480-Pound Woman Dies After Six Years On Couch

[Laisrean]

http://www.wftv.com/news/3643877/detail.html


Removing her from the couch would be too painful, since her body was grafted to the fabric. After years of staying put, her skin had literally become one with the sofa and had to be surgically removed.

:geez:

[HorseCrow]

Ok, that's scary.

[asamananara]

Meanwhile, in Chad, a 64 pound man of 83 years toils in the dust to wrest his meager daily meal of a half cup of grain from the barren soil.

[soilsigh aingeal]

Investigators say Grinds lived with a man named Herman Thomas, who says he tried to take care of her the best he could. He has told them he tried repeatedly to get her up, but simply couldn't. No charges have been filed, but officials are looking into negligence issues.So what did this guy tell her to sit on the couch and never get up and she just did?

[WitchJezebel]

I'm not sure what to say about this. On the one hand, if I criticized her, I'm being judgemental of the seriously overweight; but on the other, I don't understand how one could get to that point without asking for help. I know that sometimes genetics plays a part in it; but when does it "click" that you're essentially killing yourself?

[Faeawyn]

Oh come on now!! The woman was peeing and pooping right there where she lay for God knows how long....and the man never calls anyone to tell them there's a problem?? That is the most disgusting story I think I've ever read. How sad. Makes me contemplate the lessons that poor woman was here to learn.....and the man that kept feeding her :whatgives:

[Ben Trismegistus]

I'm not sure what to say about this. On the one hand, if I criticized her, I'm being judgemental of the seriously overweight; but on the other, I don't understand how one could get to that point without asking for help. I know that sometimes genetics plays a part in it; but when does it "click" that you're essentially killing yourself?
Well come on - there's a very clear line between "simply overweight" or even "seriously overweight" and "480 pounds". You have to WORK to weigh that much.

[*GrumpButt*]

You know what?


This really disgusts me, it really does... :grrrrr:


Nothing to do with the woman herself though.
It has to do with the newspapers and television news. My gods people, how about letting this poor woman die with some dignity? and NOT have some moron taking her pics as they take her away on the couch?
And then broadcasting the story nation wide after she dies?
No one even knew she was there in that house, and neighborhood. So what is the point of spreading her plight across the land?
Because it's unusual? B/c she was so fat? Or because people think "freak" when they see these kinds of things?
I know that when I die, I would not want whole damn world knowing like they have done to this poor woman....

[Tullip Troll]

being critical would be wrong...obviously if there was an easy answer she would have taken it.

There is so much we don't understand...personally I really do think there is a real chemical problem in the brain when this happens.

MheraPai

I am very sad at how awful she must have felt...

[WitchJezebel]

Well come on - there's a very clear line between "simply overweight" or even "seriously overweight" and "480 pounds". You have to WORK to weigh that much.


Absolutely!! I'm overweight, but you have to know that when you're getting to that 'clear line', you need help. She obviously didn't ask for it, nor did she seem to want it. I'm not saying it isn't a disgusting situation, but if that's how she chose to "go out" then who am I to judge?

[Laisrean]

I think the husband is as much to blame if not entirely to blame for this. He is the one who brought her the food. Obviously someone who cannot move cannot get food on their own... One thing I would like to know is why she stayed on that couch for so long, even before she got so bad? Did her husband convince her she was worthless?

I think the husband is responsible for most if not all of this... he should be punished in some way.

[WitchJezebel]

I think the husband is as much to blame if not entirely to blame for this. He is the one who brought her the food. Obviously someone who cannot move cannot get food on their own... One thing I would like to know is why she stayed on that couch for so long, even before she got so bad? Did her husband convince her she was worthless?

I think the husband is responsible for most if not all of this... he should be punished in some way.

I can agree with some of that; he supposedly "took care" of her. But I don't think denying her food would be the way to do it. He should have called for help; she didn't get that big overnite; like Ben stated earlier, she had to work at it, but no one did anything. No one called for assistance so we don't really know what was going on in her head.

[Tullip Troll]

I am sure there is more to this story.

I bet she did ask for help...perhaps she just could'nt do it...

I believe depression played a big role...maybe her husband had no clue on how to help her and gave up. Maybe he tried everything and in the end was really just powerless...was he supposed to starve her...who was he supposed to rpoet her to the SPCA.

