Original subtitles

June: I'M LIVING IN A NIGHTMARE.

SOMETHING HAS TO CHANGE, OR I'M GOING TO DIE.

**

Man: MY WEIGHT HAS GIVEN ME A DEATH SENTENCE.

Woman: THE THING I RELIED ON ALL THESE YEARS

IS WHAT'S KILLING ME.

-IT'S BROKEN! -WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO?

I DON'T KNOW. I CAN'T GET OFF.

DON'T LET ME GO. -I'M NOT.

Man: IT'S HARD TO BE A FATHER FROM A CHAIR.

THANK YOU, HONEY.

I SEE THAT UNWILLINGNESS.

IF YOU WERE SERIOUS, YOU'D MAKE CHANGES.

June: NO, BABY, I WILL NOT AGREE WITH YOU WITH THAT.

IF YOU DON'T FOLLOW WHAT YOUR DOCTORS SAY,

YOU SHOULD GO SEE SOMEBODY ELSE.

-- Captions by VITAC -- www.vitac.com

CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS

June: PAIN IS ONE OF THE THINGS IN LIFE

THAT WE HAVE NO CONTROL OVER.

WHEN WE TRY TO AVOID IT, WE MAKE IT MUCH, MUCH WORSE.

[ GROANS ]

I'M LIVING IN A NIGHTMARE.

I'M IN PAIN.

I'M BREATHING HEAVY.

AND IT JUST HURTS TO SIT UP.

THE WEIGHT IS TOO MUCH.

AND I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH MORE I CAN ACTUALLY PUT ON MY KNEES.

AND IT'S JUST DIFFICULT TO DO ANYTHING ON MY OWN.

I HAVE TO GET MY GIRLFRIEND, SADI, TO HELP BATHE ME

AND MAKE SURE I'M CLEAN.

OKAY.

IT IS SO DIFFICULT EVEN TO GET IN THE TUB.

YOU GOT IT?

OHH.

AND THEN I CAN'T STAND UP FOR LONG.

OHH! -YOU OKAY?

YEAH. YEAH.

SO SADI DOES EVERYTHING PHYSICAL FOR ME.

TO HAVE SOMEONE BATHE ME IS SO EMBARRASSING.

BUT I FEEL LIKE MY BODY IS GONNA GIVE OUT AT ANY MOMENT.

WHEN I'M WALKING THROUGH THE HOUSE,

I HAVE TO SIT DOWN AND REST.

BUT I ONLY HAVE THREE PLACES I CAN SIT --

MY BED, THE BATHROOM TOILET,

AND MY CHAIR.

YEAH.

OW, OW, OW, OW.

ARM.

EVERYTHING I TRY TO DO

PUSHES MY BODY TO THE LIMIT.

AND MY WORLD IS CONFINED.

I FEEL LIKE I'M GOING FROM A BED COFFIN

TO A CHAIR COFFIN.

THIS IS NOT THE LIFE THAT I THOUGHT I WOULD HAVE.

WHEN I WAS A CHILD,

I DIDN'T STRUGGLE WITH MY WEIGHT.

BUT MY WEIGHT DID PROGRESS OVER THE YEARS.

THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL AND MY EARLY 20s,

I WAS VERY VOLUPTUOUS, VERY CURVY,

BUT I WAS ACTIVE AND HAPPY.

IT WASN'T UNTIL I STARTED HAVING CHILDREN

THAT I STARTED STRUGGLING WITH MY WEIGHT.

I'VE HAD FOUR CHILDREN,

AND AFTER HAVING MY LAST CHILD,

I WAS WELL OVER THE 300-POUND MARK.

IT WASN'T UNTIL I LOST MY SON

THAT MY WEIGHT GOT OUT OF CONTROL.

OHH.

FOUR YEARS AGO,

MY WHOLE WORLD CAME CRASHING DOWN.

MY SON MACK WAS IN THE WRONG PLACE AT THE WRONG TIME

BEING AROUND PEOPLE HE HAD NO BUSINESS BEING AROUND.

AND HE WAS SHOT AND KILLED.

I REMEMBER MY DAUGHTER WALKED IN THE DOOR.

SHE SAID, "MACK IS DEAD. MACK IS GONE."

I INSTANTLY WENT NUMB.

THAT WAS THE MOMENT WHERE EVERYTHING CHANGED.

ONCE HER SON DIED, IT WAS LIKE SHE GAVE UP.

THAT CHANGED HER DRAMATICALLY.

OHH.

SHE JUST BEGAN TO EAT HER PAIN.

I SHUT DOWN.

MY COMFORT REALLY WENT INTO FOOD AT THAT POINT.

I NEEDED SOMETHING TO COPE WITH.

I DIDN'T CARE ABOUT MY SIZE.

AND I JUST ATE.

Sadi: JUNE STILL STRUGGLES WITH THAT PAIN.

SOME DAYS SHE DEALS WITH IT BETTER THAN OTHERS,

BUT SHE STRUGGLES WITH IT.

NOW, YOU KNOW WHAT WOULD BE NICE?

SOME SESAME AND SOME EGG FOO YOUNG.

I MISS HIM EVERY MOMENT.

AND WHEN I THINK ABOUT MACK,

I WANT TO EAT SOMETHING THAT I KNOW HE LOVED.

I CAN'T COMPREHEND HE'S GONE.

AND I FED HIM HIS WHOLE LIFE.

SO IT'S LIKE HE NEED TO EAT, TOO.

SO I'M FEEDING MY BABY.

IT'S SO CRAZY BECAUSE I KNOW I'M NOT FEEDING HIM,

AND I KNOW HE DOESN'T WANT ME TO KEEP EATING.

BUT I CAN'T STOP.

SADI.

OKAY. ONE MOMENT.

