All language subtitles for My 600-lb Life S06E09

Tamy: LIVING IN MY BODY IS
MISERABLE, AND THIS IS MY FAULT.

I LET MYSELF GET HERE.

[ BOTH GROANING ]

Liz: MY LIFE IS WASTING AWAY,
AND I HATE IT.

Woman: I TRY TO CHANGE, BUT
SOMETHING ALWAYS KNOCKS ME DOWN.

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

AH!

OW, [BLEEP].

THIS IS NO LIFE FOR ANYONE.

Woman #2: OH, JUST PRAY FOR ME.

OW, MY LEG!

SIT DOWN RIGHT THERE.
WAIT.

YOU'RE MAKING ME MAD.
ALL RIGHT.

THIS IS COMPLETELY
UNACCEPTABLE.

[ DOOR CLOSES ]

MOM.

ARE YOU OKAY?

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

CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY
DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS

**

Tamy: SOMETIMES, THE HARDEST
PRISONS TO ESCAPE FROM

ARE THE ONES
WE BUILD FOR OURSELVES.

**

**

[ GRUNTS ]

**

**

THE FIRST THING THAT
HAPPENS EACH MORNING

IS I GET OUT OF BED,

AND MY STOMACH
NEARLY HITS THE FLOOR.

IT JUST HANGS THERE,

AND IT IS PUTTING
INTENSE PRESSURE

ON THE REST OF MY BODY.

MY BELLY IS SAGGING
MORE AND MORE,

AND IT FEELS LIKE
I'M ALWAYS OFF-BALANCE.

LIVING IN MY BODY IS MISERABLE.

**

EVERY DAY, LITTLE THINGS,
LITTLE THINGS ARE SUCH AN ISSUE.

YOU KNOW, IF I DIDN'T HAVE
THIS BIG MASS OF FAT

AND EVERYTHING IN FRONT OF ME,

EVERYTHING ELSE WOULDN'T BE
AS DIFFICULT TO DO.

**

I CAN'T STAND IN THE SHOWER.

I'M JUST TOO SCARED OF FALLING,
SO I SIT ON THE SIDE OF THE TUB.

I WET THE TUB DOWN, AND THEN I
KIND OF SLIDE DOWN INTO THE TUB,

WHICH I BARELY FIT INTO IT.

**

I LIKE TO DO AS MUCH
AS I CAN FOR MYSELF

WHEN IT COMES TO TAKING A BATH.

I DON'T LIKE TO ASK FOR HELP
IF I CAN TRY NOT TO.

I WANT TO KEEP WHAT LITTLE
INDEPENDENCE I HAVE LEFT.

I WASH WHAT I CAN REACH.

James: YEAH.

AND THEN MY HUSBAND WILL HELP ME
WITH THINGS THAT I CAN'T REACH.

**

ANYTHING BELOW MY STOMACH,
I HAVE TO HAVE HELP WITH.

I CAN'T REACH NOTHING
DOWN THERE.

I DO A LOT FOR TAMY
BECAUSE SHE CAN'T DO IT.

IT'S VERY SHOCKING TO SEE
HER GET LIKE THIS.

SHE'S JUST GETTING
WORSE AND WORSE.

**

Tamy: NOBODY IMAGINES THEY WILL
BE 45 AND BATHED LIKE A CHILD.

BUT HERE I AM,
AND THIS IS MY REALITY.

YEAH.

ALL RIGHT.
THANK YOU.

YOU'RE WELCOME.

WHEN I LOOK DOWN AND SEE
WHAT HAS BECOME OF MY BODY,

I FEEL SHAME.

**

I'M SO DISGUSTED WITH MYSELF.

**

I HATE MY WHOLE BODY,
BUT THE PART OF MY BODY

THAT I HATE THE MOST
IS MY STOMACH.

MY BELLY HAS GOTTEN TO THE POINT

WHERE IT'S GOT
A MIND OF ITS OWN.

IT DOES WHAT IT WANTS.
IT GOES WHERE IT WANTS.

**

I FEEL LIKE I HAVE BOWLING BALLS
IN BETWEEN MY LEGS,

AND IT'S SO PAINFUL.

I CAN'T EVEN SIT ON THE BED
LIKE A NORMAL PERSON...

BECAUSE MY BELLY
HANGS OFF SO MUCH.

EVEN DRYING MYSELF IS A CHORE
BECAUSE BEING MY SIZE,

I CAN'T LIFT MY BELLY UP
TO DRY UNDERNEATH IT,

SO MY FAN HAS TO DO
A LOT OF MY DRYING,

AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S DIFFICULT.

IF I SIT UP TOO LONG, IT HURTS.

MY WHOLE BODY HURTS,

AND I KNOW THIS IS MY FAULT.

I LET MYSELF GET HERE.

I NEVER THOUGHT MY LIFE
WAS GOING TO BE LIKE THIS.

**

I WAS THE YOUNGEST CHILD
IN OUR FAMILY.

MY BROTHER WAS 11 YEARS OLDER,

AND MY SISTER WAS
19 YEARS OLDER THAN ME...

...SO I ESSENTIALLY GREW UP
ALONE WITH MY MOM AND DAD,

AND AS A SMALL CHILD,
I WAS A PRETTY NORMAL SIZE,

BUT SOCIALLY,
I WASN'T LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE.

I'D GET VERY NERVOUS.

I'D STUTTER.

KIDS WOULD MAKE FUN OF ME, AND
IT JUST MADE ME FEEL HORRIBLE,

BUT WHEN I WAS 8, MY LIFE
CHANGED IN AN INSTANT.

MY MOM AND I WERE IN
THE KITCHEN FIXING SOMETHING,

AND MY DAD WAS WALKING
INTO THE LIVING ROOM,

AND HE COLLAPSED
AND FELL TO THE FLOOR,

HAD A HEART ATTACK AND DIED.

AFTER MY FATHER PASSED AWAY,
MY LIFE WAS NEVER THE SAME.

MY MOM JUST FELL APART.

SHE HAD A HARD TIME
GETTING OUT OF BED,

AND SHE WENT INTO
A DEEP DEPRESSION,

AND IT WAS LIKE
I LOST MY MOM, TOO.

SO I'M THIS LITTLE KID
AT HOME WITH NOBODY

TO REALLY TAKE CARE OF ME.

BECAUSE MY MOM WASN'T THERE,
YOU KNOW, I TURNED TO THE FOOD.

I COULD JUST EAT WHATEVER
I WANTED WHEN I WANTED,

AND IT WAS MY FRIEND.

IT WAS MY PARENT, MY LOVED ONE.

AND WHEN I WAS ABOUT 10,

I WAS THE ONE THAT DID ALL
THE SHOPPING FOR MY MOM,

AND IF I WANTED SODA,
I BOUGHT IT.

IF I WANTED PIE, I BOUGHT IT.

IF I WANTED ICE CREAM,
I BOUGHT IT

BECAUSE SHE WOULD
JUST GIVE ME MONEY,

AND SHE LET ME GET
WHATEVER I WANTED.

SO I ATE JUNK FOOD ALL THE TIME,

AND I WOULD EAT
TO THE POINT OF BEING SICK.

I DON'T KNOW WHY I DID IT.

IT WAS JUST I WANTED IT,
SO I ATE IT.

WHEN I WAS 14, I WEIGHED
AROUND 140 POUNDS.

I GOT BULLIED A LOT IN SCHOOL
ABOUT MY WEIGHT...

...AND BY THE TIME I DROPPED
OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL AT AGE 16,

I WAS ALREADY WELL
OVER 175 POUNDS,

AND BY THIS TIME,

MY MOM WAS IN AND OUT OF THE
HOSPITAL FOR HER DEPRESSION,

SO I NEEDED TO GET A JOB.

I STARTED AS A JANITOR
WORKING NIGHTS,

AND WHEN I WAS 18,
I MET JAMES.

HE WAS A JANITOR, TOO.

JAMES WAS THE FIRST PERSON
WHO EVER PAID ATTENTION TO ME.

I TEND TO LIKE BIGGER GIRLS,

SO THAT'S WHAT
ATTRACTED ME TO TAMY,

IS SHE WAS A BIG GIRL.

IT WAS KIND OF LOVE
AT FIRST SIGHT.

Tamy:
SO THINGS JUST MOVED VERY FAST,

AND I GOT PREGNANT ABOUT A MONTH
AFTER WE STARTED DATING.

AND FOR THE FIRST TIME
IN MY WHOLE LIFE,

THINGS SEEMED GOOD,
BUT THAT DIDN'T LAST LONG.

JAMES AND I STARTED
FIGHTING A LOT.

James: WHEN WE WERE YOUNGER,

I DIDN'T KNOW THAT I HAD
A PROBLEM WITH BIPOLAR,

AND THAT REALLY DID A NUMBER
ON OUR RELATIONSHIP,

YOU KNOW, BECAUSE I WOULD
HAVE THESE ANGER OUTBURSTS.

Tamy: HE WOULD SIT THERE AND
TALK ABOUT HOW I WAS A SLOB,

HOW I WAS A FAT COW
OR I WAS JUST,

MORE OR LESS, A HORRIBLE PERSON,

AND EMOTIONALLY,
IT WOULD JUST TEAR ME APART.

EATING MORE MADE ME FEEL BETTER.

THE FOOD WAS NOT
GOING TO YELL AT ME.

IT'S NOT GOING TO ARGUE WITH ME.

IT'S GOING TO BE NICE TO ME
AT THAT MOMENT.

AND BY THE TIME I WAS 25,
I WAS OVER 300 POUNDS,

AND I DIDN'T FEEL GOOD ABOUT
MYSELF, AND A FEW YEARS LATER,

I FOUND OUT JAMES
HAD HAD AN AFFAIR

WITH A REALLY GOOD
FRIEND OF MINE,

AND I WAS DEVASTATED.

I FELT GUILTY.

I FELT LIKE IT WAS MY FAULT.

DID HE CHEAT BECAUSE
I'M FAT AND UGLY?

WE HAD BEEN TALKING
ABOUT SEPARATING,

AND I HAD FOUND OUT
I WAS PREGNANT,

SO WE HAD NO CHOICE

AND DECIDED TO GIVE
OUR MARRIAGE A SECOND CHANCE.

BY THE TIME I GAVE
BIRTH TO ZACHERY,

I WAS 28 YEARS OLD
AND ALMOST 400 POUNDS.

AND THEN ME AND JAMES
FINALLY HAD DECIDED

THAT OUR MARRIAGE WASN'T WORKING

WHEN ZACHERY WAS ABOUT
A YEAR AND A HALF OLD.