MheraPai

[Old Witch]

Oh my Goddess! How horrible that womans life must have been.........
I hope she is clean and weightless where ever she may be now.........

[Druchii]

Not cool.... not at all. It seems surreal even when I saw it on the news last night...
I hope she is indeed happier where ever she may be now...

[Shanti]

This is more than a weight issue. This woman had to be very mentally ill to not want help. Her friend had to be messed up to be able to watch her to this to herself and to subject himself to living in these conditions.

To heck with weight...these people where and are severly mentally ill!!

[ApollaJade]

Oh My goddess! That is absolutly horrible... I hope she is happier and healthier wherever she is now. :holycow:

[bellamandu]

holy christ! she was grafted to the chair???? is that even possible?!?

[Boogins]

That is sad. That is just sad. I would hate to know what was going on in that woman's mind in the past six years. Thank goodness she's free now.

[TWILIGHTSKY]

That poor woman must have had horrible, infected bedsores from sitting there in her own filth for so long. I can't imagine the pain she must have been in...

How sad that there were children there seeing her in such a state; and she was ONLY 40!!!!:fpatricks

[Faeawyn]

You know what?
I know that when I die, I would not want whole damn world knowing like they have done to this poor woman....You have a point....but you know what ....perhaps this information will help to save someone else. We just never know......It if makes one person pick up a phone and call for help....maybe it would be worth it.

[Ahautenites]

I tried posting this earlier, but then our servers crashed here at work, and I haven't been able to get back online until now.

The odd, the unusual and the rare are indeed things that are newsworthy. And perhaps if people see enough of this kind of tragedy, they'll halt the destructive behavior.

As to why she didn't stop eating, I can understand why she didn't. But my own motives for continuing such an unhealthy trend may or may not match hers.

And as to needing to "work" to weigh that much.... no, you really *don't* have to work that hard at all. It starts with "Oh, that tastes good." So you have an extra bite. Then it goes to "Oh, I'm depressed." So you eat the whole pint of ice cream. Next, it's "I'm bored." So you eat the whole bag of chips while watching TV. You had an early or light lunch and you're ravenous when you get home. So instead of making one sandwich, you'll make two and eat them. But you ate them so fast to fill the void, your brain doesn't recognize that you're not actually hungry anymore. So you might down a sleeve of cookies, too, before it hits you that you're full.

It creeps onto your body. And if you're in a sedentary job and not prone to making healthful eating choices all the time, you gain weight from lack of exercise. And when you know you should exercise, you don't feel like it because it's such a chore to clean off the sweat and it makes your knees hurt or your back hurt. So you don't do it and vow to eat less tomorrow. But then tomorrow roles around and you're pressed for time and stressed out and you have hardly any time to eat anything, so you grab handfuls of processed foods that taste good and are quick to eat, but that are probably loaded with calories you don't have time to count. Then at the end of such a horrible day, you think you deserve something "good" to eat, and why not something alcoholic to drink, too, to unwind? (Never mind the fat calories in it.)

It's a vicious cycle. The less you do, the more you gain. It doesn't matter if you don't eat sizeable amounts of food. You can eat what a normal-sized person eats but you'll continue to gain weight, simply from not moving.

It's surprisingly easy to let 20, 40, 75, or 300 pounds creep right back on if the circumstances are right. Factor in depression (which will surely result if you've got low self esteem and you can't *get* a job because no one wants to hire a fat person), and you've got a recipe for disaster.

[Ahautenites]

And yes, it's possible for any living, growing thing to get grafted to any non-living thin with enough time and lack of motion.

Just look at the trees that have grown up and enveloped chain-link fences.

[Flaire-FireStar]

You know what?


This really disgusts me, it really does... :grrrrr:


Nothing to do with the woman herself though.
It has to do with the newspapers and television news. My gods people, how about letting this poor woman die with some dignity? and NOT have some moron taking her pics as they take her away on the couch?
And then broadcasting the story nation wide after she dies?
No one even knew she was there in that house, and neighborhood. So what is the point of spreading her plight across the land?
Because it's unusual? B/c she was so fat? Or because people think "freak" when they see these kinds of things?
I know that when I die, I would not want whole damn world knowing like they have done to this poor woman....
I agree completely. It's disgusting.

