All language subtitles for My 600-lb Life S05E12

Tracey:
I'M NOT LIVING A LIFE.

I FEEL LIKE I'M THIS MONSTER.

**

James: NOT FOR ONE MINUTE

I THOUGHT MY LIFE
WOULD END UP LIKE THIS.

OW! MY LEGS!

Ashley: [ Crying ]
I'M SO FAR GONE.

Woman:
I ABSOLUTELY NEED HELP,

OR I AM GONNA DIE.

-[ Crying ] I CAN'T DO THIS.
-IT'S RIGHT UNDER YOU.

-I NEED IT OVER!
-SIT DOWN. YOU'RE FINE.

YOU'RE FINE.

Tracey:
I FEEL LIKE I LET MY KIDS DOWN.

INSTEAD OF ME
TAKING CARE OF THEM,

THEY'VE BEEN TAKING CARE OF ME.

IT'S YOU.
YOU ARE THE ONE KILLING HIM.

SHE ATE CHOCOLATE.
JUST LAST NIGHT,

THREE BOXES OF CHOCOLATES.

I CAN'T FORCE YOU
TO MAKE THE CHOICES

THAT WILL SAVE YOUR LIFE.

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

CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY
DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS

**

Tracey: LIFE WILL ALWAYS BE FULL
OF A LOT OF TWISTS AND TURNS,

AND WHEN IT'S A BIG TURN,
YOUR BIGGEST STRUGGLE

WILL BE TO EVEN
STAY ON THE ROAD.

I CAN'T BELIEVE MY LIFE.

THE PAIN OF WAKING UP EACH DAY
IS EXCRUCIATING,

AND IT'S MY LEGS
THAT HURT THE MOST...

...BECAUSE MOST OF MY WEIGHT
IS IN MY LOWER BODY

AND I DON'T KNOW WHY.

BUT THAT'S WHERE I GAIN.

MY LEGS HAVE LYMPHEDEMA,
WHICH IS A CONDITION

WHERE YOUR LYMPHATIC CELLS
CLUMP TOGETHER,

AND THEY JUST FORM LARGE MASSES

KIND OF WHERE THEY WANT TO.

AND IT'S MISERABLE,

BECAUSE THE PAIN
IS JUST UNBEARABLE.

IT'S LIKE I HAVE
THESE TWO HUGE ANCHORS

ATTACHED TO ME

THAT MAKE IT
ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO MOVE.

-ANTHONY!
-YEAH?

MY HUSBAND DOES PRETTY
MUCH EVERYTHING FOR ME.

AND IF HE DIDN'T HELP ME
OUT OF BED IN THE MORNING,

THERE'D BE NO WAY
I COULD STAND UP ON MY OWN.

-HUH?
-GOT THE DOOR.

-OKAY, I GOT IT, I GOT IT.
-YEAH?

[ PANTING ]

EVERY TIME I TAKE A STEP,

I'M JUST TRYING
NOT TO FALL OVER.

AND WHEN I WALK,
IT FEELS LIKE MY LEGS

ARE BEING PULLED OUT
OF MY HIP SOCKETS.

AND I HAVE TO GET WHERE
I'M GOING QUICKLY AND SIT DOWN,

BECAUSE I CAN'T
STAY UP FOR LONG.

IT'S JUST TOO PAINFUL.

I FEEL TRAPPED IN MY BODY
BECAUSE SOMEWHERE IN THERE,

THERE'S A NORMAL PERSON.

AND IT MAKES ME SO SAD,

BECAUSE THIS IS NOT
HOW ANYONE SHOULD BE LIVING.

I'M NOT LIVING A LIFE,

BECAUSE I CAN'T DO ANYTHING.
I CAN'T GO ANYWHERE.

EVEN TRYING TO SHOWER EVERY DAY
IS TOO DIFFICULT.

SO I JUST SHOWER
EVERY OTHER DAY.

IF I DON'T HAVE TO DO IT,
I TRY NOT TO DO IT,

BECAUSE THE PAIN
IS JUST UNBEARABLE.

ON DAYS WHEN I CAN GET
IN THE SHOWER,

I HAVE TO SIT
IN THE SHOWER CHAIR.

I CANNOT STAND THERE
THE WHOLE TIME.

BUT I AT LEAST
TRY TO STAY CLEAN.

AND I CAN USUALLY DO
MY TOP PART PRETTY GOOD,

BUT MY LEGS ARE SO LARGE,

AND THERE'S SO MANY CREVICES,
IT'S JUST DIFFICULT,

AND THEY'RE TOO HEAVY
TO EVEN LIFT.

TAKING A SHOWER
TOTALLY WIPES ME OUT.

I CAN ONLY STAY IN THERE
FOR ABOUT 10 MINUTES

BEFORE I GET SO EXHAUSTED,

I FEEL LIKE I'LL PASS OUT.

THAT'S ALL I CAN DO FOR THE DAY.

WHEN I'M SITTING IN THE SHOWER,
I LOOK AT MY LEGS AND MY BODY,

AND I THINK, "WOW."

YOU KNOW,
"HOW DID I GET THIS WAY?"

I FEEL LIKE I'M THIS MONSTER.

YOU NEVER THINK
WHEN YOU'RE GROWING UP

THAT THIS IS WHAT YOUR LIFE
IS GONNA LOOK LIKE SOMEDAY.

**

GROWING UP, MY CHILDHOOD
WAS VERY ROUGH.

THERE WERE A LOT OF BAD THINGS
GOING ON AT HOME.

AND BEING THE OLDEST
OF THREE KIDS,

I FELT LIKE IT WAS MY JOB

TO PROTECT MY TWO
YOUNGER BROTHERS.

MY DAD WAS AN ABUSIVE ALCOHOLIC,

TO PUT IT NICELY.

AND WHEN HE GOT REALLY DRUNK,
HE'D HIT MY MOM.

AND WHEN MY MOM GOT FRUSTRATED,
SHE'D HIT ME.

I HAD TO GO TO SCHOOL LIKE FOUR
OR FIVE DIFFERENT TIMES

WITH BLACK EYES, ALL OF THEM
THAT I RECEIVED FROM MY MOTHER.

AND TO MAKE IT WORSE,
WE HAD A MALE BABYSITTER

WHO'D WATCH US EVERY NOW
AND THEN,

AND WHEN HE DID,
HE WOULD MOLEST ME.

THAT STARTED
WHEN I WAS 3, 3 1/2 YEARS OLD

TILL I WAS LIKE 6 YEARS OLD.

AND HE WOULD
TELL ME THINGS LIKE,

"YOU CAN'T TELL YOUR MOMMY
AND DADDY THAT I DO THIS,

BECAUSE IF YOU DO,

I'M GONNA KILL
YOUR BABY BROTHER."

SO I NEVER DID.

AND IT WAS AROUND THAT TIME

WHEN I REMEMBER GOING
TO FOOD TO FEEL SAFE,

BECAUSE WHEN I ATE SOMETHING
THAT TASTED REALLY GOOD,

I COULD ESCAPE.

SO I STARTED GAINING WEIGHT
AROUND THE AGE OF 6 OR 7,

AND I WEIGHED
ABOUT 70 POUNDS THEN.

AND OVER TIME,
THINGS GOT BETTER,

BECAUSE WHEN I WAS 11,
ME AND MY BROTHERS

STARTED SPENDING A LOT MORE TIME
AT MY GRANDMA'S.

WE WERE STILL LIVING
WITH OUR PARENTS,

BUT THEY WERE JUST NEVER THERE.

BUT MY EATING DIDN'T SLOW DOWN,

BECAUSE MY GRANDMA LOVED
TO FEED US

AND GIVE US
EVERY KIND OF SWEETS,

SO I WAS AROUND 170 POUNDS.

AT GRANDMA'S HOUSE,
I DIDN'T HAVE TO DEAL

WITH MY DAD'S DRINKING

OR MY DAD AND MY MOM FIGHTING.

BUT THINGS IN OUR HOUSE
WERE MORE VIOLENT.

THERE WAS TIMES THAT WINDOWS
GOT BROKE OUT AT OUR HOUSE,

AND SHOTGUNS WERE BROUGHT OUT,

AND MY MOM AND ME
AND MY BROTHERS

WOULD RUN OUT THE HOUSE
FOR OUR LIVES.

Karen: TRACEY DIDN'T HAVE
A VERY STABLE CHILDHOOD.

IT WOULD PROBABLY
BE VERY SCARY AT TIMES.

THERE WAS A LOT OF ABUSE
BETWEEN HER FATHER AND MYSELF,

SO IT WAS A LOT
OF EMOTIONAL UPHEAVAL

IN HER LIFE
THAT JUST CAUSES HER TO EAT

WITHOUT REALLY REALIZING
HOW MUCH SHE'S EATING.

Tracey:
FOOD WAS WHAT MADE ME FEEL SAFE.

WHEN I ATE, I WASN'T WORRYING.

SO MIDDLE SCHOOL
AND JUNIOR HIGH,

MY WEIGHT GOT UP
ALL THE WAY TO THE 200s.

AND I PUT ON ANOTHER 50 POUNDS

BY THE TIME
I WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL.

SO I GOT UP TO LIKE 270 POUNDS
BY THE TIME I GRADUATED.

BUT I STARTED SEEING SOMEONE,

AND I GOT PREGNANT
WHEN I WAS 20.

AND MY MOM KICKED ME OUT,
BECAUSE SHE DIDN'T THINK

I WAS GONNA BE ABLE TO SUPPORT
THE BABY LIKE I NEEDED.

SO I MOVED IN
WITH MY GRANDMOTHER.

I HAD MY FIRST CHILD
WHEN I WAS 21 YEARS OLD,

AND I GAINED ABOUT 70 POUNDS

WHEN I WAS PREGNANT
WITH BRANDON.

WHEN I WAS 23,
I GOT PREGNANT AGAIN.

AND I REMEMBER GOING TO MY VERY
LAST DOCTOR'S APPOINTMENT,

'CAUSE IT WAS A WEEK
BEFORE SHE WAS DUE,

AND THEM TELLING ME,

"TRACEY, WE CAN'T FIND
THE BABY'S HEARTBEAT."

AND I WAS RUSHED TO THE HOSPITAL
TO HAVE A C-SECTION,

AND SHE WAS STILLBORN.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED
AFTER THEY INDUCED MY LABOR,

BUT THEY SAID
FROM HER BEING DEAD

FOR LIKE FOUR OR FIVE DAYS,

IT, LIKE, POISONED MY BODY,
AND I ALMOST DIED.

THEY GAVE ME MY LAST RITES.
THEY HAD TO SHOCK ME.

YOU KNOW, I WENT UNCONSCIOUS.

I HAD NO HEARTBEAT
FOR THREE MINUTES.

ALL I KNOW IS I WOKE UP
FOUR DAYS LATER IN I.C.U.

AND I ATE A LOT
DURING THAT TIME.

SO, ONCE AGAIN,
FOOD WAS THERE FOR ME

TO HELP TAKE THE PAIN
AND TO DEAL WITH LIFE.

AND WHEN IT CAME TIME TO DELIVER
MY SECOND CHILD, TIERRA,

I NEARLY DIED DURING THE BIRTH.

AND THEN WHEN I GAVE BIRTH
TO MY SON RYAN,

I HAD TO BE BEDRIDDEN,

SO IT WAS ANOTHER HARD PREGNANCY

WHERE I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING
BUT STAY IN BED AND EAT.

AND I WAS WELL OVER
400 POUNDS BY THAT TIME.

BUT I DIDN'T WANT TO BE A PARENT
THAT WASN'T INVOLVED,

LIKE MY PARENTS,

AND I STARTED GOING
TO ALL THE EVENTS AT SCHOOL.

AND I GOT MARRIED TO
MY BOYFRIEND AT THE SAME TIME,

AND WE WERE A GOOD FAMILY.

Ryan: I WAS CLOSE TO MY MOM.
SHE WAS A GOOD MOM.

SHE ALWAYS DID
WHAT SHE HAD TO DO

TO GET US WHAT WE NEEDED
AND MORE.

IN MY OLD SCHOOL, SHE WOULD
ALWAYS COME IN, VOLUNTEER.

WHEN I WAS AROUND 13 YEARS OLD,

SHE STARTED NOT BEING ABLE TO DO
AS MUCH AS SHE USED TO.

Tracey: THAT'S WHEN I STARTED
TO DEVELOP LYMPHEDEMA,

AND I NOTICED MY LEGS
STARTING TO SWELL

AND THEN GET MORE
AND MORE DEFORMED.

AND WHEN I WAS 38,
I GOT A CELLULITIS INFECTION,

AND I BECAME BEDRIDDEN AGAIN.

AND THEN I GOT TO 500
AND THEN JUST KEPT GAINING.

THEY EVENTUALLY PUT ME
IN A NURSING HOME,

BECAUSE I JUST COULDN'T STAY
IN A HOSPITAL ANY LONGER,

AND ALL I DID
WAS JUST SIT AND EAT.