WE DECIDED TO GO
OUR SEPARATE WAYS,

AND I MOVED OUT FOR A WHILE
BUT COULDN'T MAKE IT ON MY OWN,

SO JAMES TOOK US BACK IN.

AND AROUND THIS TIME,

WE LEARNED THAT ZACHERY
HAD SPECIAL NEEDS.

I HAD TO QUIT MY JOB AND STAY
HOME TO TAKE CARE OF HIM,

WHICH REQUIRED A LOT FROM US
AND ADDED A LOT OF STRESS.

I JUST KEPT EATING
AND GAINING WEIGHT.

DURING MY LATE 30s,
I WAS AROUND 450 POUNDS,

AND I WAS VERY DEPRESSED,

AND I STARTED HAVING
HEALTH PROBLEMS.

I COULDN'T GET OUT AND DO
JUST SIMPLE THINGS

THAT I HAD BEEN ABLE TO DO,

YOU KNOW, 6 MONTHS
TO A YEAR BEFORE THAT.

THAT'S WHEN I NOTICED A LOT OF
WEIGHT WAS GOING TO MY STOMACH,

AND AFTER THAT,
IT GOT EVEN WORSE.

MY STOMACH STARTED TO SLOWLY
HANG LOWER AND LOWER,

AND IN MY EARLY 40s, I REALIZED
I WAS OVER 500 POUNDS.

I WAS MORTIFIED.

IT JUST MADE ME SO SICK TO KNOW
THAT I HAD GOTTEN THAT BIG.

AND NOW I DON'T KNOW
WHAT I WEIGH,

BUT I'M AFRAID I'M CLOSE
TO 600 POUNDS.

**

MY WEIGHT HAD MADE IT
NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE FOR ME

TO BE SELF-RELIANT.

THE ONLY THING THAT I SIT
AND I CAN REALLY DO FOR MYSELF,

AND IT'S NOT WITHOUT HELP,
IS TO SIT DOWN AND COOK A MEAL.

HEY, ZACHERY?
Zachery: YES?

CAN YOU COME HERE?

I NEED A FEW THINGS
OUT OF THE FRIDGE.

MM-KAY.

GRAB ME THE HAMBURGER AND
THE CHEESE OUT OF THE FRIDGE.

I THINK IT'S IN
THE BOTTOM.

MY SON ZACHERY IS 16,
AND BECAUSE OF MY WEIGHT,

I HAVE TO RELY ON ZACHERY
MORE AND MORE

INSTEAD OF HIM BEING ABLE
TO DEPEND ON ME.

**

Zachery: MY MOM IS THE MOST
IMPORTANT PERSON IN MY LIFE.

I WOULDN'T BE MYSELF
AT ALL WITHOUT HER.

**

I THINK THAT'S IT
FOR RIGHT NOW.

IF I NEED ANYTHING,
I'LL LET YOU KNOW.

Tamy: I FEEL GUILTY.
I FEEL BAD

BECAUSE THIS IS NOT
HOW THINGS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE.

IT'S JUST THE MOST KIND OF
HUMILIATING THING

TO ASK FOR HELP ALL THE TIME.

**

James: OKAY.

SINCE TAMY HAS LIVED WITH ME,

HER EATING HABITS
HAVE GOTTEN WORSE.

I TRY TO TELL HER THAT SHE
SHOULDN'T EAT LIKE SHE DOES.

WHAT DO YOU SAY?
THANK YOU, MOM.

YOU'RE WELCOME,
SWEETIE.

AND I TRY NOT TO ENABLE
TAMY, BUT SHE GETS MAD

IF SHE DON'T GET WHAT SHE WANTS,

SO IN ORDER TO KEEP
THAT TENSION DOWN,

I DO IT.

HOW MUCH YOU WANT?

MORE THAN THAT.

MORE?
YES.

IS THAT ENOUGH?
YEAH.

THAT'S GOOD FOR NOW.

I'D FIX BIG MEALS, AND I'D EAT
AND EAT AND EAT

BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S NOT
MUCH MORE THAT I CAN DO.

WHERE WOULD YOU
LIKE ME TO SET IT?

JUST SET IT AT THE END
OF MY BED.

IS THAT ALL YOU NEED?

YEAH.

IF YOU NEED ANYTHING,
HOLLER.

OKAY.

I'M GOING IN HERE.

**

I LITERALLY THINK ABOUT FOOD
ALL THE TIME.

THE ONLY TIME I AM NOT
THINKING ABOUT FOOD

IS WHEN I'M EITHER IN
THE BATHROOM OR I'M SLEEPING.

HEY, ZACHERY?
-YES.

CAN YOU GET MY FOOD
AND MY DRINK, PLEASE?

-YEAH.
-I CAN'T REACH IT FROM HERE.

**

THANK YOU.

MM-HMM.

**

WHEN I FIRST START EATING,

IT'S LIKE THE BEST THING
IN THE WORLD.

IT'S LIKE WHEN YOU'VE
WON THE LOTTERY.

IT'S JUST THE GREATEST THING.

IT MAKES ME FEEL SO GOOD
ABOUT EVERYTHING AT THAT MOMENT.

BUT I KNOW I EAT AT LEAST
FOUR OR FIVE TIMES

MORE THAN I SHOULD.

AND NOW I SEE ZACHERY
FOLLOWING IN MY FOOTSTEPS,

GAINING WEIGHT
AND PICKING UP THE SAME

BAD EATING HABITS THAT I HAVE,
AND I'M WORRIED.

I WOULDN'T WISH THIS LIFE ON
ANYBODY, ESPECIALLY MY OWN SON.

MOM, I'M DONE.

I THINK I'M GOING TO PUT IT
IN THE KITCHEN.

OKAY.

I DON'T KNOW WHY
I CAN'T STOP EATING.

IT'S LIKE A COMPULSIVE THING.

IT'S LIKE I JUST NEED TO EAT IT.

I NEED TO HAVE IT.

I FEEL LIKE IT'S GOING TO
MAKE ME FEEL BETTER,

LIKE IT'S GOING TO SOLVE,

I GUESS, WHATEVER IS GOING
ON WITH ME RIGHT THEN.

HEY, ZACH, CAN YOU COME
GET THIS PLATE?

THANK YOU.
YOU'RE WELCOME.

**

BUT AFTER I EAT, I HATE MYSELF.

BUT 20, 30 MINUTES LATER,

I'M READY TO DO IT AGAIN
AND AGAIN AND AGAIN,

AND IT'S LIKE AN ENDLESS CYCLE.

I CAN NEVER STOP IT.

I JUST SNACK ON THINGS
ALL DAY LONG.

OOH!

UGH.

I'VE NEVER REALLY SAT DOWN
AND KEPT TRACK OF MY CALORIES.

HONESTLY, I WOULDN'T EVEN
KNOW WHERE TO START,

BUT I KNOW I'M EATING
MYSELF TO DEATH.

MY WEIGHT IS OUT OF CONTROL.

**

IT'S GOTTEN REALLY BAD, THOUGH,
AS THE YEARS HAVE WENT ON.

I FEEL LIKE I'M NOT LIVING.
I'M JUST EXISTING.

IT'S HORRIBLE.

AND IF I DON'T CHANGE,

I'M GOING TO END UP DYING.

**

**

**

[ BREATHES HEAVILY ]

TODAY, I'M HEADING DOWN TO
HOUSTON, TEXAS, TO SEE A DOCTOR

WHO I'M HOPING CAN HELP ME
WITH MY WEIGHT ISSUES.

MY HUSBAND, JAMES, AND MY SON
ZACHERY ARE GOING WITH ME.

IF I GET TO HOUSTON AND DR. NOW
WON'T TAKE ME ON AS A PATIENT,

IT'LL BE DEVASTATING

BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE
HE'S MY LAST OPTION.

James:
TAMY'S HEALTH AND WELL-BEING
IS AT STAKE RIGHT NOW.

IF SHE GOES DOWN THERE, AND
THE DOCTOR DON'T APPROVE HER,

I DON'T SEE TAMY LIVING
FOR ANOTHER 2 YEARS.

THAT'S HOW BAD HER HEALTH IS.

Tamy: I'M REALLY NERVOUS
ABOUT THE TRIP,

BUT I KNOW I HAVE TO DO IT.

**

I'VE TRIED GOING ON DIFFERENT
DIETS OVER THE YEARS,

BUT THEY NEVER WORK.

I'VE LOST WEIGHT, GAINED WEIGHT,
LOST WEIGHT, GAINED WEIGHT.

IT'S LIKE BEING ON A CONSTANT
ROLLER-COASTER RIDE.

[ PANTING ]

James:
YOU GOING TO BE OKAY?

IN A FEW MINUTES.

AND I'M NOT SURE IF MY BODY
CAN HANDLE THE TRIP

BECAUSE EVEN SOMETHING AS SIMPLE
AS WALKING TO THE CAR

WEARS ME OUT, SO WHAT'S A LONG
TRIP GOING TO BE LIKE?

OOH.
OH.

HERE, ZACHERY.

[ PANTING ]

OW.

**

THE DRIVE DOWN TO HOUSTON
IS ALMOST 17 HOURS,

SO WE HAVE A COUPLE
OF LONG DAYS AHEAD OF US.

**

THIS WILL BE THE LONGEST TRIP
I'VE TAKEN AT THIS WEIGHT,

AND ANY WEIGHT, FOR
THE LAST 10 YEARS.

THERE'S A LOT RIDING
ON THIS TRIP,

AND I CAN ALREADY FEEL
IT GETTING TO ME.

[ COUGHING ]

**

I'VE GOTTEN TO THE POINT WHERE
MY HEALTH HAS GOTTEN SO BAD

THAT I CAN'T DO THINGS THAT
NORMAL PEOPLE TAKE FOR GRANTED.

JUST WALKING TO AND FROM
THE BATHROOM IS A MAJOR ORDEAL.

IT'S LIKE RUNNING
A MARATHON FOR ME.

**

IT'S SO DIFFICULT TO BREATHE.

**

YOU NEED ANY HELP?

UNLESS YOU TO PICK ME UP
AND CARRY ME TO THE CAR,

YOU CAN'T HELP ME.
I CAN'T DO THAT.

HERE.
JUST TAKE THIS FOR A SECOND.

HERE, LET ME --
LET ME HAVE THIS.

WE'RE BARELY A DAY INTO THIS
TRIP, AND I AM STRUGGLING.