[Pesha]

I have read this theead, then gone offline and thought about it. Making a statement that you have to work at becoming so large is very narrow minded. The woman , who btw weighed in at over 600 pounds according to the afternoon news here, was a sad and neglected woman. But as to her working at becoming so large, well please think again. There are so many reasons why a pedrson gains weight. In my case it is becasue I suffer from an eating disorder called complusive over eating. It is no pleasure beleive me to ewant to eat every time life deals me a blow. I have to constantly work very hard at overcoming this thing just like and alcoholic does with liquor. People need to start see people of size as more than jokes or more than lazy gluttons. Becasue for the most part we are not.

This sadly neglected and sick woman died becasue she had no one who cared enough about her to get her some help. That she literally grafted to the couch is bizzare and horrid. No one even cared to get her off the couch and into a hospital until it was too late. It actually made me cry for a long tgime when I saw the story on the news.

People of size face prejudice every day of our lives. And while I am no where near the lady's weight, I can tell you it happens to me all the time. We need a change of mind set here folks. I am so upset right now, I am just going to post this without proofing it errors and all.

And so it flows..........
BB
DS.

[ObsidianShenKa]

Half of me wants to laugh. Half of me wants to kill someone.

Glad I'm not a Gemini.

[phoenixblayze]

ok,i feel sick now :goodgrief

[Holly Ariadna]

Oh come on now!! The woman was peeing and pooping right there where she lay for God knows how long....and the man never calls anyone to tell them there's a problem?? That is the most disgusting story I think I've ever read. How sad. Makes me contemplate the lessons that poor woman was here to learn.....and the man that kept feeding her :whatgives:

That's exactly what I was thinking... This is sad and disgusting. :(

[halfwaynowhere]

a person cannot lay on a couch for six years and gain weight without being fed enormous amounts of food. She couldn't get up to get her food, so the guy shouldn't have been feeding her so much. once it became a sanitation issue, it should have been reported immediatly.

[Mab]

Well come on - there's a very clear line between "simply overweight" or even "seriously overweight" and "480 pounds". You have to WORK to weigh that much.
yeah, I have to agree. At some point, ya have to take responsibility for not asking for help. And you'd think the guy taking care of her would have handed her a Slim Fast or something to help....

I mean....she was 4'10 tall. That is short, y'all. 480lbs for that small a woman is about like carrying 3 people on one small frame. At 200lbs she would have been seriously overweight. At 250, she'd have bee classified as officially obese. She wasn't always glued to that couch. When you're that short and you're pushing 200--you'd think you'd ask for help--b/c that's a SERIOUS strain on the heart & joints & EVERYTHING.

[Ahautenites]

And I say AGAIN:

Once the human body reaches a certain weight, no matter how little food is eaten, the body will continue to gain weight unless the person exercises somehow to burn the calories taken in as well as several extra calories already stored as fat.

[Cinnamon Girl]

How sad. I hope she is at peace now, as OW said, weightless and free.

I also don't think it's something you have to work at - I agree with Nefersesemet's and Dragonsinger's posts - it's frighteningly easy to put on the weight and to maintain it, it's trying to lose it where the work comes it. And it's hard work. An alcoholic doesn't *have* to drink to live, but compulsive overeaters have to face their addiction every day. And even those of us who would not consider ourselves addicted but simply overweight have a very hard time losing it. It's definitely not as simple as stepping over some healthy/fat line and then drinking some slimfast.

[Mab]

And I say AGAIN:

Once the human body reaches a certain weight, no matter how little food is eaten, the body will continue to gain weight unless the person exercises somehow to burn the calories taken in as well as several extra calories already stored as fat.
OH, I understand what you're saying. I'm just saying the man taking care of her doesn't really sound like he was all that willing to do much to get her serious help, and that at some point long before she hit this serious a point, you'd think she'd have been thinking "wow, this is so not healthy, this is causing me serious problems." and done something herself to get help in some way.

I'm sorry, I just don't buy that she had absolutely no control & that 300lbs "just creeps up on ya". No way. I had a roommate who ate when she was bored, depressed, hungry, sad, happy, upset, nervous--pretty much all the time. She was 5'5 & 230lbs....and she was fully aware of her habits & what she could do to help herself. She just didn't want to change her diet or work out. She wanted a magic pill to make her skinny overnight, and when she didn't get that, she would just eat some more to console herself. She knew why she ate, but she didn't want psychological or psyciatric help either. She didn't want any help. Not that she had no control.