AND THINGS AT HOME
JUST FELL APART.

MY HUSBAND HAD LOST HIS JOB

AND STARTED TO GET VIOLENT
WITH THE KIDS.

AND THEN I FOUND OUT
HE CHEATED ON ME,

SO I WENT AND FILED
FOR A DIVORCE

THE DAY AFTER
I FOUND OUT HE CHEATED.

**

BUT WHILE I WAS STAYING
IN THE NURSING HOME,

I MET ANTHONY ONLINE,

AND WE JUST HAD A CONNECTION.

I NEVER REALLY HAD A PROBLEM
WITH TRACEY'S WEIGHT.

IT WAS THE INSIDE
THAT ATTRACTED ME TO TRACEY,

'CAUSE SHE ACCEPTED ME FOR ME.

AND I HAVE A PASSION
FOR TAKING CARE OF PEOPLE,

SO WHAT REALLY ATTRACTED ME
OUTSIDE OF HER GOOD PERSONALITY

WAS THE NEED --
SOMEONE TO NEED ME THERE.

Tracey: WHEN I WAS ABLE TO
FINALLY LEAVE THE NURSING HOME

A FEW YEARS AGO, HE TOLD ME --

HE WAS LIKE,
"WELL, WHEN YOU GET OUT,

I WANT TO COME HELP YOU."

SO WE GOT MARRIED,
AND NOW ANTHONY'S THE ONE

WHO HAS TO HELP ME
TAKE CARE OF MYSELF.

IF I DIDN'T HAVE MY HUSBAND,
I DON'T KNOW WHAT I WOULD DO.

I CAN'T EVEN GET BACK INTO BED
ON MY OWN,

BECAUSE MY LEGS ARE JUST
TOO HEAVY FOR ME TO LIFT.

-TELL ME WHEN YOU'RE READY.
-I'M READY.

UP.
[ GRUNTS ]

MM-HMM.

SO RIGHT NOW,
I'M PROBABLY OVER 600 POUNDS

AND CONDEMNED TO LIVE
IN THIS BED ALMOST ALL DAY LONG.

I HAVE CUTS AND SORES
ON MY LEGS,

AND WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE
THAT EVERYTHING IS CLEAN

SO I DON'T GET MORE INFECTIONS

AND WIND UP
BACK IN THE HOSPITAL.

I'VE BEEN GOING THROUGH THIS
SINCE I WAS 29.

LIKE, I'VE LOST ALREADY
ALL OF MY 30s

AND HALF MY 40s

TO THIS DISEASE
THAT'S TAKEN OVER MY BODY.

WHAT DID YOU WANT TO EAT?

I WANT EGGS AND BACON.

EGGS AND BACON.
IF THAT'S WHAT YOU WANT.

-THANK YOU.
-ALL RIGHT.

I'M VERY GRATEFUL
FOR MY HUSBAND,

BECAUSE HE'S MY CARETAKER.

HE COOKS FOR ME
AND DOES ALL THE SHOPPING

AND BRINGS ME FOOD.

-THANKS.
-YEAH.

EATING IS ONE OF THE ONLY THINGS
I STILL GET TO DO THAT I ENJOY.

IT'S WHAT I LOOK FORWARD TO
EVERY DAY, ALL DAY.

I HAVE NO CLUE HOW MANY CALORIES
I EAT IN A DAY.

PROBABLY WAY, WAY,
WAY, WAY HIGHER

THAN WHAT IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE.

BUT IT'S HARD TO STOP EATING,
BECAUSE IT TASTES SO GOOD.

-THANK YOU.
-YEAH.

DRINK YOUR JUICE.
SINCE WE'VE BEEN MARRIED,

I'VE BEEN HER PRIMARY CARETAKER.

I COOK, I CLEAN,

AND I DO BASICALLY EVERYTHING

THAT TRACEY NEEDS
IN THE HOUSEHOLD.

IN THE PAST, TRACEY USED TO GO
TO THE GROCERY STORE WITH ME,

BUT LATELY,
SHE HAS GOTTEN WORSE,

SO SHE DOESN'T GO ANYMORE.

SHE MAKES THE GROCERY LIST,
AND I DO THE SHOPPING.

I THINK I DO ENABLE TRACEY
A LOT,

'CAUSE I GIVE IN
TO WHAT SHE WANTS.

FOODS THAT WE MUST HAVE
AROUND IN THE HOUSE

IS, LIKE, ALL THE JUNK FOOD,
LIKE BROWNIES, DOUGHNUTS,

CHOCOLATE CAKE, ICE CREAM.

IF I DON'T GET
WHAT TRACEY WANTS,

SHE LETS ME KNOW.
[ CHUCKLES ]

SHE LETS ME KNOW
I DIDN'T GET EVERYTHING,

AND I'M GOING BACK TO THE STORE.

I BELIEVE
THAT TRACEY IS IN DENIAL

ABOUT HOW MUCH SHE EATS.

IT MAKES ME WORRY
ABOUT HER A WHOLE LOT.

Tracey:
I USUALLY ONLY GET UP ONCE
DURING THE DAY TO TAKE A SHOWER.

BUT ON DAYS
WHEN MY MOM AND KIDS COME OVER

TO HAVE DINNER WITH US,

I TRY TO GET UP TO BE WITH THEM.

-OKAY.
-OKAY.

MOVING AROUND THE HOUSE
IS VERY HARD,

BUT I WANT TO HAVE A SIT-DOWN
DINNER WITH MY HUSBAND

AND MY THREE KIDS
AND MY GRANDKIDS,

AND SO I TRY TO GET UP
TO BE WITH THEM.

BUT I NEVER TAKE A SHOWER

AND TRY TO MAKE DINNER
IN THE SAME DAY.

SO I JUST HOPE I'M NOT
PUSHING MYSELF TOO HARD.

KNOCK, KNOCK!
WHAT YOU DOING UP?

ATTEMPTING TO COOK
IN THIS HOT HEAT.

I WOULD PICK
THE HOTTEST DAY.

TRACEY USED TO DO
EVERYTHING WITH HER KIDS,

BUT NOW, JUST FOR HER
TO GET UP OUT OF HER BED

PHYSICALLY IS PUTTING
SUCH A MAJOR STRAIN

ON HER BODY ORGANS.

I DON'T THINK THEY CAN CONTINUE
TO KEEP LASTING.

WELL, YOUR FACE IS GETTING RED.
MAYBE PUT SOME COLD WATER ON IT.

Tracey: IT'S JUST SO HOT THAT
IF I STAY OUT THERE ANY LONGER,

I'M GONNA END UP ON THE FLOOR.

[ GRUNTS ]

I JUST CAN'T DO IT.

SO I LAY DOWN.

Ryan:
GOOD. YOU'RE GOOD.

[ GRUNTING, PANTING ]

OH, GOD.

[ GRUNTS ]

Ryan: WE SEE HER GETTING
WORSE AND WORSE.

AND, YOU KNOW, HER LEGS
KEEP GETTING BIGGER.

AND IT'S HARDER FOR HER TO WALK.

SO, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THOUGHTS
GOING THROUGH OUR MIND,

LIKE, YOU KNOW,
SHE COULD DIE ONE OF THESE DAYS,

AND WE DON'T KNOW
WHAT WE WOULD DO.

Tracey:
I FEEL LIKE I LET MY KIDS DOWN,

BECAUSE INSTEAD OF ME
TAKING CARE OF THEM,

THEY'VE BEEN TAKING CARE OF ME

SINCE THEY WERE IN SEVENTH
AND EIGHTH GRADE.

OH, THIS IS WHAT I'M GONNA DO.

I'M GONNA MAKE HER A PLATE.
Y'ALL CAN GO AHEAD AND EAT.

-NO!
-YOU WANT TO EAT?

Tracey: I KNOW MY BODY
IS GETTING TO A BREAKING POINT.

AND I'VE GOTTEN SO BIG

THAT I AM COMPLETELY
MISSING OUT ON LIFE.

-IT'S HOT.
-IT'S OKAY.

-IT'S HOT.
-IT'S ALL RIGHT, MOM.

HERE.

MY FAMILY IS OUT
IN THE KITCHEN, EATING.

I WISH I COULD BE
OUT THERE WITH THEM.

THIS IS LIKE THE FIRST TIME
IN A LONG TIME

THAT I'VE HAD EVEN
ALL THREE OF MY KIDS

SITTING TOGETHER, EATING DINNER.

BUT I'M NOT GONNA RISK
WALKING BACK OUT THERE.

[ INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS ]

THIS IS A LOT OF FOOD.

NO, NO, NOT REALLY.

I'M JUST SLOWLY EATING MYSELF
TO DEATH, AND I CAN'T STOP.

AND I KNOW I'M CHOOSING FOOD
OVER MY FAMILY RIGHT NOW,

AND THAT BREAKS MY HEART.

I KNOW I HAVE A PURPOSE IN LIFE

OTHER THAN JUST BEING THIS WOMAN

TRAPPED IN THIS SHELL.

[ Crying ] I MISSED A WHOLE LOT
WITH MY KIDS.

THE WORST THING IS...

...NOW I HAVE MY GRANDKIDS.

I JUST WANT TO BE
A GRANDMA TO THEM.

WANT TO GET YOUR MOOSE?

COME HERE.

THERE'S PLENTY OF TIMES
THAT WE WAKE UP,

AND I DON'T KNOW IF TRACEY'S
STILL BREATHING OR NOT.

SO IT'S VERY SCARY.
IT'S VERY SCARY.

-BYE, BABY.
-BYE, MOM.

-BYE.
-LOVE YOU.

LOVE YOU, TOO.

I KNOW MY BODY CAN'T GO ON
MUCH LONGER LIKE THIS,

BUT IT'S JUST A MATTER OF TIME

BEFORE I GO TO BED
AND JUST DON'T WAKE UP.

Tracey: I KNOW I HAVE
TO GET HELP WITH MY WEIGHT,

AND I HAVE TO DO IT NOW,

ESPECIALLY FOR MY LEGS

AND MY LYMPHEDEMA.

BUT I'VE NEVER BEEN ABLE TO FIND
A DOCTOR TO HELP ME AT ALL.

SO I'M REALLY HOPING
DR. NOWZARADAN CAN HELP ME,

BECAUSE HE MAY BE
MY ONLY HELP AT THIS POINT.

WE SET AN APPOINTMENT
TO SEE HIM IN A FEW DAYS,

AND WE'RE GOING TO MAKE
THE JOURNEY THERE TODAY.

I'VE PUT THIS MUCH STRESS
ON MY BODY

AND LET IT GET
THIS OUT OF CONTROL

THAT I DEFINITELY NEED
SOME KIND OF HELP.

**

FOR ME, IT TAKES A LOT OUT OF ME
JUST TO WALK A FEW STEPS.

I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH LONGER
I WILL EVEN BE ABLE TO STAND UP.

AND IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME
SINCE I'VE BEEN IN A CAR,

AND NOW I'M GOING TO BE IN ONE

FOR AT LEAST 20 HOURS.

SO I'M REALLY NERVOUS,

BUT I KNOW I CAN'T KEEP GOING ON
LIKE THIS FOR MUCH LONGER.

AND I CAN'T EVEN FIT
IN A NORMAL SEAT ANYMORE,

SO I'M GOING TO HAVE TO RIDE
IN THE BACK,

AND I'M A LITTLE WORRIED ABOUT
BEING UNCOMFORTABLE FOR SO LONG.

Anthony:
TRACEY REALLY NEEDS THIS,

SO WE'RE WILLING
TO TAKE THIS RISK,

THIS CHANCE OF GOING WAY
DOWN THERE AND BEING REJECTED,

JUST TO KNOW IF IT MEANS
THAT WE COULD GET OUR LIFE BACK.

Tracey:
OH, DAMN IT. THIS IS NOT GOOD.

EVERY DAY THAT PASSES,

MY LYMPHEDEMA GETS WORSE
AND WORSE.

OH [BLEEP]

HERE.

I HAVE TO TRY AND DO THIS,

AND I'M REALLY GLAD
MY MOM IS GOING WITH US

SO WE HAVE AN EXTRA SET
OF HANDS TO HELP.

-READY?
-ALL RIGHT, WE GOT IT.

**

IT'S REALLY HARD
SITTING BACK HERE

WITH NO PLACE
TO REALLY LEAN BACK

OR LET MY LEGS STRETCH,

AND THEY'RE STARTING
TO HURT REALLY BAD.

**

ANTHONY, I NEED TO STRETCH.

Anthony: OKAY.

ALL RIGHT, GET THIS LEG OUT.

WHEN MY LEGS START
TO REALLY HURT,

ANTHONY HAS TO RUB THEM
AND HELP ME MOVE THEM AROUND,

BECAUSE I CAN'T JUST
GET UP AND WALK.

Anthony:
YOU WANT TO TRY TO STAND UP?