GOT IT?

IT'S SO HOT.

I FEEL DIZZY...

LIKE I'M GOING TO PASS OUT.

**

**

OKAY.
-ARE YOU GOING TO BE OKAY?

NEED AIR.

YOU GOING --
DO I NEED TO CALL AN AMBULANCE?

NO.
HUH?

NO.
I JUST GOT TO CATCH MY BREATH.

YOU DON'T FEEL LIKE
YOU'RE GOING TO PASS OUT?

NOT YET.

WELL, YOU LET ME KNOW,
YOU HEAR ME?

IF I HAVE TO,
I'LL CALL AN AMBULANCE.

OKAY?
YEAH.

**

I CAN'T CONTINUE
LIVING THIS WAY,

AND I'VE ALREADY COME
TOO FAR TO TURN AROUND.

GOT IT?
YEAH.

YEAH.

**

**

LAST NIGHT, I WAS TOO TIRED
AND ACHY TO CONTINUE THE TRIP,

SO WE STOPPED AT A HOTEL
IN NASHVILLE,

AND NOW WE'RE
ON THE ROAD AGAIN.

I'M SO GLAD THIS TRIP
IS ALMOST OVER

BECAUSE IT HAS TAKEN
A BIG TOLL ON MY BODY.

**

MY BODY IS JUST
PHYSICALLY WORN OUT.

IT REALLY IS.

I KNOW IT'S BEEN ROUGH
FOR YOU, TAMY.

IT HAS.

BUT THIS IS A GOOD THING
WE'RE DOING FOR YOU.

IT'S BEEN A LOT OF MILES
AND A LOT OF ACHES AND PAINS

AND FRUSTRATIONS...

UGH.

...BUT WE FINALLY
MADE IT TO HOUSTON,

AND I'VE NEVER BEEN
MORE WORRIED IN MY LIFE.

I'M WORRIED ABOUT WHAT THE
DOCTOR IS GOING TO SAY TODAY,

AND I'M HOPING THAT
WHEN I GET OUT,

THAT I CAN ACTUALLY WALK
INTO THE DOCTOR'S OFFICE

BECAUSE MY LEGS ARE
HURTING REALLY BAD TODAY.

BUT I KNOW I NEED
TO KEEP PUSHING MYSELF.

**

ALL RIGHT.
LET ME GRAB YOUR SHOES.

IT'S MY FIRST APPOINTMENT
WITH DR. NOWZARADAN,

AND I HOPE I CAN JUST
MAKE IT TO THE SCALE...

...BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE THIS
IS MY LAST CHANCE TO GET HELP.

BUT I'M SCARED
HE'S GOING TO TELL ME

THAT HE CAN'T HELP ME...

YOU WANT ME ON THAT SIDE?

**

...AND THAT I'M TOO
FAR GONE AT THIS POINT.

**

IT'S ABOUT TO BE
THE MOMENT OF TRUTH

WHERE I MEET DR. NOWZARADAN,

AND HE TELLS ME
IF HE CAN HELP ME.

[ COUGHS ]

**

I WILL BE DEVASTATED
IF DR. NOW REJECTS 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.

**

Tamy: IT'S ABOUT TO BE
THE MOMENT OF TRUTH,

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

BECAUSE I KNOW
EVERYTHING IS RIDING

ON WHAT'S ABOUT TO HAPPEN.

**

THAT'S TERRIBLE.

[ BREATHING HEAVILY ]

I AM JUST TOTALLY IN SHOCK.

WHEN I SEEN THE NUMBER
COME UP ON THE SCALE,

MY HEART JUST DROPPED.

I KNOW I NEED TO DO SOMETHING,
AND I NEED TO DO IT NOW.

BUT I HATE MYSELF FOR
LETTING IT GO THAT FAR.

[ KNOCK ON DOOR ]

-HELLO.
-HELLO.
-HELLO.

HOW ARE YOU ALL DOING?

GOOD.
HOW ARE YOU?

ALL RIGHT.
I'M DR. NOWZARADAN.

I'M TAMY.
I'M JAMES.

THIS IS OUR SON ZACHARY.
HOW YOU DOING?

HOW YOU DOING?
GOOD.

GOOD.
ALL RIGHT, TAMY.

TELL ME A LITTLE BIT
ABOUT YOURSELF,

AND LET'S START BY GOING
OVER YOUR EATING HABITS.

THEY'RE NOT GOOD.

I'M A CARB EATER.
I LOVE MY CARBS,

AND I EMOTIONALLY EAT.

I EAT WHEN I'M BORED.

I EAT SWEETS.

SO HOW IS YOUR
ACTIVITY?

I DON'T DO A WHOLE LOT.

I GET REAL SHORT OUT OF BREATH,
AND SO, I MEAN,

BESIDES WALKING,
YOU KNOW, GETTING UP,

WALKING TO THE BATHROOM,
THINGS LIKE THAT,

I DON'T DO A WHOLE LOT.

OKAY.
SO YOU HAVE GOTTEN TO A PLACE

WHERE YOU JUST EAT
POORLY ALL DAY LONG,

AND YOU'RE NOT ACTIVE.

YES.
OKAY.

HELP ME UNDERSTAND
YOUR DYNAMIC AT HOME.

DO YOU GET THE FOOD
FOR YOURSELF,

OR IS HE BRINGING YOU
AND CHOOSING,

THEN YOU EAT ALL OF THAT
UNHEALTHY FOOD,

OR YOU ASK HIM FOR IT?

HE NEVER TELLS ME NO.

I DON'T THINK HE WANTS
TO ARGUE WITH ME.

James: IF I DO SAY NO,
SHE GETS ANGRY,

SO INSTEAD OF ARGUING WITH HER
AND FIGHTING WITH HER...

YOU TAKE
THE EASY WAY OUT.

YEAH.

YES, I HAVE.
ALL RIGHT.

SO YOU CONTROL THE SITUATION,
RIGHT?

YEAH.
AND, JAMES,

YOU HELP TO TAKE
CARE OF HER,

BUT IN REALITY,
YOU'RE THE ENABLER.

DOES THAT SOUND
ABOUT RIGHT?

-YEAH. YEAH. I --
-MM-HMM.

SO THIS
IS THE COMMON THING.

YOU GET EVERYBODY
TO AGREE WITH YOU,

AND THEN YOU ARE
THE VICTIM, RIGHT?

SO THIS IS THE SITUATION
THAT WE HAVE TO ADDRESS,

AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE
TO CHANGE ALL THAT DYNAMIC,

SO THAT MEANS, TAMY,
YOU STOP MANIPULATING EVERYONE,

AND, JAMES, NOW YOU'RE GOING
TO HAVE TO LEARN TO SAY NO,

AND STOP TAKING
THE EASY WAY OUT

BY LETTING HER
SLOWLY KILL HERSELF

BECAUSE, TAMY,
AT YOUR WEIGHT,

YOU'RE ALREADY
STARTING TO BREAK DOWN,

AND YOU'RE ALREADY HAVING
TROUBLE GETTING AROUND.

SO YOU NEED
TO MAKE A DECISION

THAT THERE IS SOME
RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOUR PART

THAT YOU NEED TO CHANGE
YOUR EATING HABIT

OR YOU'RE GOING TO DIE.

OKAY.

BUT LET'S LIFT IT UP
AND LET ME TAKE A LOOK AT IT

TO SEE WHAT'S
GOING ON WITH IT.

VERY HEAVY.
YEAH.

THIS IS JUST GOING
TO BE A SITUATION

WHERE IT'S GOING
TO PULL ON HER ABDOMEN

BECAUSE WHEN YOU START
GAINING MORE WEIGHT

THAN THE BODY
CAN HANDLE,

IT HAS TO FIND
A PLACE TO STORE IT.

SOME PEOPLE GAIN ALL AROUND,
AND OTHERS, THE BODY PICKS SPOTS

AND STARTS
STORING FAT THERE,

AND YOUR ABDOMEN HAS AN ABNORMAL
AMOUNT OF WEIGHT ON IT,

AND THE ONLY WAY
TO CORRECT IT IS

IS FOR YOU TO START
LOSING WEIGHT, TAMY,

AND GET TO A PLACE WHERE WE CAN
DO WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY ON YOU.

WE HAVE A UNIQUE
SITUATION WITH TAMY.

SHE'S ALMOST 600 POUNDS,
BUT MOST OF HER WEIGHT

IS COLLECTED IN HER ABDOMEN

AND HAS FORMED
A HUGE, DISTENDED MASS

THAT HAS DEVELOPED
A LYMPHEDEMA IN IT,

SO IT IS ALL PULLING
ON HER INTERNAL ORGANS,

AND IT IS A VERY
REAL POSSIBILITY

THAT WITH ALL THAT
TENSION AND STRAIN,

THAT IT CAN START TO CREATE
SOME INTERNAL BLEEDING

THAT CAN BECOME
LIFE THREATENING.

BUT BEFORE WE REMOVE IT, WE NEED
TO DO WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY

BECAUSE IF WE REMOVE THE MASS,
AND SHE GAINS WEIGHT,

IT WILL NOT ONLY
START TO COME BACK,

BUT IT WILL BE WORSE
THE SECOND TIME AROUND,

BUT I'M VERY CONCERNED
BY HER HISTORY

IN THE CHART
REGARDING HER LUNGS.

SO WE HAVE A LOT OF ISSUES
TO ADDRESS WITH TAMY

THAT WE NEED TO TURN
AROUND IMMEDIATELY.

SO, TAMY,
YOU ARE DIABETIC.

YES.

AND YOU HAVE HIGH
BLOOD PRESSURE.

YES.

AND YOU HAVE COPD,
WHICH MAKES IT HARD TO BREATHE,

AND THIS IS ALL A RESULT
OF YOUR WEIGHT.

OKAY.

SO I'M GOING TO PUT YOU
ON A 1,200-CALORIE-A-DAY,

LOW-CARB,
HIGH-PROTEIN DIET,

AND I WANT YOU TO LOSE 40 POUNDS
OVER THE NEXT MONTH.

OKAY.
AND IF YOU DO THAT,

AND IF THERE ARE NO
MEDICAL ISSUES

THAT WE NEED
TO ADDRESS FIRST,

THEN I WILL CONSIDER YOU
FOR WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY.

OKAY.

SO WE HAVE A LOT
OF WORK TO DO,

AND IT'S GOT TO BE
A GROUP EFFORT.

SO, JAMES, YOU NEED TO HELP
INSTEAD OF ENABLING HER

BY BEING PASSIVE

AND AVOIDING
MAKING HER ANGRY.

