All language subtitles for My 600-lb Life S06E01

Lee: I KNOW
I'M KILLING MYSELF.

AND I'M HELPING KILL
THE WOMAN I LOVE.

**

[ GROANS ] GOD!

MY LIFE IS WASTING AWAY,
AND I HATE IT.

I TRY TO CHANGE,

BUT SOMETHING ALWAYS
KNOCKS ME DOWN.

**

MY LIFE -- IT'S LIKE
LIVING A DEATH SENTENCE.

UGH!

OW! [BLEEP]!

THIS IS NO LIFE FOR ANYONE.

**

OH, JUST PRAY FOR ME.

OH, MY LEG!

-SIT DOWN RIGHT THERE.
-YOU'RE MAKING ME NERVOUS.

ALL RIGHT, THIS IS
COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE.

[ DOOR SLAMS ]

**

Rena: IF LEE WANTS TO MESS UP
HIS LIFE AND HIS CHANCE,

I CAN'T LET IT DESTROY MINE.

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

CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY
DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS

**

Lee: THE ONLY THING HARDER
THAN DESTROYING YOUR LIFE

WITH YOUR OWN CHOICES

IS DESTROYING THE LIFE
OF SOMEONE YOU LOVE

AT THE SAME TIME.

[ BIRDS CHIRPING ]

**

**

[ YAWNS ]

**

**

[ GRUNTS ]

**

Rena: FORCING MYSELF
TO START EACH DAY

IS JUST MISERABLE.

BECAUSE I'VE GOTTEN SO BIG,

MY BODY FEELS LIKE
I'M IN A PRISON.

I'M JUST TRAPPED.

IT'S TORTURE EVERY DAY.

AND MY BODY IS SO BAD NOW

THAT I'M EVEN HAVING
TROUBLE BREATHING.

BUT I CAN'T EVEN TAKE THE TIME
TO WORRY ABOUT MYSELF

BECAUSE MY BOYFRIEND
CAN'T DO ANYTHING

FOR HIS SELF ANYMORE.

YEAH.
ALL RIGHT.

SO I HAVE TO HELP HIM BEFORE
I CAN TAKE CARE OF MYSELF.

**

JUST LIVING LIFE
IS A STRUGGLE, DAILY.

SO THERE'S MANY DAYS THAT
I DON'T GET OUT OF BED

BECAUSE OF THE PAIN.

AND I HATE
WHAT I'M DOING TO RENA.

OH, MY BACK.

BUT THE ONLY TIMES I CAN GET UP,
I HAVE TO HAVE HELP.

[ GROANS ]
SORRY.

SO IF IT WASN'T
FOR MY GIRLFRIEND,

I WOULDN'T BE LIVING RIGHT NOW.

I KNOW.

[ PANTING ]

BUT IT IS MORE IMPORTANT
FOR ME TO BE CLEAN

THAN TO WORRY
ABOUT SOMEBODY HELPING ME.

**

I JUST FEEL BAD
'CAUSE I KNOW SHE'S IN PAIN,

AND IT'S HARD FOR HER.

I'M MISERABLE EVERY DAY.

[ SNIFFLES ]

AND SOME DAYS,
I JUST WANNA GIVE UP.

BUT I CAN'T...

BECAUSE NO MATTER
HOW HARD IT IS,

LEE WILL DIE
IF I DON'T TAKE CARE OF HIM.

[ Voice breaking ] SO TO ME...
HE NEEDS IT MORE THAN I DO.

**

SO THAT'S WHAT I'M GONNA DO.

**

[ GRUNTING ]

Lee: EVEN DOING
THE SMALLEST THING

IS A PAINFUL EXPERIENCE.

**

[ LEE STRAINING ]

**

[ WATER RUNNING ]

AND WHEN I TRY
AND TAKE A SHOWER,

IT'S PRETTY MUCH A FULL-DAY JOB
'CAUSE IT JUST WEARS ME OUT.

**

AND I'M JUST READY TO BE DONE

AFTER EVEN A FEW MINUTES
TRYING TO SIT THERE.

I JUST CAN'T HANDLE IT FOR LONG.

[ WATER STOPS RUNNING ]

**

[ GRUNTS ]

**

A PERSON OF OUR SIZE REQUIRES

A LOT OF ATTENTION,
A LOT OF CARE.

IF YOU'RE NOT CAREFUL,

YOU GET BREAK-OPENS IN THE SKIN,
TEARS, RIPS.

YOU GOTTA MAKE SURE
THEY'RE CLEAN, THEY'RE LOTIONED,

THEY'RE DRY, TOOKEN CARE OF.

[ BED CREAKING ]

IT KILLS ME WORSE TO SEE LEE
WHEN HE'S HAVING ISSUES

THAN IT DOES MYSELF.

**

BUT THAT'S WHO I'VE ALWAYS BEEN.

I'VE ALWAYS TOOKEN CARE
OF EVERYBODY ELSE.

[ SOBS ]

AND I'VE NEVER HAD TIME
TO TAKE CARE OF ME.

**

SO ONCE I FINISH WITH LEE,

THEN I CAN FINALLY
TAKE CARE OF MYSELF.

**

BUT BY THE TIME I'M DONE,

I AM VERY EXHAUSTED.

I AM HURTING, SHAKING.

I CAN'T BREATHE.

**

AND THEN WHEN I STAND UP,

MY SKIN APRON HANGS SO FAR DOWN
THAT IT PULLS ON MY BACK,

AND IT PULLS ON MY SHOULDERS.

IT'S MISERABLE.

**

I MISS BEING ABLE TO FEEL
LIKE A WOMAN.

NOW I FEEL LIKE I'M A SIDESHOW.

I CONSIDER IT BEING
A LIVING HELL,

BEING IN THIS BODY.

AND I HATE THE IMPRISONMENT
OF THE WEIGHT.

BUT I KNOW THE LIFE I HAVE NOW

WAS SET IN MOTION
A LONG TIME AGO.

**

AS LONG AS I CAN REMEMBER,

I HAVE STRUGGLED WITH
BEING OVERWEIGHT.

AND I DID EAT FOR COMFORT,

BUT IT BUILT OVER THE YEARS

BECAUSE OF HOW HARD
MY CHILDHOOD WAS.

**

GROWING UP, MY MOM WOULD HAVE
THESE HALLUCINATIONS THAT

WOULD LEAD TO THESE FITS.

ONE TIME, IT WAS AROUND

9:00 OR 10:00,
PROBABLY, ONE NIGHT,

WHEN I WOKE UP
TO MY MOM SCREAMING

ABOUT MY DAD'S FACE BLEEDING.

I COULDN'T SEE NOTHING,

SO I WAS FREAKING OUT.

**

WHEN MY MOM WAS HALLUCINATING,

IT SCARED ME,

SO FOOD WAS A WAY TO DEAL
WITH THAT STRESS.

SO I JUST STARTED
GAINING WEIGHT.

AND BY THE TIME I WAS 13,

I WAS ALREADY AROUND 280 POUNDS.

AND THAT'S WHEN MY MOM
DECIDED TO LEAVE US.

**

SHE JUST PACKED UP HER STUFF
AND LEFT

WHEN I WAS AT SCHOOL ONE DAY.

I JUST DIDN'T UNDERSTAND.

WHY DIDN'T MY MOM LOVE US,
OR ME?

I'D WRITE TO HER,

BUT SHE NEVER WROTE BACK.

SHE CALLED A FEW TIMES,

BUT SHE WOULD MOSTLY
TALK TO MY DAD.

**

DURING ONE CALL,

WE WAS AT MY GRANDMA'S HOUSE
USING HER PHONE,

AND MY DAD WAS THE ONE PHONE
TALKING TO HER.

BUT WHEN I GOT
ON THE OTHER PHONE,

SHE WAS TELLING MY DAD THAT

THE REASON SHE LEFT
WAS BECAUSE OF ME

AND THAT SHE WASN'T COMING BACK
BECAUSE I WAS A BAD KID.

FOR MY MOM TO SAY
THAT IT WAS MY FAULT

OR THAT SHE WAS
BLAMING ME FOR LEAVING,

I WAS DEVASTATED.

SO FOR THE NEXT FEW YEARS
AFTER MY MOM LEFT,

I JUST REMEMBER EATING
AND EATING.

AND BY THE TIME I WAS 18...

...I WAS PROBABLY CLOSE
TO 400 POUNDS.

AND MY LIFE JUST CONTINUED
THIS DOWNWARD SPIRAL FROM THERE.

**

I HAD DROPPED OUT OF SCHOOL,

AND STARTED PARTYING
ALL THE TIME

BECAUSE I JUST WANTED
TO FORGET MY LIFE.

AND DURING THAT TIME,

FOOD WAS THERE FOR ME.

SO I ATE,
AND I DIDN'T EVEN TRY TO STOP

UNTIL MY DAD GOT SICK
AND PASSED AWAY.

**

I WAS PROBABLY AROUND
500 POUNDS THEN.

AND I KNEW I WASN'T GOING
TO BE ABLE TO HANDLE

THE EMOTION OF LOSING HIM.

SO ME AND MY OLDER BROTHER,
MICHAEL,

DECIDED TO CHECK
INTO A WEIGHT-LOSS CLINIC.

HE WAS USING FOOD TO COPE
ALL THESE YEARS, TOO,

AND WAS OVER 600 POUNDS.

SO WE BOTH CHECKED OURSELVES
INTO A CLINIC TOGETHER.

AND THAT'S WHERE I MET LEE.

**

Lee: I REMEMBER MEETING RENA
FOR THE FIRST TIME.

**

HER BROTHER WAS MY ROOMMATE
AT THE BARIATRIC CLINIC,

AND RENA WOULD COME IN EVERY DAY
AND VISIT MICHAEL,

AND SHE WOULD TALK TO ME.

AND I KIND OF FELT JEALOUS

OF HOW SHE WOULD MAKE SURE
HE HAD WHAT HE NEEDED.

SO THEN I GOT TO WHERE
I'D FOLLOW HER AROUND,

AND WE WERE LIKE
BONNIE AND CLYDE.

[ CHUCKLES ]

Rena: LEE WAS A SWEET GUY,

AND WE STARTED SPENDING
A LOT OF TIME TOGETHER.

AND THEN, WE WERE
AN ITEM AT THE CLINIC.

BUT THAT BROKE THE RULES THERE,

SO WE EITHER HAD TO
STOP DATING OR LEAVE.

THEY WOULD GOT ONTO US
FOR HOLDING HANDS.

THEY WOULD GOT ONTO US

FOR SHOWING ANY KIND OF EMOTION

OR ATTENTION TO EACH OTHER.

SO WE JUST DECIDED
WE WANTED TO BE TOGETHER.

WE WANTED A RELATIONSHIP.

Rena: WE LOVED EACH OTHER,

AND WE'VE STAYED TOGETHER
OVER THE PAST 11 YEARS

SINCE LEAVING THE CLINIC.

BUT BEING TOGETHER WITH BOTH
OF US STRUGGLING WITH FOOD

HAS NOT BEEN A GOOD THING...

**

...BECAUSE WE'VE
JUST BEEN GAINING.

AND EACH DAY, OUR HEALTH
IS ONLY GETTING WORSE.

IT'S EMBARRASSING
THAT WE CAN'T EVEN

TAKE CARE OF OURSELVES ANYMORE.

THE ONLY REASON
WE'RE EVEN ABLE

TO SURVIVE RIGHT NOW

IS BECAUSE LEE'S SISTER
COMES OVER EVERY DAY

AND HELPS US.

READY FOR BREAKFAST?

Lee: THOUGHT
YOU'D NEVER ASK.

ALL RIGHT.

RENA HAS DONE AN EXCELLENT JOB

OF TAKING CARE OF LEE.

BUT WITHIN THE LAST
TWO TO THREE YEARS,

SHE HAS WENT DOWNHILL SO MUCH

THAT I HAVE TO DO IT.

**

Lee: EVERYTHING
WORKING OUT?

YEAH,
ARE YOU STARVING?

YEAH,
I'M PRETTY HUNGRY.

I WAKE UP IN THE MORNING,

CAN'T WAIT FOR BREAKFAST.

REALLY, I JUST CAN'T WAIT
TILL THE NEXT MEAL

BECAUSE I'VE GOTTA HAVE
SOMETHING TO EAT CONSTANTLY.