I'M HUNGRY.

Sadi: WHEN I FIRST MET JUNE TWO YEARS AGO,

I LIKED THE FACT THAT SHE WAS A VERY CONFIDENT WOMAN

AND SHE LIKED TO GET OUT.

BUT NOW THE ROMANCE JUST, LIKE -- JUST FADED.

AND IT'S LIKE I SETTLED INTO BEING A CARETAKER.

I WANT SOME NACHOS AND A BURRITO.

I WANT EXTRA BEEF, EXTRA CHEESE,

AND EXTRA SOUR CREAM.

OF COURSE.

June: I EAT WHAT I WANT.

ALWAYS HAVE, ALWAYS WILL.

AND NOW AND THEN, SADI WILL SAY, "I'M JUST NOT GONNA GO GET IT."

OKAY. I HAVE A CELLPHONE.

SO EITHER YOU'RE GONNA DO IT, OR I'M GONNA DO IT.

TAKE YOUR PICK.

THAT AIN'T THAT MUCH.

I'M JUST SAYING.

I'M HUNGRY.

Sadi: SHE'S TOTALLY DEPENDENT ON ME.

I HAVE TO GO RUN ERRANDS

'CAUSE SHE CAN'T EVEN GET IN HER VEHICLE.

SO IT'S A CHALLENGE ALTOGETHER.

IT'S A CHALLENGE.

I GET FAST FOOD ANYWHERE FROM ONE TO TWO TIMES A DAY,

SOMETIMES THREE.

I'M CONFLICTED BY BUYING THIS FOOD.

I GIVE IN BECAUSE I DON'T WANT A FUSS.

OKAY, YOU READY?

CAN I HAVE A NACHO GRANDE,

TWO STUFFED BURRITOS,

GORDITAS WITH EXTRA BEEF,

A CHALUPA,

AND TWO HARD-SHELL TACOS.

NO, THAT'LL BE ALL.

BUT, HONESTLY,

I FEEL LIKE SHE DOESN'T HAVE MUCH TIME

'CAUSE HOW LONG CAN A PERSON LIVE LIKE THIS?

UH, DID YOU LOOK AT THE PAPER?

YES, I DID.

YOU COULDN'T HAVE.

THEY MESSED IT UP?

I HAD AN ORDER AND CAME THROUGH DRIVE-THROUGH,

AND YOU GUYS DIDN'T PUT AN ITEM IN THE BAG AT ALL.

SHE ACTS LIKE AN ADDICT,

AND HER FIX IS FOOD.

ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU.

June: IF MY SON SAW ME RIGHT NOW,

IT WOULD HURT HIM.

I LOVE MY SON.

BUT I'M NOT READY TO GO SEE HIM.

SOMETHING HAS TO CHANGE, OR I'M GOING TO DIE.

**

THERE'S A DOCTOR HERE IN HOUSTON.

THEY CALL HIM DR. NOW.

HE DOES SURGERY ON PEOPLE MY SIZE.

I'M GOING TO SEE HIM TODAY,

AND I'M HOPING HE CAN HELP ME.

BUT THIS IS SO HARD.

I HAVEN'T BEEN OUTSIDE MY DOOR IN ABOUT FOUR MONTHS.

YOU WANT ME IN FRONT OF YOU, RIGHT?

YEAH.

I'M NOT SURE IF I CAN EVEN MAKE IT DOWN THE STEPS.

YOUR KNEES FEEL OKAY?

-NO. -NO?

OHH! OKAY.

I'M LITERALLY FIGHTING FOR MY LIFE RIGHT NOW.

OUCH, OUCH, OUCH, OUCH, OUCH.

I'VE BEEN IN THE HOSPITAL OVER 20 TIMES

IN THE LAST THREE YEARS.

NO DOCTOR HAS BEEN ABLE TO HELP ME.

I'M PRAYING THAT'S NOT THE SAME WITH THIS DOCTOR.

YEAH, PULL IT.

THIS HAS TO WORK.

OHH!

BUT I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THE SCALE IS GONNA SAY.

I'M REALLY AFRAID THIS DOCTOR MAY SAY I'M BEYOND HELP.

IF HE DOES, IT'S GONNA BE MY DEATH SENTENCE.

**

June: I'M NERVOUS.

THE WORST THING I CAN FIND OUT RIGHT NOW

IS MY WEIGHT IS TOO HIGH

AND THE DOCTOR CAN'T HELP ME.

OHH!

IT'S SHOCKING.

IT'S ACTUALLY DISTURBING.

OKAY.

I REALLY WASN'T READY FOR THAT.

-HELLO. -HELLO.

I'M DR. NOWZARADAN.

I'M JUNE. HOW YOU DOING?

SO, YOU ARE ALMOST 600 POUNDS.

TELL ME HOW YOU GOT TO THIS SIZE.

JUST EATING TOO MUCH.

I'M A STEAK, POTATO GIRL.

SWEETS ARE NOT MAJOR FOR ME.

IN A WEEK'S TIME, IF I EAT SWEETS --

MAYBE TWICE, OR THE MOST IS THREE TIMES.

Sadi: UNLESS YOU'RE STRESSED.

YEAH, UNLESS I'M STRESSED.

IF I'M STRESSED, THEN EVERYTHING IS OPEN, HONESTLY.

EATING FOOD, EATING SWEETS, DRINKING POP, DRINKING JUICE.

WHO GETS YOUR FOOD FOR YOU?

SHE'S GOING TO THE GROCERY STORE.

SO SHE DOES EVERYTHING THAT YOU ASK HER?

PRETTY MUCH. I'M BOSSY.

OR SHE GETS SOMEONE ELSE IF I DON'T DO IT.

OR I GET SOMEONE ELSE TO DO IT.

YEAH.

