen were willing to help her get out of that taxi or she might still be stuck in it. So sad.

A regular ambulance can't handle a 700 pound patient.  The transports we've seen before were special transports for the obese and were arranged in advance.

[Elizzikra]

Quote

They said that the EMTs wouldn't transport her to the hospital when she was stuck in the taxi because she weighed 700 pounds. And yet we have seen others that large get transported to the hospital and back just to get weighed?

I feel like over 700 pounds, even on this show, is out of the ordinary. High 600's sure but over 7?

Maybe various ambulances are equipped differently? I suppose they could have called for another one but at that point, it really seemed like getting her to the hospital as quickly as possible was the priority. I would have been scared to death to be driving her anywhere.

I, too, wondered about the cousin. They had a beautiful home. I hope that his "throwing her out" was really about obtaining the rehab services for her.

Add me to the list of folks that were just really, really sad for Kelly. That poor lady really didn't have anyone as a steady, comforting presence in her life. I was so pleased that she was going back to school and so hopeful that she could turn things around. I also felt badly for Dr. Now - he really did work hard for Kelly and I think he liked her. Whether he liked her or not, though, I think he does everything he can for his patients and it has to be so hard to lose one, particularly one who really does seem to turn things around.

Rest in peace Kelly.

Quote

a whole MST3k room

A what?

Edited March 28, 2019 by Elizzikra

[88Keys]

3 minutes ago, calpurnia99 said:

The cousin's house was the nicest and largest we have ever seen on this show. It was spotless with beautiful furniture and it looked to have 4 or 5 bedrooms. I would guess they had money and education.  I wonder if she was sloppy and they didn't like that? 

Just because they had the financial means doesn't mean they had the know-how or the time.  I mean, if they both work and the daughter is at school, that's still going to leave Kelly alone a lot. And like I said before, she had a LOT of health problems and probably needed a lot of monitoring.  I think she really was at Death's door

[AVM]

Just now, calpurnia99 said:

The cousin's house was the nicest and largest we have ever seen on this show. It was spotless with beautiful furniture and it looked to have 4 or 5 bedrooms. I would guess they had money and education.  I wonder if she was sloppy and they didn't like that? 

We never saw the wife,I have a feeling it wasn't her cousin who didn't want her back,Kelly was a well educated woman looking forward finishing her education,Dr Now and she had a real connection unlike so many others who  blame the doctor for their failures ... may she rest in peace...

[libgirl2]

6 minutes ago, 88Keys said:

Do you have a whole MST3k room in your house?  That's awesome!

As for Gary, I don't think we should be too hard on him, or assume that he literally threw Kelly out.  I'm guessing there is a lot more to that story.  Kelly had a LOT of health problems, and maybe the doctor said she would be better off at the rehab center.  Or maybe she really was awful to live with.  I noticed in the beginning of the episode, she said that none of her family came to visit her except her dad.  

I also ducked out early, but when I saw her getting the surgery near the end, I thought she was "safe."  Then I checked the thread.  😞

A regular ambulance can't handle a 700 pound patient.  The transports we've seen before were special transports for the obese and were arranged in advance.

Maybe she needed more care than they were able to give? 

[CrazyInAlabama]

When they showed her going to the last weigh in, and walking easily down the hall, and looking so happy, I really thought she had turned the corner.     

I was shocked that the plane ride didn't cause fatal issues.     

However, she died with loved ones, with hope for the future, and she's no longer suffering from her many illnesses.     She may have not had the best early life, but at the end she found new family members that seemed to really care about her.     

R.I.P. Kelly

[88Keys]

I just had a thought- what if Dr. Now told Gary that Kelly really should be in the rehab center, because she was in such bad shape.  So Gary tells her she can't stay anymore, SO THAT HE WILL LOOK LIKE THE BAD GUY.  Like, if Dr. Now told Kelly she had to come back, she might have lost trust with him.  So Gary took the bullet for him.  

[libgirl2]

9 minutes ago, 88Keys said:

I just had a thought- what if Dr. Now told Gary that Kelly really should be in the rehab center, because she was in such bad shape.  So Gary tells her she can't stay anymore, SO THAT HE WILL LOOK LIKE THE BAD GUY.  Like, if Dr. Now told Kelly she had to come back, she might have lost trust with him.  So Gary took the bullet for him.  

Its possible. Who knows with the editing? 

[AZChristian]

Here's my opinion about the Gary situation.  Gary has obviously worked hard and lives in a nice home in a nice neighborhood.  He and his daughter were both very nicely put together, and were very pleasant to Kelly whenever they were on camera.