AND I KNOW CASSIE DOESN'T
WANT US TO EAT LIKE WE DO,

BUT SHE ALSO KNOWS THAT
SHE DOESN'T MAKE WHAT WE WANT,

THEN WE'RE REALLY
GONNA GET UPSET.

**

IT'S DONE.
ARE YOU GUYS READY TO EAT?

Rena: YEAH.

IT IS VERY HARD TO WATCH THEM

EVERY DAY,
GAIN MORE AND MORE WEIGHT,

BUT I FEEL LIKE
IT'S OUT OF MY CONTROL.

IT'S THEIR DECISION.

-THANK YOU, CASSIE.
-YOU'RE WELCOME.

**

Lee: FOOD IS MY COMFORT.

WHEN I'M DEPRESSED, I EAT.
WHEN I'M SAD, I EAT.

WHEN I'M HAPPY, I EAT.

FOOD IS MY DRUG OF CHOICE,

AND FOR RENA, TOO.

AND A LOT OF TIMES,
WE WON'T EVEN BE HUNGRY,

BUT WE JUST WANNA DO SOMETHING.

WE'RE DONE EATING.

JUST A SECOND.

I KNOW I'M KILLING MYSELF
WITH HOW I EAT,

BUT WHAT'S WORSE IS,

IT AIN'T ONLY ME NOW.

I KNOW I'M HELPING KILL RENA.

SO I HAVE TO SEE IT HAPPEN
TO THE WOMAN I LOVE.

**

OH!

AND THAT HURTS WORSE
THAN DOING IT TO MYSELF.

**

BUT HOW DO REWRITE HOW YOU'VE
OPERATED YOUR WHOLE LIFE?

**

IT'S LIKE TRYING TO UNDO
YOUR WHOLE HISTORY.

**

I'VE STRUGGLED WITH MY WEIGHT
SINCE I WAS REAL YOUNG.

**

MY PARENTS SEPARATED,
AND MY MOM LEFT

WHEN, I THINK, I WAS
ABOUT 2 YEARS OLD

AND MY BROTHER WAS
ABOUT 6 MONTHS OLD.

BUT MY DAD REMARRIED,

AND MY STEPMOM
HAD THREE KIDS ALREADY.

SO WITH THE COUSINS
THAT LIVED WITH US,

THERE WAS EIGHT KIDS
IN OUR FAMILY GROWING UP.

AND WHEN I WAS
9 OR 10 YEARS OLD,

ONE OF MY SIBLINGS
SEXUALLY ABUSED ME.

**

THAT WENT ON FOR THREE YEARS.

I DIDN'T TELL ANYBODY OVER
SHAME AND EMBARRASSMENT.

IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT

NONE OF MY FAMILY TALK ABOUT,

EVEN TO THIS DAY.

AND IT'S REALLY MESSED
WITH MY HEAD.

SO FOOD IS HOW I DEALT WITH IT.

I STARTED STEALING FOOD
OUT OF THE REFRIGERATOR

AND GOING TO MY ROOM
IN THE CLOSET

AND HIDING AND EATING IT.

IT DIDN'T MATTER WHAT IT WAS,

AS LONG AS IT TASTED GOOD.

THAT WAS MY COMFORT.

IT'S WHAT MADE ME HAPPY.

SO, BY THE TIME I WAS 10,

I WAS AROUND 230 POUNDS.

**

BUT WHEN MY FAMILY REALIZED
HOW MUCH I WAS EATING,

MY DAD PUT A CHAIN AND PADLOCK
ON THE REFRIGERATOR.

BUT I'D STILL FIND WAYS
TO SNEAK AND HIDE FOOD,

SO MY EATING NEVER SLOWED DOWN.

AND WHEN I WAS ABOUT
17 YEARS OLD,

I WEIGHED OVER 500 POUNDS.

I KNEW I WAS OVERWEIGHT,
BUT I JUST KEPT EATING.

**

AND OVER THE NEXT
10 YEARS OR SO,

I JUST KEPT GETTING WORSE.

AND THEN, I STARTED
LOSING MY MOBILITY.

**

AND THAT'S WHEN I KNEW
I HAD TO DO SOMETHING,

SO I CONTACTED
A BARIATRIC CLINIC

AND THEY SAID
THEY WOULD TAKE ME.

I WAS THERE TO GET HELP

AND HOPING TO TURN
MY LIFE AROUND.

**

BUT WHEN I MET RENA THERE,

WE FELL IN LOVE
AND HAD TO LEAVE,

SO WE NEVER GOT
THE HELP WE NEEDED.

**

AND SINCE WE'VE BEEN TOGETHER,
WE BOTH JUST KEPT GAINING

BECAUSE OUTSIDE OF EACH OTHER,
FOOD IS ALL WE BOTH HAVE.

AND THE ONLY ACTIVITY WE DO

AND THE ONLY REASON
WE EVER GO OUT

IS TO GET FOOD.

BUT I CAN BARELY MAKE IT
TO THE CAR,

AND RENA CAN'T WALK FOR LONG
ON HER OWN.

**

SO WE HAVE TO BRING
OUR ELECTRIC CHAIRS,

AND RENA HAS TO LOAD THEM UP.

Rena: IT'S EXTREMELY HARD
TO GET BOTH OF OUR CHAIRS

LOADED UP FOR US.

BUT IF I DON'T,

THERE'S NO WAY I COULD WALK
THROUGH A STORE NOW...

**

...BECAUSE MY LEGS SHAKE,
MY LEGS GIVE OUT.

I CAN'T BREATHE.

IT'S JUST TOO MUCH.

[ PANTING ]

**

[ PANTING INTENSIFIES ]

**

AND THE ONLY WAY
THAT WE ARE ABLE

TO GET GROCERY SHOPPING DONE

IS TO WORK TOGETHER AS A TEAM,

BECAUSE NEITHER ONE OF US WOULD
BE ABLE TO DO IT BY OUR SELF.

**

BUT ONCE WE'RE INSIDE,

THE ANXIETY OF BEING IN PUBLIC
STARTS TO SINK IN

BECAUSE IT'S LIKE GOING
THROUGH THE WALK OF SHAME.

**

Lee: I FEEL JUDGED
BY THE OUTSIDE WORLD

'CAUSE I'M DIFFERENT.

THEY'RE NOT USED TO SEEING
SOMEBODY OF MY SIZE.

IT'S LIKE DRIVING
DOWN THE HIGHWAY

AND SEEING A TRAIN WRECK.

YOU'RE NOT GONNA
NOT STARE AT IT.

YOU'RE GONNA SIT AND STARE AT IT
AND WONDER WHAT HAPPENED.

Rena: IT'S JUST
EMBARRASSING.

BUT GROCERY SHOPPING
IS IMPORTANT FOR US TO DO

SO WE CAN EAT.

Rena: YOU SAID
YOU WANTED CHIPS.

Lee: WHEN I START TO SHOP,
I'M SO HUNGRY,

ONCE I GET HOME, I KNOW I'M JUST
GOING TO EAT EVERYTHING...

DEFINITELY
NEED SODA.

...BECAUSE WHEN I'M EATING,

IT'S ALMOST LIKE FILLING
AN EMPTINESS IN MY BODY.

HOW MANY PACKS OF BACON
YOU WANT?

Lee: UH...

A COUPLE, OR --
YEAH.

Lee: IT'S LIKE LAYING DOWN
AND GETTING A GOOD MASSAGE.

OH, WE NEED SOME
MAYONNAISE.

AND WHEN IT'S OVER,

YOU JUST WANT MORE.

**

SO I CAN'T WAIT
TO GET HOME AND EAT.

**

Rena: WE'LL EAT EVERYTHING HERE
EITHER TODAY OR BY TOMORROW.

**

[ PANTING ]

AND I KNOW DOING THIS

IS KILLING US...

YOU OKAY, BABY?

**

Lee: YOU DID GOOD.

...BUT WE BOTH CAN'T STOP.

WE'RE ALREADY BARELY FUNCTIONING
AS IT IS,

AND IT'S JUST A MATTER OF TIME
BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE.

THE CAR IS
OVERHEATING.

**

NOW WHAT DO WE DO?

THIS IS NOT GOOD!

Rena: I DON'T KNOW
WHAT TO DO!

THE CAR'S NOT
GOING ANYWHERE,

AND WE WON'T LAST HERE LONG
WITHOUT AIR CONDITIONING.

**

Rena: LEE AND ME ARE STUCK ON
THE SIDE OF THE ROAD RIGHT NOW.

AND WE'RE NOT REALLY SURE
WHAT'S WRONG WITH THE CAR,

BUT LEE THINKS
IT MIGHT BE OVERHEATED.

AND IT'S SO HUMILIATING,
BECAUSE WE ARE BOTH TOO BIG

TO EVEN GET OUT OF THE CAR
TO FIGURE IT OUT.

**

SOMETIMES, I JUST FEEL
LIKE A USE--

A USELESS INDIVIDUAL.

Lee: I ASKED MY SISTER
TO BRING US COOLANT OR WATER

TO TRY TO COOL EVERYTHING DOWN.

I HAVE GAS,
AND EVERYTHING ELSE SEEMS FINE.

SO IF OVERHEATING IS
NOT THE ISSUE,

THEN I DON'T KNOW
WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO.

**

Rena: WE AREN'T GONNA LAST
MUCH LONGER IN THE HEAT.

I'M ALREADY FEELING
REALLY LIGHT-HEADED,

SO JUST HOPE SHE GETS HERE SOON.

**

Rena: OH, THANK GOD!

Lee: THANK YOU SO MUCH
FOR COMING AND HELPING US.

[ ENGINE STARTS ]

IT'S ABOUT THAT MUCH
IN THE BOTTOM OF THE OVERFLOW.

Lee: IT'LL GET US
DOWN THE ROAD.

Renee: IF NOT,
CALL ME.

I'LL BRING YOU OUT
A COUPLE MORE.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

YOU'RE WELCOME.

I HATE HAVING
TO BE HELPED.

IT MAKES ME FEEL WORTHLESS.

**

Rena: IT WAS GETTING
REALLY SCARY THERE

AFTER A WHILE.

I KNOW THE SITUATION COULD'VE
TURNED OUT MUCH, MUCH WORSE,

AND THAT THERE'S GOING
TO BE A DAY

WHERE SOMEONE ISN'T GOING TO BE
ABLE TO COME AND HELP US.

**

SO I KNOW THAT WE JUST CAN'T
KEEP LIVING LIKE THIS,

AND THAT TIME IS
RUNNING OUT FOR US.

[ SIGHS ]

LEE AND I HAVE
TO LOSE THIS WEIGHT NOW

SO WE CAN PURSUE
OUR LIFE TOGETHER

BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE.

Lee: I KNOW I'M STARING
AT AN EARLY DEATH.

BUT ME AND RENA --

WE HAVE A MAJOR HUNGER
THAT DOES NOT GO AWAY

AND IT'S WHAT OUR WHOLE LIVES
REVOLVE AROUND.

BUT I DON'T KNOW
HOW TO CHANGE THAT.

I'VE GOT TO
GET SOME WEIGHT OFF,

OR MY ORGANS
ARE GONNA GIVE OUT.

MY HEART'S GONNA GIVE OUT.

**

Rena: I CAN FEEL MYSELF
GOING DOWNHILL.

I CAN TELL THAT THINGS
ARE GETTING BAD,

AND I FEEL LIKE
I'M JUST WAITING TO DIE.

Lee: THE ONLY OPTION THAT
I CAN SEE THAT WE HAVE LEFT

IS THAT WE GO TO HOUSTON
TO SEE DR. NOW,

BECAUSE IF WE DON'T GET HELP,

I WILL PROBABLY JUST KEEP
GETTING BIGGER...

AND BIGGER...

UNTIL MY HEART CAN'T
TAKE IT NO MORE.

AND I DON'T WANT THAT
FOR ME OR RENA.

**

**

Rena: OUR APPOINTMENT
WITH DR. NOW

IS TOMORROW AFTERNOON,

AND WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO DO
THE WHOLE DRIVE IN A DAY.

IT WOULD NORMALLY BE
ABOUT A 12-HOUR TRIP,

BUT I THINK THAT
IT'S GONNA BE HARD,

'CAUSE I THINK THERE'S GONNA
HAVE TO BE MORE STOPS

THAN WHAT EVERYBODY'S EXPECTING.

MAKE SURE YOU GET
MY TATER CHIPS.

