# A Very Quick One: Why would you feed a 700 pound relative 20 pieces of chicken? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [August 19, 2005, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-very-quick-one-why-would-you-feed-a-700-pound-relative-20-pieces-of-chicken/317694 "2005-08-19T02:06:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Lissa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lissa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lissa)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2005, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-very-quick-one-why-would-you-feed-a-700-pound-relative-20-pieces-of-chicken/317694/61 "2005-08-22T17:20:17Z")
> [@astro](#): > > Your (assumedly **morbidly obese** ) cousin is finally able to lose weight but decides to kill herself because she could no longer eat full meals at restaurants? She wasn’t morbidly obese-- just somewhat overweight. I personally feel that it was irresponsible of the surgeon to do the procedure on her. Her problem was that she simply lacked the willpower to stick to a diet and exercize program. In a sense, she took the lazy way out by getting the surgery. > [@](#): > > I’m thinking there’s a lot more to the story than her not being able to finish her plate. Of course she had other issues, but this was the straw that broke the proverbial camel’s back-- at least that’s what she said in her suicide note. > [@Ashes](#): > > Were all of them perfectly prepared? No. They were all sent to psychiatrists to be cleared for the surgery and then participated in educational workshops with GBS patients and surgeons, as well as given extensive reading materials. Even then they were surprised by the reality of the GBS. My friend said something like ‘I knew my stomach was going to be the size of an egg, but I didn’t know it was going to be the size of an egg!’ And I think that’s exactly what happened to her. She pictured herself slim and probably everything else that was said to her went in one ear and out the other. Now, I do think that there was something a bit fishy about the whole thing, since she was not morbidly obese and as I’ve heard, there are supposed to be some sort of regulations about how overweight you have to be before you can get this procedure, so possibly she wasn’t counselled as much as she should have been, either. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2005, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-very-quick-one-why-would-you-feed-a-700-pound-relative-20-pieces-of-chicken/317694/62 "2005-08-22T18:09:56Z")
I think the Gilbert Grape woman died recently. It’s very sad. ---
**Author:** ![SusanStoHelit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7ab992/32.png) [@SusanStoHelit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SusanStoHelit)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2005, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-very-quick-one-why-would-you-feed-a-700-pound-relative-20-pieces-of-chicken/317694/63 "2005-08-22T22:00:12Z")
> [@xbuckeye](#): > > Obviously, he wasn’t bedridden, but he didn’t look like he could get out of his scooter either, maybe he is scooter-ridden. [Natasha]In Soviet Russia, _scooter_ rides _you_![/Natasha] ---
**Author:** ![Sarah\_Woodruff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df788c/32.png) [@Sarah\_Woodruff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sarah_Woodruff)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2005, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-very-quick-one-why-would-you-feed-a-700-pound-relative-20-pieces-of-chicken/317694/64 "2005-08-23T00:27:57Z")
> [@astro](#): > > I have no idea how it works for the super obese bedridden person, but there are companies that make sponges on handles for mobility impaired, “scooter fat” people that can’t reach behind themselves. I also presume that they could use the same medical appliances and aids that people who are paraplegics, suffering from motor neurone diseases, etc. would need to use. It’s a sad paradox - these people immobilised by obesity might recover mobility given time and proper nutrition and physical therapy, whereas someone who is paralysed never will (at the present time, but here’s hoping that medical research makes a few giant leaps forward). ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2005, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-very-quick-one-why-would-you-feed-a-700-pound-relative-20-pieces-of-chicken/317694/65 "2005-08-23T04:15:23Z")