Without sounding like I'm putting her down, Kelly never learned to express gratitude appropriately.  The only times I heard her say "Thank you" in the program were when (1) her father brought her a pizza, and (2) she was getting information on how to register for the classes she needed.  Her lack of verbalizing appreciation really jumped out at me, and I'm not sure if she EVER said "thank you" to Dr. Now . . . the man who was investing many, many hours of his time and money (I think he does the surgeries for free) to literally try to save her life.  When he said, "I am approving you for weight loss surgery," she responded, "okay."  Not "thank you," just "okay."  

Having dealt with a family member who also refused to do things that would help himself, who instead continued in his poor life/food choices, I walked away from him.  It was hard, but I finally realized that I could not help him if he refused to help himself.  Hubby and I were wearing ourselves out (we're both in our 70s) . . . with no change in the family member's health or life.

I got a strong vibe from last night's situation that Gary and/or his wife (who we never saw on camera) may have gotten worn out as well.  She came home from the first hospitalization to a beautiful, clean home.  Maybe she had expectations that Gary's family would cater to her as much as everyone else had in her life.  She wanted pizza and fast food.  Maybe they knew that she was supposed to be losing more weight to qualify for the surgery, and assumed that she would be cooperative.  Maybe she wasn't.  Maybe she never said, "thank you."  Maybe Gary's family just got worn out.

I also sense that Dr. Now sat down and talked with Gary and explained how serious Kelly's condition was.  Maybe they talked about her initial unwillingness to limit her food in the rehab center until Dr. Now went off on her.  Maybe Dr. Now believed she was committed to change after the surgery, and convinced Gary as well.

It is sad that she really seemed ready for her new life, but had already damaged her heart to the point where even weight loss couldn't help her.  I hope her passing was peaceful in her sleep, and that she can now rest in peace.

ETA:  As soon as Gary showed Kelly to her room, I said to my hubby, "Not good.  Her room is WAY too close to the kitchen, and everyone else is probably sleeping upstairs."

Edited March 28, 2019 by AZChristian

[KateHearts]

1 hour ago, calpurnia99 said:

ou just don't know. My dad was living with Congestive Heart Failure, my mom is very efficient - she was managing his diet perfectly, no salt AT all in anything.  All the proper foods. He was sticking with the no bagels, but he was miserable not eating bagels or pizza but he did it, no cheating He was taking all the pills- my mother had them all laid out. One day he went out to the store and his heart gave out and he fell over and died.  Of course he was 80 but I guess his heart just gave out.

I think you reinforced my point.  Many people can manage HF for a long time; others can have the onset be sudden and recover; others never do.  Not to make light of any of it, but isn't life kind of a death sentence? And in the end, even those who were relatively healthy and live to be ripe old ages, the cause of death would be listed as "cardiopulmonary arrest."  In other words, the heart and lungs stopped working.  It could be to old age, disease, or any other number of contributing factors.

[aliya]

1 hour ago, calpurnia99 said:

And then after the surgery he was not going to send her home to recover, but put her in a facility.  He was really worried about her heart. I've not seen other patients go to the facility as much.

I didn't pay attention to whether Kelly went to Dr Now's office when no one else was there. I was surprised he went out to the cab with her, but maybe that's because she was the only patient at the time? I think he showed her so much care and attention. The next person who says something bad about him will have to come through me.

[fonfereksglen]

1 hour ago, libgirl2 said:

Maybe she needed more care than they were able to give? 

I suspect insurance issues were involved as well.  From experience, if the insurance benefit for a certain admission ends, the rehab center will discharge the patient.  Even if the patient isn't totally recovered. It takes another hospitalization or procedure to restart the timeline, if possible.  Considering her multiple chronic issues, it must have  been  exhausting caregiving and dealing with financial aspects of that care.

Edited March 28, 2019 by fonfereksglen

[Cherrio]

35 minutes ago, AZChristian said:

Here's my opinion about the Gary situation.

I think AZ nailed it, at least its exactly how I feel it happened.

[QuinnInND]

It's sad that she never got to have a life. She was really trying, and was headed in the right direction.  Rest in peace. 

It's dusty in the house this morning. I'm not crying, you're crying. 

[islandgal140]

WOW!!!! That was a twist that I never expected and didn't want. Such a sad episode and such a sad person. Doubly so because she was likeable and so morose and sad in the beginning and start smiling and joking at the end. She had real hope and it ended tragically. She is the Frank Grimes of My 600 lbs life. 