NO, 'CAUSE IT'S GONNA BE TOO
HARD FOR ME TO GET BACK IN HERE,

'CAUSE THIS IS UP REALLY HIGH.
I CAN FEEL THAT ALREADY.

ALL RIGHT, YOU WANT ME
TO STROKE YOUR LEGS?

YEAH.

OHH!

[ GRUNTS ]

BUT THEY CAN GET SO SORE THAT
THE PAIN IS JUST EXCRUCIATING.

OOH.
THIS HELPED, JUST MOVING THEM.

BUT IT'S HURTING AGAIN,
SO I'M GONNA GET THEM BACK IN.

-AAH! DAMN!
-I KNOW.

-I HEARD THAT CRACK, TOO.
-[ GROANING ]

THIS IS A LOT HARDER
THAN I THOUGHT.

I WANTED TO JUST
DRIVE STRAIGHT THERE

TO GET THERE AS FAST AS I CAN,

BUT I NEED TO STOP SOMEWHERE

AND GET INTO A BED
AND GET SOMETHING TO EAT.

WE'VE BEEN ON THE ROAD
FOR ABOUT EIGHT HOURS,

AND WE'VE MADE IT
TO LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS.

I DIDN'T THINK
IT WAS GOING TO BE

THIS BAD AND THIS ROUGH,

TRYING TO SIT BACK THERE
AND STAY IN THE CAR THIS LONG.

THIS IS HURTING MY FEET.
I KNOW THAT.

AND I'M IN SO MUCH PAIN
RIGHT NOW, I NEED A BREAK.

I'M HUNGRY RIGHT NOW,
SO ANTHONY WENT

TO GO GET US
SOMETHING FOR DINNER.

I HAVEN'T REALLY EATEN ALL DAY,

'CAUSE I DIDN'T WANT
TO THROW UP,

AND I DIDN'T WANT TO HAVE
TO USE THE BATHROOM,

SO I JUST DIDN'T EAT.

THEM PEOPLE DID NOT WASH
THEIR HANDS AT ALL.

-GO.
-OH [BLEEP]

OH.

-OKAY, HOLD THAT A SECOND.
-UP TO THE TOP.

I DON'T REGRET TAKING THIS TRIP,
BECAUSE I STILL NEED TO

AND WANT TO GO SEE
THE DOCTOR IN HOUSTON,

BUT THIS IS A LOT HARDER
THAN I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE.

**

MY BODY IS OVERWHELMED,

AND IT'S HURTING
ON EVERY PART OF IT RIGHT NOW.

I FEEL VERY MISERABLE, DRAINED.

MY STUFF'S GOOD.

MAYBE IT'S JUST
'CAUSE I'M SO HUNGRY,

BUT IT'S GOOD.

FOOD ALWAYS MAKES ME
FEEL BETTER.

AND RIGHT NOW,
I JUST NEED TO REST

AND HAVE SOMETHING
THAT TASTES GOOD

TO TAKE MY MIND OFF THE PAIN.

TOMORROW, WE HAVE
ABOUT SEVEN HOURS TO GO,

AND I'M GONNA PUSH MYSELF
TO GET THERE.

AND I'M WORRIED ABOUT HOW HARD

AND PAINFUL IT'S GOING TO BE.

BUT WHATEVER IT TAKES,
I HAVE TO DO THIS.

**

TODAY IS THE DAY
WE'RE GONNA MAKE IT TO HOUSTON,

AND I FEEL READY
TO GET BACK ON THE ROAD.

BUT I'M STILL NOT
LOOKING FORWARD

TO HOW MUCH IT'S GONNA HURT.

Anthony:
I'M READY FOR YOU.

TRACEY HAS BEEN
IN TREMENDOUS PAIN.

SEEING MY WIFE IN PAIN
IS UNDESCRIBABLE.

SO I REALLY WANT
TO MEET THE DOCTOR

MORE THAN EVER RIGHT NOW
AND SEE IF HE CAN'T HELP US.

Tracey: OH [BLEEP]

THIS HAS BEEN A VERY LONG TRIP,

SO I JUST WANT TO START DRIVING

AND TRY AND GET THERE.

AND MY WHOLE BODY HURTS.

SO, TO DO ANOTHER DAY OF DRIVING

IS JUST MAKING ME FEEL ANXIOUS.

I'M, LIKE,
KIND OF WONDERING, LIKE,

"OKAY, AM I GOING TO MAKE IT
TO SEE THE DOCTOR BY TOMORROW?"

BUT HOPEFULLY,
THE PAIN WILL BE WORTH IT.

WE'RE ALMOST TO HOUSTON.

AND I'M STARTING TO GET
BUTTERFLIES IN MY STOMACH,

BECAUSE AS WE GET CLOSER,

I KNOW I'M GONNA SEE
THE DOCTOR SOON,

AND I'M REALLY NERVOUS
TO FIND OUT WHAT HE'S GONNA SAY.

THIS DRIVE HAS BEEN
SO INCREDIBLY HARD,

AND I'M SO GLAD
TO FINALLY BE HERE.

-IS THE ROOM CLOSE?
-NO.

OKAY.

LET'S SEE
IF I CAN MAKE THIS JOURNEY.

RIGHT NOW, I'M REALLY LOOKING
FORWARD TO GETTING INTO A BED

SO I CAN REST

AND THEN GO SEE DR. NOWZARADAN
IN THE MORNING.

I'M TIRED OF LIVING LIKE THIS.

I NEED SOMEONE TO HELP ME,

AND I'M SCARED THAT DR. NOW
ISN'T GOING TO BE ABLE TO.

BUT I KNOW HE'S MY LAST HOPE.

IF HE CAN'T HELP ME, NO ONE CAN.

**

I'M HEADED TO DR. NOW'S OFFICE
FOR MY FIRST APPOINTMENT,

AND I'M DEFINITELY NERVOUS.

I'M FEELING BUTTERFLIES,

BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE
THIS IS MY LAST OPPORTUNITY

TO GET SOME HELP.

IT'S IMPORTANT TO ME
THAT THIS APPOINTMENT GOES WELL,

BECAUSE I'VE PUT A LOT OF EFFORT
INTO GETTING OUT HERE.

Woman:
MS. MATTHEWS?

IT'S ABOUT TO BE
THE MOMENT OF TRUTH

WHERE I MEET DR. NOWZARADAN,

AND HE TELLS ME
IF HE CAN HELP ME.

AND I'M EXTREMELY NERVOUS
TO FIND OUT HOW MUCH I WEIGH,

BECAUSE I KNOW
EVERYTHING IS RIDING

ON WHAT'S ABOUT TO HAPPEN.

OKAY.

OKAY.

I'M REALLY AFRAID,

BECAUSE I KNOW
EVERYTHING IS RIDING

ON HOW MUCH I WEIGH RIGHT NOW.

OH, DAMN.

I WAS REALLY HOPING
I WAS UNDER 600.

SO IT'S DEFINITELY
LIKE SMACK IN THE FACE.

**

BUT I'VE GOTTEN THAT BIG,

AND IT'S HARD FOR ME TO BELIEVE,
BUT I JUST HOPE DR. NOW

CAN HELP ME
TURN ALL THIS AROUND.

THIS IS MY CHANCE
TO GET SOME HELP.

[ KNOCK ON DOOR ]

-HELLO.
-HELLO.

I'M DR. NOWZARADAN.
AND YOU ARE TRACEY, HUH?

-YES, SIR.
-ALL RIGHT.

-WHERE ARE YOU COMING FROM?
-OHIO.

SO, TELL ME ABOUT
YOUR EATING HABITS.

MY DIET IS PROBABLY BAD.

EVEN THOUGH WE PRETTY
MUCH ONLY EAT

TWO OR THREE TIMES A DAY,
THEY'RE HUGE PORTIONS,

AND IT'S A LOT OF PASTA

AND FATTENING STUFF.

AND WHO BRINGS
THE FOOD FOR YOU?

I USUALLY HAVE MY HUSBAND
DO THE GROCERY SHOPPING.

I GIVE HIM A LIST,
AND HE USUALLY BRINGS BACK

WHAT'S ON THE LIST.

OKAY.
SO, THAT'S GOING TO CHANGE NOW.

YOU DON'T MAKE
THE LIST ANYMORE,

AND HE DOESN'T
BRING IT TO YOU.

-I'M GONNA GIVE YOU A NEW LIST.
-MM-HMM.

YOU'RE GONNA STICK
TO THAT, ANTHONY.

OKAY.
WITH HOW SWOLLEN YOUR LEGS ARE,

IT LOOKS LIKE YOU HAVE
SEVERE LYMPHEDEMA IN THERE.

WHEN DID YOU DEVELOP
THIS LYMPHEDEMA?

I STARTED NOTICING IT
LIKE 2001.

I JUST STARTED GETTING
THESE CLUMPS IN MY LEGS.

OKAY.

TRACEY SEEMS TO BE
A VERY UNIQUE CASE,

BECAUSE SHE HAS DEVELOPED
SUCH SEVERE LYMPHEDEMA,

AND HER EXCESSIVE WEIGHT GAIN
IS THE CAUSE OF THIS.

HER UPPER BODY SEEMS
TO BE SOMEWHAT NORMAL,

BUT RIGHT NOW, THE FLUID
AND THE SWELLING IN HER LEGS

MAY WEIGH AS MUCH
AS 300 TO 400 POUNDS.

THIS IS A SEVERE
CONDITION SHE HAS,

AND IF IT GETS ANY WORSE,

HER OVERALL HEALTH WILL START
DETERIORATING RAPIDLY,

AND SHE'S NOT GOING TO BE
ALIVE IN A FEW YEARS.

YOUR LYMPHEDEMA
IS SO SEVERE

BECAUSE OF YOUR LIFETIME
OF WEIGHT GAIN.

SO THE FIRST THING WE NEED TO DO
IS TO GET YOUR WEIGHT DOWN.

-MM-HMM.
-AND THE FIRST STEP

WILL BE
CORRECT YOUR EATING HABIT.

-OKAY.
-OKAY? SO I'M GOING TO PUT YOU

ON A HIGH-PROTEIN,
LOW-CARB,

1,200-CALORIE-A-DAY DIET,

STARTING NOW, OKAY?

SO YOU EAT THREE TIMES A DAY,
NO SNACKING IN BETWEEN.

OKAY.

SO, I WANT YOU
TO LOSE 50 POUNDS

-OVER THE NEXT MONTH.
-OKAY.

AT THIS POINT, YOU'RE NOT
A CANDIDATE FOR SURGERY.

-OKAY.
-BUT IF WE CORRECT

YOUR EATING HABIT

AND GET YOU TO UNDERSTAND
WHAT THE ISSUES ARE,

THEN YOU CAN BE
A CANDIDATE FOR SURGERY.

-FINE.
-ALL RIGHT?

-THANK YOU.
-OKAY.

IT MAY TAKE SEVERAL SURGERIES

TO FIX THE DAMAGE DONE
TO TRACEY'S BODY,

SO THIS IS NOT GOING TO BE
A QUICK AND EASY PROCESS.

BUT WE NEED TO START

BY GETTING HER WEIGHT GOING
IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION

AND THEN DEVELOP A GAME PLAN

ON HOW WE'RE GOING TO ADDRESS
ALL OF HER ISSUES,

BECAUSE WE HAVE TO FIX THIS
AS FAST AS WE CAN.

Tracey:
THIS IS DEFINITELY GONNA BE
A BIG CHANGE, A BIG CHALLENGE.

BUT I KNOW I HAVE TO DO THIS,

BECAUSE I'M NOT READY
TO GIVE UP,

AND I DON'T WANT
TO DIE LIKE THIS.

NO MATTER HOW DIFFICULT IT
IS OR HOW MUCH I STRUGGLE...

OH, COME ON, BABY.

...I HAVE TO TRY
AS HARD AS I CAN.

MY LIFE DEPENDS ON IT.

**

AFTER I GOT HOME FROM SEEING
THE DOCTOR, MY LEGS FLARED UP,

AND I GOT
A CELLULITIS INFECTION,

WHICH CAN BECOME DEADLY.

IT'S A BACTERIA INFECTION
OF THE SKIN

THAT CAN SPREAD
THROUGH MY LYMPH NODES.

SO I'VE BEEN ON A LOT
OF MEDICINE TO ADDRESS IT,

AND I'VE BEEN STUCK
RECOVERING IN THIS BED.

HEY, ANTHONY,

CAN YOU BRING ME
SOME CHICKEN BROTH OR SOMETHING?

I JUST CAN'T MOVE MUCH
RIGHT NOW, BECAUSE I FEEL AWFUL.

AND I'VE BEEN TRYING
TO STICK TO THE DIET,

BUT I DON'T EVEN HAVE
AN APPETITE RIGHT NOW.

EVERYTHING MAKES ME NAUSEOUS,

SO I'M HARDLY EATING.

[ SIGHS ]

AND I FIGURE I'M LOSING WEIGHT,

BUT I HAVE NO IDEA HOW MUCH.

