Michaela & Brandon Keilen 5: She Goes By Michaela

[Lgirlrocks]

I work for mercy hospital. We are a catholic hospital. They don’t refuse service to anyone, no matter the gender or sexual orientation. It’s not Jesus like. I understand that Michael wasn’t brought up that way. I would hope that her spending time in the word would allow her to see that. Jesus treated everyone equally and ate with sinners. 

[RosyDaisy]

The thing is, these religious exemptions will prevent an employer from firing an employee for exercising their "rights".  Hospitals could face lawsuits or loss of funding if they refuse to accommodate.

[SassyPants]

1 hour ago, RosyDaisy said:

The thing is, these religious exemptions will prevent an employer from firing an employee for exercising their "rights".  Hospitals could face lawsuits or loss of funding if they refuse to accommodate.

They’ll find another reason for termination. The big guy rarely loses. Look at Trump.

[JemimaPuddle-Duck]

On 12/23/2019 at 11:29 PM, Melissa1977 said:

My husband and me have been married far longer than Michael and Brandon and we are an equal, happy couple. We have never read the Bible or pray together (neither alone). Just a tiny minority of the married couples around the word read the Bible, Michael. Even among believers, discussing their main religious book (surprise: not always it is the Bible) is not common or may be even a fault!. Also, some religions do not include prayers, in others men and women pray separately, etc. 

It infuriates me how fundies think that all ways to happiness are Bible based. They are not. And how Michael explains all the frustrated and unhappy Christian marriages around her? Or she just refuses to see that? May I introduce her Teri Maxwell?

She literally just said she doesn’t know how qualified they are, but these are a few things that work for THEM. 

[Lgirlrocks]

it’s always sweet when a husband calls his wife a precious girl ?

[FluffySnowball]

I wonder which “unanticipated events” Brandon is referring to. Their move back to Tennessee was planned, so... 

[sansan]

Regarding Michaela and what people call her infertility, and please don't shoot me for what I am about to say. Michaela is a big girl but very beautiful in my eyes but still a bit on the bigger side. My SIL could not conceive and when she finally went to the Doctor about it they told her they couldn't find a reason for her not conceiving but at times when people lose some weight they get pregnant. We were not exactly buying that but she did lose about 10 pounds and  within three months, she was pregnant, weird, huh? She had 2 children and did this both times. The Doctor said weight loss kick starts things sometimes. Just a thought. BTW, I am a big girl as well.

 

[nolongerIFBx]

1 hour ago, sansan said:

Regarding Michaela and what people call her infertility, and please don't shoot me for what I am about to say. Michaela is a big girl but very beautiful in my eyes but still a bit on the bigger side. My SIL could not conceive and when she finally went to the Doctor about it they told her they couldn't find a reason for her not conceiving but at times when people lose some weight they get pregnant. We were not exactly buying that but she did lose about 10 pounds and  within three months, she was pregnant, weird, huh? She had 2 children and did this both times. The Doctor said weight loss kick starts things sometimes. Just a thought. BTW, I am a big girl as well.

 

While it is true that weight can affect fertility, Michael is not and has never been big.

[FaithAndReason]

I'm not sure what photos you've seen of Michael that makes you say she's overweight? Just because she's not 4 1/2 pounds like Alyssa and Josie, doesn't mean she's fat. She's always looked like a normal range weight. She wears loose clothes for modesty, but that doesn't mean there's a weight issue. 

 

[SassyPants]

4 hours ago, sansan said:

Regarding Michaela and what people call her infertility, and please don't shoot me for what I am about to say. Michaela is a big girl but very beautiful in my eyes but still a bit on the bigger side. My SIL could not conceive and when she finally went to the Doctor about it they told her they couldn't find a reason for her not conceiving but at times when people lose some weight they get pregnant. We were not exactly buying that but she did lose about 10 pounds and  within three months, she was pregnant, weird, huh? She had 2 children and did this both times. The Doctor said weight loss kick starts things sometimes. Just a thought. BTW, I am a big girl as well.

 

Yes, being overweight can affect fertility.

Yes, by BMI standards, most American adults are overweight. 
Yes, M. Is larger than some of her sisters, who have more petite frames and who are also naturally thinner.

I would not say that M. Is outside the size of most American women. I doubt her weight, which I would say for her frame puts her in the average range, has affected her fertility. I think those issues apply more to those women who are obese. For the vast majority of women, 10 lbs is not going to affect fertility. Heck, if that were the case, the US birth rate would plummet.