Dr. Nowzaradan: JUNE'S PARTNER IS ENABLING HER,

BUT SHE'S NOT OVERWEIGHT.

WHEN AN ENABLER

IS NOT PARTICIPATING IN POOR EATING HABITS,

THEY OFTEN FEEL THIS IS A FORM OF CONTROL,

BUT THEY DON'T REALIZE THEY'RE BEING MANIPULATED.

ACCORDING TO YOUR MEDICAL CHART,

YOU HAD A NUMBER OF MEDICAL ISSUES.

YEAH, I HAD A HEART ATTACK IN 2011.

AND YOU HAD A STROKE.

YEAH, I HAD A MAJOR STROKE IN 2010.

AND YOU'RE TAKING ABOUT --

18, 19, 20 --

21 MEDICATIONS. -YEAH.

THAT REALLY CONCERNS ME.

JUNE'S BODY IS STARTING TO GIVE OUT.

SHE MAY NOT HAVE MUCH TIME LEFT AT ALL.

IT'S TOO RISKY FOR HER TO TRY TO GET HER HEALTH

UNDER CONTROL ON HER OWN.

WE NEED TO OPERATE TO START THE PROCESS.

I AM VERY CONCERNED ABOUT YOUR HEALTH RIGHT NOW.

IF I SEND YOU HOME, IT MAY BE THE LAST TIME I SEE YOU.

SO I'M GOING TO ADMIT YOU TO HOSPITAL IMMEDIATELY

TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU ARE NOT CLOSE TO ANOTHER STROKE

OR WORSE RIGHT NOW.

ONCE I'M CONFIDENT

SHE'S NOT FACING ANY IMMINENT HEALTH ISSUES

AND HER WEIGHT IS GOING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION,

I'LL SEND HER HOME TO TRY

TO CONTINUE HER PROGRESS ON HER OWN.

THAT IS WHEN SHE'LL NEED TO SHOW ME

THAT SHE'S READY FOR BYPASS.

YOU'RE NOT READY FOR BYPASS RIGHT NOW.

AND I DOUBT YOU WILL SURVIVE THE PROCEDURE

IN YOUR CURRENT STATE.

THIS IS A TIME TO START MAKING CHANGES.

ALL RIGHT.

BUT RIGHT NOW MY PRIORITY

IS SHE WILL LIVE ANOTHER MONTH TO HAVE THIS CHANCE.

June: I WASN'T EXPECTING THIS OUTCOME TODAY.

I DIDN'T THINK I WOULD END UP GOING TO THE HOSPITAL AT ALL.

THIS IS VERY OVERWHELMING,

BUT I DON'T WANT TO DIE.

**

THIS HAS BEEN A LITTLE NERVE-RACKING

BEING IN A HOSPITAL, HAVING ALL THESE TESTS RAN.

I'VE JUST BEEN FOCUSING ON LEARNING THE MEAL PLAN

THAT THE DOCTOR GAVE ME.

LISTEN. ONE GRAM OF PROTEIN

PROVIDES FOUR CALORIES OF ENERGY.

HELLO.

-HEY. -YOU DOING OKAY?

I'M DOING OKAY. PRETTY GOOD.

ALL RIGHT, SO, THE LAB REPORT

SHOWS THAT YOU'RE SUFFERING WITH QUITE SEVERE MALNUTRITION.

THIS IS SOMETHING WE HAVE TO FIX RIGHT NOW.

DESPITE BEING OVERWEIGHT, JUNE IS SEVERELY MALNOURISHED.

SHE HAS BEEN EATING FOOD WITH ALMOST NO NUTRITIONAL VALUE.

YOU NEED TO BE ON ALMOST ZERO-CARB,

HIGH-PROTEIN DIET.

HERE IN THE HOSPITAL FOR THE NEXT MONTH.

I DO HAVE ONE QUESTION.

YOU SAID NO FRUIT.

WHAT ABOUT STRAWBERRIES MAYBE ONCE OR TWICE A DAY?

ONLY ONE OR TWO?

YOU WANT TO ELIMINATE SUGAR AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.

THE STRAWBERRIES --

I'M BEING VERY HONEST WITH YOU --

STRAWBERRIES ARE MY ADDICTION.

I DON'T THINK JUNE GRASPS THE GRAVITY OF HER SITUATION.

HER BODY IS NOT HEALTHY ENOUGH TO EVEN HANDLE A COLD RIGHT NOW.

YOUR CONDITION HAS TO IMPROVE IMMEDIATELY.

SO WE'RE GOING TO LIMIT YOUR DIET

AND GET YOU A LITTLE BIT MORE ACTIVE OVER THE NEXT MONTH.

AND JUNE IS GOING TO BE IN A CONTROLLED ENVIRONMENT.

SHE NEEDS TO COMPLY WITH THE PROGRAM OVER THE NEXT MONTH.

IF NOT, THERE'S NOT MUCH ELSE I CAN DO FOR HER.

OKAY. YOU CAN DO THIS.

ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU.

**

June: IT'S BEEN ROUGH BEING IN THE HOSPITAL THIS LONG.

OKAY, I NEED YOU TO START MOVING AROUND A LITTLE BIT.

I FELT SICK A LOT,

SO THAT'S MADE IT HARD FOR ME TO WALK.

BEING RESTRICTED TO SUCH A LOW-CALORIE DIET

IS A HUGE ADJUSTMENT.

I JUST HOPE I'M MAKING THE PROGRESS I NEED.

Dr. Nowzaradan: JUNE HAS BEEN IN THE HOSPITAL FOR A MONTH.

SHE MADE IT CLEAR A NUMBER OF TIMES

THAT SHE IS NOT HAPPY WITH THE DIET AND EXERCISE.