ANTHONY,

YOU CAN COME GET THIS NOW.

YOU DIDN'T EAT IT ALL.

I ATE MOST OF THAT.
TWO CRACKERS.

BUT I THINK IT'S A BIGGER DEAL
FOR ANTHONY RIGHT NOW,

BECAUSE HE'S NOT GETTING
TO EAT ANYTHING HE WANTS.

I JUST HATE THIS,

AND I DON'T THINK
I'M GONNA BE WELL ENOUGH

TO TRAVEL DOWN
TO HOUSTON ANYTIME SOON.

I'M SUPPOSED TO GO SEE DR. NOW
IN A COUPLE WEEKS,

BUT I JUST DON'T SEE HOW,

'CAUSE I'M TOO SICK TO TRAVEL
LIKE THIS RIGHT NOW,

SO I'M NOT SURE
WHAT I'M GONNA DO.

**

OVER THE LAST COUPLE WEEKS,

MY CELLULITIS
HASN'T GOTTEN ANY BETTER.

IT STARTS TO GO AWAY,
AND THEN IT FLARES UP AGAIN,

AND MY LEGS ARE JUST
IN SO MUCH PAIN.

HEY.
I DON'T FEEL GOOD AT ALL.

I FEEL LIKE
I'M GONNA THROW UP.

THIS PART OF MY LEG
HURTS THE MOST,

AND IT'S STILL RED AND HOT.

IT HURTS.

I CAN'T GO SEE DR. NOW

FOR MY FOLLOW-UP
APPOINTMENT RIGHT NOW,

AND I'M WORRIED
I MAY BE OUT OF TIME.

THE DOCTOR TOLD ME THAT MY LEGS
WERE GOING TO GET SO BAD SOON

THAT I WOULD BECOME BEDRIDDEN

AND THAT IT WOULD GET WORSE
FROM THERE,

SO I'M SO SCARED THAT'S
WHAT'S HAPPENING RIGHT NOW.

WANT SOME TEA?

YEAH, THAT MIGHT BE GOOD.

-HERBAL TEA OR --
-I'LL GET YOU SOMETHING.

-HOT.
-HMM?

Anthony: I'M REALLY WORRIED
ABOUT TRACEY.

SHE'S GOTTEN CELLULITIS BEFORE,

BUT IT'S NEVER BEEN THIS BAD
AND LASTED THIS LONG.

SO I JUST HOPE I CAN
NURSE HER BACK TO HEALTH

AND THAT SHE'LL BE ALL RIGHT.

I'M STICKING TO THE DIET TO TRY
TO KEEP MAKING PROGRESS,

BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO MESS UP
MY CHANCE TO GET HELP.

AND EVEN THOUGH I CAN'T
MAKE IT BACK TO SEE DR. NOW,

HE'S BEEN CALLING TO CHECK ON ME
WHILE I'VE BEEN RECOVERING,

SO HE KNOWS
WHAT I'M DEALING WITH.

[ CELLPHONE RINGING ]

-HELLO.
-This is Dr. Nowzaradan.

I GOT TRACEY RIGHT HERE.
HOLD ON A SECOND.

HI, DR. NOW.
HOW ARE YOU?

I'm doing okay.
How about you?

I GOT CELLULITIS
IN MY LEGS AGAIN.

How are we doing
with your diet?

THE DIET IS --
WELL, BEFORE I GOT SICK,

I WAS DOING REALLY GOOD
ON THE DIET.

I WAS, LIKE,
FOLLOWING IT TO A TEE.

AND, THEN, I GOT SICK

AND JUST REALLY COULDN'T
EAT NOTHING OR DRINK ANYTHING.

You can't eat nothing.

You need to eat protein.

If you don't, it's going to make
the situation worse and worse.

OKAY.

And if your legs
keep getting worse,

then you would likely
not survive this situation.

-OKAY.
-But if you're not eating,

lack of protein will cause it
to flare back up worse.

-Do you understand?
-YEAH.

Okay, stick with
the diet completely,

and try to do
any activity you can.

OKAY.

And we'll see when you can
come down here again.

Okay? Bye.

BYE-BYE.

AFTER TALKING WITH THE DOCTOR,
I'M REALLY SCARED,

BECAUSE I'VE BEEN WORRIED
THIS COULD LEAD

TO THE WORST-CASE SCENARIO,
LIKE HE SAID,

THAT NO MATTER WHAT I DO,
I'M OUT OF TIME.

Tracey: AFTER TALKING TO DR. NOW
A FEW WEEKS AGO,

I WAS REALLY SCARED
ABOUT HOW I WAS EATING.

SO I'VE BEEN TRYING TO EAT MORE.

BUT I WON'T LIE,
I'VE ALSO BEEN CHEATING.

I'M EATING BAKED JERK CHICKEN

AND CABBAGE, CARROTS,

AND RICE,

AND THEN, I THREW HOT SAUCE
ON TOP OF IT,

JUST FOR GOOD MEASURE.

I'M NOT SUPPOSED TO EAT
RICE ON MY DIET,

BUT WE GET THE RICE
THAT'S NATURAL

AND HAS LESS CARBS.

SO I THINK I'M DOING BETTER
WITH MY EATING,

AND HOPEFULLY THAT WILL MEAN
MY CELLULITIS INFECTION

WILL CLEAR UP SOON,
LIKE THE DOCTOR SAID.

BUT I HAVE MY NEXT CALL
WITH DR. NOW LATER ON TODAY,

AND I'M HOPING HE'S MUCH HAPPIER

WITH HOW I'VE BEEN
EATING THIS MONTH.

[ VIDEO CHAT RINGING ]

Hi, Tracey.
You doing okay?

I'M DOING BETTER
THAN THE LAST TIME

I TALKED TO YOU,
SO THAT'S A GOOD THING.

So, your cellulitis
is better now?

NO, IT STILL
HURTS PRETTY BAD,

BUT I'M WORKING ON MY DIET,
TRYING TO MAKE PROGRESS.

HOW HAS YOUR DIET
BEEN DOING?

Well, when I had
the cellulitis,

I WAS, LIKE, THROWING UP,
AND I REALLY COULDN'T EAT,

AND THEN I ATE APPLESAUCE
AND BANANAS AND RICE --

STUFF I WASN'T SUPPOSED TO EAT,
BUT AT LEAST I WAS, LIKE,

KEEPING IT DOWN
AND COULD EAT IT.

I ATE RICE TODAY.
I AIN'T GONNA LIE TO YOU.

-I DID.
-SO YOU'RE EATING MORE,

BUT YOU'RE STILL NOT
EATING WHAT YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO,

AND THAT'S WHY YOU'RE NOT
GETTING ANY BETTER.

AND THIS IS
A VERY BAD SITUATION.

YOU HAVE HAD CELLULITIS
INFECTION FOR TWO MONTHS

AND THE ANTIBIOTIC HELPS,

BUT IF YOU DON'T CHANGE
YOUR DIET LIKE YOU SHOULD,

YOUR LYMPHEDEMA IS GOING
TO KEEP GETTING WORSE,

AND CELLULITIS WILL
COME BACK WORSE AND WORSE

UNTIL IT KILLS YOU.

So you need to control
your eating habit,

And we need to make a plan

to get your weight down

to the point
that you're gonna be a candidate

for doing any kind
of weight-loss surgery.

You know, everything
starts from you.

Everybody is
taking care of you,

but you're not doing your part
from your dieting

and your weight loss.

-TRUE.
-Okay?

So the only way
we can help you

if you make the move
and come to Texas

so we can monitor
your progress,

change your eating habits,
and do whatever it takes

to get you
to have weight-loss surgery

so the weight
comes off of your legs

and gets you to be
a functional person.

TRACEY, ANY DAY NOW,
SOMETHING IS GOING TO HAPPEN,

AND WE NEED TO INTERVENE
AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

SO I WANT YOU TO START
A PLAN TO MOVE HERE

IF YOU WANT HELP.

OKAY. YEP.

All right,
I'll talk to you later.

OKAY, THANK YOU.

Okay, bye-bye.

DR. NOW TELLING ME
THAT MY ONLY CHANCE NOW

IS TO MOVE TO TEXAS
IS VERY SCARY.

I GOT ALL THIS STUFF
SPINNING THROUGH MY HEAD LIKE,

"OKAY, HOW IS THIS GONNA GO,
AND HOW IS THIS GONNA GO,

AND HOW IS THAT GONNA GO?"
I DON'T KNOW.

MAYBE I SHOULD STOP
THINKING ABOUT IT SO MUCH.

WHAT IF SOMETHING HAPPENS,
AND EVERYBODY'S WAY UP HERE?

**

I WORRY ABOUT A LOT OF THINGS,
SO,

BUT ONE OF THEM WOULD
BASICALLY JUST BE DYING.

SO, IF THIS IS WHAT
IT'S GONNA TAKE TO LIVE,

THEN WE HAVE TO FIND A WAY
TO DO IT AND MOVE TO TEXAS.

**

TODAY, WE'RE PACKING
TO MOVE TO HOUSTON.

IT TOOK US A WHILE TO TRY
TO FIND A PLACE TO LIVE,

AND WE FINALLY FOUND ONE
OF THOSE EXTENDED-LIVING HOTELS

YOU CAN RENT BY THE MONTH.

IT'S GOING TO BE AT LEAST
EIGHT MONTHS DOWN THERE,

SO I HOPE WE CAN LIVE
THAT LONG IN SUCH A TIGHT SPACE.

I'VE PRETTY MUCH BEEN SICK,

SO I HAD TO KIND OF CHEAT
ON MY DIET.

AND I'M SURE WHEN I SEE DR. NOW,
I'M PROBABLY GAINING WEIGHT.

BUT HOPEFULLY I CAN
GET BACK ON MY DIET

AND START ALL OVER
FROM SCRATCH AGAIN.

WE'RE LEAVING BEHIND THE HOUSE
AND EVERYTHING IN IT,

AND MY SON,

HE'LL BE STAYING HERE
WHILE WE'RE GONE,

TRYING TO TAKE CARE OF THINGS.

THE HARDEST PART OF DOING THIS
IS LEAVING MY GRANDKIDS,

BECAUSE MY KIDS ARE GROWN,
AND I CAN STILL CALL THEM

AND TEXT THEM
AND, YOU KNOW, PRAY FOR THEM.

[ Crying ] BUT...

MY GRANDKIDS
IS WHAT'S GONNA BE HARD,

BECAUSE THEY'RE SO CLOSE TO ME.

AND THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND.

THIS IS A HUGE STEP FOR ME,

BECAUSE I'VE NEVER DONE
ANYTHING LIKE THIS,

AND IT IS REALLY SCARY.

I THINK ABOUT
IF I HAVE THE SURGERY

THAT THERE'S A RISK
THAT SOMETHING COULD HAPPEN.

AND, YOU KNOW,
WHAT IF I DIE BEFOREHAND?

WHAT IF I DIE ON THE TABLE?

WHAT IF I DIE,
YOU KNOW, AFTER IT?

BUT THEN, I ALSO THINK ABOUT
WHAT IF IT WORKS?

WHAT IF IT DOES HELP ME?

WHAT IF THIS IS SOMETHING

THAT IS WHAT I'VE NEEDED
FOR THE LAST 16, 17 YEARS?

SO THAT'S THE ONE THING
THAT I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO.

KNOWING THAT I COULD GET
THE HELP

THAT I NEED TO BE ABLE
TO WALK ON MY OWN

AND BE MORE PHYSICALLY ACTIVE
ON MY OWN, IT'S ACTUALLY A JOY,

AND IT'S A COMFORT
JUST TO THINK THAT, OKAY,

MAYBE IN A FEW MONTHS,
I COULD BE OUT DOING THIS STUFF,

AND MY HUSBAND COULD BE ABLE
TO GO AND DO WHAT HE WANTS

INSTEAD OF HAVING TO SIT HERE
AND WORRY ABOUT ME,

AND WE COULD BE OUT THERE
DOING IT TOGETHER.

I MEAN, IT IS SOMETHING
TO LOOK FORWARD TO.

SO, I'M SO THANKFUL I HAVE
ANTHONY TO DO THIS WITH ME,

BECAUSE WITHOUT HIM,
I'D BE LOST.

BUT TOMORROW IS THE BIG DAY.

WE ARE GOING TO HIT THE ROAD
AND MAKE THE MOVE TO HOUSTON.

AND I JUST HOPE
IT ALL GOES OKAY.

**

TODAY IS THE DAY ANTHONY
AND I ARE LEAVING FOR HOUSTON,

AND I HAVE A LOT
OF MIXED EMOTIONS

GOING THROUGH MY HEAD RIGHT NOW.

IT'S GONNA BE
A WHOLE NEW EXPERIENCE.

I'VE NEVER EVEN LIVED
OUT OF THIS COUNTY,

LET ALONE OUT OF THIS STATE.