 

TL;DR- M. Is an average sized woman. Please do not compare her to her very, very petite sisters (Carlin, Josie, Alyssa). She is very similarly built to Erin and Tori and they’re pretty fertile.

 

[HereticHick]

On 1/24/2020 at 8:06 PM, Lgirlrocks said:

 

it’s always sweet when a husband calls his wife a precious girl ?

Oh, come on.  Sometimes a pet name is just a pet name.

[mollysmom]

8 hours ago, sansan said:

Regarding Michaela and what people call her infertility, and please don't shoot me for what I am about to say. Michaela is a big girl but very beautiful in my eyes but still a bit on the bigger side. My SIL could not conceive and when she finally went to the Doctor about it they told her they couldn't find a reason for her not conceiving but at times when people lose some weight they get pregnant. We were not exactly buying that but she did lose about 10 pounds and  within three months, she was pregnant, weird, huh? She had 2 children and did this both times. The Doctor said weight loss kick starts things sometimes. Just a thought. BTW, I am a big girl as well.

 

 

I understand what you are trying to say. I've heard doctors say that before HOWEVER Michaela is certainly not big in any aspect whatsoever! Not in the least bit! 

[Melissa1977]

17 hours ago, sansan said:

Regarding Michaela and what people call her infertility, and please don't shoot me for what I am about to say. Michaela is a big girl but very beautiful in my eyes but still a bit on the bigger side. My SIL could not conceive and when she finally went to the Doctor about it they told her they couldn't find a reason for her not conceiving but at times when people lose some weight they get pregnant. We were not exactly buying that but she did lose about 10 pounds and  within three months, she was pregnant, weird, huh? She had 2 children and did this both times. The Doctor said weight loss kick starts things sometimes. Just a thought. BTW, I am a big girl as well.

 

As others said, Michaela is not obese. Not at all. She isn't even overweight! Just a bit more chubby than some of her sisters (who are on the thinner side for an average woman) and has the same kind of body than the extrafertile Erin.

If you think Michaela is big, no offense, but maybe it is the moment to reevaluate how you see others. You may like slim people, but it's important to know that slim does not equal average. Normal women includes both Alyssa and Michaela and even bigger ones. 

Also, Michael has visited doctors and has been tested. If losing weight was a solution, I bet she already would know. Not only that, but also she was thinner years ago, and it didn't help her getting pregnant.

Again, no offense, but be careful giving advice related to weight. You can hurt people who are healthy but with low self-esteem.

(And in case you are asking, I'm thin, so I'm not taking it personally).

[RosyDaisy]

I think think all of the Bates lucked out in the looks department.  They are all naturally beautiful/handsome and have different body types.  But, they all have an ugly inside because of their hateful, evil beliefs.  

[QuiverDance]

23 hours ago, sansan said:

Regarding Michaela and what people call her infertility, and please don't shoot me for what I am about to say. Michaela is a big girl but very beautiful in my eyes but still a bit on the bigger side. My SIL could not conceive and when she finally went to the Doctor about it they told her they couldn't find a reason for her not conceiving but at times when people lose some weight they get pregnant. We were not exactly buying that but she did lose about 10 pounds and  within three months, she was pregnant, weird, huh? She had 2 children and did this both times. The Doctor said weight loss kick starts things sometimes. Just a thought. BTW, I am a big girl as well.

 

IDK why you're getting downvoted, this same scenario happened to me.  

[Kailash]

7 minutes ago, QuiverDance said:

IDK why you're getting downvoted, this same scenario happened to me.  

I think it’s because she said Michaela is a big woman. She is not. 

[Melissa1977]

26 minutes ago, QuiverDance said:

IDK why you're getting downvoted, this same scenario happened to me.  

Weight loss only (may) increase fertility when the woman is obese. And not always, of course. Conversely, gaining weight (may) increase fertility when the woman is too thin. But only applies to extremes.

If you are thin or average or a bit overweight, losing several pounds is not increasing your fertility. You got pregnant after a diet? Great, but it's called luck*

*(supposing you are not obese)

Also, people is downvoting because calling an average woman big is body shaming, irreal and hurts non-slim women.

Edited January 29, 2020 by Melissa1977
Clarify

[nausicaa]

Just now, QuiverDance said:

IDK why you're getting downvoted, this same scenario happened to me.  

Partly because weight is the one topic in which FJ still seems to lose its mind and we ignore scientific evidence and "she who has the most emotional reaction" automatically wins. 

That being said, I do agree with others that Michaela is not at a weight where it would be affecting her fertility. (I wouldn't call her big, though posting her wedding photo is misleading as she lost a significant amount of weight for it, as many do.)