MM-KAY.
OKAY.

GREAT.
SO NICE TO MEET YOU.

NICE TO MEET YOU, TOO.

ALL RIGHT.
NICE MEETING YOU.

NICE MEETING YOU.
NICE MEETING YOU, TOO,

AND I'LL SEE YOU
IN A MONTH.

-OKAY.
-OKAY.
-OKAY?

ALL RIGHT.
ALL RIGHT.

Dr. Nowzaradan: TAMY CLEARLY HAS
A DYSFUNCTIONAL DYNAMIC AT HOME.

HER HUSBAND, JAMES,
ENABLES HER,

AND THERE MAY BE
SOME MOTIVES THERE

THAT AREN'T YET FULLY CLEAR,

BUT THE WHOLE SITUATION
AT HOME NEEDS TO BE CHANGED,

AND THAT'S GOING TO HAVE
TO START WITH TAMY.

I KNEW THAT WAS GOING
TO BE REALLY HARD.

YOU CAN DO IT, MOM.

Tamy:
EVEN THOUGH IT WAS HARD TO HEAR
THE TRUTH ABOUT MY WEIGHT,

I BELIEVE DR. NOW WILL SUPPORT
ME THROUGH MY WHOLE WEIGHT LOSS.

THIS IS AN AMAZING CHANCE
FOR ME TO GET MY LIFE BACK.

I'M GOING TO HAVE A LONG
4 WEEKS AHEAD,

AND I KNOW IT'S GOING
TO BE VERY DIFFICULT,

BUT I'M GOING TO DO IT.

I HAVE TO DO IT.

**

**

Tamy: IT'S BEEN A COUPLE OF
WEEKS SINCE I SAW DR. NOW,

AND IT'S BEEN TOUGH.

MY WHOLE LIFE, I'VE EATEN
WHATEVER I WANTED

WHENEVER I WANTED,

BUT I CAN'T DO THAT ANYMORE.

AND IT'S BEEN ESPECIALLY HARD

BECAUSE I'M NOT GETTING
THE SUPPORT I THOUGHT I WOULD.

JAMES HAS BEEN
ACTING DIFFERENTLY

EVER SINCE WE GOT
BACK FROM HOUSTON.

HE'S BEEN GROWING
DISTANT FROM ME,

AND HIS PATIENCE WITH ZACHERY
HAS BEEN GROWING THIN.

ALSO, MY FAMILY IS NOT
CHANGING THEIR DIET FOR ME.

IT USED TO BE WHERE WE PRETTY
MUCH ATE THE SAME THING AT NIGHT

FOR DINNER,

BUT NOW, HAVING TO
MAKE MEALS FOR THEM

AND A COMPLETELY
DIFFERENT ONE FOR ME,

AND IT'S HARD BECAUSE
I SEE THEIR FOOD,

AND IT LOOKS SO GOOD.

I MISS IT.

YOU KNOW, IT WAS MY FRIEND.

BUT SO FAR, I'M RESISTING
THE TEMPTATIONS,

AND I'M MEASURING HOW MUCH
I PUT INTO MY MOUTH.

**

SO FAR, I THINK
I'M DOING PRETTY GOOD,

AND I KNOW THIS IS
SOMETHING I HAVE TO DO.

James: DID YOU HAVE
SOMETHING TO DRINK?

I JUST WISH I KNEW WHAT WAS
GOING ON WITH JAMES

BECAUSE WITHOUT HIS SUPPORT,
I DON'T KNOW IF I CAN DO THIS.

IT'S HARD ENOUGH
WORRYING ABOUT ZACHERY,

BUT HAVING TO WORRY
ABOUT THEM BOTH

IS TOO MUCH FOR ME TO HANDLE.

**

ZACHERY?

Zachery: WHAT?

YOUR DINNER IS IN HERE.

IT'S ON THE COUNTER
IN THERE.

DON'T HAVE AN ATTITUDE,
AND I MEAN IT.

I'M SERIOUS.

IF YOU DON'T EAT, YOU'RE NOT
GETTING BACK ON THAT COMPUTER.

**

SINCE I'VE STARTED THIS PROCESS,
I FIGURED I'D HAVE MORE SUPPORT,

BUT JAMES KEEPS
DISAPPEARING MORE AND MORE,

AND IT'S REALLY GETTING TO
THE POINT IT REALLY BOTHERS ME

BECAUSE WHEN I HAVE A BAD DAY,

I HAVE NOBODY TO TALK TO
ABOUT IT BECAUSE HE'S GONE.

SO I DON'T FEEL LIKE
HE'S THERE FOR ME

BECAUSE HOW
HE RESPONDS TO ZACHERY

AND HOW HE'S TREATING
BOTH OF US RIGHT NOW

IS MAKING IT EXTREMELY
DIFFICULT TO DO THIS

BECAUSE WHEN EVERYONE IS TENSE
AND EVERYTHING IS LIKE THIS,

IT JUST MAKES ME WANT TO EAT.

SO I KNOW I'M GOING TO
HAVE TO TALK TO HIM

BECAUSE I CAN'T KEEP
GOING ON LIKE THIS.

**

YOU KNOW IN THE PAST I HAVE
NOT ASKED MUCH FROM YOU.

I REALLY HAVEN'T.

I'D WISH YOU'D STAY
AROUND MORE.

YOU'RE ALWAYS LEAVING,
AND I DO FEEL ALONE

BECAUSE THIS IS IMPORTANT.

I KNOW THAT.

YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T....
YOU KNOW --

...COME IN AND SAY,
"HEY, HOW'S YOUR DIET GOING?"

AND ONCE IN A GREAT, GREAT
WHILE, YOU ASK ME, YOU KNOW,

AND I DON'T HAVE
SOMEBODY SITTING THERE

ASKING ME EVERY DAY,
"HOW ARE YOU DOING?

HOW DID YOU DO TODAY
ON YOUR DIET?"

DAMN IT, TAMY.
USUALLY YOU --

YOU ACT LIKE I DON'T DO --
I HAVE BEEN THERE FOR YOU.

WHO ELSE HAS BEEN THERE
FOR YOU?

NOBODY.
I KNOW.

I HAVE BEEN THERE.

FOR THE LAST 7 YEARS,

WHO WAS THE ONE
THAT'S BEEN THERE FOR YOU?

I KNOW.
ME.

THERE'S BEEN PLENTY OF TIMES
I'VE ASKED YOU

FOR HELP WITH THINGS.

I MEAN, I MAY NOT BE HERE
ALL THE TIME, 100%,

BUT I HAVE BEEN YOUR BACKBONE
FOR THE LAST 7 DAMN YEARS.

AND I JUST NEED YOU
AROUND A LITTLE MORE.

I NEED YOU TO JUST BE
A LITTLE MORE SUPPORTIVE.

YEAH, YOU TAKE ME TO THE STORE,
AND, YOU KNOW,

BUT I NEED YOU TO BE EMOTIONALLY
SUPPORTIVE ON A LOT OF THINGS.

I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU HAVE
YOUR LIFE, AND YOU'RE BUSY,

AND YOU'RE OUT DOING
YOUR THING AND EVERYTHING,

AND THAT'S FINE.

YOU KNOW,
YOU HAVE YOUR LIFE,

AND YOU'RE ALLOWED
TO HAVE YOUR LIFE.

JUST TRY TO FIND A LITTLE TIME
FOR ME HERE AND THERE.

I HAVEN'T BEEN?

WHERE WOULD YOU BE RIGHT NOW
IF YOU WEREN'T HERE?

YOU TELL ME THAT.

YOU WOULD BE OUT
ON THE STREET,

UNDER A BRIDGE...
AND I --

...OR YOU WOULD BE HOMELESS
IF IT WASN'T FOR YOU BEING HERE.

**

I THOUGHT JAMES WAS GOING
TO HELP ME

ON THIS WEIGHT-LOSS JOURNEY,

BUT NOW, I DON'T KNOW IF I CAN
COUNT ON HIM ANYMORE,

AND I'M SCARED BECAUSE I'M NOT
SURE I CAN DO THIS ON MY OWN.

**

**

Tamy: IT'S BEEN A HARD MONTH,
BUT I'VE WORKED HARDER

THAN I EVER HAVE
TO STICK TO THE DIET

AND DO WHAT I NEED DESPITE
ALL THE TENSION AT HOME,

BUT THINGS JUST SEEM TO BE
EVEN WORSE BETWEEN ME AND JAMES,

AND I FEEL SO TOTALLY
ALONE RIGHT NOW.

TAMY MURRELL?

BUT I KNOW NO MATTER WHAT,
I HAVE TO DO THIS,

SO I'VE STUCK WITH IT
AND WORKED AS HARD AS I CAN,

AND I REALLY HOPE THAT I'VE MADE
THE PROGRESS I NEED TODAY

AND THAT I'M GOING TO HIT
THE DOCTOR'S GOAL.

I WAS SUPPOSED TO LOSE 40 POUNDS
THIS PAST MONTH,

SO THAT MEANS I NEED TO BE
AT OR BELOW 551 TODAY.

**

I'M HAPPY.

I WORKED HARD.

I REALLY CAN'T BELIEVE IT.

I'M SO RELIEVED BECAUSE
IT'S BEEN ROUGH AT HOME,

BUT ALL THIS HARD WORK THAT
I DID HAS BEEN SO WORTH IT.

[ KNOCK ON DOOR ]

HELLO.
HELLO.

HELLO.
HOW ARE YOU?

HOW ARE Y'ALL DOING?

WE'RE GOOD.

SO YOU ARE 42 POUNDS LIGHTER,
AND YOU'RE STICKING TO THE DIET,

I SEE, HUH?

YES.

SO YOU SHOWED ME THAT
YOU'RE WILLING TO WORK HARD

AND MAKE SOME OF
THE CHANGES YOU NEED.

THIS IS A GOOD START FOR YOU,

BUT I'M STILL CONCERNED WITH
THE ISSUE WITH YOUR LUNGS.

YES.

AND I'M HOPING THAT WEIGHT
LOSS WILL HELP THAT.

OKAY.

SO HERE IS WHAT
OUR NEXT STEPS ARE.

I'M APPROVING YOU
FOR WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY.

THANK YOU.

BUT I WANT YOU TO MAKE
THE MOVE TO HOUSTON NOW...

OH, OKAY.