BUT I'M NERVOUS ABOUT
HOW I'M GOING TO DO, THOUGH,

BECAUSE LAST TIME,
IT WAS REALLY HARD ON ME.

IT'S ANOTHER 20-HOUR DRIVE
DOWN TO HOUSTON,

AND THIS TIME, WE'RE GOING
TO TRY TO DRIVE STRAIGHT THERE.

BUT FIRST, WE'RE GOING
TO MY MOM'S HOUSE

AND SAYING GOODBYE TO MY FAMILY,

BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW
HOW LONG IT'S GOING TO BE

BEFORE I SEE EVERYONE AGAIN.

AND IF SOMETHING GOES WRONG,
I KNOW IN THE BACK OF MY MIND

THERE'S A POSSIBILITY THIS
MAY BE THE LAST TIME I SEE THEM.

I'VE NEVER HAD TO LEAVE ANYBODY
I CARE ABOUT FOR THIS LONG.

BUT HOPEFULLY I'LL COME BACK
AND BE BETTER,

GET TO DO MORE,
HAVE A NORMAL LIFE.

BUT I JUST HOPE
THIS IS ALL WORTH IT

AND THAT I'M NOT DOING THIS ALL
FOR NOTHING.

AND I JUST REALLY HOPE
THAT I'M NOT GOING TO HOUSTON

JUST TO FAIL
AND END UP DYING IN TEXAS,

BECAUSE THE ONLY THING WORSE
THAN DYING BEFORE MY TIME

IS DYING
WITHOUT MY FAMILY AROUND ME.

Tracey:
IT'S BEEN A REALLY LONG TRIP,

BUT WE FINALLY MADE IT
TO HOUSTON.

**

AND WE WERE ABLE
TO DRIVE STRAIGHT HERE.

OW! GOD.

OHH.

IT'S NICE TO BE ABLE
TO BE IN HOUSTON

TO BE VERY CLOSE TO DR. NOW
SO HE CAN HELP ME.

AND THE WHOLE, BIG,
EMOTIONAL THING

IS, YOU KNOW,
TO PACK UP, LEAVE,

COME HERE,
COME TO SOMETHING NEW.

ALSO, I KNOW PLACES CAN BE
REALLY HARD TO GET AROUND IN

BECAUSE THEY AREN'T BUILT
FOR PEOPLE MY SIZE,

AND EVEN JUST TRYING
TO WALK TO OUR ROOM

DOWN A LONG HALLWAY
IS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO ME.

I GET WINDED AND CAN'T BREATHE,

AND THEN EVERYTHING
JUST STARTS HURTING.

TO ME, IT'S VERY HARD.

OH, THIS IS CRAZY HIGH.

-ALL RIGHT.
-[ BREATHING HEAVILY ]

[ Panting ]
OH, GOD.

THIS IS THE HIGHEST ONE
WE'VE EVER BEEN IN.

-[ LAUGHS ]
-YOU'LL BREAK YOUR BACK.

-[ LAUGHS ]
-NO, YOU'RE NOT,

'CAUSE I AIN'T STAYING
IN HERE MYSELF.

I'M REALLY GLAD
WE MADE IT TO HOUSTON.

SO, I'M GOING TO TRY
TO TAKE IT EASY

FOR THE REST OF THE DAY

AND GET MY STRENGTH UP
TO SEE DR. NOW.

AND I'M HOPING IT GOES WELL,

BUT IT WILL ALL DEPEND
ON HOW MUCH WEIGHT I LOST.

**

I'M ON MY WAY
TO SEE DR. NOW AGAIN

FOR ANOTHER APPOINTMENT.

BUT THIS IS ONLY MY SECOND TIME
SEEING HIM IN PERSON.

AND I'M REALLY NERVOUS,
BECAUSE HE GAVE ME

A WEIGHT-LOSS GOAL
OF 50 POUNDS IN A MONTH,

AND I'VE BEEN GONE
FOR THREE MONTHS.

SO I HAVE NO IDEA
IF HE'S GONNA WANT

TO SEE ME DOWN
50 POUNDS OR MORE.

BUT LAST TIME I WAS HERE,
I WAS 605 POUNDS.

SO I JUST HOPE THE SCALE SAYS
I'M A LOT LESS NOW.

-517.
-OKAY.

I'M HAPPY WITH THAT.

HOPEFULLY, THIS IS ENOUGH
TO SHOW DR. NOW I CAN DO THIS

AND THAT I'M READY
FOR THE NEXT STEP WITH HIM.

AND I HOPE THAT'S SURGERY.

[ KNOCK ON DOOR ]

-HELLO.
-HELLO.

-HOW ARE YOU?
-I'M DOING OKAY.

-AND HOW YOU DOING?
-I'M DOING OKAY.

WELL, I'M GLAD
TO HEAR THAT.

SO, YOU ARE
517 POUNDS TODAY.

YOU HAD SOME GOOD WEIGHT LOSS,
AND I'M HAPPY ABOUT THAT.

ACTUALLY, I WAS KIND
OF SCARED TO COME HERE,

'CAUSE I WAS LIKE -- I THOUGHT
MY LEGS WAS SWELLED MORE,

SO I THOUGHT
I'D GAINED WEIGHT.

YOU STILL HAVE A LOT OF SWELLING
IN YOUR FEET AND YOUR LEGS.

LET ME SEE HOW THEY LOOK.

YEAH, THEY'RE --
I CAN'T, LIKE, LIFT THEM.

I CAN'T DO NOTHING
WITH THEM.

THEY'RE SO BIG,
I CAN'T, LIKE,

EXERCISE THEM
OR MOVE THEM OR --

OKAY. HAVE YOU MADE ANY CHANGES
TO YOUR EATING HABIT?

I'VE BEEN MOSTLY EATING RIGHT,
BUT DURING THAT FIRST MONTH,

I PROBABLY LOST A LOT

BECAUSE I WASN'T
EATING AT ALL.

AND THEN WE WAS TRYING
TO EAT GRILLED CHICKEN

AND GRILLED FISH AND, YOU KNOW,
NO PASTA AND STUFF FOR A WHILE.

BUT LATELY,
I HAVE ATE PASTA AND STUFF,

SO I CHEATED A LITTLE.

YOU ARE EATING MORE,

BUT NOT THAT MUCH PROTEIN
AND HIGH CARBS STILL,

AND MY CONCERN IS THAT IT
HAS BEEN MAKING YOUR LEGS WORSE.

TRACEY LOST A GOOD AMOUNT
OF WEIGHT,

BUT HER LEGS
DON'T LOOK ANY BETTER.

IF SHE'S NOT ABLE TO DO
ANYTHING TO MAKE THEM SMALLER,

THEN WE MAY NEED
TO FOCUS ON SKIN SURGERY FOR HER

TO REMOVE AS MUCH
OF HER LYMPHEDEMA AS POSSIBLE.

BUT SHE'S NOT READY RIGHT NOW.

IN FACT, SURGERY
MAY NOT BE POSSIBLE

IF WE DON'T GET HER
CELLULITIS UNDER CONTROL.

WE NEED TO GET
YOUR WEIGHT DOWN

AND FOCUS ON THE SKIN REMOVAL
ON YOUR LEGS,

SO WE CAN TRY TO REDUCE
THIS LYMPHEDEMA.

I NEED YOU TO KEEP GOING
AND LOSE 30 POUNDS A MONTH.

AND IF YOU GET DOWN
BELOW 450 POUNDS,

THAT MAY BE ENOUGH FOR US
TO BE ABLE

TO GET YOUR LEGS
ON THE TABLE

TO DO YOUR FIRST
SKIN REMOVAL.

OKAY.

IT MAY TAKE TRACEY
MANY SKIN REMOVAL SURGERY

TO FULLY ADDRESS HER LYMPHEDEMA.

SO IT'S GOING TO BE AN EXTREMELY
DIFFICULT PROCESS FOR HER,

AND SHE HAS TO START RIGHT NOW

IF SHE'S GOING
TO HAVE ANY CHANCE

TO SURVIVE IN THE NEAR FUTURE.

TRACEY, YOU NEED TO STAY
ON A HIGH-PROTEIN DIET

AND REDUCE YOUR CARBS
SIGNIFICANTLY,

OR YOU WON'T GET
YOUR CELLULITIS UNDER CONTROL,

AND THAT COULD
KILL YOU ANYTIME.

-RIGHT.
-SO LET'S GET YOUR HEALTH

AND EVERYTHING UNDER CONTROL
LIKE WE NEED.

-OKAY. THANK YOU, DR. NOW.
-ALL RIGHT.

**

Tracey:
I'M VERY HAPPY JUST TO KNOW

THAT HE'S WILLING TO DO
SOMETHING WITH MY LEGS,

AND THE THOUGHT OF FINALLY
GETTING SOME OF THESE MASSES OFF

AND BEING ABLE TO,
LIKE, EVEN PICK MY LEGS UP

OR WALK BETTER
IS SUCH A BLESSING

THAT THERE'S HOPE
THAT THEY CAN COME OFF,

BUT IT WAS REALLY SCARY

TO HEAR HIM
TALK ABOUT MY CELLULITIS AGAIN

AND HOW DANGEROUS THAT IS.

SO I KNOW MY PRIORITY
IS GETTING THAT UNDER CONTROL,

BECAUSE IF I DON'T,

I COULD BE FACING
AN EARLY DEATH.

Tracey: I'VE BEEN WORKING HARD
TO STAY ON MY DIET,

AND ANTHONY AND I HAVE BEEN
TRYING TO GET OUT

AND STAY ACTIVE WHILE I'M HERE,

BECAUSE I WANT TO GET OUT MORE

AND NOT JUST STAY
IN MY BED ALL DAY.

BUT THE BIGGEST STRUGGLE
HAS BEEN THAT

WE DON'T REALLY HAVE
A GOOD KITCHEN IN OUR PLACE.

Anthony:
YOU KNOW WHAT YOU WANT?

THEY GOT A YOGURT PARFAIT.

WELL, GIVE ME THAT
AND THEN THE NUGGETS.

TWO NUMBER 6's.

TWO FRESH LEMONADES.

AND SO WE'RE GETTING
A LOT OF FAST FOOD.

ALL RIGHT.
THANK YOU.

BUT I'M TRYING TO MAKE
HEALTHY CHOICES WHEREVER WE GO.

**

STICKING TO THE DIET,
IT'S NOT EASY,

BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT
OF TEMPTATION,

AND IT'S HARD FOR ME NOT TO
CHEAT A LITTLE HERE AND THERE.

AND I DON'T THINK ANTHONY
REALLY QUITE UNDERSTANDS

HOW HARD IT IS
TO RESIST TEMPTATION.

YOU GONNA HAVE TO START
EATING MORE VEGETABLES.

I KNOW YOU DON'T LIKE IT,
BUT START EATING THAT.

MM-HMM.

Anthony:
I TRY TO MAKE SURE MY WIFE

DOESN'T EAT THE THINGS
THAT SHE'S NOT SUPPOSED TO EAT

IN ORDER TO HELP HER
GET HER WEIGHT DOWN.

RIGHT.
IT WOULD BE NICE.

Tracey: AS A COUPLE, I THINK
MY WEIGHT-LOSS JOURNEY AT TIMES

IS MAKING US CLOSER,

AND THERE'S OTHER THINGS
WHERE IT KIND OF SEEMS LIKE

IT'S PUSHING US APART.

HIS BACK HURTS NOW
FROM LIFTING UP MY LEGS.

THAT'S THE PART
THAT MAKES HIM FRUSTRATED.

AND I KNOW IT TAKES
A TOLL ON HIM,

SO I'M PUSHING MYSELF
TO DO THIS FOR ME AND FOR US.

**

I'M HERE AT DR. NOW'S OFFICE
FOR MY NEXT APPOINTMENT,

AND WE'RE A LITTLE EARLY,

SO ANTHONY RAN
AND GOT US SOME FOOD.

BUT I DON'T WANT TO EAT
RIGHT NOW

BECAUSE I'M ABOUT
TO GET WEIGHED.

UNH-UNH.

BUT IT IS HARD
WHEN HE EATS IN FRONT OF ME.

HOPEFULLY,
I MADE GOOD PROGRESS, THOUGH,

AND MY DIETING IS PAYING OFF.

BUT I'M ABOUT TO FIND OUT.

MY GOAL WAS TO LOSE
AT LEAST 30 POUNDS A MONTH.

SO THAT SHOULD PUT ME
UNDER 487 POUNDS.

I'M DISAPPOINTED.

I THOUGHT I WAS DOING BETTER,

BUT I BACKTRACKED SOME.

HE'S PROBABLY GONNA BE MAD
'CAUSE THERE WAS A WEIGHT GAIN,

BUT I'M NOT GONNA
STRESS MYSELF OUT OVER IT.

[ KNOCK ON DOOR ]

HI, DR. NOW.
HOW ARE YOU?

I'M DOING OKAY.
HOW ARE YOU ALL DOING?