However, the OP also didn't call Michaela "fat" or "obese" and I think politely correcting her is much more useful than just giving her a "fuck you" reaction. 

[kmachete14]

Things to consider:

Fertility treatments can make you gain weight

A PCOS problem creates insulin resistance that makes it hard to lose weight/easy to gain

Michaela was likely stressed, depressed, and lonely -- which can make you gain weight 

We have no clue what's going on, but she's clearly not obese, so I don't think you can even attempt to say that would cause the infertility. She was also very slim at the beginning of her marriage and still didn't get pregnant.

[SassyPants]

1 hour ago, QuiverDance said:

IDK why you're getting downvoted, this same scenario happened to me.  

Like others have said, it’s because she referred to her as big. M. Is not a big woman. She has a larger frame than some of her sisters, and that is probably genetics in play. She is not tiny like some of her sisters, but she is certainly not big either. FWIW, downvoting the comment does seem extreme. 

[HerNameIsBuffy]

20 minutes ago, SassyPants said:

Like others have said, it’s because she referred to her as big. M. Is not a big woman. She has a larger frame than some of her sisters, and that is probably genetics in play. She is not tiny like some of her sisters, but she is certainly not big either. FWIW, downvoting the comment does seem extreme. 

Speaking as someone who at 5' 7" 119 lbs felt huge next to my Alyssa and Josie like sisters … it's all relative.

[Flossie]

Michaela is not a large, heavy, or obese woman.  She is perfectly normal.  She has been trying for a long time to get pregnant, and has been seeing doctors to try to get that happen.  I have no doubt that if one of them told her that she needed to lose ten pounds to increase her chances of conceiving, she'd see them that ten pounds and lose another five or ten on top of that.

I feel bad for her that her dream of having a baby hasn't come true yet, but maybe becoming a nurse will help in some way.  Her salary could go towards paying for her infertility treatments.  She could gain a better understanding of her infertility issues and better advocate for her own treatment plans.  In the meantime, maybe she could find satisfaction in helping others and become more well-rounded and more understanding and empathetic of people not like her.

[FighterJet]

On 10/19/2019 at 6:08 PM, Pretzel said:

Not trying to defend the Bateses' SOTDRT, but in fact Kelly Jo was a chemistry lab assistant in college and actually tutored Gil in chemistry. That's how they met. I don't know whether either of them has actually finished their degrees. The science lessons at the Bates house might not have been too bad after all, though.

If we think about it, it isn't that rare of young, weak-egoed fundie men to "go fishing" for a more qualified spouse at one of those worldly institutions. College or work aren't as uncommon as one may think. I bet these guys like the challenge, on top of having a desire for a real partner (that is, a functioning human who doesn't behave like the female larvaes fundies raise). Screechers such as pastors Anderson and Jimenez are two such examples, as their college educated wives are both converts.

It is possible they get a kick out of "outsmarting" the girls with their creationist views. They know they can't compete in the domains of knowledge, sophistication and possibly intelligence from the start, so they attempt ridiculing all science, offering a very literal and not in the least thought-out version of "how things are". It is true that science hasn't explained everything to date, so they play this card to win the perspective wives to their cause. There exist impressionable and in some way stuck (bored? Troubled past & family? Longing for a traditional lifestyle but unable to quit everything?) girls who fall for them, although I sometimes wonder if they really, truly, completely believe all their husbands say to be true.

 

[HerNameIsBuffy]

31 minutes ago, Flossie said:

I feel bad for her that her dream of having a baby hasn't come true yet, but maybe becoming a nurse will help in some way.  Her salary could go towards paying for her infertility treatments.  She could gain a better understanding of her infertility issues and better advocate for her own treatment plans.  In the meantime, maybe she could find satisfaction in helping others and become more well-rounded and more understanding and empathetic of people not like her.

I've never understood the sentiment of what seems to be putting the happiness of a Gothard following fundy over that of the potential child she'd be raising within a cult.

I do not feel bad for the babies that aren't being born into a dangerous cult.  My heart breaks for the ones who are.

 

[SassyPants]

1 hour ago, HerNameIsBuffy said:

Speaking as someone who at 5' 7" 119 lbs felt huge next to my Alyssa and Josie like sisters … it's all relative.

And that would be an appropriate comment coming from M, but the comparison being made here is not about how M. feels about herself, so it is nothing but an unnecessary judgment. Like others have said, M’s size likely has nothing to do with her infertility.