GOTTA HAVE SOME
ROAD SNACKS.

THAT'LL PROBABLY GET US
FOR ABOUT AN HOUR.

THEN WE'LL STOP
AND GET SOME MORE.

**

WE'VE NEVER DONE
A TRIP LIKE THIS.

AND WHAT'S SCARING ME IS
NOT JUST HOW HARD

IT'S GONNA BE
TO TRAVEL THIS LONG,

BUT HOW I'M GONNA BE ABLE
TO TAKE CARE OF LEE ON THE ROAD.

HE CAN'T GO TO THE BATHROOM
HIMSELF

OR DO ANYTHING,

SO WHATEVER HE NEEDS,
I HAVE TO DO IT IN THE CAR.

SO ALL OF THIS IS A LOT OF
UNCHARTERED TERRITORY FOR US,

AND IT'S SCARY.

**

Lee: I'M NOT SURE WHAT
TO EXPECT FROM THIS TRIP,

BUT I'VE BEEN VERY NERVOUS
FOR THE LAST WEEK,

ESPECIALLY TO SEE HIM
AND THIS LONG TRIP.

I'M EXCITED, NERVOUS,

AND EVERYTHING
ALL AT THE SAME TIME.

HEY, BUDDY.
WHAT'S UP?

NOTHING MUCH.
Y'ALL READY TO GET STARTED?

YEAH, ARE YOU READY
FOR THIS DRIVE?

IT'S GONNA BE
A LONG TRIP.

Lee: WE CAN'T DO THIS ALONE.

SO, THANKFULLY, I HAVE
ONE OF MY FRIENDS, DAVID,

WHO'S GONNA HELP US DRIVE
DOWN TO HOUSTON.

I'VE KNOWN DAVID SINCE
HE WAS 3 OR 4 YEARS OLD.

AND HE AGREED TO COME WITH US

JUST IN CASE
SOMETHING GOES WRONG,

BECAUSE IF SOMETHING HAPPENS,
LIKE THE CAR OVERHEATING AGAIN,

IT'S TOO RISKY TO BE
WITHOUT ANYONE THERE FOR US.

AND RENA CAN'T DO IT ALL.

PLUS, I CAN SEE
SHE'S ALREADY STRUGGLING.

I DON'T KNOW WHY I'M HAVING
SO MUCH TROUBLE BREATHING TODAY.

USUALLY ONCE I WAKE UP,
IT CALMS DOWN.

BUT I DON'T KNOW
IF IT'S NERVES OR WHAT.

-RELAX, RELAX.
-I'M ALL RIGHT.

I'M JUST CATCHING
MY BREATH.

-ALL RIGHT.
-Y'ALL READY?

Lee: ME AND RENA BOTH KNOW
THIS COULD ALL BE FOR NOTHING.

BUT THIS IS OUR LAST CHANCE,
I KNOW IT.

IF WE DON'T DO THIS,

I DON'T THINK THERE'S GONNA
BE TOO MANY TOMORROWS.

**

LET'S STOP AND GET
SOME FOOD, BABY.

I'M STARVING.

**

I NEED THREE CHICKEN
STRIP SANDWICHES,

A NUMBER-ONE WITH
THE BACON

BUT I WANT MAYONNAISE
AND SMOKE SAUCE ON IT.

AND WE NEED AN ORDER
OF CHEESESTICKS, TOO.

WOMAN: All righty.
Anything else for ya?

-NO.
-Okay.

It's gonna be $44.01.

**

Lee: ONE OF MY GOALS
SINCE I'VE BEEN WITH RENA

IS TO MAKE OUR RELATIONSHIP
OFFICIAL AND MARRY HER.

ALL RIGHT, LET'S GO
FIND A PLACE TO PARK.

BUT I DIDN'T WANNA DO IT TILL
I COULD GET DOWN ON ONE KNEE.

THERE'S YOUR DRINK.
THANK YOU.

I'VE DREAMED OF THAT FUTURE.

BUT NOW I AM SO AFRAID THAT

I AM NOT GOING
TO LIVE LONG ENOUGH

TO MARRY THE WOMAN
THAT I LOVE,

AND THAT I NO LONGER
EVEN HAVE A FUTURE

UNLESS SOMEONE CAN
SAVE ME FROM MYSELF.

**

-YEAH.
-WHEN THEY'RE DRIVING BY.

IT'S LIKE THEY'VE NEVER
SEEN A FAT GUY

SHOVE A HAMBURGER
IN HIS FACE.

**

I HOPE WE FIND
A TOWN SOON.

I JUST GOT TO PEE REAL BAD.
I DRANK THAT BIG-OLD DRINK.

Lee: WE'VE ONLY BEEN ON THE ROAD
FOR A FEW HOURS,

AND IT'S ALREADY STARTING
TO GET TOUGH.

AND WHEN YOU'RE
A PERSON OF MY SIZE,

YOU HAVE TO DO
WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO.

BUT THERE'S NO WAY
I COULD EVEN THINK ABOUT

WALKING INTO A STORE AND PEEING.

I'M GONNA PULL OVER HERE OUT
OF EVERYBODY'S LINE OF VISION.

SO WE JUST HAVE
TO FIGURE IT OUT.

Rena: JUST USING
THE BATHROOM,

WHAT MOST PEOPLE WOULD
TAKE FOR GRANTED,

MOST MEN CAN JUST STAND,
WHIP IT OUT ANYWHERE,

AND PEE ANYWHERE.

WITH LEE, HE HAS TO BE LAID DOWN

AND SOMEONE ELSE HAS TO HOLD
THE URINAL FOR HIM IN PLACE

JUST FOR HIM TO BE ABLE TO PEE.

THAT PERSON, 9 TIMES OUT OF 10,
IS ME.

AND WHEN I DO IT,
I HAVE TO STAND TO DO IT.

SO THEREFORE,
IT EXERTS ME, ALSO.

I'M SORRY, BABY.

ONE OF THESE DAYS,
I'LL BE ABLE TO JUST GET OUT

AND STAND AND PEE.

**

AND AFTER I'M DONE,
I'M SO EXHAUSTED.

Lee: RENA SACRIFICES HERSELF
EVERY DAY TO MAKE SURE

MY NEEDS ARE TAKEN CARE OF.

PEOPLE SAY,
"WHAT'S YOUR GOAL WEIGHT?"

I DON'T HAVE A GOAL WEIGHT.

MY GOAL WEIGHT'S
TO TAKE CARE OF MYSELF,

NOT TO HAVE TO HAVE
SOMEBODY HELP ME.

-SWEETHEART?
-YES?

-DO YOU STILL LOVE ME?
-YES.

CAN I HAVE A BAG
OF THAT POPCORN BACK THERE?

YES.

**

**

**

Lee: WE'RE RUNNING FURTHER
BEHIND THAN I WANTED.

SO RIGHT NOW, WE'RE JUST TRYING
TO GET TO DR. NOW.

Rena: WE'RE GETTING CLOSE,

AND I'M NERVOUS
THAT DR. NOWZARADAN

WON'T ACCEPT ME AND LEE
AS PATIENTS,

THAT HE WON'T HELP US.

**

ME, I'M AFRAID IT'S
BECAUSE OF MY HEALTH.

AND WITH LEE, I'M AFRAID
IT'S 'CAUSE OF HIS SIZE.

**

I NEED THIS SURGERY TO LIVE.

I NEED THIS SURGERY TO BE ABLE
TO GO ON WITH LIFE,

TO BE ABLE TO HAVE
A NORMAL LIFE.

Lee: THIS APPOINTMENT IS
VERY IMPORTANT TO US TODAY

BECAUSE IT'S PRETTY MUCH
A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH.

WHAT DR. NOW TELLS US DETERMINES
WHETHER WE HAVE ANY HOPE

FOR OUR FUTURE OR NOT,

SO IF DR. NOW REJECTS US
FOR ANY REASON,

THEN WE'RE ABOUT TO FIND OUT
THAT OUR LIVES ARE OVER,

WE JUST DIDN'T KNOW IT YET.

**

**

Rena: IT'S BEEN SUCH A LONG RIDE
DOWN HERE TO HOUSTON.

AND NOW THAT WE'RE FINALLY HERE,

WE'RE ABOUT TO FIND OUT
WHAT WE WEIGH

AND IF DR. NOW CAN HELP US.

AND I'M JUST NERVOUS
ABOUT ALL OF IT.

**

Woman: 549.

WOW.

**

I KNEW I'D STILL BEEN
GAINING SOME OVERALL,

BUT THAT'S HIGHER
THAN I WAS EXPECTING.

**

AND I'M REALLY JUST DISAPPOINTED
IN MYSELF RIGHT NOW.

Lee: I AM NOT
LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS.

I CAN TELL RENA ISN'T TOO HAPPY
ABOUT HER WEIGHT,

BUT I'M WORRIED THAT MINE'S
GONNA BE MUCH MORE OF A SHOCK.

I'M JUST HOPING
I'M STILL IN THE 600 RANGE.

**

714.

OH, MY GOD.
REALLY?

**

REALLY HEARTBREAKING
TO REALIZE THAT MY WEIGHT

HAD GOTTEN SO
OUT OF CONTROL.

**

I JUST HOPE DR. NOW'S GONNA BE
ABLE TO HELP US CHANGE THIS

AND GET OUR LIVES BACK.

-GUESS I'LL SEE YOU LATER.
-OKAY.

I'LL BE OUT HERE
WAITING FOR YOU ALL.

**

ME, TOO.

[ KNOCKS ON DOOR ]

HELLO.
I'M DR. NOWZARADAN.

I'M LEE.

-NICE TO MEET YOU, LEE.
-NICE TO MEET YOU.

-RENA.
-RENA, NICE TO MEET YOU.

Dr. Nowzaradan: SO, YOU BOTH
COME ALL THE WAY FROM MISSOURI.

HOW ARE Y'ALL FEELING?

WELL, WE'RE TIRED,
BUT WE'RE HERE.

WELL, I'M GLAD
YOU MADE IT OKAY.

SO, LET'S TAKE A LOOK
AT YOUR MEDICAL HISTORY

AND YOUR CURRENT
SITUATION.

ALL RIGHT.
LEE, YOU'RE 714 POUNDS.

AND RENA,
YOU ARE 549 POUNDS.

AND YOU BOTH HAVE
SIGNIFICANT HEALTH ISSUES

AS A RESULT
OF YOUR WEIGHT.

RENA, YOU'RE A DIABETIC,

AND YOU'RE TAKING
AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF INSULIN.

YES.

THE SAME SEEMS TO BE
THE CASE FOR LEE, TOO.

AND I SEE YOU'RE ON OXYGEN,

SO YOU'RE NO LONGER ABLE
TO BREATHE ON YOUR OWN

BECAUSE OF YOUR WEIGHT.

AND LEE, YOU HAVE
HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE.

YOU HAVE SLEEP APNEA.

YOU HAVE GOUT.

YOU HAVE ACID REFLUX,
HIGH CHOLESTEROL, DEPRESSION.

THERE IS NOW WAY YOUR BODY
IS GOING TO BE ABLE

TO SUSTAIN YOUR WEIGHT
FOR MUCH LONGER AT ALL.

YOU NEED
TO FULLY UNDERSTAND

HOW CLOSE TO DEATH
YOU ARE RIGHT NOW,

AND THAT YOU TWO
ARE IN A VERY BAD PLACE.

YOU REALIZE THAT?

YES, SIR.

THE REALITY IS,

YOU HAVE BEEN ENABLING
EACH OTHER FOR YEARS.

AND, LEE, YOU'RE ALMOST
COMPLETELY IMMOBILE NOW.

ARE YOU ABLE
TO STAND UP AT ALL?

I'M PRETTY ACTIVE.

I CAN WALK 20, 30 FEET
WITH THESE CANES PRETTY GOOD.

IF YOU THINK
THAT'S PRETTY ACTIVE,

THEN YOU'RE A LITTLE DELUSIONAL
ABOUT THAT.

**

LEE AND RENA'S BODIES ARE
STARTING TO COMPLETELY FAIL,

SO MY BIGGEST CONCERN

IS WHETHER THEY CAN STOP
ENABLING EACH OTHER IN TIME

TO MAKE
A SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE

BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE.

SO, ARE YOU BOTH
HERE TO TELL ME

THAT YOU'RE READY TO MAKE
THE CHANGE YOU NEED

TO TURN YOUR LIFE AROUND?