OKAY.

OKAY, YOU GAINED
WEIGHT THIS PAST MONTH.

DO YOU WANT TO TELL ME
WHAT'S GOING ON?

I'M ALWAYS LIGHTER
IN THE MORNING

THAN I AM IN THE EVENINGS,
SO I DON'T KNOW

IF IT'S WATER SWELLING
OR WHAT.

SO YOU'RE THINKING
THAT YOUR WEIGHT GAIN

IS FROM YOUR LEGS SWELLING?

DON'T KNOW.

OKAY, LET'S TAKE A LOOK
AT YOUR LEGS, THEN.

OH, GOODNESS.

OOH.
[ GROANING ]

SO YOUR CELLULITIS
HAS GOTTEN BAD AGAIN.

SO HERE'S WHAT YOU NEED
TO UNDERSTAND.

IF YOUR CELLULITIS
IS GETTING WORSE,

IT IS AN INDICATION

THAT YOU'RE NOT DOING
WHAT YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO.

YEAH, I UNDERSTAND THAT.

MY EATING HABITS -- I'M EATING
A LOT LESS THAN I DID,

AND I'M NOT DRINKING THE POP
AND STUFF LIKE THAT.

THE REALITY IS THAT
THE SCALE DOESN'T LIE.

-PEOPLE DO.
-OKAY.

AND IF YOU DON'T
FOLLOW THE DIET,

YOU'RE GONNA GAIN WEIGHT
INSTEAD OF LOSING WEIGHT.

I DO EAT --

I EAT A LOT OF PROTEIN
AND MEAT, LIKE YOU SAY.

Anthony:
SHE HAD CHOCOLATE.

SHE ATE CHOCOLATE.

THIS IS JUST LAST NIGHT --
THREE BOXES OF CHOCOLATES.

-THREE BOXES OF CHOC--
-NO, THEY COME WITH FOUR

LITTLE, BITTY CHOCOLATES IN IT.
IT'S 160 CALORIES.

TRACEY HAS GAINED WEIGHT
BECAUSE SHE IS OVEREATING.

AND SHE'S LYING TO ME,

BECAUSE SHE DOESN'T THINK

THIS IS A SERIOUS SITUATION
FOR HER.

BUT IF SHE DOESN'T WAKE UP

AND TAKE
THIS SITUATION SERIOUSLY,

SHE'S NOT GOING TO LIVE
MUCH LONGER.

OKAY, IF YOU DON'T GET
YOUR EATING UNDER CONTROL,

YOUR INFECTION GET OUT OF HAND,
AND YOU WILL DIE.

I CAN'T FORCE YOU
TO MAKE THE CHOICES

THAT WILL SAVE YOUR LIFE.

SO I THINK
THE NEXT STEP IS,

I'M GOING TO SEND
A NUTRITIONIST,

AND I'M GOING
TO SCHEDULE YOU

TO MEET
WITH A LYMPHEDEMA SPECIALIST,

BECAUSE WE HAVE TO GET
YOUR INFECTION UNDER CONTROL.

BECAUSE AS SOON
AS THIS INFECTION

GET IN YOUR BLOODSTREAM,
YOU'RE GOING TO DIE.

SO MAKE THE DECISION
IF YOU WANT TO LIVE.

-MM-HMM.
-OKAY, SO NEXT MONTH,

I WANT TO SEE YOU DOWN
AT LEAST 30 POUNDS.

OKAY.

OKAY, SEE YOU SOON.

**

TRACEY DOESN'T REALIZE
THAT SHE'S PLAYING WITH FIRE,

AND THIS IS NOT
GOING TO END WELL

IF SHE DOESN'T STICK
WITH THE PROGRAM

AND DOES WHAT SHE NEEDS.

Tracey: ANTHONY COULD CALL ME
OUT ABOUT MY CHEATING, BUT...

HE REALLY DOESN'T
WANT ME ON A DIET.

HE DOES ALL
THE GROCERY SHOPPING.

AND I CAN HAVE
20 THINGS WROTE ON THE LIST,

AND HE'LL COME BACK
WITH TWO OF THEM IF I'M LUCKY.

SO I DON'T KNOW IF HE REALLY

DOESN'T WANT ME
TO LOSE THE WEIGHT...

...OR IF HE'S JUST SICK
OF EATING HEALTHY.

I FEEL LIKE I REALLY AM TRYING.

BUT I GUESS I'LL TRY HARDER.

**

ARE YOU READY TO SEE
THE NUTRITIONIST TODAY?

I DON'T NEED
A NUTRITIONIST.

TODAY, THE NUTRITIONIST THAT
DR. NOW IS SENDING IS COMING BY.

I'M HOPING SHE DOESN'T TAKE AWAY
TOO MANY THINGS FROM ME

BECAUSE I WANT TO STAY
ON THE DIET,

BUT I HAVE TO BE ABLE TO EAT
SOMETHING THAT TASTES GOOD

EVERY NOW AND THEN.

[ KNOCK ON DOOR ]

-HOW ARE YOU?
-ALL RIGHT.

-I'M VICKI ROBICHAUX, DIETICIAN.
-ANTHONY.

ANTHONY, NICE TO MEET YOU.

-HI. I'M VICKI.
-HI. HOW ARE YOU?

-TRACEY?
-YES.

NICE TO MEET YOU.

SO TELL ME A LITTLE BIT
ABOUT YOUR JOURNEY SO FAR.

WE'VE BEEN IN HOUSTON
FOR THE LAST 2 1/2 MONTHS NOW.

-AND WHERE ARE YOU FROM?
-OHIO.

-OHIO?
-YEAH.

WE LIVE ABOUT 20 MINUTES
AWAY FROM CLEVELAND.

OKAY.
SO WHAT DO YOU FEEL LIKE

HAS BEEN YOUR BIGGEST
CHALLENGE SO FAR?

CHOCOLATE.

CHOCOLATE WAS ONE
OF YOUR BIG THINGS?

RIGHT, RIGHT, IT'S GOT
ALL KINDS OF HIDDEN CALORIES

-OR, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER IN IT.
-SURE.

SO IF YOU GET
THAT DARK CHOCOLATE POWDER

THAT HAS NO SUGAR IN IT,

-IT'S JUST THE COCOA POWDER...
-MM-HMM.

...YOU CAN MIX THAT
INTO GREEK YOGURT

AND FEEL LIKE YOU'RE
GETTING CHOCOLATE YOGURT

WITHOUT ADDING ANY SUGAR,

AND YOU'RE STILL GETTING
THE HEALTHY BENEFITS

-FROM THE DARK CHOCOLATE.
-OKAY.

IT'S GOOD
FOR YOUR BLOOD PRESSURE.

-IT'S GOOD FOR YOUR HEART.
-OKAY.

DO YOU WANT ME TO TAKE A LOOK
AT SOME OF THE FOODS?

YEAH, THERE'S NOT MUCH IN THERE,
BUT YOU CAN.

SO WHY DON'T WE START
WITH THE REFRIGERATOR?

SO THESE THE YOGURTS
YOU HAVE EVERY DAY?

YEAH.

OKAY, SO THESE ARE
LIGHT YOGURTS, RIGHT?

BUT THIS ONE HAS 5 GRAMS
OF PROTEIN, RIGHT?

-MM-HMM.
-AND 10 GRAMS OF SUGAR.

SO JUST SOMETHING
TO WATCH OUT FOR THERE

IF YOU'RE TRYING
TO DO LOW SUGAR.

PASTA SAUCES ARE ANOTHER PLACE
WHERE SUGAR HIDES.

YOU'D ALMOST BE BETTER OFF
KIND OF MAKING YOUR OWN

WITH GETTING TOMATOES
AND ADDING SOME SEASONING

AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
SO WHOSE PASTA IS THAT?

Anthony: THAT'S MINE.
OKAY.

THIS IS WHAT I EAT.

-THIS IS --
-I EAT THE BEANS.

OTHER THAN THAT, I DON'T EAT
NOTHING ELSE UP THERE.

WHEN I MAKE SOMETHING FOR HER,
I MAKE ME A LITTLE SOMETHING.

[ CHUCKLES ]

SO, DO YOU THINK
THAT'S HELPFUL FOR HER?

WELL, SHE'S USED
TO IT BY NOW,

AND SOMETIMES
SHE DON'T EVEN KNOW.

-IS IT HELPFUL FOR YOU?
-SOMETIMES I'LL BE MAD,

LIKE THE ONE DAY,
HE GAVE ME A CAN OF --

A BOWL
OF MIXED VEGETABLES,

AND HE WAS EATING PASTA
AND SOMETHING ELSE.

I WAS JUST LIKE, "REALLY?"

YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU'RE
THINKING ABOUT FOOD,

THINK ABOUT FOOD IN TERMS OF,

"IS THIS GONNA BE HEALTHFUL

OR IS IT GOING TO, YOU KNOW,
PUT ME IN A SITUATION

WHERE IT'S NOT
GONNA BE GOOD FOR ME?"

Anthony:
I DON'T FULLY AGREE WITH
WHAT THE NUTRITIONIST THINKS

ABOUT THE FOOD I LIKE
BEING AN ISSUE FOR TRACEY.

BECAUSE TRACEY NEEDS TO FOCUS
ON WHAT SHE NEEDS TO DO,

AND SHE NEEDS TO STOP
DEPENDING ON ME

AND ANYBODY ELSE.

CONGRATULATIONS ON ALL
YOUR WEIGHT LOSS SO FAR.

I THINK THAT'S AMAZING.
SO NICE MEETING YOU BOTH.

-YOU, TOO. THANKS.
-GOOD LUCK WITH EVERYTHING.

Tracey: I'M REALLY GLAD
THE NUTRITIONIST CAME BY TODAY.

WHAT I APPRECIATED THE MOST
WAS HOW SHE CONFRONTED ANTHONY

FOR HOW HE EATS
UNHEALTHY FOOD AROUND ME

AND HOW HARD THAT IS FOR ME.

AND I'M HOPING THAT HEARING THAT
FROM SOMEONE OTHER THAN ME

WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

**

THINGS HAVE BEEN A LITTLE TENSE
BETWEEN ANTHONY AND ME LATELY.

I'M NOT SURE IF HE'S JUST
TIRED OF THE DIET

OR IF HE'S UPSET THAT
I'M TRYING TO LOSE THIS WEIGHT.

I KNOW HE SAID
HE LIKED BEING NEEDED,

BUT NOW HE'S TELLING ME
TO DO EVERYTHING MYSELF.

HEY, BABE?

I HAVE A LYMPHEDEMA
APPOINTMENT TOMORROW,

SO I DON'T KNOW
HOW I'M GONNA GET THERE.

WHY DON'T YOU TELL THEM
YOU CAN'T MAKE IT?

I HAVE
THINGS TO DO TOMORROW.

WITHOUT YOU HERE,
THEN IT, YOU KNOW, WORRIES ME

'CAUSE I DON'T KNOW IF I CAN GET
IN THE CAB OR...

IF IT'S SOMETHING
THAT YOU WANT TO DO,

PUT YOUR MIND TO IT
AND DO IT.

STOP DEPENDING
ON EVERYBODY ELSE.

YOU HAVE TO START
DOING THINGS ON YOUR OWN.

WE NEED EACH OTHER.
WE SUPPORT EACH OTHER

EVEN IN THE BAD TIMES.

BUT IF TRACEY WANTS TO DO THIS,

THEN SHE NEEDS TO LEARN
TO DO THIS HERSELF.

Tracey: I DON'T KNOW WHY
HE'S HAVING ISSUES HELPING ME.

BUT IF THINGS KEEP
CHANGING BETWEEN US,

I'M SCARED ABOUT
WHAT THAT'S GOING TO MEAN.

IT JUST MAKES ME FEEL LONELY,

BECAUSE I CAN'T DO THIS
WITHOUT HIM.

Tracey: TODAY, I'M GOING TO SEE
A LYMPHEDEMA SPECIALIST

THAT DR. NOW WANTS ME TO SEE.

BUT ANTHONY IS AT WORK,

SO THE DOCTOR IS SENDING
A PERSONAL CARE ASSISTANT

TO HELP ME GET THERE.

HELLO, MISS MATTHEWS!
HOW ARE YOU?

I'M GOOD.
HI. HOW ARE YOU?

I'M FINE. JUST LET ME KNOW
IF YOU NEED ANY HELP.

OKAY.

IT'S A LITTLE EMBARRASSING,

BECAUSE ANTHONY
SHOULD BE THE ONE

WHO'S HELPING ME DO THIS.

BUT I DON'T WANT TO MISS
THIS APPOINTMENT,

BECAUSE DR. NOW THINKS
IT'S IMPORTANT

I TRY AND START
TO REDUCE THE FLUID

I HAVE IN MY LEGS.

**

BUT I'M STILL NOT SURE

WHAT THIS DOCTOR
IS GOING TO TELL ME,

BECAUSE MY LYMPHEDEMA
IS PRETTY SEVERE.