...AND COMMIT
TO BEING DOWN HERE

FOR AT LEAST A YEAR
AFTER SURGERY

SO I CAN WORK WITH YOU
AND MAKE SURE

THAT WE CAN GET YOU DOWN
TO YOUR TARGET WEIGHT.

OKAY.

AND WHILE YOU'RE
DOING THAT,

I WANT YOU TO STICK
WITH THE DIET

AND LOSE
EVEN MORE WEIGHT

BECAUSE THE MORE
WEIGHT YOU LOSE,

THE LESS STRAIN
THERE'LL BE ON YOUR LUNGS.

YEAH.

AND I DON'T WANT YOU TO LET YOUR
GUARD DOWN AND GO BACK AND...

I DON'T WANT TO SLIDE BACK.
...NOT LOSE ANYTHING.

SO WHEN YOU GET BACK
DOWN HERE TO HOUSTON,

IF YOUR LUNGS LOOK LIKE
THEY'RE HEALTHY ENOUGH,

WE'LL DO WEIGHT-LOSS
SURGERY ON YOU.

SOUNDS GOOD?
YES.

OKAY. GREAT.

WELL, YOU'RE DOING GOOD.

KEEP IT UP.
OKAY.

AND WE'LL DO
YOUR SURGERY SOON.

OKAY.

AND I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING
YOU BACK IN TEXAS.

OKAY. NEXT TIME YOU SEE US,
WE'LL BE DOWN HERE.

ALL RIGHT.

NICE TO SEE YOU
AND GOOD WORK.

THANK YOU.
THANK YOU.

Dr. Nowzaradan:
I AM VERY GLAD TO SEE TAMY HIT
HER WEIGHT-LOSS GOAL TODAY

AND TO SEE THAT SHE'S
MAKING POSITIVE CHANGES

THAT SHE NEEDS DESPITE
THE DYNAMIC AT HOME

AND ALL HER ISSUES,

BUT I'M STILL VERY CONCERNED
ABOUT HER LUNGS.

THE TEST I HAVE
FOR HER LAST VISIT

STILL SHOWS A LOT OF STRAIN
ON HER WHOLE SYSTEM,

AND IF WE CAN IMPROVE THAT,
THEN WE CAN HOPEFULLY GET HER

TO A PLACE WHERE
SHE'S HEALTHY ENOUGH

TO DO WEIGHT-LOSS
SURGERY ON HER,

BUT IF SHE'S NOT,
WE CAN'T TAKE ANY CHANCES

THAT MAY PUSH HER BODY
OVER THE LIMIT.

**

Tamy: TODAY, DR. NOWZARADAN
APPROVED ME FOR SURGERY,

SO I'M REALLY HAPPY ABOUT THAT.

I FEEL LIKE EVERYTHING I'M DOING
IS STARTING TO PAY OFF.

THE SCALE PROVED IT TODAY,
AND THAT FEELS GOOD.

**

I WAS WORRIED BECAUSE
I DON'T ALWAYS FEEL

LIKE I'M DOING THE BEST,

AND I'M STILL A LITTLE NERVOUS

BECAUSE THERE COULD BE
OTHER OBSTACLES,

SO I DON'T WANT TO GET
MY HOPES UP TOO MUCH.

I JUST WANT TO TAKE IT
ONE STEP AT A TIME.

I KNOW I HAVE A LONG ROAD
AHEAD OF ME,

BUT IT'S NICE TO SEE THAT WHAT
I'VE BEEN DOING IS PROGRESS.

**

**

A COUPLE OF DAYS
AFTER WE GOT HOME,

THINGS GOT EVEN WORSE
BETWEEN ME AND JAMES.

WE WERE JUST FIGHTING
MORE AND MORE,

AND SUDDENLY, HE TOLD ME HE
WAS DONE AND HE'S MOVING OUT,

SO I'M IN THE PROCESS
OF HELPING HIM PACK HIS THINGS

SO THAT HE CAN LEAVE ME,

AND HE'S GIVEN ME
NO EXPLANATION OR ANYTHING

EXCEPT HE'S JUST DONE,

AND I HAVE NO IDEA
WHAT I'M GOING TO DO.

AND NOW THAT I'M COMPLETELY
ON MY OWN,

THERE'S NO WAY
I CAN MOVE TO HOUSTON.

SO RIGHT NOW, I AM STRESSED,
AND I'M A LITTLE SCARED

BECAUSE I WAS SUPPOSED TO MOVE
TO A TOTALLY DIFFERENT STATE

HUNDREDS OF MILES AWAY
FROM ANYBODY THAT I KNOW

AND TRY TO DO THIS ALL ON MY OWN
WITH MY 16-YEAR-OLD SON.

AND I'M SO UPSET RIGHT NOW
I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO

BECAUSE I FELT LIKE
I FINALLY HAD THIS CHANCE,

AND I WAS FINALLY GETTING
MY LIFE BACK TOGETHER,

AND THEN JAMES DOES THIS.

THIS IS SO COMPLETELY UNFAIR,
AND IT'S NOT RIGHT.

WHEN ALL OF THIS FIRST STARTED,
I BELIEVED I HAD THIS BIG,

HUGE SUPPORT GROUP,

BUT NOW, ALL I HAVE
IS MYSELF AND ZACHERY.

EVERYBODY ELSE IS GONE, SO I'M
JUST LOST BECAUSE IT SUCKS

WHEN YOU FEEL LIKE
YOU'RE TOTALLY ALONE.

ALL MY LIFE, PEOPLE HAVE
LET ME DOWN OR ABANDONED ME.

**

I GUESS I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN THAT
THIS WOULDN'T BE ANY DIFFERENT.

**

THIS WHOLE PROCESS IS
VERY OVERWHELMING.

IT'S BEEN VERY
DISCOURAGING AT TIMES,

ESPECIALLY THESE LAST FEW DAYS.

YOU KNOW, EVENTUALLY,
THERE IS ONLY SO MUCH

I CAN TAKE, AND EVENTUALLY,
I'M GOING TO BREAK.

**

HE'S ABANDONING ME
WHEN I NEED HIM THE MOST.

**

**

I CAN'T MOVE TO HOUSTON
WITH ZACHERY

AND TRY TO DO THIS
ALL ON MY OWN,

SO IF JAMES IS
GOING TO LEAVE ME,

THEN HE'S TAKING MY LAST CHANCE
TO GET MY LIFE BACK.

**

AND HIS DECISION IS BASICALLY
A DEATH SENTENCE FOR ME.

AND I'M LOSING THE ONLY CHANCE
I HAVE TO SAVE MY LIFE.

**

**

Tamy: THINGS HAVEN'T GOTTEN MUCH
BETTER THIS PAST MONTH.

SINCE JAMES TOLD ME
HE WAS MOVING OUT,

MY WHOLE WORLD HAS BEEN
TURNED UPSIDE-DOWN.

JAMES AT LEAST DID TELL ME THAT
THERE'S ANOTHER WOMAN HE MET,

AND HE'S IN LOVE WITH HER.

I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG
THIS AFFAIR HAS BEEN GOING ON,

BUT MOVING TO HOUSTON
SEEMED TO PUSH JAMES

TO THE BREAKING POINT,

BUT HE SAID HE WANTED TO COME
OVER TODAY AND TALK WITH ME,

AND I TOLD HIM OKAY.

I HAVEN'T TOLD DR. NOW
WHAT'S HAPPENED BETWEEN US

BECAUSE I DON'T WANT
TO LOSE THIS CHANCE,

SO I'VE TOLD HIM THAT
IT'S TAKING ME LONGER

TO MOVE TO HOUSTON.

BUT I'M NOT SURE I CAN
DO THIS ON MY OWN.

**

HELLO.

Tamy: HEY.

CAN WE COME SIT DOWN
SO WE CAN TALK?

YEAH.

**

YOU KNOW HOW THINGS HAVE BEEN
GOING WITH OUR RELATIONSHIP,

AND I JUST HAD
TO GET OUT OF HERE.

WHEN I STARTED
THIS PROCESS OUT,

YOU SAID YOU WOULD BE THERE,
AND YOU BACKED OUT.

YOU KNOW I CARE ABOUT YOU,
BUT I LOVE SOMEBODY ELSE,

AND I JUST HAD TO
GET OUT OF HERE,

AND IT'S NOT BECAUSE
I DON'T CARE FOR YOU

AND WANT YOU TO NOT GO
THROUGH THIS BECAUSE I DO.

I DIDN'T EXPECT YOU
TO BE AROUND FOREVER,

BUT I DID THINK
THAT YOU WERE GOING

TO GO THROUGH
THIS PROCESS WITH ME,

AND I THOUGHT I WAS GOING
TO HAVE YOU TO LEAN ON

WHEN I WENT DOWN THERE.

I JUST HAD TO GET OUT OF HERE
FOR A LITTLE BIT

AND GET MY HEAD TOGETHER.

I CAME BACK TO TALK TO YOU
BECAUSE I STILL WANT

TO GO THROUGH THIS
WITH YOU.

I WANT TO TAKE YOU DOWN
TO TEXAS, YOU AND ZACHERY.

I'LL MOVE YOU GUYS
DOWN THERE.

I PROMISE YOU FROM HERE,
RIGHT HERE AND NOW,

I WILL BE THERE
SO YOU CAN DO THIS.

AND I CAN BELIEVE THAT?

YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE
TO BELIEVE IT

BECAUSE I'M NOT
GOING NOWHERE.

I'LL BE THERE WITH YOU.
I PROMISE YOU.

OKAY.

James:
I CARE FOR TAMY AS A PERSON,

BUT I'M NOT IN LOVE
WITH HER ANYMORE.

SHE'S DEPENDED ON EVERYBODY
SO MUCH FOR THE LAST FEW YEARS,

AND NOW THIS IS HER LAST CHANCE
TO GET HERSELF TO WHERE

SHE CAN BE SELF-SUFFICIENT
AND DO WHAT SHE NEEDS TO DO

FOR HERSELF TO BE HEALTHY
AND STAY HEALTHY.

OKAY.

I'LL SEE YOU GUYS
LATER.

Tamy: I REALLY DON'T KNOW
IF I CAN TRUST JAMES ANYMORE

BECAUSE WHAT IF
WE MOVE DOWN THERE,

AND HE CHANGES
HIS MIND AGAIN.

I KEPT HOPING THIS EXPERIENCE
MIGHT BRING US BACK TOGETHER,

BUT I THINK JAMES JUST SEES ME
MORE AS A BURDEN THAN A PARTNER,

BUT THIS MAY BE
MY ONLY OPTION.

I JUST WISH IT WASN'T.