I THINK SHE'S USED TO TELLING EVERYBODY

SHE'S SICK SO PEOPLE WAIT ON HER

AND SHE GET THE ATTENTION THAT SHE WANTS.

SHE STILL HAS HER PARTNER TAKING CARE OF HER.

THAT ENABLING DYNAMIC HASN'T CHANGED.

BUT DESPITE HER PUSHBACK TO THE PROGRAM,

WE STUCK WITH IT, AND SHE MADE SOME PROGRESS OVER THE MONTH.

JUNE, HOW ARE YOU DOING? -[ SIGHS ] BETTER.

SO, WE'RE GONNA CHECK YOUR WEIGHT TODAY.

PERFECT.

HEY!

OKAY. SUPER.

RIGHT NOW, SHE'S HEALTHY ENOUGH TO GO HOME

AND TRY TO MAKE PROGRESS ON HER OWN.

FOR NEXT MONTH, I WANT JUNE TO JUST LOSE FIVE POUNDS

AND SHOW ME THAT SHE CAN KEEP THINGS

MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.

IF SHE DOES, THEN I WILL APPROVE HER

FOR GASTRIC BYPASS SURGERY.

BUT RIGHT NOW I HOPE SHE DOESN'T THROW AWAY

ALL THE PROGRESS AND HELP

SHE RECEIVED OVER THE PAST MONTH.

**

Sadi: WHAT DO YOU FEEL LIKE FOR DINNER?

WE GOT STEAK STILL?

YES.

POTATOES WITH SOUR CREAM ON IT?

YEAH.

June: SINCE BEING AT THE HOSPITAL, I HAVEN'T BEEN FEELING WELL.

I WAS HOPING TO HAVE MADE MORE PROGRESS BY NOW.

YOU ABOUT READY TO COME TO THE TABLE?

-YEAH. -OKAY.

MY LYMPHEDEMA HAS BEEN SWELLING

AND CAUSING A LOT OF PAIN IN MY LEGS.

THEY COLLECT A LOT OF FLUID WHEN THEY'RE SWOLLEN LIKE THIS.

IT JUST MAKES IT HARD FOR ME TO GET UP.

-ALL RIGHT, HERE YOU GO. -THANK YOU.

YOU'RE WELCOME.

I DIDN'T THINK IT WOULD BE THIS HARD

BECAUSE I'M STARVING MYSELF AT TIMES.

IT'S ONLY WHEN I'M SICK

THAT I EAT THE FOODS I KNOW I SHOULDN'T

BECAUSE THEY HELP GET MY STRENGTH BACK UP.

I'LL SEE WHAT KIND OF PROGRESS I MAKE AT THE NEXT DOCTOR VISIT

AND GO FROM THERE.

**

WHEW.

June: I'M NERVOUS ABOUT SEEING THE DOCTOR TODAY.

I HOPE I'VE GOTTEN DOWN FIVE POUNDS.

IT'S BEEN A HARD MONTH.

I HAVE TO ADMIT I DID CHEAT,

BUT IF I CAN JUST GET TO SURGERY,

IT WOULD CHANGE MY LIFE.

IT WOULD SAVE MY LIFE.

HMM.

WHICH ROOM? -ROOM 5.

I'M NOT SHOCKED,

BUT THEN, IT'S A LITTLE DISHEARTENING,

ESPECIALLY AFTER LOSING AND DOING GOOD ON THE DIET.

OKAY, JUNE, YOU GAINED 20 POUNDS.

WHAT HAPPENED?

FLUID.

YOU MAY THINK THAT THIS IS WATER WEIGHT, BUT IT'S NOT.

IT'S FAT. YOU GAINED WEIGHT

BECAUSE YOU DIDN'T STICK WITH YOUR DIET AND EXERCISE.

I HAVE NOT DONE ANY --

I'M GONNA TELL YOU THE HONEST-TO-GOD TRUTH.

I DID CHEAT. I HAD CHINESE FOOD

ONE DAY, HONESTLY.

JUNE, I WATCHED YOU IN THE HOSPITAL FOR A MONTH,

AND I SEE THAT UNWILLINGNESS TO CHANGE.

YOU'RE ALWAYS GONNA BE SICK

BECAUSE IF YOU ENCOUNTER SOMETHING

YOU DON'T WANT TO DO, YOU SAY YOU'RE SICK.

I RESPECT YOU TOTALLY,

BUT I'M GONNA SAY THIS -- YOU'RE WRONG.

LET ME TELL YOU WHY YOU'RE WRONG --

BECAUSE I KNOW THIS IS MY TIME TO LOSE WEIGHT.

Dr. Nowzaradan: JUNE CAN SAY WHATEVER SHE WANTS.

I CARE ABOUT HER ACTIONS.

I THINK SHE NEEDS A WAKE-UP CALL.

THE MENTAL ATTITUDE THAT I SEE IN YOU --

THAT YOU ARE NOT LETTING YOUR DISEASES GO AWAY --

IS BOTHERING ME.

SWEETHEART, I'M GONNA BE HONEST.

I DON'T AGREE WITH YOU WHERE I'M HOLDING ONTO A DISEASE.

NO, BABY, I WILL NOT AGREE WITH YOU WITH THAT.

IF YOU WERE REALLY SERIOUS ABOUT THIS,

I WOULD SEE EVIDENCE OF THAT.

YOUR WALKER IS A GOOD EXAMPLE.

YOU DON'T NEED THE WALKER.

YOU WANT THE WALKER.

IF YOU'RE SERIOUS ABOUT BEING ACTIVE,

THIS WOULD BE FIRST THING TO GO.

I WANT THIS.

I GAINED THEM 20 POUNDS, AND I'M WRONG FOR THAT.