**xbuckeye** , there was a sad case a few years ago about a 13 year old girl who died from heart failure due to obesity. (Although in this case, she suffered from Prader-Willis). They found her lying naked on the floor of her home, with just a dirty sheet on her. Her skin was covered with sores, feces and urine were caked on her skin, she had insects eating her flesh, it was horrible. I believe her mother was charged with neglect. ---
**Author:** ![xbuckeye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9e8a1a/32.png) [@xbuckeye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xbuckeye)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2005, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-very-quick-one-why-would-you-feed-a-700-pound-relative-20-pieces-of-chicken/317694/66 "2005-08-23T12:14:58Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > **xbuckeye** , there was a sad case a few years ago about a 13 year old girl who died from heart failure due to obesity. (Although in this case, she suffered from Prader-Willis). They found her lying naked on the floor of her home, with just a dirty sheet on her. Her skin was covered with sores, feces and urine were caked on her skin, she had insects eating her flesh, it was horrible. I believe her mother was charged with neglect. Yeah, that’s pretty much what I was afraid of. I just can’t imagine getting _that_ heavy without noticing/caring that it is impacting your life profoundly. Although a kid should have better parenting than that. I found a website that suggested locking the kitchen to keep a kid with Prader-Willis from overeating. Prader-Willis…yet another reason I am glad for the DNA I inherited from my parents. ---
**Author:** ![Moirai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/96bed5/32.png) [@Moirai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moirai)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2005, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-very-quick-one-why-would-you-feed-a-700-pound-relative-20-pieces-of-chicken/317694/67 "2005-08-26T00:21:31Z")
Jeez, I think there was a story this week about an LA producer and his daughter who were found dead, and authorities suspected foul play at first. But it turns out the guy was so fat that when he suffered his massive heart attack and died, he fell on his preteen daughter _who was unable to escape from under his bulk and suffocated to death_. That is so damn gross. ---
**Author:** ![UntouchedTakeaway](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/d78d45/32.png) [@UntouchedTakeaway](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UntouchedTakeaway)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2005, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-very-quick-one-why-would-you-feed-a-700-pound-relative-20-pieces-of-chicken/317694/68 "2005-08-26T15:21:05Z")
> [@Kalhoun](#): > > I think the Gilbert Grape woman died recently. It’s very sad. According to the imdB - Darlene Cates is not dead. She hasn’t had an acting credit since 2001. I hope she’s well - WEGG is one of my favorite movies, and when Mama leaves the house to go get her boy from the police station, well - it always makes me cry. Hard. If it’s germane to this discussion at all, I had gastric bypass surgery in November of last year. I’d be happy to answer any questions anyone might have. My take on the doctor in question - absolutely he had the professional right _and_ duty to inform his patient of the statistical risks of obesity. He did _not_ have the right to pontificate on her attractiveness to the available dating pool. Neither did either of the above warrant a complaint to the medical board, nor this long dragged-out brouhaha. VCNJ~ ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2005, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-very-quick-one-why-would-you-feed-a-700-pound-relative-20-pieces-of-chicken/317694/69 "2005-08-26T15:50:03Z")
> [@Lissa](#): > > I’d caution anyone who loves food about bariatric surgery. Remember, it’s permenant-- your stomach is shrunk to the size of your fist, meaning that you can never really eat a full-sized meal again. This may not sound all that bad, but it can really put a damper on your enjoyment of life. At 6’2" and in the neighborhood of 330, my BMI is around 41. I’m trying to lose weight and had thought about getting surgery to help but after reading up on the bariatric process, I knew that it wasn’t for me. I also looked up the Optifast and Medifast plans and was put off by the cost. I’ll continue with the SlimFast, thanks. If I ever do go for surgery, it’ll be the lap band, which is reversible. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2005, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-very-quick-one-why-would-you-feed-a-700-pound-relative-20-pieces-of-chicken/317694/70 "2005-08-26T16:16:51Z")
> [@xbuckeye](#): > > Yeah, that’s pretty much what I was afraid of. I just can’t imagine getting _that_ heavy without noticing/caring that it is impacting your life profoundly. Although a kid should have better parenting than that. I found a website that suggested locking the kitchen to keep a kid with Prader-Willis from overeating. Prader-Willis…yet another reason I am glad for the DNA I inherited from my parents. I would assume that with Prader-Willi, you may not have time to notice or care about anything but finding food, anywhere. Parents would have to lock up all sources of food, constantly monitor where the kid is going, warn their schoolmates not to give them food, etc. The parents on the TLC show on Prader-Willi were exhausted and discouraged about not being able to eat like a normal family (the sick child would eat all his food and then constantly ask family members for some of their food) and having to watch every moment. This isn’t to excuse parents who didn’t seek out treatment, but just to say that Prader-Willi could be devastating to the sick person and their caregivers, to the point where they give up. ---