**

**

TODAY, WE'RE FINALLY MAKING
THE MOVE TO HOUSTON,

AND I'VE HAD A TERRIBLE
COLD THIS PAST WEEK,

SO I'VE HAD TO START
USING AN OXYGEN MACHINE,

AND MY LUNGS
CAN HARDLY TAKE IT,

AND I KNOW MY BODY
IS JUST BREAKING DOWN,

BUT I'M DETERMINED
TO MAKE IT TO HOUSTON.

IF I WANT TO GET BETTER, GET
HEALTHIER, THIS IS MY NEXT STEP,

BUT I'M STILL REALLY
NERVOUS ABOUT ALL

THE UNKNOWNS
THERE'S GOING TO BE.

ALL RIGHT.

Tamy: BUT I CAN'T JUST LIE
AROUND IN BED ALL DAY

AND DO NOTHING ANYMORE.

SO THIS IS MY LAST CHANCE.

**

AND NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS,
I HAVE TO DO THIS,

AND I'M DETERMINED
TO GET MY LIFE BACK.

**

**

TODAY IS MY FIRST
APPOINTMENT WITH DR. NOW

SINCE MOVING TO HOUSTON.

I'M REALLY SCARED I HAVEN'T BEEN
DOING ENOUGH FOR MY DIET.

AFTER I FOUND OUT JAMES WAS
IN LOVE WITH ANOTHER WOMAN,

I'VE BEEN SO STRESSED OUT
BECAUSE I'VE HAD A FEW SLIPUPS.

I JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT I'LL DO
IF I'VE GAINED WEIGHT.

YEAH.

ARE YOU COMING IN WITH ME?

James: NOPE. YOU NEED TO START
DOING THIS ON YOUR OWN LIKE...

I KNOW THAT.
...WITH JUST YOU AND ZACH.

BUT I THOUGHT YOU WERE GOING
TO BE A PART OF THIS PROCESS,

BUT THEN YOU'RE LEAVING.

I AM A PART OF IT,
BUT I DON'T HAVE TO GO INSIDE

WHEN YOU'RE IN THERE
SEEING THE DOCTOR, YOU KNOW?

UH-HUH.
I'M SORRY.

I THOUGHT YOU WERE GOING IN,
BUT OKAY.

WHATEVER.

SORRY.

MESSAGE ME WHEN YOU FIND
OUT ANYTHING.

I'M REALLY UPSET RIGHT NOW.

I CAN'T BELIEVE JAMES WON'T COME
IN TO SEE THE DOCTOR WITH ME.

THE WHOLE POINT OF BEING HERE

WAS TO SUPPORT ME
THROUGH THIS PROCESS.

THIS MOMENT MEANS
EVERYTHING TO ME,

AND JAMES IS SITTING
IN THE CAR.

TAMY MURRELL?

I HAVE BEEN TRYING SO HARD
TO LOSE WEIGHT.

I WAS 549 LAST TIME, AND DR. NOW
TOLD ME TO KEEP MAKING PROGRESS,

SO I'M HOPING I AT LEAST
MADE IT TO THE LOWER 500s TODAY.

**

**

YOU DID GOOD.

I CAN'T BELIEVE IT.

I SET A GOAL FOR MYSELF,
AND I ACTUALLY DID IT,

BUT IT DOESN'T FEEL
AS GOOD AS IT SHOULD

BECAUSE I'M HERE ALONE.

[ KNOCK ON DOOR ]

HELLO.
HEY, TAMY.

HELLO.

HOW ARE YOU?

I'M DOING PRETTY GOOD.
ALL RIGHT.

SO YOU HAVE MOVED DOWN TO
HOUSTON AND STUCK TO YOUR DIET?

YES.
YOU LOST ANOTHER 53 POUNDS.

THAT'S VERY GOOD.
YEAH.

SO YOU HAVE ALMOST
LOST 100 POUNDS,

AND THAT'S A LOT OF
WEIGHT OFF YOUR BODY.

DO YOU FEEL BETTER?

YES, BUT I HAVE BEEN VERY
STRESSED THE LAST FEW WEEKS

TRYING TO GET EVERYTHING
TOGETHER TO GET DOWN HERE,

AND MY HUSBAND AND I HAVE
BEEN HAVING PROBLEMS, SO...

SO WHAT'S HAPPENING BETWEEN
YOU AND YOUR HUSBAND?

WELL, HE'S IN LOVE
WITH ANOTHER WOMAN,

BUT WE HAVEN'T REALLY
BEEN AN ACTUAL COUPLE

AS A HUSBAND AND WIFE.

YOU KNOW, HE WAS JUST,
MORE OR LESS, MY CAREGIVER.

OKAY. ALL THAT'S NOT

HOW YOU PRESENTED
YOUR RELATIONSHIP TO ME,

SO THAT IS A BIG CONCERN

BECAUSE IF YOU DON'T HAVE
SUPPORT SYSTEM AT HOME,

THIS IS GOING TO BECOME
MUCH MORE DIFFICULT FOR YOU.

WELL, JAMES IS STILL
GOING TO BE HELPING ME.

WE'RE JUST NOT
GOING TO BE TOGETHER.

SO IT'S COMPLICATED,
HUH?

YEAH.
ALL RIGHT.

WELL, THIS IS GOING TO
CATCH UP WITH YOU EMOTIONALLY

AND CAUSE YOU TO
COME CRASHING DOWN.

SO WE NEED TO DEAL WITH IT NOW,
AND I THINK IT'S BEST

THAT WE DELAY YOUR WEIGHT-LOSS
SURGERY A LITTLE LONGER

SO YOU CAN START THERAPY
TO ADDRESS THIS.

OKAY.

SO I'M GOING TO SET
AN APPOINTMENT FOR YOU

WITH THE THERAPIST,

AND I WANT YOU
TO START GOING.

OKAY.

AND THIS ALSO WILL GIVE YOU
A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME

TO KEEP MAKING PROGRESS
AND GET YOUR LUNGS HEALTHIER.

YEAH.
I'M THINKING POSITIVE.

I'M GOING TO GET THIS DONE.

OKAY. GREAT.

ALL RIGHT, TAMY.
YOU'RE DOING GREAT.

OKAY.
THANK YOU.

I WILL SEE YOU
SOON, OKAY?

**

TAMY IS DOING VERY WELL
WITH HER WEIGHT LOSS,

BUT HER SITUATION AT HOME
SEEMS VERY COMPLICATED,

AND WITHOUT THAT
SUPPORT SYSTEM THERE,

I'M VERY CONCERNED HOW SHE'S
GOING TO DO LONG-TERM,

BUT HER FOCUS RIGHT NOW
NEEDS TO BE

ON DEALING WITH
THE EMOTIONAL ISSUES

AROUND WHAT'S GOING
ON WITH HER LIFE

BEFORE IT BECOMES
AN EVEN BIGGER PROBLEM.

AND IT WOULD NOT BE WISE
TO MOVE AHEAD

WITH THE SURGERY
UNTIL SHE DOES THAT.

Tamy:
I FEEL PROUD RIGHT NOW ABOUT
WHAT I HAVE ACCOMPLISHED.

I'M JUST MAD THAT I LET
MYSELF BELIEVE

THAT JAMES WAS REALLY GOING
TO HELP ME THROUGH THIS,

AND I HAVE TO TAKE THIS
NEXT STEP AND GO TO THERAPY,

THEN I'LL DO IT,

BUT I REALLY HOPE
I CAN GET MY SURGERY

SCHEDULED SOON AFTER I DO THIS

BECAUSE I JUST WANT TO MOVE
AHEAD AND ON WITH MY LIFE.

**

**

Tamy: TODAY, I'M GOING
TO SEE A THERAPIST

AND TALK ABOUT
SOME OF THE THINGS

THAT ARE AFFECTING ME
IN MY LIFE --

WHY I HAVE BECOME
THE WAY I HAVE,

WHY I DO SOME OF
THE THINGS I DO.

IT IS DISAPPOINTING THAT I STILL
HAVE TO WAIT FOR MY SURGERY,

BUT IF DR. NOW THINKS THIS
IS WHAT I NEED TO DO FIRST,

THEN I WILL BECAUSE
I JUST WANT TO MOVE AHEAD

AND ON WITH MY LIFE,

AND THAT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN
UNTIL I GET WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY,

AND I KNOW THAT I HAVE
A LOT OF DEEP ISSUES.

IT AFFECTS HOW I SEE MYSELF
AND HOW I LIVE MY LIFE,

AND I'VE NEVER BEEN SOMEONE

WHO LIKES HAVING
THE SPOTLIGHT ON ME,

SO I'M REALLY NERVOUS.

HI. I'M RACHEL.

HI.
NICE TO MEET YOU.

NICE TO MEET YOU, TOO.
COME ON BACK.

OKAY.

ALL RIGHT.

GO AHEAD AND HAVE A SEAT
ON THE COUCH THERE.

[ DOOR CLOSES ]

OKAY.

THANKS FOR COMING IN TODAY.

WELL, LET'S GO AHEAD
AND GET STARTED.

I WOULD LIKE --
OKAY.

MAYBE JUST TELL ME KIND OF
HOW YOU'RE DOING RIGHT NOW.

I'M JUST KIND OF STRESSED OUT
ABOUT EVERYTHING GOING ON,

AND...
LIKE?

YOU KNOW...
WHAT ARE YOU STRESSED OUT ABOUT?

MY HUSBAND IS LEAVING.

I FOUND OUT BEFORE
MOVING THAT JAMES

WAS IN LOVE WITH
ANOTHER WOMAN.

OH, MY GOODNESS.

I'M GOING TO BE
TAKING CARE OF MYSELF

PLUS MY YOUNGEST SON,
ZACHERY.

YOU'RE WORRIED ABOUT HOW YOU'RE
GOING TO COPE WHEN HE LEAVES.

YEAH.
YEAH.

BECAUSE I HAVEN'T HAD TO DO
NONE OF THAT ON MY OWN BEFORE.

OH, WOW.

BEFORE I LET ALL THIS
TAKE CONTROL OF MY BODY,

ALL THIS WEIGHT,
I WAS A VERY INDEPENDENT PERSON.

I WENT WHERE I WANTED TO.
I DID WHAT I WANTED TO.

AND WAS THE WEIGHT AN ISSUE
MOST OF YOUR LIFE...

YES.
...OR WAS THAT...

FOOD HAS ALWAYS BEEN
A BIG THING FOR ME.

IT REALLY STARTED
WHEN I WAS A KID.