-OH, YEAH.
-YES.

Dr. Nowzaradan:
ALL RIGHT.

THIS HERE IS YOUR NEW
1,200-CALORIE-A-DAY DIET,

AND HIGH-CALORIE FOOD
THAT WE'RE GONNA AVOID.

YOU ARE TO EAT
ONLY WHAT'S APPROVED

IN THIS HIGH-PROTEIN
AND LOW-CARB DIET

AND NOTHING ELSE.

AND I WANT YOU BOTH TO GET UP
AND FIND SOMETHING ACTIVE

TO DO EVERY DAY,
NO MATTER WHAT.

NEITHER OF YOU WOULD BE ABLE

TO SURVIVE ANY SURGERY
RIGHT NOW.

TO CHANGE THAT, YOU BOTH
NEED TO LOSE A LOT WEIGHT.

RENA, I WANT YOU
TO LOSE 75 POUNDS,

TO GET ALL YOUR MEDICAL ISSUES
UNDER CONTROL

SO WE CAN SAFELY
DO THE SURGERY.

LEE, I WANT TO LOSE 150 POUNDS
AND GET DOWN TO AROUND 560.

STICKING TO THE DIET
I'M GIVING YOU

WILL GET YOU
TO THESE GOALS.

AND WHEN YOU WALK
OUT OF THIS OFFICE,

YOU'RE GOING TO LEAVE
YOUR OLD WAYS BEHIND,

IF YOU WANT TO LIVE.

THIS REALLY IS
A RACE AGAINST TIME.

AND HOPEFULLY,
THEY REALIZE THAT ENOUGH

TO MAKE THE CHANGES
THEY NEED NOW

OR THEY'RE NOT
GOING TO SURVIVE.

I'M GOING TO SEE YOU
IN TWO MONTHS,

AND I WANT YOU
TO HIT THESE GOALS.

ALL RIGHT.

-ALL RIGHT.
-ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU.

**

WE GOTTA DO THIS.

I KNOW.

IT'S GONNA BE HARD,
REAL HARD.

**

YOU GUYS READY?

-YEAH.
-YES.

I AM WORE OUT.

BEYOND READY.

**

Rena: IT WAS HARD TO HEAR
EVERYTHING DR. NOW HAD TO SAY

ABOUT HOW CLOSE TO DEATH WE ARE

AND HOW BAD OUR SITUATION
REALLY IS.

AND I DON'T KNOW
WHAT'S WORSE --

TO DIE TOO EARLY,
OR TO LOSE LEE FIRST.

Lee: IF WE DON'T DO THIS,

WE AIN'T GOT A CHANCE IN HELL.

SO IT'S NOT
REALLY A CHOICE.

SO WE HAVE TO FIGHT,
AND WE HAVE TO FIGHT TOGETHER.

**

**

Rena: COMING HOME
AFTER SEEING DR. NOW

WAS LIKE TRYING TO START
A WHOLE NEW LIFE...

OKAY.

...BECAUSE OUR WHOLE LIVES
HAVE REVOLVED AROUND EATING

UNTIL WE GO BACK TO SLEEP.

SO IT WAS LIKE,
"WHAT CAN WE DO?"

ALL RIGHT.

Lee: SO FAR, I'M NOT ABLE
TO GET UP AND DO MUCH.

SO RENA AND ME
STARTED PLAYING VIDEO GAMES

THAT REQUIRE US TO GET ACTIVE.

**

AT FIRST, I COULD ONLY
DO IT FOR A FEW MINUTES.

BUT NOW WE'RE PLAYING WHOLE
GAMES AND GETTING COMPETITIVE.

YES. HA!

BUT BY THIS TIME NEXT MONTH,

I HOPE TO BE ABLE TO GET UP
AND GET AROUND THE HOUSE

A LITTLE BIT
FOR MY EXERCISE.

AND THE SCORE IS...

163 TO 124!

I BEAT YOU.

[ LAUGHS ]
HOW 'BOUT A REMATCH?

ALL RIGHT.
LOVE YOU.

LOVE YOU.

BUT THE HARD PART HAS BEEN
CUTTING BACK OUR DIET.

**

Rena: MY BIGGEST FEAR WAS
WHEN LEE GETS CRAVINGS

AND HE DOESN'T GET
WHAT HE WANTS.

HE CAN GET VERY ANGRY.

BUT HE HASN'T BEEN DOING THAT...

**

...AND THAT'S BEEN
A HUGE RELIEF,

BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE
WE'RE IN THIS TOGETHER.

**

Lee: HONEY, WE READY TO DO
A LITTLE EXERCISING?

**

Rena: I FEEL LIKE THIS LAST
MONTH AND HALF HAS BEEN GOOD.

IT'S BEEN A STRUGGLE, BUT LEE
IS ABLE TO DO A WHOLE LOT MORE.

AND I FEEL THAT IT'S EASIER
TO HAVE SOMEONE TO DO THIS WITH.

Lee: I'VE BEEN TRYING
TO EXERCISE MORE,

GET AROUND MORE,
STAY OUT OF BED MORE,

JUST PUSH THROUGH THE PAIN
AND KEEP ON KEEPING ON.

AND I'VE BEEN ABLE TO GET UP

AND DO SOME WALKING
AROUND THE HOUSE,

SO I FEEL LIKE WE'RE BOTH
MAKING GOOD PROGRESS.

ALL RIGHT, SWEETHEART.

YOU READY FOR
SOME BREAKFAST?

BUT THE FOOD HAS BEEN
A LITTLE HARD, STILL.

AND WE'VE CAVED
A FEW TIMES

BECAUSE THE PORTION SIZES
ON THE DOCTOR'S PLAN

ARE JUST REALLY SMALL

SO I'M STILL REALLY HUNGRY
WHEN I FINISH MY MEAL.

**

BUT I WANT TO LOSE WEIGHT
FOR RENA AS WELL AS MYSELF,

SO I HAVE TWO REASONS
TO DO IT INSTEAD OF ONE.

SO I'M NOT GIVING IN.

**

Rena: ME AND LEE ARE
IN HOUSTON AGAIN

TO SEE DR. NOW FOR
OUR SECOND APPOINTMENT,

AND I AM ABSOLUTELY TERRIFIED.

**

OH, GOD, IT HURTS.

WE'VE TURNED OUR WORLDS
UPSIDE-DOWN TO DO THIS.

**

LEE AND RENA?

AND AS HARD AS I KNOW
WE'VE WORKED,

I'M SO SCARED IT'S NOT
GOING TO BE ENOUGH

BECAUSE IF EITHER OF US FAIL,

THEN WE BOTH WE DO
AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED.

SO, ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING IS
RIDING ON THE NUMBERS

WE'RE ABOUT TO SEE.

**

**

Rena: LEE AND ME ARE
AT OUR SECOND APPOINTMENT

WITH DR. NOW,

AND THERE'S SO MUCH RIDING ON US
HITTING OUR GOALS TODAY.

THE DOC WANTED ME TO LOSE
AT LEAST 75 POUNDS

OVER THE LAST TWO MONTHS
AND GET DOWN TO 474,

SO I'M MUST PRAYING THAT
I'VE GOTTEN DOWN TO THAT.

**

PART OF ME IS HAPPY
TO SEE SUCH A LOSS,

BUT I'M DISAPPOINTED

BECAUSE IT'S NOT AS MUCH
AS I WAS SUPPOSED TO LOSE.

OH, GOD.

Lee: IT'S THE MOMENT
OF TRUTH FOR ME.

I'M SUPPOSED TO HAVE
LOST 150 POUNDS

TO GET DOWN TO 564 TODAY.

AND I'VE WORKED REALLY HARD
TO HIT THAT GOAL.

**

ALL RIGHT, GOOD JOB.

AWESOME.

I'M EXCITED ABOUT THAT,

BUT IT'S STILL 50 POUNDS AWAY
FROM DR. NOW'S GOAL.

SO I HAVE NO IDEA
WHAT TO EXPECT RIGHT NOW.

**

BUT I'VE BEEN HAVING
A LOT OF ISSUES WITH PAIN,

AND I'M WORRIED SOMETHING IS
WRONG WITH MY STOMACH.

BUT, HOPEFULLY,
THE DOCTOR CAN HELP ME.

I DON'T FEEL GOOD
AT ALL.

**

[ KNOCKS ON DOOR ]

COME IN.

-HELLO.
-HELLO.

-HI.
-HOW ARE Y'ALL DOING?

ALL RIGHT.

GOOD TO SEE YOU BOTH.

SO, LET'S SEE
HOW MUCH YOU'VE LOST.

RENA, YOU MADE IT DOWN
TO 507 POUNDS.

-RIGHT.
-YEAH.

AND LEE,
YOU'RE DOWN TO 619 POUNDS.

SO I'M ENCOURAGED
BY YOUR PROGRESS,

BUT IT'S TOO LITTLE WEIGHT LOSS
TO BRING THE RISK FACTOR

FOR SURGERY
TO AN ACCEPTABLE LEVEL.

SO YOU BOTH
ARE STILL NOT READY

FOR ANY KIND
OF WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY.

BUT WITH THE PROGRESS
THAT YOU'VE MADE,

YOU SHOULD NOTICE
SOME DIFFERENCE

IN HOW YOU'RE FEELING
AND IN YOUR MOBILITY.

ARE YOU BOTH
FEELING ANY BETTER?

-NO, I'M HAVING A LOT OF PAIN.
-WHAT'S GOING ON?

MY STOMACH --
RIGHT HERE THROUGH TO MY SIDE,

AND BACK --
IT'S JUST REALLY PAINFUL.

HOW BAD IS THE PAIN?

ANY TIME I MOVE
OR WALK OR STRAIN,

IT PULLS AND JUST REALLY
BURNS AND HURTS,

AND IT JUST KILLS ME.

I CAN'T GET ANY RELIEF.

WHY DIDN'T YOU CALL ME
ABOUT THIS?

I FIGURED I'D SEE YOU.

SO YOU LET IT
GET WORSE

UNTIL IT'S CAUSING YOU
SEVERE PAIN NOW,

AND THIS MAY BE
AN EMERGENCY ISSUE.

ONE LITTLE THING
CAN KILL YOU.

SO RIGHT NOW, I WANT TO ADMIT
YOU TO HOSPITAL IMMEDIATELY

TO DO AN ENDOSCOPY
TO FIGURE OUT WHAT'S GOING ON.

Dr. Nowzaradan: LEE AND RENA
SHOULD HAVE MADE MORE PROGRESS.

BUT MY CONCERN RIGHT NOW
IS LEE'S STOMACH PAIN

AND THAT THE CAUSE
IS GALL STONES,

WHICH CAN BECOME
A DEADLY SITUATION

IF THEY'RE NOT TREATED.

IF THEY GET TOO BAD,

THERE'LL BE NOTHING
WE CAN DO FOR LEE

BECAUSE HE WON'T BE ABLE
TO SURVIVE SURGERY.

OKAY. WE'RE GOING TO DISCUSS
WHAT YOU BOTH NEED TO DO LATER.

BUT RIGHT NOW, I WANNA GET YOU
TO THE HOSPITAL, LEE,

AND FIND OUT
WHAT'S CAUSING YOU PAIN.

AND, HOPEFULLY, THIS IS NOT
AN EMERGENCY SITUATION.

OKAY.

**

IT'S JUST SCARY.

YOU READY TO GO?

I GUESS WE'RE GOING
TO THE HOSPITAL.

**

OH, OH!

EASY.

[ GROANS ]

**

Lee: I CAN'T BELIEVE
I LET THIS HAPPEN.

I GUESS I DIDN'T REALIZE
HOW DANGEROUS THINGS

COULD BE FOR ME NOW.

**

I'M JUST PRAYING
THAT EVERYTHING IS

GOING TO BE ALL RIGHT.

Rena: I CAN'T DO THIS
WITHOUT HIM,

SO HE HAS TO BE OKAY.

**

I JUST CAN'T LOSE HIM.

**

**

WE CAN ONLY PUT LEE
UNDER VERY BRIEFLY

BECAUSE HE WOULD NOT
SURVIVE LONG-TERM SEDATION.

AND OUR OPTIONS
ARE LIMITED IF THERE ARE

ANY SIGNIFICANT
HEALTH ISSUES

WITH LEE RIGHT NOW.

SO IF THAT'S THE CASE,
THEN THERE MAY NOT BE ANYTHING

WE CAN DO TO SAVE HIM.

