TLC/Facebook Mercedes Cephas is the subject of tonight's episode of My 600 Lb. Life.
Mercedes Cephas is the subject of tonight’s episode of My 600 Lb. Life, and with very little promotional material for tonight’s episode available, fans are concerned that something may have happened to Mercedes during filming. The last time TLC kept unusually quiet about the subject of an upcoming episode, the person had passed away due to obesity complications, as was the case with Kelly Mason, who was the second person to die while filming the show.
TLC still released an official synopsis for the episode, which has many fans hopeful that Mercedes is alright. The synopsis for tonight’s episode reads: “With severe lymphedema, Mercedes can barely stand and cares for her 2 small children with the help of her extended family. Dr. Now can give her the tools to lose weight, but to succeed she must face the trauma inflicted by her late abusive father.”
The clip below is the only promo we could find for tonight’s episode, and although it’s short, it gives viewers a small glimpse of the struggles Mercedes faces with her weight.
“I’m almost completely bed-bound, so I have to rely a lot on my kids,” Mercedes can be heard saying as the camera shows her sitting in bed while her children bring her two pizzas to eat. The camera cuts to a clip of her daughter, who says “I have to do everything. It’s hard for me, and it’s hard for her.”
As Mercedes is being wheeled away in a wheelchair, she can be heard saying “I’m desperate to turn my life around.”
Mercedes’ struggle with severe lymphedema poses a serious risk to her health. Basically, Mercedes’ lymph glands aren’t working properly and she is accumulating fluids in her extremities, which puts a terrible strain on her heart, liver and other organs.
Unfortunately, lymphedema is a common struggle for the subjects of the show.This season we’ve already seen several participants, including Brandon Scott, struggle with mobility due in part to lymphedema issues; Season 3’s Susan Farmer also suffered from the condition, as well as Chuck Turner from My 600 Lb Life Season 2, who had a 40-pound lymphedema mass removed from his left leg.
Mercedes eats pizza with her two young children.
Because of her weight and underlying health concerns, Mercedes can barely stand, and relies almost completely on her two young children to help her. It’s already clear from TLC’s promo that her children are struggling to keep up with her needs, and with Mercedes’ limited ability to move or walk, she cant’ properly care for her children either, although her family does try to help when they can.
Knowing Dr. Now’s “tough-love” approach to helping his patients shed their weight and get their lives back on track, we’re wondering how Mercedes is going to fair in Houston, especially considering her past trauma.
If everything works out and Mercedes didn’t run into any significant health issues while filming, we expect the two-hour episode will delve deeper into her background, the abuse she suffered from her father, what led to her significant weight-gain, and hopefully her journey to lead a healthier lifestyle.
Tune in tonight to catch Mercedes’ story on My 600-lb Life, which airs Wednesdays at 8/7c on TLC.
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