MY DAD PASSED AWAY WHEN
I WAS 8, AND I SEEN HIM...

HE ACTUALLY DIED
IN FRONT OF ME.

WOW.
AND MY MOM KIND OF SHUT DOWN.

SO YOU ALMOST, IN A WAY, LOST
BOTH PARENTS IN A SENSE, RIGHT?

YEAH. AND IT WAS A VERY LONELY
CHILDHOOD GROWING UP.

YEAH.
THAT'S YOUR CORE WOUND, RIGHT?

YEAH.
HOW HAS FOOD PLAYED A ROLE

IN TERMS OF A COPING
STRATEGY WHEN --

IT WAS THE ONE THING THAT
MADE ME FEEL GOOD EVEN THOUGH

THAT IT WAS THE ONE THING
THAT WAS TEARING MY BODY APART.

EXACTLY.

IT'S WHERE I'M AT NOW,
YOU KNOW?

I'M TRYING TO TAKE CARE
OF ALL THAT NOW.

TELL ME HOW JAMES
FITS INTO THAT PICTURE.

I'M SO COMFORTABLE
WITH HIM.

MM-HMM.

YOU KNOW, OVER THE YEARS,
HE KEPT SAYING,

"OH, YOU'RE FINE. I LOVE YOU
EVEN IF YOU'RE BIG," AND...

IT WAS LIKE ENABLING.

YEAH.
HE WAS ENABLING YOU TO...

HE WAS SAYING, "OH, IT'S FINE."
...NOT BE OKAY.

AND IT SEEMS LIKE HE'S ALWAYS
THERE TO RESCUE ME

WHEN I NEED RESCUING,

BUT JAMES WAS ABUSIVE
IN OUR RELATIONSHIP, TOO.

HE IS VERBALLY ABUSIVE.

HOW DO YOU THINK
THAT IMPACTED YOU?

IT'S SO AGGRAVATING.

YOU KNOW, I GOT SO USED
TO SAYING, "I DON'T MATTER."

YOU ARE DESERVING.

YOU ARE WORTHY.

KEEP TELLING
YOURSELF THAT.

AND SO PART OF "I'M WORTHY"
IS SEEKING OUT THINGS

THAT ARE NURTURING
OR NOURISHING

INSTEAD OF THINGS
THAT ARE TOXIC.

SO, TAMY,
WE TALKED ABOUT

WHEN YOU'VE HAD THESE
DIFFICULT EMOTIONS,

YOU'VE GONE TO FOOD,

OR WHEN YOU'VE HAD
MAJOR CRISES IN YOUR LIFE,

JAMES HAS BEEN
THERE FOR YOU,

AND THESE TWO RELATIONSHIPS
ARE OFF THE TABLE.

LET GO OF THE TOXIC
RELATIONSHIPS.

YEAH, WHICH WILL
BE GOOD, THOUGH,

BECAUSE HE DOESN'T
NEED TO BE --

HE DOESN'T ALWAYS
NEED TO BE THERE.

WHAT'S IMPORTANT NOW
IS TO BUILD CONNECTIONS

SO THAT IT'S THERE FOR YOU
WHEN YOU NEED IT.

AND I'VE ALWAYS
LACKED THAT.

EXACTLY. SO CAN YOU
MAKE A POINT EVERY DAY

TO REACH OUT
TO ONE PERSON IN WHATEVER WAY,

JUST ANYONE THAT'S NOT
TOXIC, USING...

WELL, I'M GOING TO TRY
TALK TO PEOPLE MORE

BECAUSE I'VE SHUT THEM OUT.

OKAY. OKAY.
EXCELLENT STRATEGY.

I KNOW I HAVE A VERY
LONG WAY TO GO.

YOU'RE TAKING CHARGE
OF YOUR LIFE,

AND THAT'S A REALLY
POSITIVE THING,

SO GOOD WORK TODAY.

WELL, IT WAS NICE
TO MEET YOU TODAY.

THANK YOU.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.

MY BIGGEST CHALLENGES
ARE GETTING PAST

THE TOXIC RELATIONSHIPS

AND DOING THIS ON MY OWN,

NOT EXPECTING SOMEONE
TO COME RESCUE ME.

JAMES HAS ALWAYS BEEN THERE
WHEN I NEEDED SOMEBODY,

AND TO LET GO OF THAT AND TO
MOVE ON IS GOING TO BE HARD

BECAUSE HE HAS BEEN
SUCH A BIG PART,

BUT I HAVE TO DO THAT

BECAUSE WE'RE NOT IN
A HUSBAND-WIFE RELATIONSHIP.

HE WAS A CAREGIVER.

HE'S GOING ON WITH HIS LIFE.

I NEED TO GO ON WITH MINE.

WE NEED TO SEPARATE TO WHERE
WE HAVE OTHER LIVES,

NOT EACH OTHER.

I KNOW IT'LL BE HARD AT FIRST.

IT'S A NEW CHAPTER,
AND I'M READY TO OPEN

THAT NEW CHAPTER UP

AND SEE WHERE IT TAKES ME.

**

I'M REALLY EXCITED
BECAUSE DR. NOW SAID

I WAS READY TO MOVE AHEAD
WITH WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY.

HE GOT A GOOD REPORT
FROM THERAPY,

SO HE SCHEDULED ME FOR
A COUPLE OF WEEKS FROM NOW.

AND AFTER TALKING
WITH THE THERAPIST,

I REALIZED I NEED
TO BECOME MORE INDEPENDENT.

JAMES HAS ALWAYS DONE
A LOT FOR ME,

BUT IT ALWAYS COMES
WITH STRINGS ATTACHED,

SO I NEED TO BEGIN
DOING THINGS ON MY OWN.

WHO WOULD THINK THAT JUST BEING
ABLE TO DO A LOAD OF LAUNDRY

WOULD BE SUCH
A BIG ACCOMPLISHMENT?

BUT IT IS FOR ME,
AND I'M EXCITED TO DO THIS,

ESPECIALLY SINCE JAMES
IS LEAVING SOON,

AND IT'S JUST GOING TO
BE ME AND ZACHERY.

**

[ BREATHING HEAVILY ]

TAMY? TAMY?

TAMY,
DO YOU NEED A NURSE?

HUH?
ARE YOU -- TAMY?

HUH?

I NEED YOU TO WAKE UP.

I'M GOING TO CALL
EMERGENCY.

MOM?

[ SIGHS ]

MOM?

ARE YOU OKAY?
MM.

ARE YOU OKAY?

COME ON.

COME ON, MOM.

OH. I'M GOING TO NEED
HELP UP IN A MINUTE.

MY HANDS ARE NUMB.

**

**

UH, DO ME A FAVOR?

WHAT?

GO GET ME A CHAIR.

I NEED SOMETHING STABLE.

**

**

THERE.

WHAT HAPPENED?

YOU ALL RIGHT?

ARE YOU OKAY?

OKAY.
I'M FINE.

WHAT HAPPENED?

I GOT DIZZY.

**

YOU KNOW, MY HANDS ARE NUMB.

**

NEXT TIME, YOU HAVE
SOMEBODY WITH YOU.

THE POINT OF ME
DOING THIS --

I KNOW, TAMY, BUT NEXT TIME,
YOU CAN TOTALLY PASS OUT,

AND NOBODY WILL BE THERE.

Tamy:
I'M SO FRUSTRATED RIGHT NOW.

JUST AS I START TO FEEL BETTER,
THIS HAPPENS,

AND I'M RIGHT BACK
WHERE I STARTED --

WITH JAMES TELLING ME WHAT TO DO
AND HOW TO FEEL.

**

Tamy: EARLIER TODAY, I PASSED
OUT TRYING TO DO LAUNDRY,

AND I CALLED DR. NOW
AND TOLD HIM WHAT HAPPENED.

TAMY MURRELL?

HE TOLD ME TO COME
IN IMMEDIATELY

SO HE COULD RUN SOME TESTS
AND MAKE SURE I'M OKAY.

HE'S WORRIED IT'S SOMETHING
TO DO WITH MY LUNGS,

AND I'M HOPING TODAY THAT
I'M STILL MAKING GOOD PROGRESS.

AT MY LAST APPOINTMENT,
I WAS AT 496,

AND I'M HOPING MY WEIGHT LOSS
HASN'T SLOWED AT ALL.

**

WOW.
OH, MY LORD.

GOOD JOB.

I'M RELIEVED THAT
I'M STILL LOSING WEIGHT,

BUT IT WOULD BE DEVASTATING

IF THERE WAS
A SERIOUS ISSUE WITH MY LUNGS,

SO I JUST HOPE
EVERYTHING IS ALL RIGHT.

WE'RE RUNNING SOME TESTS
ON TAMY RIGHT NOW

AND TAKING SOME X-RAY
OF HER LUNGS

SO I CAN SEE WHAT'S GOING ON.

ALL RIGHT.
LET'S TAKE A DEEP BREATH IN.

BLOW IT OUT.

I AM WORRIED THAT HER FAINTING
IS RELATED TO THE FACT

THAT HER LUNGS HAVE BEEN
SO WEAK FOR SO LONG,

AND SHE COULD DEVELOP
A LIFE-THREATENING ISSUE.

AND IF THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING,
THEN WE NEED TO TREAT IT

BEFORE HER CONDITION
GETS EVEN WORSE.

**

HOW Y'ALL DOING?

GOOD.
HOW ARE YOU?

ALL RIGHT.
SO YOU PASSED OUT?

YEAH.

SO YOU'RE NOT FEELING DIZZY
AT THIS MOMENT?

NO. USUALLY, IT HAPPENS
ONCE I GET UP, MOVE AROUND.

MM-HMM.

IT'S JUST BEEN
THE LAST FEW DAYS.

WELL, FROM YOUR TESTS,
YOUR BLOOD PRESSURE IS OKAY,

AND YOUR HEART RATE IS OKAY,
SO IT'S MOST LIKELY PNEUMONIA.

THAT, COMBINED WITH HOW WEAK
YOUR LUNGS HAVE BEEN

LED TO YOU OVEREXERTING
YOURSELF AND PASSING OUT.

SO WITH THIS ISSUE,

I THINK WE'RE GOING
TO CANCEL YOUR SURGERY

BECAUSE LAST THING
WE WANT TO DO

IS TO PUT TOO MUCH
STRAIN ON YOUR BODY.

THEN YOU WON'T SURVIVE
THE OPERATION,

SO WE HAVE TO DO
THIS TO BE SAFE.