**

Dr. Nowzaradan:
YESTERDAY, I RUSHED LEE
TO THE HOSPITAL

AND DID AN ENDOSCOPY
AS WELL AS SOME OTHER TESTS

TO DETERMINE WHAT WAS CAUSING
HIS SEVERE STOMACH PAIN,

AND IT LOOKS TO BE GALL STONES.

BUT LEE IS LUCKY BECAUSE
RIGHT NOW THEY HAVE NOT ADVANCED

TO ANY SORT OF INFECTION
OR ATTACK IN HIS BODY.

BUT THAT WILL INEVITABLY
BE THE OUTCOME

IF WE DON'T TREAT THEM.

HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM
STILL REMAINS THAT HIS BODY

IS IN EXTREMELY
POOR CONDITION MEDICALLY,

AND THERE IS NO TELLING WHAT
ISSUES HE CAN DEVELOP QUICKLY

THAT WILL END HIS LIFE.

SO HE AND RENA BOTH NEED
TO KEEP LOSING WEIGHT

SO WE CAN ADDRESS THE ISSUES
BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE.

HOW ARE YOU FEELING, LEE?
YOU READY TO GO HOME?

-YES.
-ALL RIGHT.

WE'LL GET YOU ALL
ON THE ROAD NOW,

BUT I WANT TO SEE YOU BOTH
BACK HERE IN ONE MONTH.

OKAY.

AND I WANT YOU TO HIT
THE WEIGHT-LOSS GOALS

THAT I GAVE YOU
BECAUSE WE NEED TO GET YOU

TO A MUCH HEALTHIER
PLACE IMMEDIATELY.

AND YOU BOTH HAVE
NO MORE TIME TO WASTE.

DO YOU UNDERSTAND?

YEAH.

OKAY, SEE YOU ALL SOON.

THANK YOU, DR. NOW.

YOU'RE WELCOME.

Rena: I'M DISAPPOINTED THAT
NEITHER OF US GOT QUALIFIED

FOR THE SURGERY THIS TIME.

BUT WITH WHAT LEE'S
GOING THROUGH

AND WHAT THE DOCTOR'S SAYING,

I KNOW THIS NEXT MONTH
IS GONNA BE

EVEN MORE IMPORTANT
THAN THE LAST TWO...

BECAUSE THIS LIKELY
OUR LAST CHANCE.

**

Lee: I GOT YOU SOME BOXES
SWEETHEART.

AFTER GETTING HOME,
ME AND LEE TALKED,

AND WE KNOW WE CAN'T KEEP
DOING THIS TRIP BACK AND FORTH.

IT'S TOO HARD ON US.

SO WE'RE MAKING THE MOVE,
AND WE'RE PACKING UP

AND SAYING GOODBYE
TO OUR FAMILY HERE.

I HATE PACKING AND MOVING.

IT'S A LOT OF WORK.

I WISH I COULD SNAP MY FINGER,
AND WE'RE THERE, AND IT'S DONE.

THE ONLY PERSON WE'LL HAVE
BESIDES EACH OTHER IS DAVID,

BECAUSE HE'S COMING
TO TEXAS WITH US

FOR THE WHOLE YEAR TO TWO YEARS,
HOWEVER LONG WE'RE THERE.

BUT I'M JUST A BUNDLE
OF EMOTIONS RIGHT NOW.

I FEEL SCARED, OVERWHELMED,

BECAUSE THIS IS ONE OF THE
HARDEST THINGS WE'VE EVER DONE.

NEED SOME HUGS.
I LOVE YOU, BABY.

I'M GONNA MISS YOU.

LET ME GET A HUG.

I JUST HOPE IT WON'T
HAVE BEEN FOR NOTHING.

**

WELL, THIS CHICKEN'S
ABOUT READY, GUYS.

Lee: MOVING TO HOUSTON IS THE
FIRST BIG STEP IN OUR JOURNEY

TO CHANGE OUR LIVES.

AND ME AND RENA ARE
STICKING TO OUR DIET

AND EXERCISE EXACTLY LIKE
WE'RE SUPPOSED TO,

INCLUDING OUR PORTION SIZES.

I AM GONNA KEEP LOSING WEIGHT
UNTIL DR. NOW SAYS

"YOU ARE APPROVED
FOR THE SURGERY,"

NO MATTER HOW LONG IT TAKES.

BECAUSE I WANT TO LIVE
A LONGER LIFE.

RENA HAS LOST HER WHOLE FAMILY,

AND I DON'T WANT HER
TO LOSE ME, TOO.

Rena: WE KNOW EVEN MORE
THIS TIME

HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO DO THIS,

AND I'M NOT LETTING LEE GET IN
A SITUATION LIKE HE WAS AGAIN.

I WANT BOTH OF US
TO GET SURGERY,

BUT I DEFINITELY
WANT HIM TO GET APPROVED

BECAUSE I FEEL HE HAS
LESS TIME THAN ME.

BUT I KNOW I DON'T HAVE
MUCH LONGER, EITHER,

BECAUSE I CAN FEEL HOW SICK
AND RUNDOWN I'M GETTING.

SO NO MATTER WHAT,
WE CAN'T FAIL AT THIS.

**

IT'S BEEN A REALLY HARD MONTH,
MOVING HERE

AND WORKING TO LOSE MORE WEIGHT.

I JUST HOPE IT'S ALL
ABOUT TO PAY OFF,

BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE MY BODY'S
BREAKING DOWN LIKE LEE'S,

AND I FEEL TERRIBLE RIGHT NOW.

LEE AND RENA?

DR. NOW TOLD ME TO LOSE ANOTHER
25 POUNDS THIS PAST MONTH.

SO THAT MEANS I NEED TO BE
JUST BELOW 482 TODAY.

AWESOME.
GOOD JOB, BABY.

I'M REALLY HAPPY WITH THAT.

ALL RIGHT.

I'M NERVOUS, BECAUSE I NEED
TO HAVE LOST

ANOTHER 50 POUNDS
TO GET BELOW 569 TODAY.

BUT I'M HOPING I JUST BLEW PAST
THAT NUMBER AND LOST EVEN MORE.

WOW.

AWESOME.

I'M FEELING GOOD
ABOUT MY PROGRESS.

IT MAKES ME PROUD OF MYSELF
THAT I WORKED EXTRA HARD,

SO THERE SHOULD BE NO REASON
THAT ME AND RENA

DON'T GET APPROVED
FOR SURGERY TODAY.

[ KNOCK ON DOOR ]
YEAH, COME ON IN.

-HELLO.
-HELLO.

HOW ARE YOU ALL DOING?

-DOING ALL RIGHT.
-GOOD.

ALL RIGHT. SO, LEE,
HOW'S YOUR STOMACH PAIN?

IT HURTS FROM HERE ALL THE WAY
THROUGH MY BACK,

BUT THE PAIN MEDICINE
HELPS A LOT.

WELL,
WE'LL TAKE CARE OF IT.

BUT LET'S SEE WHERE BOTH
OF YOUR WEIGHT LOSS IS AT.

RENA, YOU LOST 31 POUNDS WITH A
TOTAL WEIGHT LOSS OF 73 POUNDS.

AND, LEE,
YOU LOST 47 POUNDS.

THAT'S 142 POUNDS SO FAR,
HUH?

YEAH.

SO, CONGRATULATIONS,

YOU BOTH ARE APPROVED
FOR WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY.

WE'LL RUN SOME TESTS TO
MAKE SURE THERE ARE NO ISSUES,

BUT YOU'VE BOTH DONE WELL
AND I'M PROUD OF YOU.

YEP.

AND I'LL BET YOU BOTH
ALREADY FEELING BETTER

WITH ALL THAT WEIGHT
OFF OF YOU.

Rena:
I'M FEELING REALLY GOOD.

I'VE BEEN ABLE TO STAND
AND WALK MORE, ACTUALLY.

BUT I'VE BEEN FEELING
REALLY SICK FOR ABOUT A WEEK,

MAYBE A LITTLE LONGER.

WHAT'S GOING ON?

I'VE GOT SOME KIND
OF PAIN IN MY CHEST,

AND IT FEELS LIKE SOMEBODY'S
JUST PULLING MY CHEST APART.

AND THEN I STARTED
COUGHING STUFF UP YESTERDAY,

AND IT STARTED OUT
BEING CLEAR,

AND THEN LAST NIGHT
IT STARTED HAVING

A LITTLE BIT
OF BLOOD SHOW IN IT.

AND WHEN I STARTED SEEING
THE BLOOD, I REALLY GOT WORRIED.

ALL RIGHT,
LET ME CHECK AND SEE

WHAT YOUR BREATHING
SOUNDS LIKE.

NOW BREATHE NORMAL,
JUST NORMAL.

I'M NOT SURE WHAT MORE I CAN DO
TO GET LEE AND RENA

TO UNDERSTAND
HOW DANGEROUS IT IS

FOR THEM TO IGNORE ANY ISSUE
WITH THEIR BODY RIGHT NOW...

ALL RIGHT, SO WE'RE GONNA
GET SOME CHEST X-RAYS,

AND I'LL BE BACK AND LET YOU
KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON, OKAY?

OKAY.

Dr. Nowzaradan:
...ESPECIALLY RENA,
BECAUSE I THINK

HER PHYSICAL CONDITION
IS MUCH WORSE OFF THAN LEE'S.

AND HER BODY IS STARTING
TO PALE ALREADY.

[ KNOCK ON DOOR ]

ALL RIGHT.

I JUST LOOKED AT
YOUR CHEST X-RAY,

AND YOU DO HAVE PNEUMONIA
IN THE RIGHT LUNG,

SO WE NEED TO SEND YOU
TO THE HOSPITAL, OKAY?

WE NEED TO START TREATING YOU
FOR THIS IMMEDIATELY

SO THAT YOUR CONDITION

DOESN'T START TO
DETERIORATE ANY FURTHER.

AND YOU NEED TO BE SEPARATED
AND QUARANTINED FROM LEE,

BECAUSE HE CAN'T AFFORD TO GET
SICK RIGHT NOW AT ALL, OKAY?

ALL RIGHT.

RENA, I'LL SEE YOU
IN THE HOSPITAL, OKAY?

-THANK YOU.
-ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU.

SO, RENA IS ONLY GOING
TO NEED TO RECOVER.

BUT WE'LL NEED TO MAKE SURE
SHE'S NO LONGER CONTAGIOUS

BEFORE SHE GOES HOME.

AND THIS, UNFORTUNATELY,

MEANS THAT BOTH
THEIR SURGERIES ARE DELAYED

BECAUSE NOW THE PRIORITY
IS MAKING SURE

RENA EVEN SURVIVES TO GET IT.

**

Rena: THE TREATMENT HERE
HAS HELPING ME GET BETTER.

IT'S JUST HARD
BEING AWAY FROM LEE.

SINCE I'VE KNOWN HIM, WE REALLY
HAVEN'T SPENT ANY TIME APART

SO THIS IS ALL SO MUCH HARDER
THAN I EVER THOUGHT IT WOULD BE,

AND UNTIL YOU GET SURGERY,

YOU DON'T KNOW IF ANY OF IT
IS GOING TO PAY OFF.

SO HOPEFULLY AFTER LEE
HAS HIS SURGERY,

I'LL BE ABLE TO GET MINE,

AND WE CAN BOTH START THE LIFE
WE'VE DREAMED OF FOR SO LONG.

**

**

Lee: I'M VERY NERVOUS,
TERRIFIED,

AND I KNOW THAT
THERE IS A POSSIBILITY

THAT I MAY NOT WAKE UP.

BUT IT'S A CHANCE
I'M WILLING TO TAKE,

BECAUSE IF I DON'T DO THIS,

I COULD FALL BACK
AND EAT MYSELF TO DEATH.

SO I'M RISKING MY LIFE
TO HAVE A BETTER LIFE.

Dr. Nowzaradan:
TODAY WE'RE DOING
A GASTRIC BYPASS ON LEE,

AND IT'LL ALSO RECTIFY
HIS ISSUES WITH HIS GALLBLADDER

DOING THIS PROCEDURE.

HE LOST ENOUGH WEIGHT FOR HIS
BODY TO EVEN TOLERATE SURGERY.

BUT THIS IS STILL A VERY
HIGH-RISK OPERATION FOR HIM.

CAN WE TURN THE ROOM LIGHT OFF?