I noticed that she had (or they showed) very few photos of her as a child or teen. I don't think I have ever seen Dr. Now so concerned. Even when she slipped up and gained he was gentle and never really read her the riot act. Her condition must have been incredibly dire because he never threatened her with being dropped or kicked out of the program. He just said if she gained she would be admitted back into the hospital and put on a controlled diet plan. James "oww mah leigss" K had a supposed heart condition and no such offer was ever made to him for his numerous and egregious fuckups (gaining damn near 100 lbs in a munt) and I think his ass is still alive. 

So many health issues. Since she had an embolism(s) in the past, was surprised she got on a plane. 

My dad was diagnosed with chronic heart failure about 3 years ago and yes it is a frightening and life-alternating diagnosis but it is manageable. It took a bit over a year to find the proper med combo for him and he had the ICD implanted, which he couldn't even be put under anaesthesia for. Just as important is his diet. He has to manage his sodium and fluid intake.  He doesn't always do a good job of that. He has been in the hospital 2 times for excess fluid retention, but by the grace of God he is doing well now though. My mother, his primary caregiver, is on a much deserved and needed cruise and he is off to Miami to visit his sister so I am worried about his self control being around all that delicious Island inspired food down there. 

I want to know so much more about how Kelly was being treated for heart failure. The fact that she was even able to undergo surgery, be under general anaesthesia was a shock. Dr. Now mentioned a cardiologist. Did she have a device implanted? I assume she was on heart meds. Was she on a low sodium diet? That salt laden food she was ordering in rehab did her heart condition no favors. Was she watching her fluid intake? I paid particular attention to that as I saw she had a giant 50 oz cup during rehab.

Cousin Gary had a beautiful home. I was curious about the wife we never saw. 

Edited March 28, 2019 by islandgal140

[Swiss]

How sad.  I was really rooting for Kelly.  I enjoyed her scenes with Dr Now.  Even when he was scolding her, you could tell that he liked her.   The smiles exchanged between the two of them were genuine and heartwarming. 

 Blessings to Kelly in the afterlife.

[libgirl2]

16 minutes ago, fonfereksglen said:

I suspect insurance issues were involved as well.  From experience, if the insurance benefit for a certain admission ends, the rehab center will discharge the patient.  Even if the patient isn't totally recovered. It takes another hospitalization or procedure to restart the timeline, if possible.  Considering her multiple chronic issues, it must have  been  exhausting caregiving and dealing with financial aspects of that care.

I went through all of that last year with my dad. I have a healthy disrespect for the way insurance jerks people around. 

[Morgalisa]

Even though we saw Kelly's dad bring her a pizza when her car was broken, she said he only came over once a month. This is the first time I remember seeing someone that big that didnt have enablers. Dr. Now has said that you cant get that big without help. So Kelly was amazingly independent for someone so disabled. 

I had to pause and take a break when she got stuck in the cab. I was surprised that Dr. Now was sending her in a cab. I've seen him send others in an ambulance who were better off than she was. It wouldnt have mattered anyway because we found out later that the ambulance was unable to take her because of her size.

How did she die alone when she was at Cousin Gary's house? I'm side eyeing Gary as it is. However, Kelly had mentioned that someone else had asked her to move. I probably wouldnt want someone of that size at my house. They could do serious damage to your furniture.

I really liked her and appreciated her honesty. RIP Kelly. 

[the-grey-lady]

When Kelly was stuck between the cab seats and Dr. Now was talking about how worried he was that she'd go into cardiac arrest right that second, I felt an ominous foreboding. I don't think I've ever even see him make such a dire prediction about a patient's health -- even heavier patients like James K.

How terribly sad. RIP, Kelly.

[ProTourist]

This poor soul, was all I could think as I watched her stuck in that taxi outside the clinic, weeping for her. God bless Dr. Now for all he did to help her improve her health.

[AZChristian]

17 minutes ago, Morgalisa said:

How did she die alone when she was at Cousin Gary's house? I'm side eyeing Gary as it is.

It looked like her bedroom was on the first floor of a very large multi-story home (that was some stairway!).  If she passed away in her sleep, she would have been alone, and her body potentially not discovered until the next morning.

[mmecorday]

Last week on "Hoarders," a woman named Linda crapped on her own living room floor and in cups -- in front of her grandchildren, even. Her home had to be condemned because it was in such bad shape. When she was told that she couldn't go back in her house, she cried, "I went through all this and I can't get back in my house?" First of all, the woman didn't go through anything. She had an army of mostly strangers helping to clear out her house, which proved to be an impossible task.