I FEEL SOME OF IT'S LYMPHEDEMA AND THE WATER,

BUT I BELIEVE I AM A GOOD CANDIDATE

FOR YOU TO DO SURGERY ON ME.

AND I WILL BE A GREAT SUCCESS FOR ME.

OKAY. I WANT YOU TO UNDO THE DAMAGE

YOU HAVE DONE IN THE PAST MONTH.

LOSE THE 20 POUNDS THAT YOU'VE GAINED.

I'LL GIVE YOU TWO WEEKS.

-TWO WEEKS, 20 POUNDS? -YOU CAN DO THAT?

-YES, I CAN. -ALL RIGHT.

SO YOU'RE GONNA BE GOOD? -YES.

AND YOU'RE GONNA BE PROACTIVE?

-YES. -AND LOSE YOUR WALKER.

-YES. -SEE YOU IN TWO WEEKS,

AND YOU START WORKING HARD, OKAY?

GOTCHA.

JUNE HAS TO MAKE PROGRESS,

AND SHE HAS TO DO IT NOW.

HOPEFULLY, THIS APPOINTMENT

HAS BEEN A SMALL WAKE-UP CALL FOR HER.

June: IT HURTS TO HEAR THE DOCTOR SAY

HE DOESN'T THINK I'M GONNA CHANGE.

I DON'T WANT TO KEEP LIVING LIKE THIS.

SO NO MORE EXCUSES.

I CAN DO THIS.

YOU GOT IT, OR YOU WANT ME TO PULL YOU UP?

NO, I'M GOING TO GET UP.

OKAY.

OKAY.

MY LAST DOCTOR APPOINTMENT, IT WAS A WAKE-UP CALL.

I'M WAY MORE FOCUSED THAN I'VE EVER BEEN.

I'VE CUT BACK ON MY EATING,

AND I'M GETTING INTO THE KITCHEN

AND HELPING TO PREPARE MY OWN FOOD.

AND I'M TAKING SOME OF THE BURDEN OFF SADI.

Sadi: JUNE'S BEEN PUSHING HERSELF.

I KNOW SHE HAS A CLEAR VIEW

ON WHAT SHE NEEDS TO STICK TO ON HER DIET.

SHE'S BEEN DOING PRETTY GOOD.

June: BEFORE MY LAST DOCTOR VISIT,

I WAS DOING THINGS MY WAY,

AND THAT WASN'T GETTING ME VERY FAR.

SO NOW I'M DOING THE THINGS THE DOCTOR TOLD ME.

I REALIZE IF I DON'T PUSH MYSELF,

I WILL NEVER LOSE THIS WEIGHT

AND I'LL NEVER GET SURGERY.

WHEN I FEEL LIKE I'M ABOUT READY TO GIVE UP,

MY MOTIVATION KICKS RIGHT BACK IN LIKE, "UNH-UNH."

AND MY SON IN THE BACK OF MY HEAD IS LIKE,

"MA, KEEP IT MOVING."

I'VE GOT A ROUTINE, AND I'M GONNA STICK TO IT.

I HAVE WORKED SO HARD.

I HOPE AND PRAY IT'S ENOUGH TO GET THE SURGERY.

TASTY.

MY BEST ONE YET.

I'M SEEING THE DOCTOR SOON,

AND I'M MAKING SURE THAT SCALE SHOWS ME AND HIM

THE PROGRESS I KNOW I CAN MAKE.

**

Woman: JUNE?

June: SO MUCH IS RIDING ON THIS APPOINTMENT TODAY.

THIS IS MY LAST CHANCE TO GET THE SURGERY I NEED.

EVERYTHING IS RIDING ON THIS NUMBER BEING LOW ENOUGH.

I HAVE TO HAVE DONE THIS.

**

June: I NEED TO GET BACK TO 536 POUNDS.

IF THE NUMBER ON THE SCALE HASN'T GONE DOWN,

I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE I CAN DO.

THAT'S IT.

THAT'S IT RIGHT THERE.

OKAY. OKAY.

I'M PROUD OF MYSELF.

I'M SHOWING HIM THAT I'M DEFINITELY DEDICATED.

I KNEW I CAN DO THIS.

-HELLO. -HI.

YOU HAVE COME DOWN ABOUT 60, 70 POUNDS

SINCE I SAW YOU THE FIRST TIME?

-YEAH, PRETTY MUCH. -SUPER.

ANY PROBLEMS WITH YOUR DIET OR ANYTHING?

ACTUALLY, NO.

I AM DOING AWESOME.

I'M WALKING EARLY IN THE MORNING, WALKING AT NIGHT.

I'M ACTUALLY GOING DOWN THE STEPS.

AND WHAT DON'T YOU SEE IN FRONT OF ME?

-YOU MISSING SOMETHING? -YEAH, I'M MISSING SOMETHING.

-WHAT? -THE WALKER.

-WHAT WALKER? -EXACTLY.

NO WALKER.

I THINK THE WAKE-UP CALL MADE SOMETHING SINK IN FOR JUNE.

SHE MADE THE PROGRESS,

AND AFTER SHOWING ME THAT SHE'S TAKING THINGS

SERIOUSLY NOW...

WE'RE GOING TO THEN SET YOU UP

FOR YOUR WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY, OKAY?

AWESOME. AWESOME.

I'M PROUD OF YOU BOTH.

-THANK YOU. -OKAY.

June: THIS SURGERY MEANS EVERYTHING TO ME.

I'M PROUD OF MYSELF,

AND I KNOW MY SON WOULD BE PROUD OF ME.

I CAN'T WAIT TO START GETTING MY LIFE BACK.

**

I'M NERVOUS THAT SOMETHING COULD GO WRONG.

BUT THIS IS SOMETHING I HAVE TO DO TO CHANGE MY LIFE.