ANY NUMBER OF THINGS THAT WOULD
NORMALLY BE A SMALL ISSUE

DURING SURGERY COULD LEAD
TO HIS BODY SHUTTING DOWN

OR HIM GOING INTO
CARDIAC ARREST,

AND IF IT GETS TO THAT POINT

WE LIKELY WON'T BE ABLE
TO PULL HIM BACK.

SO WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE WE CATCH
ANYTHING BEFORE IT HAPPENS.

Rena: HE'S BEEN IN THERE
FOR A WHILE,

AND THE LONGER IT TAKES
THE MORE NERVOUS I GET.

LEE MEANS THE WORLD TO ME,

AND HE'S THE ONLY PERSON
I HAVE LEFT IN MY LIFE.

IF SOMETHING WOULD
HAPPEN TO LEE,

I DON'T KNOW HOW I WOULD GO ON.

Dr. Nowzaradan: GASTRIC BYPASS
IS AN OPERATION THAT --

WE REDUCE THE SIZE
OF THE STOMACH BY 90%,

AND LEAVE A SMALL PORTION
OF THE STOMACH.

WE ALSO RE-ROUTE THE CONNECTION
TO THE SMALL INTESTINE

TO THAT PORTION OF STOMACH.

THIS LIMITS THE AMOUNT OF FOOD

THAT THE PATIENT
CAN EAT AT ONE TIME

AND CHANGES THE
PATIENT'S METABOLISM

SO THEY FEEL LESS HUNGRY.

ALL RIGHT, LOOKS GOOD.

TURN THE LIGHT ON.

ALL RIGHT.
WE'RE DONE.

ALL RIGHT.
LEE'S SURGERY WENT VERY WELL.

NOT ONLY WERE WE ABLE TO GIVE
HIM THE FULL GASTRIC BYPASS,

WE WERE ALSO ABLE TO
REMOVE HIS GALLBLADDER.

THAT ALONE SHOULD HELP HIM
FEEL A LOT BETTER.

AND IN A FEW DAYS, WE'LL BE ABLE
TO SEND HIM HOME,

AND ONCE HE FULLY RECOVERS

WE'LL BE ABLE TO DO RENA'S
WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY,

AND THEN THEY BOTH CAN CONTINUE
MAKING PROGRESS TOGETHER.

**

**

Rena: LEE'S BEEN HOME FROM
THE HOSPITAL FOR ABOUT A MONTH,

AND HE'S BEEN OFF HIS LIQUID
DIET, AND HE'S FULLY RECOVERED.

SO I'VE BEEN MAKING HIM START
TO DO THINGS FOR HIMSELF

FOR THE FIRST TIME
IN A LONG WHILE

BECAUSE I'M INTENT ON
GETTING MY SURGERY NOW.

SO HE'S ACTUALLY GOING TO
HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF ME,

AND HE HAS NO
CHOICE ABOUT IT.

OKAY.

BUT I KNOW IT'S BEEN HARD
FOR LEE TO TRY TO CLEAN HIMSELF

AND USE THE BATHROOM ON HIS OWN.

I GOT TO GET THE STENCH AND THE
FILTH OFF ME ONE WAY OR ANOTHER.

A MONTH AND TWO AGO,

I WOULDN'T HAVE NEVER
EVEN BEEN ABLE TO DO THIS.

I HAD TO HAVE THE WHEELCHAIR
FOR EVERYTHING.

OH, MY GOD.

I FEEL LIKE
I'VE RAN A MARATHON.

I KNOW.

I'M PROUD OF LEE FOR TRYING,
BUT WHAT I'M WORRIED ABOUT

IS HOW HE'S FALLING BACK
INTO HIS OLD EATING HABITS.

NOW THAT LEE'S HAD SURGERY,
IT'S LIKE HE'S STOPPED

TRYING TO STICK TO THE DIET,

AND THAT'S WORRYING ME.

I CAN'T FIGURE OUT WHY
HE'S DOING THIS NOW.

AND HIS TEMPER HAS BEEN
COMING BACK

WHEN HE'S CRAVING SOMETHING.

Lee: I KNOW RENA HASN'T
BEEN TOO HAPPY

WHEN I MAKE POOR FOOD CHOICES.

BUT NOW THAT I HAD THE SURGERY,

I THOUGHT IT WOULD TAKE AWAY
ALL THE CRAVINGS FOR THE FOOD

THAT I SHOULDN'T EAT.

BUT IT HASN'T, SO I NEED HER
TO LET UP A LITTLE

AND TO GET OFF MY BACK,
BECAUSE THIS ISN'T EASY.

REALLY START DOING
THE BEST WE CAN...

-I KNOW.
-...AND NOT JUST SAY THAT.

I KNOW.

I KNOW I FELL BACK, AND I KNOW
THAT I'VE MESSED UP,

BUT THE WHOLE
OVERWHELMING OF THE MOVE

AND THE NOT HAVING MY NOR--

I WENT THROUGH THAT, TOO.

I KNOW.

THAT'S WHAT
YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND.

WILL YOU ADMIT THAT WE'RE NOT
DOING AS WELL HERE

AS WE SHOULD DO?

WE AREN'T.

BUT I'M NOT TALKING
ABOUT JUST EATING.

I KNOW. NO, WE'RE NOT.

I'M TALKING ABOUT EVERYTHING.

**

**

Rena: THIS HAS BEEN A REALLY
HARD MONTH

BECAUSE THINGS HAVE BEEN
HARDER BETWEEN ME AND LEE,

AND IT'S STARTING TO FEEL
LIKE ALL WE DO IS FIGHT.

HE'S STILL BEEN OVEREATING
AND DOING THINGS HE SHOULDN'T,

AND HE'S EVEN
STARTING TO TELL ME

THAT I SHOULDN'T GET SURGERY,
AND I DON'T KNOW WHY.

WE'VE MISSED OUR LAST
APPOINTMENT WITH DR. NOW

BECAUSE LEE
DIDN'T WANT TO GO

BECAUSE HE KNOWS
HE'S OVEREATING,

BUT IT WAS COMPLETELY
SELFISH OF HIM

BECAUSE IT'S MY TURN
TO GET WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY.

THINGS ARE EVEN WORSE THAN EVER.

Rena: EVERY MORNING
YOU START A FIGHT.

I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY
YOU CAN'T BACK OFF.

YOU JUST KEEP
PUSHING MY BUTTONS.

BUT THAT DOESN'T GIVE YOU
THE RIGHT TO MISTREAT SOMEBODY.

THE ONLY TIME YOU ARE EVER NICE
TO ME OR TALK TO ME LIKE A HUMAN

IS WHEN YOU NEED
OR WANT SOMETHING.

YEAH.
WHAT AM I THE REST OF THE TIME?

YOU CALL ME AN "F'ING B"
OR A "C" --

WHEN YOU START
CALLING ME NAMES.

-NO, I DON'T.
-YEAH.

-YOU'RE ALWAYS --
-LAST NIGHT, YOU SAT THERE --

RENA, YOU CALL ME A LIAR MORE
THAN YOU CALL ME "LEE."

NO, I DON'T.

EVERYTHING THAT GOES
WRONG YOU TAKE OUT ON ME.

-NO, I DON'T.
-CONSTANTLY TAKE OUT ON ME.

I AM NOT PHYSICAL
WITH YOU.

NO, YOU DRIVE ME THERE.

THERE IS NOTHING TO DRIVE
A PERSON TO PSYCHICAL...

ABUSE.

YOU CONSTANTLY PUT ME DOWN,
TELL ME I'M LOW.

I TELL YOU THAT?

YEAH.

LEE, YOU TELL ME ON A DAILY
BASIS HOW WORTHLESS I AM.

RENA, I'VE SAID ALL ALONG
I'VE GOT A PROBLEM.

YOU HAVE LOTS OF PROBLEMS.

YOU HAVE AN ANGER PROBLEM,
YOU HAVE A VIOLENT PROBLEM.

YOU'RE HEAD
HAS A PROBLEM.

DOESN'T MATTER ANYMORE --
IT AIN'T GONNA WORK.

I DO NOT DESIRE
TO BE WITH YOU.

WE ARE NEVER EVER GOING TO SEE
EYE-TO-EYE, NO MATTER WHAT.

BEEN WITH HIM 11 YEARS,
AND HE'S NEVER BEEN VIOLENT.

IT'S LIKE HE'S JUST CHANGED
INTO THIS PERSON

THAT'S SO MEAN AND SO HATEFUL.

Lee: OUR LIVES ARE CHANGING.

WE'VE BECOME TWO
DIFFERENT PEOPLE.

I'M NOT THE MAN
THAT'S STUCK IN THE BED

NO MORE THAT SHE TAKES CARE OF.

NOW I WANT TO BE MY OWN PERSON.

AND, PERSONALLY,
I DON'T WANT DAVID HERE.

I'VE TOLD HIM TO LEAVE
SO MANY TIMES

BECAUSE HE STANDS UP FOR HER,
THEY TAKE UP FOR EACH OTHER.

SOMETIMES I WONDER
IF SOMETHING'S GOING ON.

I DON'T KNOW.

THAT'S A LOT OF
OUR PROBLEM, TOO.

Rena:
I CAN CONTINUE ON MY JOURNEY,
CONTINUE WITH MY WEIGHT LOSS

AND DO WHAT I GOT TO DO
TO FINISH MY JOURNEY,

EVEN IF IT'S BY MYSELF.

I'VE BEEN REALLY
DISCOURAGED LATELY

BECAUSE WE'RE STILL
FIGHTING A LOT.

AND IT'S MAKING IT SO DIFFICULT,

SO I'VE BEEN JUST FOCUSING
WHAT I NEED TO DO TO TRY

AND GET APPROVED
FOR SURGERY TODAY.

LEE AND RENA.

HELLO.

Lee: IT'S BEEN HARD
SINCE MY SURGERY,

BUT I FEEL LIKE I'M STILL
MAKING GOOD PROGRESS.

WHEN I LEFT THE HOSPITAL,
I WAS DOWN TO 546,

AND DR. NOW
TOLD ME I SHOULD EASILY

LOSE 20 POUNDS A MONTH.

SO I SHOULD BE AT
OR BELOW 500 POUNDS.

WOW.

I THOUGHT I'D BE FURTHER ALONG.

YEAH. IT'LL BE BETTER.

I GOT TO START
MAKING BETTER FOOD CHOICES.

BUT YOU CAN ONLY EAT
SO MUCH YOGURT.

IT GETS OLD.

WELL, YOU'RE IN FRONT
OF THE JUDGE NEXT.

Rena: I HAD ALREADY HIT
MY WEIGHT-LOSS GOAL,

BUT DR. NOW TOLD ME

THAT I'VE HAD TO KEEP
MAKING PROGRESS.

I WAS DOWN TO 476
AT OUR LAST APPOINTMENT.

I'M HOPING TO HAVE LOST 20 TO
30 POUNDS AND BE AROUND 450.

AWESOME.

OH, WOW!

**

NOW THAT I AM RECOVERED
FROM THE PNEUMONIA,

I HOPE THAT DR. NOW
SAYS THAT HE'S PROUD

OF THE PROGRESS THAT I'VE MADE

AND THAT I AM APPROVED
FOR GASTRIC BYPASS.

[ KNOCK ON DOOR ]

-HELLO.
-HELLO, DR. NOW.

HOW YOU ALL DOING?

Lee: SURVIVING.

SURVIVING, HUH?

SO, IS THAT WHY YOU'VE MISSED
YOUR LAST APPOINTMENT?

UM...

OKAY, YOU JUST HAD YOUR BYPASS
ABOUT TWO MONTHS AGO,

AND WHEN YOU LEFT THE HOSPITAL
YOU WERE DOWN TO 546,

SO YOU LOST ONLY
9 POUNDS TO THIS DAY.

BUT RENA HAS LOST ALMOST
50 POUNDS AT THE SAME TIME,

AND SHE HASN'T EVEN
HAD HER BYPASS YET.

WHAT IN THE WORLD
IS GOING ON WITH YOU?

I GUESS I'M EATING
THE WRONG THINGS. [ CHUCKLES ]

AND YOU THINK IT'S FUNNY?

YOU HAD A GASTRIC BYPASS...

-I HAD A GASTRIC BYPASS, YES.
-...TO LOSE WEIGHT...

TO LOSE WEIGHT.