I thought about that nasty ass woman after Kelly's episode aired. The unfairness of it all weighed heavily on me and I had a hard time sleeping. Kelly really did "go through it all" and she achieved success, more than I thought she would, to be honest. I was really hoping that she would finally be able to have the life she deserved. But her health problems were insurmountable. Something had to give and unfortunately it was her heart. She did everything she was supposed to do (save for a few frowned upon meals in rehab) and she wanted to live. This has got to be one of the most tragic profiles we've seen on the show.

Meanwhile, someone like Linda, who lives in filth and garbage and doesn't see anything wrong with it, will live to be a hundred, probably.

[Bronx Babe]

Thank you, @ThereButFor.  I am really glad to know that in many cases it's treatable.  I guess Kelly was just too far gone, but I was still very shocked by her death.

[3girlsforus]

1 hour ago, Morgalisa said:

How did she die alone when she was at Cousin Gary's house? I'm side eyeing Gary as it is.

I’m assuming it’s because Gary and his wife probably have jobs and his daughter probably has school. In many, if not most, families, people are away from home all day. Didn’t seem odd at all and certainly nothing that would lead me to believe Gary did something to her if that is what you were implying or that he neglected her. 

[Concerned]

3 hours ago, AZChristian said:

Here's my opinion about the Gary situation.  Gary has obviously worked hard and lives in a nice home in a nice neighborhood.  He and his daughter were both very nicely put together, and were very pleasant to Kelly whenever they were on camera.

Without sounding like I'm putting her down, Kelly never learned to express gratitude appropriately.  The only times I heard her say "Thank you" in the program were when (1) her father brought her a pizza, and (2) she was getting information on how to register for the classes she needed.  Her lack of verbalizing appreciation really jumped out at me, and I'm not sure if she EVER said "thank you" to Dr. Now . . . the man who was investing many, many hours of his time and money (I think he does the surgeries for free) to literally try to save her life.  When he said, "I am approving you for weight loss surgery," she responded, "okay."  Not "thank you," just "okay."  

Having dealt with a family member who also refused to do things that would help himself, who instead continued in his poor life/food choices, I walked away from him.  It was hard, but I finally realized that I could not help him if he refused to help himself.  Hubby and I were wearing ourselves out (we're both in our 70s) . . . with no change in the family member's health or life.

I got a strong vibe from last night's situation that Gary and/or his wife (who we never saw on camera) may have gotten worn out as well.  She came home from the first hospitalization to a beautiful, clean home.  Maybe she had expectations that Gary's family would cater to her as much as everyone else had in her life.  She wanted pizza and fast food.  Maybe they knew that she was supposed to be losing more weight to qualify for the surgery, and assumed that she would be cooperative.  Maybe she wasn't.  Maybe she never said, "thank you."  Maybe Gary's family just got worn out.

I also sense that Dr. Now sat down and talked with Gary and explained how serious Kelly's condition was.  Maybe they talked about her initial unwillingness to limit her food in the rehab center until Dr. Now went off on her.  Maybe Dr. Now believed she was committed to change after the surgery, and convinced Gary as well.

It is sad that she really seemed ready for her new life, but had already damaged her heart to the point where even weight loss couldn't help her.  I hope her passing was peaceful in her sleep, and that she can now rest in peace.

ETA:  As soon as Gary showed Kelly to her room, I said to my hubby, "Not good.  Her room is WAY too close to the kitchen, and everyone else is probably sleeping upstairs."

We also don’t know the relationship between Gary and Kelly. In many communities, cousin is the child of a parents sibling. But in other communities, often African American, a cousin can be anyone in the extended family who is an age peer.

[KateHearts]

46 minutes ago, mmecorday said:

Meanwhile, someone like Linda, who lives in filth and garbage and doesn't see anything wrong with it, will live to be a hundred, probably.

It's hard to view someone who appears to live in voluntary squalor as having a true sickness, but that woman did. Just because Kelly had measurable parameters of illness (reduced heart function, diabetes, etc) doesn't make her any more deserving of help for her illness. Sadly,someone like Linda is much more difficult to treat and a lot harder for us "normally thinking" people to understand

[oldchristine123]

I had a bad feeling early on in the episode about poor Kelly.  She just had so many medical problems to overcome.  Her loneliness was palpable, and it was so sad watching her sweet, gentle face knowing the kinds of things she had been through.   There are so many of the 600+ pounders who have been sexually abused!  If we could protect our young people better, it would solve so many societal and individual problems.

