Over the past few years, I have become obsessed with the show “600 Pound Life”https://www.tlc.com/shows/my-600-lb-life.
Last Thursday, I fluffed up my pillows and started to indulge in this fascinating story about a woman married with three kids and confined to her bed. She is hooked to an oxygen tank and can’t take more than ten steps without feeling like she will tumble over.
I was blown away when her mother came to her house with a bag of hamburgers and fries for her overweight daughter and children. The mom walks in and asks her grandchildren and son-in-law if her 600-pound daughter is hungry because she has lots of goodies.
The 600-pound lifer yells, “HELL YES, I’m hungry; please hurry and bring my food.”
She continued and told her mother that her hunger was making her anxiety act up. So her mom plopped down on the bed and began to hand her daughter three cheeseburgers, a large order of fries, and a large Coke. Her family had to gather around her and eat because she couldn’t make it to the kitchen table.
I tell you what, I was amazed that her family didn’t try harder to bring her healthier food choices. Instead, they see that this weight is killing her, and they are handing her the weapon or drug of choice. My initial reaction left me so angry for the rest of the program, and I grew more agitated because they defied her doctor’s liquid diet recommendation.
The entire family traveled to Texas to check her into a hospital near (her new doctor) Dr. Nowzaradan . He told her, ” I need you to lose 150 pounds before I can perform your weight loss surgery”. She is over 600 pounds, so that should be a cakewalk, but it wasn’t. Her husband and mother were sneaking in food because they hated to see her cry.
Once Dr. Now saw they were sneaking food, he made sure they were being watched more closely. And the 600-pound lady hated that and kicked up a fuss. But. Dr. Now could care less about her temper tantrums.
So long story short, she lost 100 pounds in the hospital, but once she was sent back home, her weight was back on the rise. Which caused Dr. Now to cancel her gastri bypass surgery.
No one in her family understood how to use food properly, and until that’s taught, weight loss surgery will not be successful. Food should be used as fuel; if you don’t need it, don’t eat. Also if someone is depending on you to bring them thier food, SAY NO.
I hope she changes her mindset and begins to live the life she deserves.
You could have chosen to read any blog, but you chose mine, and I’m honored!
~Belladonna~
I never understood the enablers in that show. The food is obviously killing the person, but they rather them “feel good” in the moment than live a good life. It’s baffling.
I’m with you! I don’t understand why you would want to see someone stuck in the bed and they can barely breathe. Makes me so confused as to why they keep giving them so much food.
Oh wow not sure I could watch that. Your description is enough.
It’s hard to watch!
Thanks for sharing this story, which I find really sad. I know doctors who treat the physical tend not to know about treating the emotional (doctors have told me this) let alone the spiritual, but while she was in the hospital she should have had some kind of remanded care by a counselor. I mean, it would be helpful now to have such a person involved. But with all the mechanisms in place to keep her where she is–even at the hospital but especially at home–I don’t see how a counselor could get in and break through mentally or soulfully. Sigh.
Oh that’s a great point! Dr.Now has therapist that he sends the patients to or the therapist will got to the patient. However, she said NO I don’t want to see the therapist and she treated her help so mean!!
But you are so right, there is usually an emotional tie with food and the therapist can help if they allow them too. So sad!
WOW! The family were enablers. 😡 Hopefully she will definitely change her mindset for herself, or the end-result may be tragic. 😥
Girl!!! They were definitely enablers and would rather see her stuck. in bed sad then give her the tough love she needs. Just say no and give her behind a salad!!!!!
Oh no, not the salad! 🥗🥗🥗
LOLOLOL
That show is so exploitative
It is!!!!
Oh! Must be so difficult for her, more beaceuse her family doesn’t help.
Thank’s for share Belladonna, I’m sure you can help her.
Happy weelk ahead!
I would love to try!!! Thank you Beautiful
You can do it! A pleasure dear!
Changing your mindset begins with you and can be helped or hindered by family. If so, she needs to find a way to leave-sounds like a good plot for a novel!
Sounds like they could all use some non judgmental therapy. Feel so sorry for all involved. Tough situation.💕
They all need therapy so bad! They are all suffering from something and a therapist could resolve their issues.
Absolutely 💕
Tough Situation!
💕🙏💕
Her family are enablers for sure. They support her food addiction. Unless she can take control of her problem, nobody will be able to help her. Not her family of the doctor. The family certainly isn’t helping with the problem. They probably think they are helping by lessening her anxiety – but in reality they are killing her.
Right!!!! They feel sorry for her and keeping her in a terrible situation. Sometimes that show is hard to watch. I feel so bad for the entire family.
I saw her story. Isn’t there also a sister. I remember a friend commenting on someone else, not was that extreme, but asking, how on earth does someone get to that point on the first place. When I first heard this story, it was just after handing out Christmas dinners at a homeless shelter….I know it’s heartless to say, but, 600 lbs, I really don’t have any sympathy. I know I should, but just none.
Yes she did have a sister!!! You know I agree with you, you can’t really feel sorry for them because that’s what they are looking for. Pity is why they are in this situation. Dr. Now doesn’t pity them and tells them to stop feeling sorry for themselves. He’s hard on them and that’s what they need or they will die.
I saw a story similar to this. Different one, I think. That woman was 800 pounds. She had been held at gunpoint and became too afraid to leave the house. Happy ending though. Slowly over time she lost weight and now she looks normal.
See there is always a HUGE driving factor! Therapy helps them so much! I’m so glad this lady you’re speaking of made the change she needed.
Yes! Happy ending. She used to be normal weight until her traumatic incident – had to work hard to rebuild her life. Her story might even be on the same show you mentioned.
I’m going to look for her! That’s a great enndinng for her. This goes to show that you never know what someone has gone through.
I used to watch this show back in the US. It’s a motivating watch if you take lesson from what weight can do to you.
I agree Sadje! It really makes you think differently about the quantity and quality of food.
Very true.
It’s not a diet, it’s a game plan. If more people understood it this way, they would be better for it.
Yes! That is so accurate!
Thank you!