...AND YOU'RE NOT
LOSING WEIGHT.

I DON'T EAT A THIRD

WHAT I ATE
BEFORE I HAD THAT SURGERY.

NO, JUST ANSWER
THE QUESTION, OKAY?

WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT --
-YOU'RE ASKING ME QUESTIONS

THAT I DON'T UNDERSTAND
NO MORE THAN YOU UNDERSTAND.

WHAT ARE YOU
TALKING ABOUT?

YOU'RE CHOOSING TO OVEREAT,
AND YOU THINK IT'S OKAY?

NO, I DON'T THINK
IT'S OKAY AT ALL.

SO WHAT IS GOING ON?

I GUESS I'M NOT EATING
THE RIGHT THINGS. I MEAN --

WE GAVE YOU
THE INSTRUCTION

THAT YOU NEED TO FOLLOW,
AND YOU'RE NOT FOLLOWING.

YOU PLAYED YOUR CARDS RIGHT
UNTIL YOU GOT THE SURGERY,

AND YOU'RE PLAYING
THIS KIND OF GAME,

AND YOU THINK THAT'S OKAY?

HOW IN THE WORLD
IS SOMEBODY --

I DON'T SEE HOW
I'M PLAYING ANY GAME.

I THROW UP CONSTANTLY.

I EAT WHAT I CAN KEEP DOWN.

THAT'S HOW IT WORKS.

YOU THROW UP CONSTANTLY
BECAUSE THE SURGERY

FORCES YOU TO
WHEN YOU OVEREAT NOW.

I THINK MY PROBLEM IS
I'M HOLDING A LOT OF FLUID.

I CAN'T HARDLY PEE.

REALLY?

I DON'T -- I DON'T KNOW WHAT --
I MEAN...

WHAT DO YOU MEAN
YOU DON'T KNOW?

YEAH.

AND YOU THINK THAT YOU'RE NOT
EATING, AND YOU'RE GETTING --

I DON'T WANT TO GET
MALNOURISHED, EITHER.

DO YOU LOOK LIKE
YOU ARE MALNOURISHED?

YOU'RE OVEREATING, AND WHATEVER
YOU'RE OVEREATING

YOU'RE THROWING UP.

IT MEANS THE SURGERY
IS WORKING TO HOLD YOU BACK

WHEN YOU MAKE BAD CHOICES,

AND IT'S THE ONLY REASON
THAT YOU DIDN'T GAIN

100 POUNDS
THESE PAST 2 MONTHS.

DO YOU NOT WANT ME
TO EAT AT ALL?

YOU KNOW THAT'S NOT WHAT
I'M SAYING AT ALL.

YOU HAVE BEEN GIVEN A TOOL
TO HELP YOU CHANGE YOUR LIFE.

NOW THAT YOU'VE
HAD THE SURGERY,

THE PHYSICAL DRIVE
TO EAT IS GONE,

SO YOU HAVE TO DEAL WITH
WHAT IS DRIVING YOU TO EAT.

THAT'S THE HARD PART,
AND YOU DON'T WANT TO DO IT,

AND YOU'RE RUNNING FROM IT
AND SELF-DESTRUCTING.

I'M DONE WITH THIS CONVERSATION.
GO TO HER.

NO, NO, NO. WE GOT TO --
WE GOT TO FINISH WITH YOU.

NO, WE'RE NOT
FINISHING WITH ME.

YOU'RE MAKING ME MAD.
I'M LEAVING.

AND YOU'LL SIT DOWN RIGHT THERE.
LEE, LEE!

YOU'LL SIT DOWN...

NO, I'M --

LEE, SIT DOWN.

-OKAY.
-LET GO OF ME, RENA.

ALL RIGHT, THIS IS
COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE.

[BLEEP] YOU.

LEE'S BEHAVIOR RIGHT NOW
IS VERY ALARMING,

BUT HE'S STARTING TO REALIZE
SOME OF THE ISSUES

THAT HAVE BEEN
DRIVING HIM TO EAT,

AND IF LEE CHOOSES TO AVOID
THOSE ISSUES AND RUN RIGHT NOW,

THEN HE'S GOING TO
CONTINUE ON THE SAME PATH

THAT HE WAS WHERE HE'S NOT
GOING TO SURVIVE ANOTHER YEAR.

RENA, YOU STAYED ON TRACK
DESPITE HOW LEE'S BEHAVING,

AND I'M PROUD
OF YOU FOR THAT.

SO YOU SHOULD BE READY
FOR WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY.

HOWEVER, LEE IS CREATING
AN ENVIRONMENT

THAT YOU CAN'T SUCCEED
IN LONG TERM.

NO ONE CAN DO THIS
WITHOUT SUPPORT, NO ONE,

AND IF I GIVE YOU SURGERY NOW

WITHOUT ADDRESSING
WHAT'S GOING ON WITH LEE,

I WILL BE SETTING
YOU UP FOR FAILURE.

SO I'M GOING TO SEND YOU
BOTH TO THERAPY,

AND I WANT YOU
TO CONVINCE LEE TO GO.

IF HE STARTS TO GET BACK
ON TRACK AND I'M CONFIDENT

YOU'LL HAVE THE SUPPORT
YOU NEED AT HOME,

THEN I'LL APPROVE
YOU FOR SURGERY.

-OKAY.
-ALL RIGHT.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS?

-NO.
-OKAY, I'LL SEE YOU SOON.

**

Rena: I'M SO UPSET
WITH LEE RIGHT NOW,

BECAUSE, ONCE AGAIN, HIS ISSUES
ARE TAKING PRIORITY OVER MINE,

AND I'M WORRIED I'M GOING
TO HAVE TO GIVE UP

ON OUR RELATIONSHIP.

BECAUSE IF LEE WANTS TO MESS UP
HIS LIFE AND HIS CHANCE,

I CAN'T LET IT DESTROY MINE.

**

Rena: TODAY, ME AND LEE
ARE HEADED TO TALK

TO A THERAPIST THAT
DR. NOW'S SENDING US TO.

HE WANTS US TO WORK
ON OUR RELATIONSHIP,

AND HE'S CONCERNED
IF WE DON'T THAT

I WON'T HAVE
THE SUPPORT I NEED.

SO HE'S NOT WILLING TO GIVE ME
WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY

UNTIL HE FEELS LIKE
THAT'S ADDRESSED.

Lee: THESE LAST FEW MONTHS
I FELT LIKE RENA

HASN'T BEEN THERE
TO SUPPORT ME,

SO I'M REALLY UPSET AT HER.

AND I'M NOT SURE TALKING
TO A THERAPIST

WILL CHANGE ANY OF THAT.

-HELLO.
-HI.

I'M LOLA.
IT'S NICE TO MEET YOU.

SO GLAD
YOU ALL COULD COME TODAY.

SO, WHAT'S BEEN THE STRUGGLE
SINCE GETTING HERE TO TEXAS.

SINCE THIS JOURNEY
HAS STARTED,

HE HAS CHANGED AND BECOME
A DIFFERENT PERSON.

AND HOW DO YOU FEEL
ABOUT THAT PERSON?

I DON'T LIKE IT.
I DON'T LIKE HIM.

IS THAT DIFFICULT
FOR YOU TO HEAR, LEE?

I DON'T KNOW WHAT KIND OF PERSON
SHE WANTS ME TO BE.

I WANT YOU TO
COMMUNICATE WITH ME.

I WILL CONVERSATE
WITH YOU...

I WANT YOU TO --

...IF YOU DON'T TURN AROUND
AND TELL ME

I'M NOT PAYING ATTENTION.
-THAT'S PART OF --

WHEN I SAY SOMETHING,
CALL ME A LIAR.

THAT'S PART
OF CONVERSATING.

HEAR HER -- HEAR HER OUT.

OKAY.

BUT THIS IS WHY
WE CAN'T COMMUNICATE,

BECAUSE HE EITHER
OVER-TALKS ME,

INTERRUPTS ME,
OR WON'T LET ME FINISH.

WHAT I AM SEEING IS THAT

WHEN RENA STARTS
TO EXPRESS HERSELF...

YES.
...AND SHE'S EXPRESSING EMOTIONS

RELATED TO HOW
SHE EXPERIENCES YOU,

YOU KIND OF FLARE UP.

SO, AT WHAT POINT DID YOU
ALL START TALKING

TO EACH OTHER
IN THIS WAY?

OH, WE HAD SOME
PRETTY GOOD FIGHTS.

HE BECAME VIOLENT.

-PHYSICALLY?
-PHYSICALLY VIOLENT, YEAH.

AND HE HAS NEVER
BEEN LIKE THAT.

THERE'S ONLY BEEN
A COUPLE INCIDENTS.

IT AIN'T LIKE I HIT HER
EVERYDAY, BUT --

BUT, LEE, IT'S IMPORTANT
NOT TO MINIMIZE --

YOU GOT TO REALIZE
WHAT SHE HAS DONE TO ME,

YOU KNOW, THE VERBAL,
YOU KNOW, SCREAMING AND THE...

SO, IT SOUNDS LIKE
THE TWO OF YOU --

I HAVE NEVER CUSSED YOU,
CALLED YOU NAMES LIKE YOU DO ME.

YOU CUSS ME,
YOU CALL ME NAMES,

YOU CONSTANTLY
ARE PUTTING ME DOWN.

AND SO LET ME ASK THIS --

WHEN YOU BEGAN THIS
RELATIONSHIP WHAT'D YOU EXPECT?

THE ONE MAIN REASON
I AM TRYING THERAPY

AND TRYING TO MAKE THIS WORK

IS BECAUSE I KNOW
THE FIRST 10 YEARS

THAT ME AND HIM WERE TOGETHER,
HE WAS NEVER ABUSIVE.

-OKAY.
-THAT'S NOT WHO HE WAS.

I'VE NEVER PUNCHED HER,
NEVER SLAPPED HER...

-[ CHUCKLES ]
-...ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

UNFORTUNATELY, LEE --

SHE RAN AT ME
WITH HER FIST UP.

I GRABBED HER BY HER HANDS,
AND I KICKED HER

BECAUSE SHE WAS
GONNA HIT ME.

I WAS HOLDING HIS HANDS.

UNFORTUNATELY, PHYSICAL ABUSE
IS ALWAYS, ALWAYS WRONG.

I KNOW THIS, BUT IT AIN'T LIKE
I DOUBLED MY FISTS

AND KNOCKED
THE PISS OUT OF HER.

WHAT PEOPLE HAVE
TO REALIZE IS

THAT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
IS PROGRESSIVE.

IF SOMEONE YELLS AT YOU...

-YEAH.
-...THEY'LL SMACK YOU.

IF SOMEONE SMACKS YOU,
THEY'LL KICK YOU.

IF SOMEONE KICKS YOU,
THEY'LL STOMP YOU.

IF SOME WILL STOMP YOU,

THEY WILL KILL YOU.
PEOPLE DIE.

...AND WE HAVE BEEN TOGETHER
ALL THIS TIME,

AND HE HAD NEVER
BEEN ABUSIVE, EVER.

YOU'VE NEVER BEEN IN MY FACE
LIKE YOU HAVE BEEN LATELY.

IN THE TIME THAT WE'VE BEEN
IN THIS ROOM TOGETHER, GUYS --

I MEAN, THERE'S TIMES, RENA,
YOU GET SO BAD YOU WON'T STOP.

-IN THE TIME THAT WE'VE BEEN --
-WHEN YOU WAS IN --

EXCUSE ME, GUYS.

I NEED YOU GUYS TO GET
THE SEVERITY OF THIS.

IN THE TIME THAT WE'VE SAT
IN THIS ROOM TOGETHER,

THERE HAVE BEEN WOMEN...

HE GETS ANGRY --

...MEN AND CHILDREN
THAT HAVE LOST THEIR LIVES

WITHIN THE MINUTES THAT WE'VE
BEEN SITTING IN THIS ROOM

TOGETHER FROM FAMILY VIOLENCE.

IT'S A REAL ISSUE.

AND, LEE, WHAT YOU NEED
TO UNDERSTAND

IS THE SURGERY REMOVED YOUR
DRUG OF CHOICE AS AN OPTION,

AND THAT WITHDRAWAL IS
BRINGING AN ANGER ISSUE

TO THE SURFACE
THAT WE NEED TO DEAL WITH

AND THAT YOU NEED
TO GET UNDER CONTROL.