At some point, this woman had to be conscious of the health issues she was having & the help available long before she got to be carrying around 3 extra ppl's weight.

[Crystal_Raye]

Some people are just sad and pathetic.

[Ahautenites]

**smiles** No worries, Mab. I forgot to write who I was directing my post to. I meant it for halfwaynowhere to read.

But weigh does creep on you. Somewhere in the last year, I've managed to gain back all 45 lbs I'd lost and added some, too.

I need to get into the right mindset again to start dieting and exercising. It's just so darned hot and humid right now that I don't want to do any exercise. Might just well kill me if did do too much right now anyway. And seeing as only half of me really wants me dead, I'm trying to listen to the other part of me at the moment.

[Mab]

**smiles** No worries, Mab. I forgot to write who I was directing my post to. I meant it for halfwaynowhere to read.

But weigh does creep on you. Somewhere in the last year, I've managed to gain back all 45 lbs I'd lost and added some, too.

I need to get into the right mindset again to start dieting and exercising. It's just so darned hot and humid right now that I don't want to do any exercise. Might just well kill me if did do too much right now anyway. And seeing as only half of me really wants me dead, I'm trying to listen to the other part of me at the moment.
d'oh! lol

Yes, agreed. Something in the neighborhood of 25lbs crept up on me this winter. But there's a big diff b/t 45lbs & 300lbs.......but then, nobody mentioned her psychological or mental state or that of her care-giver (or supposed care-giver) either, so....

[Ahautenites]

True enough. People can be so cruel without even meaning to be.

You've gotta wonder, though, if she got bed sores (er, couch sores) from sitting in one place for so long.

[Old Witch]

I suspect the bedsores are what eventually helped her get grafted to the couch....
How did she not get an infection and die?

[~Macha~]

I think that people saying it is this woman's fault is compleatly unkind. And yes, it is possible for 300 lbs to just "creep up". Happened to me, not 300 but about 50. And I was active, and I am young (20) I was 14 when this happened. When I started high school. You know them hormones, at 14 your body (female) is starting to store fat in order to make the body ready for child birth. Move that to 40, when most woman start menopause and the body slows the metabolism even more, and its possible for 300 lbs to creep up. Especially if you already have a mental disorder to star with, the hormones of menopause can make it worse. Couple those with a "care-giver" who isn't giving care and you'll get large fast. Don't judge to poor woman, instead pity her. I believe she couldn't control it and hopefully is much happier now where ever she is.

[Shanti]

I dont think the weight is even an issue. These people where mentally ill....very mentally ill.

[Mab]

I think that people saying it is this woman's fault is compleatly unkind. And yes, it is possible for 300 lbs to just "creep up". Happened to me, not 300 but about 50. And I was active, and I am young (20) I was 14 when this happened. When I started high school. You know them hormones, at 14 your body (female) is starting to store fat in order to make the body ready for child birth. Move that to 40, when most woman start menopause and the body slows the metabolism even more, and its possible for 300 lbs to creep up. Especially if you already have a mental disorder to star with, the hormones of menopause can make it worse. Couple those with a "care-giver" who isn't giving care and you'll get large fast. Don't judge to poor woman, instead pity her. I believe she couldn't control it and hopefully is much happier now where ever she is.Unkind, perhaps, but reality is often unkind. And, again, we don't know what her mental state was. I'm inclined to agree with Shanti....I think in order to get to this particular point she & her man must've been mentally ill......

however, if she was not....then I have to disagree with you. I'll say it again, 50lbs is A FAR CRY from 300lbs, and 300 extra pounds on a FOUR FOOT TEN INCH frame is a HUGE strain. She would have been feeling the physical effects of the extra weight long before she it 480lbs. I know, believe me. I have witnessed it with my father (who is only about 250-300lbs and six feet tall), my ex MIL (who was very overweight & went to the hospital with congestive heart failure caused in great part by weight), my SO's ex (who has heart problems to start with & has been advised by her doctors to lose some of her weight in order to take off any unnecessary strain), and my ex-roommate (who was always worried about her mother b/c she was already so overweight that she could not wash very well b/c she could not reach everything). I know how weight can creep up on you, and I know that illness & hormonal changes can help with that, but I also know that when weight hits a certain level, the effects on the overall health of the body deteriorates so that there are PLENTY of warning signs b/c the body is crying out "I NEED HELP!! I CANNOT CARRY THIS WEIGHT." The heart is under a huge strain, as are the joints. The feet that hold the body up develope major problems. It becomes incredibly difficult to breathe b/c it is such a strain to move. There is strain on the back, on all the organs. NO 4'10 human frame was made to carry around 480lbs. Or even 300lbs. It's no different than women with massive breasts who complain of excruciating back pain & neck pain & shoulder pain--b/c their bodies were not intended to carry that much weight in that area.