**Author:** ![SusanStoHelit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7ab992/32.png) [@SusanStoHelit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SusanStoHelit)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2005, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-very-quick-one-why-would-you-feed-a-700-pound-relative-20-pieces-of-chicken/317694/71 "2005-08-26T21:17:41Z")
> [@Veuve\_ClicquotNJ](#): > > According to the imdB - Darlene Cates is not dead. She hasn’t had an acting credit since 2001. I hope she’s well - WEGG is one of my favorite movies, and when Mama leaves the house to go get her boy from the police station, well - it always makes me cry. Hard. > > If it’s germane to this discussion at all, I had gastric bypass surgery in November of last year. I’d be happy to answer any questions anyone might have. > > My take on the doctor in question - absolutely he had the professional right _and_ duty to inform his patient of the statistical risks of obesity. > > He did _not_ have the right to pontificate on her attractiveness to the available dating pool. > > Neither did either of the above warrant a complaint to the medical board, nor this long dragged-out brouhaha. > > VCNJ~ Did you mean to post in [this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=331648&page=1&pp=50)? ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2005, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-very-quick-one-why-would-you-feed-a-700-pound-relative-20-pieces-of-chicken/317694/72 "2005-08-26T22:29:01Z")
On the subject of gastric bypasses and being very, very fat, Eric Burns posted [this](http://www.websnark.com/archives/2005/08/threshold.html) on his weblog today. A while back, he also posted [this](http://www.websnark.com/archives/2005/01/the_triumphal_a.html) on the effects of ice patches on the morbidly obese. Interesting and pretty moving stuff. ---
**Author:** ![SusanStoHelit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7ab992/32.png) [@SusanStoHelit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SusanStoHelit)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2005, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-very-quick-one-why-would-you-feed-a-700-pound-relative-20-pieces-of-chicken/317694/73 "2005-08-26T23:12:24Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > On the subject of gastric bypasses and being very, very fat, Eric Burns posted [this](http://www.websnark.com/archives/2005/08/threshold.html) on his weblog today. A while back, he also posted [this](http://www.websnark.com/archives/2005/01/the_triumphal_a.html) on the effects of ice patches on the morbidly obese. Interesting and pretty moving stuff. Miller, your links are broken, I think. ---
**Author:** ![JohnBckWLD](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d6d6ee/32.png) [@JohnBckWLD](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnBckWLD)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2005, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-very-quick-one-why-would-you-feed-a-700-pound-relative-20-pieces-of-chicken/317694/74 "2005-08-26T23:13:09Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > …There was a sad case a few years ago about a 13 year old girl who died from heart failure due to obesity…They found her lying naked on the floor of her home, with just a dirty sheet on her. Her skin was covered with sores, feces and urine were caked on her skin, she had insects eating her flesh, it was horrible. I believe her mother was charged with neglect. Her name was Christina Corrigan. [Salon article](http://www.salon.com/sept97/mothers/obese970922.html). After her death, there was alot of speculation that reports of the condition of the girl’s body were greatly exaggerated and sensationalized (i.e. there were no bugs or bedsores) - but cites to back up that assertion are few and far between ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2005, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-very-quick-one-why-would-you-feed-a-700-pound-relative-20-pieces-of-chicken/317694/75 "2005-08-28T18:05:43Z")
> [@JohnBckWLD](#): > > Her name was Christina Corrigan. > > [Salon article](http://www.salon.com/sept97/mothers/obese970922.html). > > After her death, there was alot of speculation that reports of the condition of the girl’s body were greatly exaggerated and sensationalized (i.e. there were no bugs or bedsores) - but cites to back up that assertion are few and far between Thanks. That was just awful. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-very-quick-one-why-would-you-feed-a-700-pound-relative-20-pieces-of-chicken/317694.md?page=3)