ANGER IS THE MANIFESTATION
OF UNMET NEEDS,

DESIRES, AND EMOTIONS,

AND THE ONLY WAY TO
BREAK PATTERNS OF ABUSE

ARE TO DEVELOP NEW
AND HEALTHY COPING SKILLS,

AND YOU HAVE TO LEARN
HOW TO WALK AWAY

FROM UNHEALTHY CONFRONTATION.

AND IF YOU FIND THAT YOU CAN'T
ABSTAIN FROM ACTING OUT IN ANGER

AND GETTING PHYSICAL WITH HER,
YOU LEAVE THE RELATIONSHIP,

BECAUSE IT'S A MATTER OF LIFE
OR DEATH FOR THE BOTH OF YOU.

I SEE WHAT
I'M DOING WRONG.

YEAH.

AND NOW I FEEL I KNOW
THAT I NEED TO CHANGE,

AND I'M VERY SORRY FOR THE WAY
I'VE TREATED YOU, RENA,

AND I'M GONNA DO
MY BEST TO DO BETTER.

I LOVE YOU.

LET'S JUST TRY TO WORK
THROUGH THIS.

RENA, I WANT YOU TO LOOK
AT HIM REALLY STERNLY,

AND I WANT YOU TO TELL HIM

HOW IF HE EVER LAYS
A HAND ON YOU AGAIN,

THAT'S IT, NO DISCUSSION,
YOU'RE OUT OF THERE.

LEE, IF YOU EVER
TOUCH ME AGAIN...

-YEAH.
-...PHYSICALLY, I AM GONE.

I WILL LEAVE,
AND I WILL GO BACK HOME.

-OKAY.
-AND THAT'S A PROMISE.

I ACCEPT THAT.

SO, GUYS, THANKS SO MUCH
FOR BEING HERE TODAY.

HAVE A GOOD NIGHT.
-YOU, TOO.

ALL RIGHT.

CARE TO GIVE ME
A LITTLE HAND, BABY?

OH, YEAH, I KNOW.

Rena: I FEEL LIKE THAT WENT
AS WELL AS IT POSSIBLY COULD.

I THINK HE ACTUALLY LISTENED
TO WHAT SHE HAD TO SAY,

AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN WORK
ON OUR RELATIONSHIP

AND MAYBE EVEN REKINDLE
WHAT'S BEEN BROKE

AND LEARN TO LOVE
EACH OTHER AGAIN.

Dr. Nowzaradan:
OVER THE PAST MONTH,
LEE HAS BEEN WORKING...

THE NEED TO DEAL
WITH SOME ISSUES,

AND I FEEL HE HAS
MADE ENOUGH PROGRESS

TO WHERE RENA WILL HAVE
ENOUGH OF THE SUPPORT

THAT SHE NEEDS TO SAFELY GO
THROUGH SURGERY AND RECOVERY.

BUT IN THE OFF CHANCE THIS IS
ALL JUST ANOTHER ACT

FROM LEE RIGHT NOW,

WE ARE STANDING
READY TO INTERVENE

AND REMOVE RENA
FROM HER ENVIRONMENT

IF LEE STARTS TO FALL BACK
INTO HIS OLD BEHAVIOR.

TODAY, I'M GOING
TO BE PERFORMING

A GASTRIC SLEEVE
OPERATION ON RENA.

EVEN THOUGH RENA HAS MADE
A GOOD AMOUNT OF PROGRESS,

HER BODY IS IN EXTREMELY
POOR CONDITION.

TURN THE LIGHT OFF.

SO THIS OPERATION WILL KEEP HER
UNDER ANESTHESIA FOR LESS TIME,

MAKING IT LESS RISKY.

BUT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN
THE SLEEVE AND GASTRIC BYPASS

IS THAT WITH A SLEEVE WE DON'T
BYPASS ANY PART OF THE STOMACH.

WE JUST REDUCE THE SIZE OF IT
BY TAKING OUT 70%

TO 80% OF THE STOMACH AND LEAVE
IN A SMALL, SKINNY TUBE.

IT'S A LONG STOMACH.

IN A SHORT TIME,
THE SLEEVE CAN BE JUST

AS EFFECTIVE AS A FULL BYPASS,

BECAUSE THE PATIENT'S FOOD
INTAKE IS PHYSICALLY LIMITED.

SO THIS IS GOING TO HELP RENA
TO STAY ON TRACK EASIER,

SO SHE CAN START TO DEAL
WITH HER EMOTIONAL ISSUES

THAT HAVE BEEN DRIVING
HER TO EAT, TOO.

ALL RIGHT, WE'RE DONE.

ALL RIGHT.
RENA'S SURGERY WENT VERY WELL.

SHE HAD BIG...

WE GOT FIXED, AND THE SLEEVE
WILL WORK VERY WELL FOR HER.

SHE SHOULD BE ABLE TO GO HOME
IN A FEW DAYS,

BUT WE CAN'T ALLOW RENA
TO UNDERGO ANY ABUSE

WHILE SHE RECOVERS.

AND IF LEE SO MUCH
AS THREATENS TO HIT RENA,

THEN WE WILL HAVE TO INTERVENE

AND TO SEPARATE THEM
TO KEEP HER SAFE

AND ALLOW HER TO RECOVER WITHOUT
ANY LIFE-THREATENING INCIDENTS.

SO WE'LL STAND READY
JUST IN CASE THINGS

AREN'T AS THEY SEEM WITH LEE.

BUT HOPEFULLY IT
WON'T COME TO THAT.

**

Lee: TODAY I'M GONNA GO
TO THE FLOWER SHOP

AND TRY TO PICK OUT
SOME NICE FLOWERS FOR RENA --

'CAUSE IT'S HER BIRTHDAY --

AND TRY TO FIND SOMETHING
THAT SHE REALLY LIKES

AND TRY TO SURPRISE HER.

SHE'S BEEN HOME FROM
THE HOSPITAL FOR A MONTH NOW,

AND I'VE BEEN A BIG EFFORT
TO BE THERE FOR HER

AND SUPPORT HER
AND TAKE CARE OF HER,

AND I FEEL LIKE WE'RE IN
A REALLY GOOD PACE RIGHT NOW.

IN FACT, NOW THAT WE'RE
LOSING SO MUCH WEIGHT,

WE'RE FINALLY ABLE TO DO
SOMETHING WE NEVER HAVE BEFORE.

WE'VE BEEN TOGETHER
FOR 10 YEARS -- OR 11 YEARS,

AND WE HAD NEVER HAD INTERCOURSE
BEFORE, BUT NOW IT'S POSSIBLE

'CAUSE WE'LL LOST
350 POUNDS TOGETHER.

I WANT TO MARRY RENA,
AND I NEVER THOUGHT

I'D HAVE THE CHANCE
TO ACTUALLY DO THAT.

SO I'M GOING TO KEEP WORKING
TO MAKE THAT REALITY

FOR BOTH OF US.

AND I'M NOT GOING TO DO
ANYTHING TO SCREW THAT UP

FROM HERE ON OUT.

HOW ARE YOU TODAY?

GOOD, HOW ARE YOU?

I'M LOOKING
FOR SOME CARNATIONS.

ALL RIGHT.
WHAT KIND OF CARNATIONS?

MAYBE -- CAN I SEE
WHAT YOU HAVE?

SURE.

WOW, THAT'S BEAUTIFUL!

WHAT WOULD IT BE FOR,
LIKE, A BOUQUET,

WITH THAT MONKEY, OF
DIFFERENT COLORS PUT TOGETHER?

WOULD YOU DO THAT FOR ME?
-SURE, NO PROBLEM.

I'M REALLY EXCITED TO SURPRISE
RENA WITH FLOWERS.

THIS IS A SYMBOL OF MY LOVE,

IT'S A SYMBOL OF WHAT
I HAVE TO GIVE,

AND I HOPE SHE SEES THAT.

I LOVE RENA WITH ALL MY HEART,
AND I WANT HER TO KNOW THAT --

JUST CAN'T SEE MYSELF
SPENDING THE REST OF MY LIFE

WITH NO ONE ELSE.

* HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU *

-CAREFUL.
-* HAPPY BIRTHDAY *

* DEAR RE-NAY-NAY *

-OH, MY GOSH.
-* HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU *

WOW.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THEY'RE MY FAVORITE.

I NAMED HIM ERNIE.

A MONKEY.

YOU LIKE HIM?

YEAH.

THANK YOU.

GOT SOMETHING ELSE --
WE AIN'T DONE YET.

**

"ON YOUR BIRTHDAY,
I CELEBRATE THE UNIQUE

AND SPECIAL PERSON YOU ARE

AND ALL THE THINGS
I LOVE ABOUT YOU,

AND I REALIZE, ONCE AGAIN,
HOW VERY MUCH YOU MEAN TO ME.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY.

LOVE YOU, LEE."

[ SNIFFLES ] THANK YOU.

YOU'RE VERY WELCOME.

IT MEANT VERY MUCH TO ME --

FOR LEE TO BE ABLE TO GO DO IT
HIS SELF, IT MEANT A LOT.

I'VE BEEN REALLY ENCOURAGED
BY THESE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS

BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE
WE'RE WORKING TOGETHER

INSTEAD OF AGAINST EACH OTHER.

SO I'M REALLY THANKFUL
FOR HOW THINGS ARE RIGHT NOW

AND FOR HOW HARD LEE HAS BEEN
TRYING TO IMPROVE HIMSELF.

OKAY, LEE, IT LOOKS
YOU'RE DOWN TO 441,

AND THAT'S TOTAL WEIGHT
LOSS OF 273 POUNDS.

GREAT.

AND, RENA,
YOU'RE DOWN TO 306,

AND THAT IS TOTAL WEIGHT
LOSS OF 243 POUNDS.

THAT'S EXCELLENT.

A FEW MONTHS AGO, I WASN'T SURE
IF LEE WAS GOING TO BE ABLE

TO GET BACK ON TRACK

AND WHAT THE EFFECT
OF THAT WOULD BE ON RENA.

BUT THEY'RE BOTH DOING WELL,
AND I'M VERY OPTIMISTIC

ABOUT THEIR LONG-TERM PROGRESS.

SO, HOW DO YOU FEEL, RENA?

I'M VERY, VERY BLESSED
TO BE WHERE I'M AT,

BUT I'M NOT WHERE
I WANT TO BE YET.

I'M GONNA KEEP GOING.

AND YOU'RE GOING
TO GET THERE.

I'M PROUD OF YOU BOTH.

BOTH OF THEM ARE GETTING CLOSE

TO NEEDING EXCESS-SKIN
REMOVAL,

AND IF THEY'RE BOTH READY
IN THE NEXT COUPLE MONTHS,

I THINK LEE WILL AGREE
THAT RENA SHOULD GO FIRST.

Rena:
I KNOW I STILL NEED TO LOSE
A GOOD AMOUNT OF WEIGHT,

BUT I'M STARTING
TO LIKE THE WAY I LOOK.

AND THAT'S BIG PROGRESS FOR ME.

AND AT THIS TIME LAST YEAR,

I WOULDN'T EVEN BE ABLE
TO TRY ON CLOTHES AT A STORE.

IT'S VERY EXCITING TO BE ABLE
TO TRY SMALLER THINGS ON,

TO BE ABLE TO COME IN
A REGULAR STORE AND DO THIS.

**

IT USED TO BE I WOULD GET UP,

AND I DIDN'T CARE
WHAT I LOOKED LIKE

BECAUSE I HAD TO
TAKE CARE OF LEE,

AND THEN I FELT REPULSIVE
SO I DIDN'T EVEN TRY.

AND NOW I LOVE
GETTING READY FOR THE DAY.

SO MY WORLD, LEE'S WORLD,
AND OUR RELATIONSHIP --

THEY'VE ALL CHANGED
FOR THE BETTER.

Lee: I LOOK AT RENA,
AND I JUST LOVE HER SO MUCH.

SO ONCE WE HIT OUR GOAL WEIGHTS,
I'M GOING TO PROPOSE TO HER.

AND THE THOUGHT OF BEING ABLE
TO DO THAT IS WHAT'S DRIVING ME

RIGHT NOW TO DO BETTER
AND BE BETTER,

BECAUSE THAT'S
WHAT SHE DESERVES.

Rena: WE BOTH DREAMED
OF A NEW LIFE,

AND FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER,

WE CAN FINALLY SEE
THAT LIFE AHEAD OF US.