Maybe it's unkind, but it is very much an individual responsibility--at least for mentally healthy individuals (which, as I said, I doubt these ppl were). I'm not judging her as a bad person, just simply stating that barring any mental instability or illness, her condition was her own doing & her responsibility to seek help in controlling.

[Shanti]

See Mab, I dont see how either of them were not mentally ill. The weight was a side affect to a greater problem. His closed eyes and nose where a sign of a greater prob too.
The stench was awful. The woman's flesh grew into the fabric, she had to be mentally ill to stay like that and the guy had to be mentally ill to live and watch this. It was gross and the filth was horrible according to the people at the sceen. This isnt 'normal' behavior at all.

[Mab]

See Mab, I dont see how either of them were not mentally ill. The weight was a side affect to a greater problem. His closed eyes and nose where a sign of a greater prob too.
The stench was awful. The woman's flesh grew into the fabric, she had to be mentally ill to stay like that and the guy had to be mentally ill to live and watch this. It was gross and the filth was horrible according to the people at the sceen. This isnt 'normal' behavior at all.
Yes, I agree. I even said so above! :lol:

I just don't see how they both weren't incredibly ill. That is so......bizarre.

[Shanti]

Yes, I agree. I even said so above! :lol:

I just don't see how they both weren't incredibly ill. That is so......bizarre.
I know you said that above, LOL....I was thinking how anyone cant see that.
I was 're-aggreeing' in a weird way! Its been a hard day. LOL

They said they havent pressed charges against the BF, but what about psychiatric care? I would think they would at least order an evaluation. The BF probably needs help I would think, its obvious that his judgement is off...a lot!!!

[Mab]

I know you said that above, LOL....I was thinking how anyone cant see that.
I was 're-aggreeing' in a weird way! Its been a hard day. LOL

They said they havent pressed charges against the BF, but what about psychiatric care? I would think they would at least order an evaluation. The BF probably needs help I would think, its obvious that his judgement is off...a lot!!!
yes..absolutely. You'd think they'd have an evaluation. I mean, at least if they do press charges, the public defender would demand one, I'd imagine.

[Bec_W]

I dont think the weight is even an issue. These people where mentally ill....very mentally ill.

I absolutely agree. How bad must that women have felt to simply sit down and not get back up? Those who've felt serious depression know how tempting it can be to lay in bed and not get up but at some point you do. Obviously what this women was suffering from was so bad that at some point she decided to sit down and wait to die. From there it would have just gotten worse.

Another thought, I don't think Ben meant that it's not easy to gain weight. It seemed to me that he was saying that this kind of weight gain doesn't happen over night or even in a short period of time.

[MorningDove030202]

holy christ! she was grafted to the chair???? is that even possible?!?

Bed sores are a TERRIBLE thing..... It's amaizing she lived that long.....

If she realy wanted to die, and I was her husband I would have found a better way, or found her some mental health care.

I can't help to feel that there was neglect going on.

Dove

[Romani Vixen]

I've been depressed enough that I can understand how she got there. How the man stood by I don't understand. My love was really depressed, and even when I couldn't stand the sight of him (I love you dear), I still encouraged him to get up and out and do stuff.

Hopefully the media focus on her demise will at least help wake up someone who's headed that direction.


note: now, I can't stand not being around my love... so... :)

[Pan]

Wow. I just ... dang.

Mentally ill - agreed

And it could get to the point to blame them both. I just won't reiterate what everyone else said. Just wanted to say ... wow.

[Llewyth]

Whoa! What a problem! Dying because of too much food! I wonder what people from other parts of the world think of when they hear stuff like this from us. Makes me think we need to stop thinking of our own little problems so much and knock on the neighbor's door and say "hi!". Too much belly button observing, we need more community oriented strategies.

