Anyone see this last night? Unbelievable!

For those like me who want to see it but are too cheap for cable, YouTube has it for $1.99 (or the whole season for $7.99). Finally got to watch it last night and a couple of things struck me.

They indicated that she refused to stand up prior to surgery, but that there was no reason she shouldn't have been able to try - yet they operated anyway? In that respect she was right, why expect her to do so afterwards when she wouldn't before? That should have been a prerequisite for someone like her. There WERE signs that she wasn't going to be successful and it felt a little exploitative to do the surgery and continue her segment of the show anyway.

The other thing is that she reminded me of a more extreme version of someone that I care for very much, and that bothered me. Made me wonder if perhaps fear wasn't a factor in her choices, though I might be projecting because of what I've heard my family member say. Right now everyone comes "into her bubble" to pay attention to her because she needs help, she hadn't worked in who knows how long and neither had her husband. What happens after she loses weight and becomes mobile? The attention goes away, she and her husband both have to go to work (and it's not easy for people who DO have recent experience to find jobs), the support goes away - I don't think she had any plan for how to handle that. It's also something I've considered as a lifelong fat girl, that it's such a part of my identity that I'm not sure exactly who I'm going to be when that isn't part of my life anymore. Penny probably has no idea who she is underneath either, and that's a bit of a scary thing. Regardless, I hope she gets her crap together for her son - he doesn't deserve a mom who is sick by choice and the abuse he's going to take at school when he gets older because of it.

I think the Dr just wants to save as many lives as he can. Maybe he thought that once she started losing it would get her momentum going.

Just finished watching this. Wow. Just...wow. So much about her story reminded me of the people on Hoarders and Intervention.

Denial, blame, projection, manipulation, victim mentality, justification, combativeness, defensiveness, egocentric thinking, selfishness, entitled mentality, and extremely skewed perceptions.

She is the ringleader of everyone in her environment and manipulates them all. It seems to me that her motivation was never to loose weight but rather to be the Ultimate Victim of failed weight loss surgery and unsympathetic doctors as well as the Ultimate Martyr fighting the good fight. HA!

Her husband is a class A enabler. He is literally feeding her to death. He acts like a spineless puppet Yes man. In many ways her premature death will be on his hands. Ultimately though, he is just a victim of her addiction.

I feel so so sad for her little boy. He is going to grow up with a lot of issues that will plague him for a lifetime. I could get into all of the psychological affects and baggage he will have as a result of having a childhood like his, but it would take up another several paragraphs. It is just so sad to think about how this little baby boy was born to parents who are so clueless as to the problems he will have well into his adulthood because of them.

In Penny's defense...on her FB page she states that she's lost a total of 217 pounds. HOWEVER...she will not post any pictures of herself and her profile pic looks like she did on the show, still obese and with oxygen tubes. After hearing the way she can skew facts and make ridiculous statements on the show I would not be surprised if that 217 is what she *thinks* she has lost based on loose skin and her shirt sleeves being longer than before surgery. <eye roll>

Tomorrow I will feel sorry for her, but today I am just blown away by her levels of denial and delusion.

I went on Netflix today and watched the story about Melissa. It was good. However, I cannot find penny or any other episodes. Are they on Netflix? If not, I will try looking on direct TV TLC on demand.

No they're not on Netflix. They're playing on TLC

It's not on Netflix yet. I watched it on Amazon Prime but had to pay $1.99 for it.

^{it will be on TLC tonight or tomorrow, I believe}

Why do these people all have such horrible marriages?

I paid to watch Penny yesterday and how terribly sad indeed! How on earth do you expect to lose weight eating $hit post op!? I have no idea how she could even eat that mini meatloaf it was huge! I was allowed meatloaf after 2 weeks but I could get maybe 3 bites in! I just give the surgeon props for not being a complete jerk, he risks his medical licensing to operate in such dangerous cases to give these people hope when no one else will take them on and she just lies to his face about her diet! There is clearly A LOT of psychological issues that need to be handled in her case and perhaps maybe not enough preop. I am so sad for her family, especially her sweet little son, he didn't ask for this life and now he gets to see his Mom sick all.the.time. and someday he is going to realize she brought it on herself(or at least chose not to fight when she had the chance!) and lastly gas she no shame, the Thanksgiving type meal she was eating at the end was HUGE, on TV and you don't even feel like hmmm maybe I should not eat this much with America watching! I am not allowed bread for a year for crying outloud, I know all plans are different, but it just really is sad to throw away such an opportunity, likely the only one she will ever have if she keeps this up!

I watched both Penny and Chuck/Nissa last night. I felt so bad for Chuck. I'm glad that he is successful. He had me worried for a bit.

Now Penny......that's just a whole "nother" issue. Has anyone read up or heard how she is doing now? I was just floored at how she could put all that food (and fried at that) in her body. I think my sleeve tensed up watching it. I was thinking of having a snack, but while I was watching that I seriously changed my mind. Water it was.

The episodes are not on demand for direct tv, but it does look like they repeat the episodes often. I set up to record the series for when penny's story comes around again. I've only watch an episode about Melissa.

I finally got to see the Penny episode...and like all of you, were STUNNED... a year and not one pound lost and blamed every one... the dr sends her a physical therapist and a nutritionist and still she doesn't get it... no one can help her if she chooses not to help herself.

Chucks story was much more inspiring...that growth on his leg...25 pounds just on it's own! Just getting rid of that had to help him IMMENSELY... I'm glad he looks like he has turned his life around and is helping around the house, etc...

My husband and I watched Penny's Story together. I pretty much could not stop shaking my head in sadness and disbelief.

I taped Chuck's Story but have not watched it yet. Hopefully he is more successful!

Penny's story was disgusting!!! I wonder how she'd do if her husband took their child and just left? I don't feel sorry for her at all.

Did anyone watch the one with the 22 year old?

I don't understand how these peoples families can just not work! And her whole family moved to Houston. Like grown brothers and uncles it seemed. Do they not have jobs?

I know sometimes when people are on disability the government pays a family member to act as a care giver. I just don't think that's right. Because then they are going to sabotage.