JUST CALM DOWN.

IT'S NOT GOOD GOING IN LIKE THIS.

RIGHT? -ALL RIGHT.

-YOU CAN DO THIS. -I KNOW.

-IT'S OKAY. -I GOT THIS.

I'M TRYING NOT TO THINK ABOUT HOW DANGEROUS THIS SURGERY IS,

BUT I'M RISKING MY LIFE FOR A BETTER LIFE,

A HEALTHIER LIFE.

SO, I KNOW I HAVE TO DO THIS.

Dr. Nowzaradan: TODAY, I'M ATTEMPTING TO PERFORM GASTRIC BYPASS ON JUNE.

WITH ALL HER MEDICAL CONDITIONS AND HER SIZE,

SHE IS EXTREMELY HIGH-RISK.

SO, THERE'S A CHANCE

THAT WE WON'T BE ABLE TO COMPLETE THE BYPASS TODAY.

IF THERE ARE ANY COMPLICATIONS,

IT WILL BE TOO DANGEROUS TO CONTINUE THE OPERATION.

THAT'S OKAY.

GASTRIC BYPASS IS A WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY

THAT WE TAKE THE LARGE STOMACH

AND WE MAKE IT INTO A VERY SMALL POUCH.

THE NEW POUCH IS CONNECTED TO THE SMALL INTESTINE,

BYPASSING THE UPPER PART OF THE INTESTINE.

SO, THIS PROCEDURE WILL LIMIT THE AMOUNT OF FOOD

THAT PATIENT CAN EAT IN ONE SITTING

AND REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF ABSORPTION OF CALORIES.

Sadi: JUNE HAS BEEN IN SURGERY FOR OVER TWO HOURS NOW.

I PRAYED ABOUT IT. I PUT THE FAITH IN GOD,

AND THAT'S WHERE I'M LEAVING IT.

I'M JUST LOOKING FORWARD TO GOOD RESULTS.

Dr. Nowzaradan: ALL RIGHT. ROOM LIGHT ON.

ALL RIGHT.

EVERYTHING WENT SMOOTH, AND THERE WAS NO COMPLICATION.

EVERYTHING WENT VERY WELL IN THE SURGERY.

NOW COMES THE REAL WORK.

THIS BYPASS IS GOING TO BE A MAJOR ADJUSTMENT FOR HER.

ALL HER ANXIETY AND DESIRE TO BE IN CONTROL

IS GOING TO HAVE TO FIND ANOTHER OUTLET

IF SHE'S GOING TO BE SUCCESSFUL LONG-TERM.

June: UGH.

**

UGH. I GOT UP TO GO TO THE BATHROOM,

BUT IT FELT LIKE SOMETHING TORE OR RIPPED.

AND IT -- I HAVE BEEN IN PAIN EVER SINCE IN THAT ONE SPOT.

OW! OH, YEP, YEP!

RIGHT THERE. -RIGHT HERE?

YEP.

JUNE IS USED TO SAYING SHE'S SICK OR THERE'S AN ISSUE.

IT GETS HER ATTENTION

AND USUALLY GETS HER WHAT SHE WANTS.

OHHH.

ANOTHER DAY. ANOTHER DAY.

JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT'S OKAY.

I -- -ALL RIGHT.

-OH, GEEZ. -ALL RIGHT.

Dr. Nowzaradan: THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING WRONG WITH JUNE,

BUT OLD HABITS ARE DYING HARD.

SHE WANTS TO STAY IN THE HOSPITAL

BECAUSE SHE GET CATERING HERE.

THE NURSES CLEAN HER UP.

BUT WE NEED TO GET HER HOME TO LEARN A NEW ROUTINE,

TO GET HER TO BECOME INDEPENDENT.

-YOU GOT IT? -YEP. THANK YOU.

IN THE HOSPITAL,

SHE'S NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.

**

June: I'VE BEEN WORKING TO STAY ACTIVE AND EAT WHAT I SHOULD.

BUT I'M CONCERNED THAT I'M NOT WHERE I NEED TO BE

AFTER SURGERY.

I'M DONE. -OKAY.

MY YOUNGEST DAUGHTER HAS BEEN STAYING WITH ME.

AND IT'S BEEN NICE.

BUT I JUST DON'T FEEL WELL.

IT'S BEEN FRUSTRATING,

BECAUSE I EXPECTED THE SURGERY TO MAKE THINGS EASIER.

YOU ALL RIGHT?

IT HASN'T, AND I FEEL WEAKER THAN EVER BEFORE.

I MEAN, IT'S NOT GOING DOWN.

YOU ALREADY KNOW THE SITUATION.

IF THIS GETS MUCH WORSE...

[ COUGHING ]

...I'M GOING BACK TO THE HOSPITAL.

ARE YOU ALL RIGHT, MOM?

[ COUGHING ]

I KNEW IT WAS GONNA BE TOUGH.

BUT LORD HAVE MERCY ON MY SOUL.

I DIDN'T KNOW IT WAS GONNA BE THIS BAD.

IT'S BEEN A HARD FEW MONTHS.

Nurse: CAN I HAVE JUNE?

June: I'VE BEEN IN AND OUT OF THE HOSPITAL

BECAUSE I'VE BEEN REALLY SICK.

BUT I STILL MADE GOOD PROGRESS.

HEY!

LOSING THIS MUCH WEIGHT, I'M REALLY PROUD OF MYSELF.

I HOPE THE DOCTOR IS TOO.

HELLO.

-HELLO. -HI.

HOW ARE Y'ALL DOING?

-GOOD. -ALL RIGHT.

SO, HOW YOU GETTING ALONG SINCE YOU LEFT THE HOSPITAL

A COUPLE DAYS AGO? -PRETTY GOOD.