SO I WOULDN'T BE SURPRISED
IF HE LOOKED AT ME

AND JUST SAID
THERE'S NOTHING THEY CAN DO.

OKAY.

SO, I'M GONNA DO SOME
MEASUREMENTS OF YOUR LEGS.

-OKAY.
-OKAY, SO WHAT I'M DOING IS

JUST GETTING
OVERALL MEASUREMENTS

OF THE LEGS, OKAY?
THIS IS GOING TO TELL ME

HOW MUCH LYMPHATIC FLUID
IS IN THE LEGS.

SO, AS YOU CONTINUE
DOING TREATMENT WITH US,

WE'RE GOING TO BE
TAKING THESE MEASUREMENTS

-ONCE A WEEK...
-OKAY.

...TO SEE OVERALL
HOW YOU ARE DOING.

OKAY, MY DEAR.

-HI. HOW ARE YOU?
-HI. HOW ARE YOU?

-GOOD. HOW ARE YOU?
-GOOD. I'M DR. MOOSA.

-THANK YOU.
-THANK YOU.

SO HOW ARE YOU DOING NOW?

OKAY.
MY LEGS HURT, BUT --

I SEE THAT.
I SEE THE REDNESS HERE.

ANY FEVER OR ANY CHILLS
YOU'VE BEEN HAVING?

I DON'T HAVE
NO FEVER OR NOTHING.

USUALLY,
I DON'T GET A FEVER

UNLESS REALLY, LIKE, THE
CELLULITIS HAS REALLY FLARED UP.

SO THE IDEA IS TO SEE

IF WE CAN GET
THE REDUCTION DOWN,

WHERE IT'S A LITTLE
BIT MORE MANAGEABLE,

AND WE'LL PROBABLY
HAVE TO MODIFY

SOME OF THE WRAPPING
THAT WE DO FOR YOU.

NOW, YOUR SLEEPING POSITION
OR SITTING DOWN TO EAT --

IF YOU CAN BE ON A SOFA
WITH YOUR LEGS UP AND EAT,

-IT'D BE BETTER.
-ALL RIGHT?

I DO NOT WANT MORE THAN
3/4 TEASPOON OF SALT PER DAY.

SO I WANT YOU
AS LOW SODIUM AS POSSIBLE.

SO IF YOU CAN MAINTAIN THAT
AND THE HYDRATION, YOU KNOW,

WITH THE WATER
TO HELP THE BODY CIRCULATE

AND THINGS LIKE THAT,
THAT'S KEY.

ALL RIGHT?
ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME RIGHT NOW?

NO. THANK YOU.
I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.

YOU'RE MORE WELCOME, MA'AM.
NO PROBLEM, NOT A PROBLEM.

TRACEY, UNFORTUNATELY,
SHE HAS VERY SEVER LYMPHEDEMA,

AND WE CAN HELP
REMOVE THE FLUID.

AND THAT WOULD HELP REDUCE
THE RISK OF INFECTIONS

OR CELLULITIS HAPPENING,

WHICH I THINK WILL IMPROVE
HER QUALITY OF LIFE, REALLY.

Tracey:
I'M REALLY HAPPY RIGHT NOW.

THE FACT THAT HE THINKS
HE CAN HELP ME REDUCE THE FLUID

AND SWELLING IN MY LEGS,

THIS IS GREAT NEWS.

SO I'M REALLY EXCITED RIGHT NOW,
BECAUSE EACH DAY,

IT FEELS LIKE
THERE'S MORE AND MORE HOPE.

**

I'VE BEEN WORKING HARD
TO EXERCISE

AND STAY ON MY DIET
THESE PAST FEW WEEKS.

ANTHONY HAS BEEN
GONE MORE AND MORE,

SO I'M HAVING TO LEARN
TO BE MORE INDEPENDENT.

AND I DO FEEL LIKE
I'M HAVING GOOD PROGRESS.

I CAN GET MYSELF
OUT OF BED BY MYSELF,

WHICH I WASN'T ABLE TO BEFORE,

AND I'M ABLE TO WALK
TO THE KITCHEN AREA

AND TO THE BATHROOM.

I FEEL LIKE THE NEW TREATMENTS
FROM THE LYMPHEDEMA SPECIALIST

ALREADY FEEL LIKE THEY'RE
MAKING A BIG DIFFERENCE.

AND IT DOESN'T HURT AS BAD
SO QUICKLY WHEN I'M UP.

THE HARDEST THING RIGHT NOW

IS JUST NOT HAVING
ANTHONY AROUND SO MUCH.

BUT I UNDERSTAND
HE HAS TO WORK,

AND HE'S EARNING
A LIVING FOR BOTH OF US.

SO WE BOTH HAVE TO FOCUS
ON WHAT WE NEED TO DO.

I NEED TO KEEP LOSING WEIGHT
AND TRY TO GET SURGERY

SO THAT I CAN GET MY LIFE BACK.

SO MY FOCUS RIGHT NOW
IS HITTING THAT GOAL.

I THINK THAT STUFF IS DEFINITELY
GETTING EASIER ON ME.

I THINK IT'S GETTING
EASIER ON ANTHONY,

BECAUSE HE'S NOT HAVING
TO DO SO MUCH WITH ME NOW.

'CAUSE NOW THAT I'M ACTUALLY
ABLE TO GET UP AND WALK,

MY BIGGEST MOTIVATION

IS JUST THAT I DON'T WANT
TO GO BACK TO BEING ON BED REST

BECAUSE I DON'T WANT
TO BE AT THAT POINT AGAIN.

I DON'T WANT TO HAVE
TO DEPEND ON PEOPLE AGAIN.

I HAVEN'T GOT TO LIVE LIFE
FOR 17 YEARS,

AND NOW THAT I'M STARTING
TO BE ABLE TO DO IT AGAIN,

I DON'T WANT TO GO BACKWARDS.

**

Woman:
TRACEY MATTHEWS?

ANTHONY AND I HAVE BEEN
IN HOUSTON FOR FIVE MONTHS NOW.

I'VE BEEN WORKING REALLY HARD,

AND I'M ANXIOUS TO QUALIFY
FOR THE NEXT STEP IN MY PROCESS.

MY GOAL IS TO BE
UNDER 441 POUNDS TODAY.

I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT.

I'VE BEEN WORKING AT THIS
FOR MONTHS.

AND I'M HOPING THE DOCTOR SAYS

IT'S ENOUGH WEIGHT
TO HAVE SURGERY.

-HELLO.
-HI, DR. NOW.

ALL RIGHT, SO YOU ALMOST
LOST 170 POUND ON THE DIET,

WHICH IS VERY GOOD.

AND YOUR CELLULITIS
IS UNDER CONTROL,

AND THE FLUID
REMOVAL TREATMENT

WITH THE SPECIALIST
HAS HELPED, AS WELL.

SO THE NEXT STEP FOR YOU

IS TO HAVE YOUR FIRST
SKIN REMOVAL SURGERY.

-OKAY.
-OOH.

[ LAUGHS ]

AND LET ME LOOK AT YOUR
LYMPHEDEMA MASSES ONE MORE TIME.

OUR BEST BET
WILL BE TO START

WITH THIS MASS
ON THE THIGH,

-AND WE TAKE THIS OFF.
-OKAY.

AND ONCE IT HEAL,
THEN WE'RE GONNA TAKE

THE SIMILAR MASS
ON THIS LEG.

-OKAY.
-TAKE THIS ONE OFF.

-OKAY.
-TRACEY HAS BEEN MAKING STEADY

AND GOOD PROGRESS
OVER PAST FEW MONTHS.

AND MOST OF HER WEIGHT

IS BEING STORED
IN HER LOWER BODY.

AND ONCE WE REMOVE THAT
SURGICALLY,

SHE'LL BE CLOSER
TO TARGET WEIGHT.

SO THAT, COMBINED WITH
THE PROGRESS SHE'S MADE,

MEANS THAT WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY

IS NOT GOING TO BE
NECESSARY FOR HER.

YOU'RE DOING GREAT, AND I'M GLAD
THAT YOU STUCK WITH THE PROGRAM

AND YOU LOST
ALL THAT WEIGHT.

AND WE GET YOU SCHEDULED
FOR SURGERY NEXT MONTH.

-OKAY?
-OKAY.

ALL RIGHT.

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

**

Anthony:
EVERYTHING THAT TRACEY'S BEEN
THROUGH THE LAST FEW YEARS,

THE REJECTION OF DOCTORS SAYING
THAT THEY CAN'T DO THIS,

THE DISAPPOINTMENTS,

IT HAS BEEN VERY STRESSFUL.

AND THEN TO TURN AROUND AND SAY,

"HEY, HE'S ABLE
TO DO THIS SURGERY,"

THAT'S THE TOP MOTIVATION.
NOW WE'RE ON OUR WAY.

Tracey: I'M SO HAPPY
AND GRATEFUL RIGHT NOW.

I'VE WORKED SO HARD FOR THIS,

AND IT'S INCREDIBLE
TO FINALLY BE APPROVED.

AND I JUST CAN'T WAIT
TO HAVE THIS SURGERY.

-MORNING.
-MORNING.

-HOW ARE YOU?
-I'M DOING OKAY.

ARE YOU EXCITED TO HAVE
SOME OF THESE LYMPHEDEMA MASS

TAKEN OFF OF YOUR LEGS?

YEAH, I'M EXCITED
TO GET IT OFF,

AND I'M ALSO ANXIOUS
AND SCARED

AND HAVE ALL KINDS
OF EMOTIONS IN ONE.

ALL RIGHT. TODAY,
WE'RE GOING TO CONCENTRATE

ON TAKING THIS ONE
IN HERE.

ONCE THIS HEAL, THEN I'M GONNA
BE ABLE TO DO THE OTHER SIDE.

IN ABOUT A YEAR, WE'RE GONNA
GET YOU DOWN TO 200 POUNDS.

I HAVEN'T WEIGHED 200 POUNDS

SINCE I WAS
LIKE 12 YEARS OLD MAYBE.

WE'LL GET YOU THERE.

-WE'LL GET YOU THERE, OKAY?
-OKAY.

SUPER. WE'LL GET YOU STARTED
IN A FEW MINUTES, OKAY?

-OKAY.
-ALL RIGHT.

**

I'M FINALLY GETTING
LEG SURGERY TODAY.

AND I'M REALLY NERVOUS
RIGHT NOW.

THIS IS A DANGEROUS SURGERY.

BUT I KNOW
THIS IS MY PATH TO A NEW LIFE.

SO I'M TRUSTING EVERYTHING
IS GOING TO BE OKAY

AND THAT THE OUTCOME OF ALL THIS
IS GOING TO BE GOOD.

**

Dr. Nowzaradan:
TODAY, WE ARE PERFORMING
SKIN-REMOVAL SURGERY ON TRACEY

TO BEGIN THE PROCESS
OF REMOVING HER LYMPHEDEMA.

THERE IS A HUGE MASS
ON HER LEFT THIGH,

WHICH IS THE FOCUS
FOR THIS SURGERY.

THIS IS GOING TO BE A LONG,
COMPLICATED OPERATION

BECAUSE THERE ARE HUNDREDS
OF BLOOD VESSELS

THAT WE NEED TO TIE OFF.

AND IF YOU MISS EVEN ONE,

IT CAN LEAD
TO A DANGEROUS SITUATION.

CAN YOU BRING IT UP
A LITTLE BIT?

AND WITH THE LYMPHEDEMA
AND ALL THE FLUID AROUND IT,

IT MAKES IT EVEN MORE DIFFICULT

TO SEE ALL THE AREA
THAT MAY BE BLEEDING,

SO WE HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFUL.

THIS IS A VERY LARGE MASS

THAT WILL MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE

FOR HER TO HAVE REMOVED.

Anthony:
TRACEY MEANS A WHOLE LOT TO ME.

I KNOW THAT THERE'S A CHANCE

THAT ANYTHING COULD HAPPEN.

I'M JUST KEEPING TRACEY
IN MY PRAYERS AND MY THOUGHTS,

AND I'M HOPING THAT THIS SURGERY

WILL MOTIVATE TRACEY TO GET OUT

AND DO MORE AND EMBRACE LIFE.

Dr. Nowzaradan:
OKAY, WE ARE GETTING CLOSER
TO A COMPLETE REMOVAL.

OKAY.

ALL RIGHT, WE HAVE
COMPLETELY REMOVED THE MASS.

AND THEN CLOSE IT UP.

ALL RIGHT. ALL FINISHED.

SURGERY TOOK A WHILE
BUT WENT VERY WELL TODAY.

LET'S WEIGH IT.

ALL RIGHT. THAT'S 10 POUNDS.

AND WE LOST ANOTHER 5
TO 7 POUNDS OF FLUID

DURING THE OPERATION.

SO THIS REMOVAL IS
15- TO 17-POUND

WEIGHT LOSS FOR HER.