[Chibi-Fallon]

Does it remind anyone of "What's Eating Gilbert Grape"? Cause that's the first thing I thought of. I just skimmed so maybe I'm just repeating that. 8O
I think the way Gilber feels about his mom at the start of the movie, more or less describes what a lot of people are trying to say.

And all you people are blaming the bf, but this is a *grown* woman. At some point she can do whatever she wants and there's nothing he can do about it, and at some point she is her own person. What if she had lived alone? From the condition the home was in I'm wondering how much is going on upstairs with the bf anyways.

[charmedkisses1]

Um :( It reminds me of that movie with Johnny Depp. what's eating gilbert grape, i think :wth:

[jennymac]

This scared me alot. I'm seriously overweight and depressed. I need help and I'm in the process of seeing what else can be done. I keep trying diets but I always mess up. I'm so afraid that you all will be reading about me like that someday. I still work and try to exercise but it all just seems hopeless lately. I really hope that I can get over this depression and not just lay down and die like that woman did.

[Chibi-Fallon]

This scared me alot. I'm seriously overweight and depressed. I need help and I'm in the process of seeing what else can be done. I keep trying diets but I always mess up. I'm so afraid that you all will be reading about me like that someday. I still work and try to exercise but it all just seems hopeless lately. I really hope that I can get over this depression and not just lay down and die like that woman did.

I think as long as you *care* thing will turn out alright. It's when people stop caring about their health or what happens to them that things get like this.

[MorningDove030202]

This scared me alot. I'm seriously overweight and depressed. I need help and I'm in the process of seeing what else can be done. I keep trying diets but I always mess up. I'm so afraid that you all will be reading about me like that someday. I still work and try to exercise but it all just seems hopeless lately. I really hope that I can get over this depression and not just lay down and die like that woman did.

I can tell you that zoloft has done wonders for my husband. He has weight issues too.

Dove

[FaerySong]

Thats depressing.

I feel sorry for her.

[Carickah]

Hi everyone. I want to chime in here as someone who has gained weight up to over 500 pounds. But I definately have to say there is something wrong mentally when someone doesn't move from the couch and is willing to sit in her own excrement. I thank the Goddess that I have never been so bad off as to allow myself to sink to that level. Sometimes, a change of scenery can do a world of good. Ever since I became seperated, I have lost 10 inches and untold pounds. Some of this may be stress, some of it may be the crunch of single life and waiting on myself. I wish something could have been done for her poor soul, and I hope that she has found whatever grace she needed. I guess I am done rambling here.



Carickah

[charmedkisses1]

This makes me sick. She would have HAD to have been seriously depressed or mentally ill. Or him. Or both. Could she *not* get up once she sat down? That's a sorry reason if it was.

[Laisrean]

I can't help but wonder how many more people like this are out there... we don't hear about them because they don't ever leave their homes, except perhaps when they are airlifted to a hospital. How many are there out there? Hundreds, maybe thousands, who knows?

The one good thing about this being on the news is maybe some of them seen this on their TVs and maybe, hopefully, they are now resolved to seek help or something.

[spooky]

jennymac, honey. you can overcome. you are strong and smart and loveable and totally able to conquer whatever you truly want to.

[jennymac]

Thanks to everyone who replied to me. Dove I am seeing my doctor monday and hopefully he will prescribe something to help. thanks again,
Jenny

[pawnman]

The lesson, of course, is "get ya damn butt off da couch!"

I don't have much sympathy for anyone willing to sit for six years. Even if the husband was negligent at the end, it's ridiculous that anyone would simply sit on a couch for six years. Jeez. I can't even imagine. I don't sit on my couch for a full day (unless the NFL playoffs are on...but then I spend a great deal of time jumping up and down and yelling at the TV).

Get out. Get some exercise. Just walk a couple blocks or something. Don't let this be you.

[Ahautenites]

The lesson REALLY is: if you sit on a couch without moving for more than a day, hie thee hence to a physician, psychiatrist, or counselor.


Pawnman, get a clue. Clearly you have no idea what depression feels like, otherwise you'd realize that there was something terribly wrong with that woman's mental state, because she just couldn't get up the energy or the concern or the will to live life off that couch. Gods grant that you never do know what that's like. I wouldn't wish depression (in any of its diverse forms) on my worst enemy.