I'M GETTING PAST THE VOMITING PART,

SO ONLY ISSUE I GOT NOW

IS THE RIGHT KNEE JUST A LITTLE BIT.

SO, HOW MANY TIMES YOU BEEN IN HOSPITAL?

SINCE I DISCHARGED JUNE AFTER HER BYPASS,

SHE'S RETURNED TO HOSPITAL THREE TIMES,

CLAIMING THAT SHE WAS UNABLE TO EAT,

SHE WAS GETTING WEAK,

AND SHE HAD WHOLE HOST OF SYMPTOM.

WHEN I EXAMINED HER, THERE IS NOTHING WRONG.

YOU KNOW, YOU'VE BEEN IN AND OUT OF HOSPITAL

WITH SOME SYMPTOM THAT IS NOT REALLY PRESENT

BUT IT WAS PRESENT IN YOUR MIND.

THE SUGGESTION IS YOU WANT SOMETHING TO BE WRONG

OR SOMETHING ELSE IS GOING ON.

WHAT I RECOMMEND THAT WE GET YOU TO SEE A PSYCHOTHERAPIST

TO START HELPING YOU WITH THIS.

THE ISSUE THAT HAS DRIVEN HER TO EAT

AND IS DRIVING HER TO GET ATTENTION HAS TO BE ADDRESSED

IF SHE'S GOING TO SUCCEED IN LONG-TERM.

I'VE GOT A LOT OF ISSUES GOING ON.

I AIN'T GONNA LIE ABOUT IT. I DO.

I'M A LITTLE CRAZY.

I'M NOT GONNA LIE TO YOU ABOUT THAT.

AS FAR AS YOUR THERAPIST THAT YOU WANT ME TO SEE,

I'M GONNA BE VERY HONEST. I'M GONNA DENY THAT.

WHAT'S THE HARM IN SEEING A THERAPIST?

I DON'T WANT TO TALK TO SOMEONE THAT DOESN'T KNOW ME.

THIS IS PART OF YOUR TREATMENT,

AND IF YOU DON'T WANT TO FOLLOW THAT DIRECTION,

THAT'S NOT VERY GOOD SIGN.

OKAY. NO OFFENSE.

I KNOW YOU'RE GOOD AT WHAT YOU DO.

BUT YOU'RE WRONG. -JUNE, LET ME TELL YOU.

SIX MONTH DOWN THE ROAD, YOU AND I GOT TO SPLIT.

BECAUSE THERE'LL BE NOTHING I CAN DO FOR YOU.

YOU WILL LOSE A LITTLE WEIGHT,

THE PROGRESS WILL SLOW,

AND YOU START TO GAIN WEIGHT AGAIN.

THINGS WILL GET WORSE FOR YOU AFTER THAT.

IF YOU DON'T FOLLOW WHAT YOUR DOCTORS SAY

AND IF YOU DON'T TRUST THEM, YOU SHOULD GO SEE SOMEBODY ELSE.

BITE THE BULLET AND GO SEE THE THERAPIST.

MAYBE SOMETHING GOOD COME OUT OF IT, RIGHT?

THE FACT THAT SHE IS RELUCTANT TO SEE A THERAPIST

THAT TELL ME THAT SHE KNOW WHAT THE ISSUE IS

BUT SHE DOESN'T WANT TO FACE IT.

WE'RE GONNA SEE IF WE CAN CHANGE THAT MIND-SET.

June: NOT EVERYBODY NEEDS THERAPY.

AM I MANIFESTING THE ILLNESSES?

HELL NO.

DO I WANT THE THERAPIST DIGGING?

MAYBE NOT. OHH, MY KNEES.

I RESPECT DR. NOWZARADAN.

I WANT HIM TO CONTINUE TO BE MY DOCTOR,

SO I'LL TRUST HIM ON THIS.

**

I'M NOT EXCITED THAT I HAVE TO SEE A THERAPIST TODAY.

THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS I DON'T TALK ABOUT

BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT THEM.

-JUNE? -HI.

HI. I'M LOLA.

JUST COME ON IN AND HAVE A SEAT.

OKAY. SO, MISS JUNE,

NOW, WHY DO YOU THINK YOU'RE HERE TODAY?

HONESTLY, BECAUSE DR. NOWZARADAN

WANTS ME TO COME SEE YOU.

HE FEELS THAT I'M MANIFESTING ILLNESSES.

TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT'S BEEN GOING ON WITH YOU.

ABOUT FIVE YEARS AGO, MY 17-YEAR-OLD SON WAS KILLED.

AND I HAD A HEART ATTACK ABOUT A MONTH AFTER THAT.

FROM THE STRESS OF LOSING YOUR SON?

YES.

I'M SO SORRY.

SINCE THEN, I'VE BEEN IN AND OUT OF THE HOSPITAL A LOT.

I'M DEALING WITH A LOT OF HEALTH ISSUES.

CAN YOU TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR SON THAT YOU LOST?

MACK. HE'D LIGHT UP A ROOM.

BUT HE WAS INFLUENCED A LOT, AND HE MADE A MISTAKE.

CAN YOU SHARE A LITTLE BIT WITH ME ABOUT THAT?

I'D RATHER NOT EVEN GO THERE.

WELL, IN YOUR OWN BEST INTEREST,

IT'S DEFINITELY IMPORTANT

THAT YOU KNOW THESE SORTS OF BARRIERS

WILL CONTINUE TO INHIBIT YOUR TRULY MOVING FORWARD.

WHY CONSTANTLY DWELL

ON SOMETHING THAT YOU CANNOT CHANGE?

THE POINT IS FOR YOU TO BE ABLE TO SIT WITH THE FEELINGS

THAT CAME ABOUT FROM WHAT HAPPENED.