[chickenella]

57 minutes ago, Bronx Babe said:

Thank you, @ThereButFor.  I am really glad to know that in many cases it's treatable. 

Bronxbabe,  its very treatable and people can live many years with the condition.  Myself, its been 5+ years diagnosed,  but I think I had it for a few years prior.  There is  a group on Facebook for chf patients and their families & caregivers  that you will find helpfull. Let me know if you want the link. Not sure if I can post it here. 

I thought of Kelly many times today, still sad. I couldn't even watch the WATN show afterward.

[Delete]

That was a tough one. RIP Kelly. 

Dr. Now is truly a healer in every sense of the word. He offers encouragement, and tough love when needed, and you can tell that he effin' cares. It was lovely to see such gentleness when he was dealing with Kelly, and the smiles. She needed it. She hasn't had much real support in her own life. We've seen other patients who had lots of family/friends around them, but Kelly had very little of that. I'm not sure why Gary kicked her out after she had surgery, and she had that added stress of not knowing where she would go. I'm glad he changed his mind. As Dr. Now said at the end, Kelly was an inspiration because she tried to get her life back on track. There wasn't whining, crying, or constant victim talk. She knew she had a problem and faced it, but her poor heart couldn't handle it. 🙁

[Stiggs]

3 hours ago, libgirl2 said:

I went through all of that last year with my dad. I have a healthy disrespect for the way insurance jerks people around. 

Insurance companies bankrupt and kill people every day. I know people who were very anti-healthcare reform and were so very in love with their "good" insurance plans — until a loved one became chronically ill and they realized how hard their "good" insurance plan worked against them when they needed it most.  

I agree that Dr. Now was shaken from the jump about Kelly. You could just tell that this was even more serious than usual, and when he started rattling off her list of ailments, my god. I have two prescriptions I have to take every day, and I make jokes about how my bathroom counter looks like a scene from Valley of the Dolls. I have two, non-life threatening things wrong with me and I feel like I'm falling apart. I cannot even imagine what it must be like to know you have that much up against you. She really had some bad odds, but we've seen bad odds work out on this show before. Sadly, not this time. 

Rest in peace, Kelly. 😞

[libgirl2]

2 minutes ago, Barbara Please said:

That was a tough one. RIP Kelly. 

Dr. Now is truly a healer in every sense of the word. He offers encouragement, and tough love when needed, and you can tell that he effin' cares. It was lovely to see such gentleness when he was dealing with Kelly, and the smiles. She needed it. She hasn't had much real support in her own life. We've seen other patients who had lots of family/friends around them, but Kelly had very little of that. I'm not sure why Gary kicked her out after she had surgery, and she had that added stress of not knowing where she would go. I'm glad he changed his mind. As Dr. Now said at the end, Kelly was an inspiration because she tried to get her life back on track. There wasn't whining, crying, or constant victim talk. She knew she had a problem and faced it, but her poor heart couldn't handle it. 🙁

I remember she said early on that she was addicted too food. I also noticed we didn't get as many scenes of her stuffing her face as we do with some of the other not so likable people. 

[libgirl2]

11 minutes ago, Stiggs said:

Insurance companies bankrupt and kill people every day. I know people who were very anti-healthcare reform and were so very in love with their "good" insurance plans — until a loved one became chronically ill and they realized how hard their "good" insurance plan worked against them when they needed it most.  

I agree that Dr. Now was shaken from the jump about Kelly. You could just tell that this was even more serious than usual, and when he started rattling off her list of ailments, my god. I have two prescriptions I have to take every day, and I make jokes about how my bathroom counter looks like a scene from Valley of the Dolls. I have two, non-life threatening things wrong with me and I feel like I'm falling apart. I cannot even imagine what it must be like to know you have that much up against you. She really had some bad odds, but we've seen bad odds work out on this show before. Sadly, not this time. 

Rest in peace, Kelly. 😞

I went through it a few years ago when my doctor (a specialist) wanted me to have an MRI from some awful pain I was having in my leg and hip. It would get so bad I couldn't walk. Insurance would not pay for it. He called them and explained my situation and how he wanted to be sure  what was wrong. Nope. They wanted me to go to physical therapy. That would have meant weeks of taking time from work to go when I wasn't even sure it would help. 

Edited March 28, 2019 by libgirl2