[pawnman]

I've had friends who struggled with depression. Although, I don't think any of them had someone who would allow them to wallow in misery for SIX YEARS.

I'd have just stopped bringing in food around day three. She would have gotten up to eat eventually.

[Ahautenites]

**sighs** I was rude. Again. I got about 20 minutes sleep over the course of the entire night, so I'm in a vicious, irritable mood. I'm sorry.

You're right, of course, that that would be the sensible thing to do. But there are no guarantees that she really would have gotten off that couch to get food. People have willed themselves to death by not caring and ignoring any symptoms of hunger or thirst.

And it's not just "wallowing in misery." If there is some kind of disconnect in the brain.... some kind of chemical imbalance that puts a person in this kind of loop, the loop will last until something changes, be it medicine to alter the brain chemistry or some kind of other physical stimulus that elicits an emotional response to also alter the brain's chemistry.

[pawnman]

You could be right. I've never suffered from depression. But I simply can't imagine just sitting on the couch and giving up so thoroughly as to not even stand up and walk to the fridge when you get hungry. It boggles the mind.

Maybe he could have mixed some prozac into her food or something. I don't know, now I'm just being silly.

[Ahautenites]

Boggles my mind, too.

Actually, that might have worked. But he seemed pretty much in need of help himself.

[MorningDove030202]

I know now if the right to die plays a part in this, but there are plenty of better ways to commit suicide. I don't realy feel suicide is a bad thing, though it doesn't solve any problems, because you will come back and still learn the lessons. However when phsical and genetic issues are involved, like having mental heath issues because of chemical imbalances, starting over with perhapse a healthier body might sound good. Then again, that mental health issue might be part of your lesson. I supose it comes down to which you fear more, life or death.

Dove

[Pesha]

I am so fed up with people who think that if you are depressed, just get up and walk or play or do something. Some forms of depression are so insidious that they totally incapacitate you. And sometimes when there is no one around to give you the help you need, to get you to a doctor you can end up like this poor woman. There is way too muc misundertanding here in this thread with the exception of a few folks. People just think she laid on her bm and liked it that way. Or she was lazy and a glutton.

Pepole get a clue, get some education on things such as sever clinical depression before you go and make haphazard comments like some in this thread. Nuff said.

BB
DS.

[Mab]

I am so fed up with people who think that if you are depressed, just get up and walk or play or do something. Some forms of depression are so insidious that they totally incapacitate you. And sometimes when there is no one around to give you the help you need, to get you to a doctor you can end up like this poor woman. There is way too muc misundertanding here in this thread with the exception of a few folks. People just think she laid on her bm and liked it that way. Or she was lazy and a glutton.

Pepole get a clue, get some education on things such as sever clinical depression before you go and make haphazard comments like some in this thread. Nuff said.

BB
DS.agreed--this is not just your average run-of-the-mill depression. I've been so depressed as to be numb to the point of not caring if I die or not (usually effecting my driving), to not want to get out of bed, to not care how I look, to give up on everything I usually love. I cannot, however, imagine being so incredibly depressed that I can't or won't even get up to go potty....for 6 years.....I mean...why didn't her man call for help? I know it said that he tried to take care of her as much as he could, but good God, at some point wouldn't he have called emergency for help? "Hello, 911--my woman is so incredibly depressed, I'm afraid she's trying to kill herself. She's got horrid bedsores & can't or won't get off the couch to attend basic bodily necessities. Please send help." And if the stench was as bad as the article states, wouldn't SOMEone have noticed? A neighbor, or a teacher (b/c if it was that bad, and there were children around--and didn't the article mention kids?--the smell would have saturated everything in the house--including the clothes/hair/etc. of the residents). It's hard to keep something that strong inside....unless you're nearest neighbor is miles away & no-one ever sees another human soul.

There had to have been clues....don't ya think?

Seems to me there's SO much mentally wrong here....

[WitchJezebel]

I am so fed up with people who think that if you are depressed, just get up and walk or play or do something. Some forms of depression are so insidious that they totally incapacitate you. And sometimes when there is no one around to give you the help you need, to get you to a doctor you can end up like this poor woman. There is way too muc misundertanding here in this thread with the exception of a few folks. People just think she laid on her bm and liked it that way. Or she was lazy and a glutton.