HOW DID YOU FEEL FOLLOWING HIS DEATH?

I SHUT DOWN. I MEAN, I'M VERY NUMB,

STILL TO THIS DAY.

SO, YOU SHUT DOWN,

AND THEN YOUR BODY STARTED TO BREAK DOWN ON YOU.

YES. BUT IT'S THE BEST WAY

THAT I CAN DEAL WITH IT.

THE SIGNIFICANCE, IN YOUR CASE, OF WEIGHT LOSS

ISN'T JUST ABOUT WEIGHT IN THE PHYSICAL.

IT'S ABOUT LOSS WITH A CAPITAL "L"

AND THE TRAUMA YOU'VE EXPERIENCED.

WHAT DO YOU GRIEVE THE MOST REGARDING MACK?

JUST WHAT HIS FUTURE COULD HAVE BEEN, PERIOD,

THE THINGS THAT I KNOW THAT HE WANTED TO DO.

IF YOU COULD GO BACK TO THE DAY YOUR SON WAS KILLED,

WHAT WOULD YOU DO DIFFERENTLY?

JUST TELL HIM I LOVE HIM.

I CAN TELL THAT YOU DO A GREAT DEAL

TO TAKE CARE OF OTHERS,

BUT YOU'RE NOT AS ATTENTIVE

TO YOURSELF AND YOUR OWN NEEDS

AS YOU SHOULD BE.

YEAH, I'LL AGREE WITH THAT.

SO, I THINK IT WOULD BE GREAT

IF YOU KEPT THAT THOUGHT

CONSCIOUSLY AT THE FOREFRONT OF YOUR MIND, DAILY,

AND NOT MINIMIZE YOUR FEELINGS OR EMOTIONS.

OKAY.

THAT'S A DEAL.

ALL RIGHT.

IT'S OKAY TO TALK A LITTLE.

IT MADE ME REALIZE THAT I COULD START THIS PROCESS

OF DEALING WITH MY PAIN.

I'M NOT READY YET,

BUT I'M SEEING HOW NOT DOING IT HAS AFFECTED ME

AND HOW I NEED TO DEAL WITH EVERYTHING AT SOME POINT.

June: THERE ARE MOMENTS IN LIFE

THAT SHOW YOU WHAT YOU'RE MADE OF.

AND YOU DISCOVER YOU'RE A LOT STRONGER THAN YOU EVER REALIZED.

IT'S BEEN ABOUT A MONTH SINCE I SAW THE THERAPIST

FOR THE FIRST TIME,

AND I WRESTLED WITH A LOT OF WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT.

TODAY'S REAL SPECIAL BECAUSE IT'S MACK'S BIRTHDAY.

AND MY BABY GIRL AND I ARE GOING TO RELEASE BALLOONS

AND REMEMBER MY SON.

I'M TELLING MACK I LOVE HIM, I MISS HIM,

AND IT HURTS NOT HAVING HIM HERE WITH ME.

IT WILL HURT EVERY DAY UNTIL THE DAY I DIE.

BUT I WILL LIVE WITH THAT PAIN.

IT WON'T BE EASY.

I'LL NEVER BE OKAY WITH HIS PASSING,

BUT I WILL LEARN TO BE STRONG

AND THAT LIVING MY LIFE

DOESN'T MEAN I'M FORGETTING HIS.

**

I'M MAKING GREAT PROGRESS WITH MY WEIGHT,

AND I'M TAKING CARE OF MYSELF NOW.

I'M TAMMY. HOW YOU DOING?

I'M GREAT. I'M JUNE.

I'M DOING SO MUCH MORE ON MY OWN RIGHT NOW,

AND I'VE MADE MORE PROGRESS IN THIS PAST YEAR

THAN I THOUGHT I WOULD EVER DO.

A YEAR AGO, THE THOUGHT OF BEING ABLE TO GO OUT

AND EVEN FIT IN A SALON CHAIR WAS JUST A DREAM.

NOW I'M LIVING THAT DREAM.

I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING THE DOCTOR AGAIN

AND SEEING HOW FAR I'VE COME THIS PAST YEAR.

I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING THAT NUMBER ON THE SCALE

EVERY TIME I SEE THE DOCTOR NOW.

THERE'S A PART OF ME THAT'S ALWAYS GONNA BE NERVOUS,

BUT NOT LIKE I WAS.

AWESOME! THAT'S GOOD.

JUST LOSING THAT MUCH WEIGHT IN A YEAR --

IT MEANS EVERYTHING TO ME.

HELLO! HOW ARE YOU TODAY?

I'M GOOD.

I SEE YOU'RE LOSING SOME WEIGHT.

CAN YOU TELL THE DIFFERENCE?

YES. I FEEL GOOD.

EVERYTHING IS LOOKING GOOD.

WHEN YOU RECOMMENDED ME TO THE THERAPIST,

I'LL GIVE IT TO YOU. IT WORKED.

I HAD A FEELING IT WOULD.

Dr. Nowzaradan: JUNE HAS LOST OVER 200 POUNDS.

I'M PROUD OF HER FOR GOING TO THERAPIST

AND TALKING ABOUT SOME OF THE ISSUES

THAT SHE NEED TO DEAL WITH.

YOU'RE DOING WELL, AND IN A YEAR TIME,

WE'LL GET YOU DOWN TO 200 POUNDS, HUH?

-THAT'S A GOOD GOAL. -ALL RIGHT, JUNE.

-THANK YOU. -I'LL SEE YOU LATER.

-THANK YOU. -OKAY.

June: LOOKING BACK A YEAR AGO,

I WAS CONFINED TO MY HOME.

NOW I GET TO BE OUT IN THE WORLD.

I AM LIVING LIFE,

AND I'M LOVING EVERY SECOND OF IT.