AND THIS SHOULD HELP HER
TO GET MORE MOBILE

AND START TO DO MORE.

THIS REMOVAL TODAY

IS GOING TO MAKE
A HUGE DIFFERENCE FOR TRACEY.

BUT THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING

OF A LONG PROCESS FOR HER.

TRACEY'S PROBABLY GOING TO NEED
FOUR TO SIX OPERATIONS

TO TAKE ALL THESE MASSES
OFF OF BOTH LEGS.

SO THIS ISN'T GOING TO BE
AN ISSUE WE CAN FIX OVERNIGHT.

BUT WHEN WE ARE DONE,

SHE WILL BE BELOW 200 POUNDS

AND AT HER TARGET WEIGHT.

SO THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING
OF A WHOLE NEW LIFE FOR HER.

**

MM. MAN, OH, MAN, OH, MAN.

I'VE BEEN IN THE HOSPITAL
FOR A COUPLE DAYS NOW

RECOVERING FROM MY SURGERY.

I'M IN A LOT OF PAIN IN MY LEG

AND GOING UP
ON THIS WHOLE SIDE OF THE BODY.

THE HARDEST PART IS HAVING
TO GET UP AND WALK EVERY DAY

TO KEEP MY BLOOD FLOWING
SO I DON'T GET BLOOD CLOTS.

[ KNOCK ON DOOR ]

SO YOU WANT
TO GET OUT OF BED?

-YEAH.
-YEAH. I'LL GET OUT --

NOT THAT I WANT TO,
BUT I GUESS I HAVE TO.

I'VE BEEN GETTING UP
SINCE I HAD MY SURGERY

AND JUST TAKING A COUPLE STEPS

AND THEN TAKING
A COUPLE STEPS BACK.

THAT'S ENOUGH.
IT TAKES MY BREATH AWAY

AND JUST MAKES ME SICK.

THERE YOU GO.
OH, GOD.

OH, I GOT IT.

WALKING AND PUTTING
ANY KIND OF PRESSURE ON IT

ALWAYS, LIKE -- I'M REALLY
HOLDING BACK MY TEARS

'CAUSE IT HURTS PRETTY BAD.

BUT I'M JUST HOPING
THIS WAS WORTH IT,

BECAUSE I'M HAVING
SECOND THOUGHTS RIGHT NOW.

THERE'S AT LEAST
FIVE MORE SURGERIES

OF JUST THE BIG MASSES,

AND I DON'T KNOW IF I CAN TAKE
MORE SURGERIES LIKE THIS.

Anthony: EVEN THOUGH SHE'S,
LIKE, IN THIS PAIN

AND SHE'S SKEPTICAL
ABOUT THE NEXT SURGERY,

I SEE BENEFITS OF IT.

SHE'S GONNA BE ABLE
TO BE MORE MOBILE.

IT'LL FREE US UP.
I SEE POSITIVE THINGS HAPPENING.

OH, DAMN.
DAMN, DAMN, DAMN, DAMN.

OH, MY GOD.

Tracey: I JUST HOPE,
WHEN THE PAIN FINALLY GOES AWAY,

THE CHANGE IS WORTH IT.

BUT I KNOW IF YOU WANT
THE FINAL OUTCOME,

YOU GOT TO GO THROUGH THE PAIN.

[ KNOCK ON DOOR ]

-GOOD MORNING.
-GOOD MORNING, DR. NOW.

HOW DO YOU FEEL
THIS MORNING?

-OKAY.
-YOUR SURGERY WENT VERY WELL.

Dr. Nowzaradan:
SO, THIS MASS UP HERE IS GONE.

NEXT TIME, WE CAN
TAKE THIS ONE OFF.

OKAY.

THEN YOU'RE GONNA HAVE
A NORMAL LEG

THAT'S NOT GONNA BE
THAT HEAVY.

AND THEN WE DO THE OTHER
SIDE THE SAME THING.

OKAY. THAT'LL WORK.

OKAY?
IN THE MEANTIME,

YOU STICK WITH
YOUR HIGH-PROTEIN DIET,

-LOW-CARB.
-OKAY.

SO KEEP MOVING,

AND WE'LL GET YOU
GOING HOME SOON, OKAY?

ALL RIGHT.
THANK YOU.

THIS IS GONNA BE
A CHALLENGING START FOR TRACEY,

BUT I THINK SHE'S GONNA BE ABLE
TO LOSE MORE WEIGHT

AND BE MORE
PRODUCTIVE WITH THAT.

AND IF THIS HEAL
WITHOUT ANY PROBLEM,

THAT GIVE US A CLUE
THAT MAYBE NEXT TIME

WE CAN DO BIGGER OPERATION
ON THE OTHER LEG.

Tracey: THE THOUGHT OF HAVING
MORE SURGERIES LIKE THIS

SOUNDS TERRIFYING.

SO I HOPE THINGS START
TO GET BETTER REAL SOON.

Tracey:
LIFE IS THIS JOURNEY.

SOMETIMES IT'S LONG,
AND SOMETIMES IT'S SHORT.

AND SOMETIMES HOW LONG
OR HOW SHORT IT IS

DEPENDS ON THE VERY CHOICES
YOU MAKE.

**

Woman:
TRACEY MATTHEWS.

TODAY I'M HERE TO SEE DR. NOW

FOR MY ONE-MONTH
FOLLOW-UP SINCE SURGERY.

AND I FINALLY FEEL LIKE
I'M STARTING TO HEAL UP.

I HAVE NO CLUE WHAT THE SCALE'S
GONNA SAY TODAY.

WHEN I THINK I LOST WEIGHT,
I GAINED WEIGHT,

AND WHEN I THINK
I GAINED WEIGHT, I LOST IT,

SO I HAVE NO CLUE.

Woman: 405.

OH.

I'M VERY PROUD OF MYSELF,
AND I'M GLAD I STUCK TO IT.

AND THE PAIN IS HORRIBLE,

BUT IT'S WORTH IT.

I WAS PRETTY MUCH BED-RIDDEN
ALL MY 30s AND HALF OF MY 40s,

BUT I'M UP AND WALKING

AND BACK DOWN TO A LOWER WEIGHT

THAN WHAT I WAS
WHEN I WAS LIKE 29 YEARS OLD.

-HI, TRACEY.
-HEY, DR. NOW.

HOW ARE YOU?

UM, IN PAIN.

WELL, THAT'S
AFTER SURGERY,

YOU GET THIS KIND
OF PAIN AND DISCOMFORT.

BUT ALL IS GONNA HEAL,
AND YOU'RE GONNA BE HAPPY.

SO YOU'RE DOWN 200 POUNDS
FROM THE START OF YOUR JOURNEY.

-[ CHUCKLES ]
-THAT'S GREAT.

OKAY, AND LET'S SEE

HOW THE INCISIONS ARE
AND HOW EVERYTHING'S GOING.

GOODNESS.

OH, THE INCISION
IS LOOKING GREAT.

AND YOUR THIGH
AND UPPER PART

IS ALMOST
LOOKING NORMAL.

Tracey:
HEY, I HAVE A THIGH NOW.

Anthony:
FIRST TIME I EVER SEEN HER LEG.

AND IF YOU CAN WRAP IT
WITH THESE BANDAGES,

IT'S GONNA HELP TO HEAL
MUCH FASTER, OKAY?

-OKAY.
-ALL RIGHT. THAT LOOKS GOOD.

Dr. Nowzaradan:
TRACEY HAS DONE VERY WELL,

AND SHE'S BEEN LOSING
20 TO 30 POUNDS

EVERY MONTH ON HER OWN.

AND THIS LAST REMOVAL
OF LYMPHEDEMA MASS

WILL HELP HER TO BE MORE ACTIVE.

AND I HAVE NO DOUBT
THAT SHE WILL DO VERY WELL

AND HIT HER TARGET SOON.

JUST KEEP WORKING.
STAY FOCUSED WITH YOUR DIET.

-RIGHT.
-AND AS SOON AS THAT HEAL,

WE CAN DO THE NEXT
SKIN OPERATION, OKAY?

-OKAY.
-AND WE'LL HAVE YOU

TO YOUR TARGET WEIGHT
WITHIN A YEAR.

-THAT'S CRAZY. [ CHUCKLES ]
-ALL RIGHT.

YOU'RE DOING GREAT.
I'M PROUD OF YOU.

-YOU'VE DONE VERY GOOD.
-THANK YOU.

AND I LOOK FORWARD
TO SEEING YOU AGAIN

AND GET
YOUR NEXT OPERATION.

-OKAY.
-YEP.

-GOOD LUCK.
-THANK YOU, DR. NOW.

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

-ALL RIGHT.
-THANK YOU.

**

Tracey: I'M GRATEFUL
THAT I GOT TO COME DOWN HERE

AND MEET THIS DOCTOR.

I JUST HAVE MORE OF A LIFE NOW.

I LOOK MORE NORMAL.

I FEEL MORE NORMAL.
AND I'VE DEFINITELY BEEN

DOING A LOT MORE STUFF
THAN I EVER WAS BEFORE.

IT'S PRETTY AWESOME.

[ Crying ]
IT'S LIKE I HAVE A LEG NOW,

SO I'M HAPPY.

I'M NOT GONNA LET NOTHING
TAKE ME AWAY FROM MY GOAL.

I DIDN'T COME THIS FAR
AND LOSE THIS MUCH WEIGHT

AND STICK TO THIS DIET

AND GO THROUGH THE PAIN
OF THE SURGERY

TO GAIN IT BACK AND QUIT NOW.

AND AS HARD AS IT'S BEEN,
THE PROGRESS I'M MAKING

IS STARTING
TO GIVE ME MY LIFE BACK.

AND I WOULDN'T TRADE ANY OF THIS
FOR THE WORLD.

**

IT'S BEEN TWO MONTHS SINCE
MY FIRST SKIN-REMOVAL SURGERY,

AND I'M DOING A LOT BETTER NOW.

ONCE THE PAIN PASSED
AND I STARTED HEALING,

IT WAS LIKE A WHOLE NEW WORLD
WAS OPENING UP TO ME.

ONE BIG NEW THING IS THAT

I DON'T HAVE TO RIDE
IN THE TRUNK OF A VAN ANYMORE.

I COULD FIT IN THE FRONT SEAT.

-IN THERE GOOD?
-MM-HMM.

THAT IS SUCH AN AMAZING THING.

IT MAY SEEM SMALL,
BUT IT ISN'T.

IT IS KIND OF SPECIAL
FOR YOU SITTING UP HERE WITH ME.

I'M ABLE TO TALK TO YOU
AND HOLD YOUR HAND.

AND WE CAN DRIVE.

-IT'S NICE, HUH?
-WE CAN LOOK AT THINGS TOGETHER.

RIGHT.
I CAN ACTUALLY SEE THE SUN

AND THE FRUIT ON THE TREES

AND THE NICE SCENERY.

EVERY DAY NOW, I'M JUST EXCITED
TO BE TRYING NEW THINGS

BECAUSE OF MY PROGRESS
AND HOW FAR I'VE COME.

**

TODAY, ANTHONY AND I
ARE IN GALVESTON

TO JUST RELAX, HAVE SOME FUN,

AND GO TO THE BEACH.

BACK HOME, WE LIVE
RIGHT BY LAKE ERIE,

SO I LOVE BEING BY THE WATER.

WE'RE IN TEXAS, SO YOU MIGHT
AS WELL GO TO GALVESTON

AND SEE THE OCEAN.

I'VE MISSED OUT ON SO MUCH LIFE,

AND I DON'T WANT TO DO THAT
EVEN FOR ANOTHER SECOND.

AHH, SMELL THE FRESH AIR.

THOSE WAVES IS HIGH TODAY.

I'M GONNA GET OUT
AND WALK OVER THERE.

I WANT TO ENJOY LIFE,

AND I WANT TO DO IT
WITH ANTHONY AND MY FAMILY.

WHAT'S THAT RIGHT THERE?

IT'S A PILE.

-TRACEY.
-WHAT?

AAH!
[ LAUGHS ]

[ LAUGHS ]

-SEE?
-HEY, THAT'S NOT FUNNY.

-SEE?
-[ Laughing ] OH, GOD!

THINGS WERE HARD THERE FOR A BIT
BETWEEN ME AND ANTHONY,

BECAUSE THIS WHOLE PROCESS
HAS BEEN STRESSFUL FOR US.

BUT EVER SINCE THE SURGERY

AND SINCE HE HASN'T HAD
TO DO EVERYTHING FOR ME,

I FEEL LIKE WE ARE STARTING
TO GROW IN A NEW DIRECTION.

SO I'M EXCITED ABOUT
THE FUTURE NOW FOR ME

AND FOR US AS A COUPLE.

I HAVE HOPE AGAIN,

AND I DON'T EVER WANT TO GO BACK
TO A PLACE WHERE I DON'T.

AND I WOULDN'T CHANGE
ANY OF THIS JOURNEY

BECAUSE OF THAT.