Pepole get a clue, get some education on things such as sever clinical depression before you go and make haphazard comments like some in this thread. Nuff said.

BB
DS.

I can't speak for anyone else here, but I grew up with a parent who suffered from severe and debilitating depression so I do know how hard it can be to get the help you need. However, some of the blame does have to be placed on her - we assume she was depressed or mentally ill and that very well may be but you have to want the help in order to get the help. She also wasn't alone; she had a "caretaker" (such as he was). If this man was of sound mind and she wasn't, and he cared about her then he would have taken that initiative.

It took my father 2 failed marriages, several children, getting arrested and other events for him to realise that he need the help. At the age of 24 I met a man I never knew before - he wanted the help and sought it out.

[WrathofCirce]

And yes, it's possible for any living, growing thing to get grafted to any non-living thin with enough time and lack of motion.

Just look at the trees that have grown up and enveloped chain-link fences.

My brain just can't wrap around this..... not the pysical possibility of getting grafted to the couch.... but the action of being grafted to the couch. When shee pooped herself the first time one would think that the smell would have made it imperitive to move her from the couch to clean it. When the bed sores started, one would think that she would have rolled over, or even off the couch onto the floor for a change in position.
How could another person live in a home where someone's defications were piling up daily?
Instanity must have played a role. I just don't understand how else someone would sit down on the couch and never get up again.
The man who was feeding her didn't have to starve her to put her on a diet and get her weight down in order to get her off of the couch. He enabled her to be on that couch. I find the story to be so disturbing because it is a story of someone who had absolutely no hope.

[mara]

It is really hard to wrap your mind around.. very sad.

[MorningDove030202]

My brain just can't wrap around this..... not the pysical possibility of getting grafted to the couch.... but the action of being grafted to the couch. When shee pooped herself the first time one would think that the smell would have made it imperitive to move her from the couch to clean it. When the bed sores started, one would think that she would have rolled over, or even off the couch onto the floor for a change in position.
How could another person live in a home where someone's defications were piling up daily?
Instanity must have played a role. I just don't understand how else someone would sit down on the couch and never get up again.
The man who was feeding her didn't have to starve her to put her on a diet and get her weight down in order to get her off of the couch. He enabled her to be on that couch. I find the story to be so disturbing because it is a story of someone who had absolutely no hope.

Maybe they used adult diapers? Or something like that? You realy can't live for 6 years in a pile of your own crap.

Dove

[LittlePerson]

Sad and Scary. Diapers would require some movement and they prob wouldn't fit anyway. My hubby says that they probably cut a hole into the couch instead. Eeeww. Anyway, this truly what can happen here in good ole usa huh?

[Laisrean]

I think I'd give this old thread a *bump* because of that recent story of another woman who became grafted to a toilet seat. Seriously, what the heck is wrong with people?

[Philosophia]

I am so fed up with people who think that if you are depressed, just get up and walk or play or do something. Some forms of depression are so insidious that they totally incapacitate you. And sometimes when there is no one around to give you the help you need, to get you to a doctor you can end up like this poor woman. There is way too muc misundertanding here in this thread with the exception of a few folks. People just think she laid on her bm and liked it that way. Or she was lazy and a glutton.

Pepole get a clue, get some education on things such as sever clinical depression before you go and make haphazard comments like some in this thread. Nuff said.

BB
DS.

QFT.

[imapepper]

Poor woman, I feel so sad for her. Nobody actually enjoys becoming this large, and then sitting in their own waste. This is definitely a person who is severely depressed because nobody in a healthy state of mind would ever wish this for themselves. Obesity is like a lot of other addictions such as smoking or drugs, let's remember that. :(

[Caitlin.ann]

I think I'd give this old thread a *bump* because of that recent story of another woman who became grafted to a toilet seat. Seriously, what the heck is wrong with people?

I'm glad you did. I had NO idea this occurred at all. Its very sad, but a bit interesting as well.

[OnyxStar]

This reminds me of "Whats Eating Gilbert Grape?"

[OnyxStar]

Maybe they used adult diapers? Or something like that? You realy can't live for 6 years in a pile of your own crap.

Dove

Wanna bet?

[Lunar Raven]

Wanna bet?

Are you going to prove otherwise? :spinnysmi