OKAY.

AND DURING THAT TIME,
YOU NEED TO WORK TO TRY

AND KEEP MAKING PROGRESS.

I KNOW THIS IS DISAPPOINTING
AND FRUSTRATING,

BUT IF YOU KEEP IT UP,
I PROMISE WE'LL GET YOU THERE,

BUT YOU HAVE TO GET
HEALTHIER FIRST.

OKAY.

ALL RIGHT.

Dr. Nowzaradan: IT UNFORTUNATE
THAT WE HAVE TO DELAY

TAMY'S WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY
EVEN LONGER,

BUT WE CAN'T TAKE ANY RISKS
WITH HER RIGHT NOW,

SO WE WILL START TREATING HER,

AND WE SHOULD HAVE HER CLEARED
UP IN THE NEXT COUPLE WEEKS,

BUT IT MAY TAKES MONTHS FOR HER
LUNG TO RECOVER ENOUGH FOR HER

TO BE HEALTHY
ENOUGH FOR SURGERY,

SO AS FRUSTRATING
AS IT IS FOR TAMY,

THIS IS WHAT WE HAVE TO DO.

IT'S JUST BEEN
A LONG DAY.

I KNOW IT'S A LITTLE
DISAPPOINTING, BUT...

YES. IT IS.
...BETTER TO HAVE YOU HEALTHY.

**

I DON'T WANT TO GO TO THE
SURGERY IF SOMETHING IS WRONG.

I KNOW THAT.

WELL,
YOU'RE SO STUBBORN.

YOU WOULDN'T LET ME
TAKE YOU TO THE HOSPITAL.

JUST SHUT UP.

LET'S SEE HOW IT WORKS
THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS.

WILL YOU SHUT UP?

DON'T GET GRUMPY.

I'M JUST PROCESSING
EVERYTHING.

CAN YOU JUST GIVE ME A FEW
MINUTES TO PROCESS IT ALL, OKAY?

I'M DISAPPOINTED.

I KNOW YOU ARE.
[ SIGHS ]

AND YOU'RE JUST SITTING
THERE HARPING ON ME

ABOUT WHAT
I SHOULD'VE DID.

GET TO THE HOSPITAL.
JUST STOP.

I'LL BE RIGHT BACK.

Tamy: PART OF ME IS GLAD TO FIND
OUT WHY I PASSED OUT...

...BUT I'M SO UPSET
THAT MY SURGERY IS CANCELED.

**

BUT IT'S STILL SO FRUSTRATING
TO KEEP HAVING THE GOAL LINE

MOVED FURTHER AND FURTHER AWAY,

SO I'M JUST FEELING
A LITTLE HOPELESS RIGHT NOW,

BUT THERE'S NOTHING
I CAN DO ABOUT IT,

SO I'LL JUST FOCUS
ON GETTING BETTER

AND KEEP STICKING TO MY DIET,

BUT IF I DON'T GET
THIS SURGERY SOON,

I'M WORRIED I'M GOING TO START
GETTING TO MY BREAKING POINT.

**

**

IT'S BEEN A HARD MONTH.

I SAW DR. NOW
FOR MY LAST APPOINTMENT,

AND HE SAID I STILL WASN'T
HEALTHY ENOUGH FOR SURGERY,

SO I HAVE TO WAIT ANOTHER MONTH.

BUT IT'S STARTING TO FEEL LIKE
IT'S NEVER GOING TO HAPPEN,

AND I'VE BEEN STRUGGLING WITH
BEING DEPRESSED ABOUT IT.

THAT'S MAKING IT HARDER
NOT TO GIVE IN

AND EAT SOMETHING
THAT'S NOT ON THE DIET,

BUT I'M DETERMINED TO DO THIS,

SO NO MATTER HOW HARD IT GETS,
I'M NOT GIVING UP.

HEY, ZACHERY?
HMM?

WHY DON'T YOU TAKE THAT
INTO THE BEDROOM

AND GO WATCH TV
IN THERE?

OKAY.

TAKE YOUR BLANKET.

**

I SEE YOU'RE THINKING
OVER THERE.

YEAH.
WHAT'S ON YOUR MIND?

I'M JUST -- I WAS LOOKING
FORWARD TO HAVING SURGERY.

SURGERY WAS SUPPOSED TO BE
MY NEXT STEP TO HELP ME,

YOU KNOW,
MAKE THIS MY NEW LIFE.

WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO
IF HE TELLS YOU YOU CAN'T?

I DON'T KNOW.

WELL, IF SOMETHING SHOULD HAPPEN
AND YOU CAN'T HAVE IT,

I'LL STILL BE THERE
TO HELP YOU.

YOU CAN'T SAY THAT.
YOU HAVE SOMEONE ELSE

THAT YOU'RE GOING HOME TO.

I CAN STILL HELP YOU.
NO, YOU CAN'T.

I DON'T WANT THAT.

I DON'T WANT TO BE
SOMEONE'S RESPONSIBILITY.

YOU KNOW, I MEAN, I DON'T WANT
TO LIVE THE WAY I AM, YOU KNOW.

WELL, LET'S
THINK POSITIVE.

EVEN THOUGH YOU HAD SETBACKS,
YOU'VE BEEN DOING A GREAT JOB.

YEAH.

I'M DISAPPOINTED FOR TAMY
BECAUSE I KNOW

SHE WAS LOOKING FORWARD
TO GETTING THE SURGERY.

WHEN YOU GET THAT NEWS,
IT DEVASTATES A PERSON,

AND I'M WORRIED, IF THE SURGERY
DOES GET POSTPONED INDEFINITELY

AND SHE CAN'T HAVE IT,

TAMY IS GOING TO SLIP
BACK INTO HER OLD WAYS.

ALL THIS THAT SHE'S BEEN
THROUGH WILL BE ALL FOR NOTHING.

I THINK I'M GOING TO GO LAY DOWN
FOR A LITTLE WHILE.

OKAY.
OKAY.

OH.

YOU'RE DOING
A GREAT JOB.

Tamy:
I'M UNDER SO MUCH STRESS,

AND MY CRAVINGS ARE
SO STRONG RIGHT NOW.

I'M JUST TRYING MY BEST
NOT TO CHEAT ON THE DIET.

THERE'S PLENTY OF STUFF
IN HERE I COULD CHEAT ON,

BUT I HAVEN'T
TOUCHED ANY OF IT.

OH.

BUT IT SEEMS, WHENEVER
THERE'S A GLIMMER OF HOPE,

SOMETHING BAD HAPPENS
TO TAKE IT AWAY.

OH.

I CAN'T SEE TO SHAKE THE DARK
CLOUD THAT HANGS OVER ME.

**

THE WORRY I HAVE FOR NEVER
GETTING THE SURGERY AT ALL

IS GOING BACK TO
THE SAME LIFE THAT I HAD,

SECLUDING MYSELF INTO MY BED,

NOT TALKING TO PEOPLE NO MORE
AND NOT GETTING OUT ANYMORE.

IF I CAN'T GET THE SURGERY,
I'M AFRAID MY OLD HABITS

ARE GOING TO COME BACK.

**

**

IT'S BEEN A TOUGH
COUPLE OF MONTHS.

I'VE BEEN DEPRESSED SINCE
DR. NOW CANCELED MY SURGERY,

BUT I'VE TRIED TO STAY ON TRACK,

AND I'M STARTING
TO FEEL BETTER.

TAMY MURRELL?

I WAS AT 451 THE LAST TIME
I WAS HERE,

AND I'M HOPING
TO BE IN THE 300s.

I JUST HOPE THAT I'M FINALLY
HEALTHY ENOUGH

TO GET APPROVED
FOR SURGERY TODAY...

**

...BECAUSE I'M NOT SURE I CAN
DO THIS FOR ANOTHER MONTH.

**

NOT TOO BAD.

I'M REALLY DISAPPOINTED
I DIDN'T HIT MY GOAL TODAY,

AND I'M WORRIED ABOUT WHAT
DR. NOW IS GOING TO SAY.

I JUST DON'T THINK I CAN HANDLE
ANY MORE BAD NEWS.

**

HELLO.
HELLO.

HOW Y'ALL DOING?

GOOD.
OKAY.

ALL RIGHT.

SO HOW YOU FEELING,
TAMY?

FEELING BETTER.
ALL RIGHT.

YOU HAVE BEEN FREE OF PNEUMONIA
FOR ABOUT 5 WEEKS NOW.

YEAH.
YOUR BLOOD PRESSURE IS GOOD,

AND EVERYTHING
IS GETTING BETTER,

SO IF YOUR HEART
AND LUNGS SOUND GOOD,

THEN WE CAN MOVE AHEAD.

OKAY.
BUT FOR SURGERY,

YOU'RE GOING TO BE
LAYING DOWN FOR A WHILE

WITH ALL YOUR WEIGHT
PUSHING DOWN ON YOUR ORGANS,

ESPECIALLY YOUR LUNGS,

SO I NEED TO HEAR HOW THEY
ARE DOING AT THAT STATE,

SO IF YOU GET UP
ON THE TABLE,

I CAN CHECK YOUR HEART
AND EVERYTHING

AND SEE IF WE CAN APPROVE
YOU FOR SURGERY, NO?

OKAY.
ALL RIGHT.

**

ALL RIGHT. GO AHEAD.
LAY DOWN.

Tamy:
I'M REALLY NERVOUS RIGHT NOW.

TAKE A DEEP BREATH.

I HAVE TO HAVE THIS SURGERY.

**

SO STAY IN HERE.

WE'RE GOING TO GET THE EKG,
AND I'LL BE BACK

AND TALK TO YOU, OKAY?

OKAY.
ALL RIGHT.

Dr. Nowzaradan: TAMY'S LUNGS
AND HEART SOUND GOOD,

BUT I WANT TO RUN AN EKG

TO MAKE SURE THERE ARE NO
OVERALL ISSUES STILL LINGERING,

AND IF EVERYTHING IS OKAY,
WE'RE GOING TO PROCEED

WITH WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY.

HOPEFULLY, EVERYTHING
LOOKS GOOD,

AND HER TESTS ALL SHOW
THAT SHE'S READY.

I HOPE ALL THAT
WENT WELL.

OKAY.

SO I HAVE THE RESULTS
FROM ALL YOUR TESTING,

AND YOUR EKG
LOOKED NORMAL,

AND YOU KEPT UP
WITH YOUR WEIGHT LOSS,

SO I'M APPROVING YOU
FOR WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY.

OH, OKAY.
OKAY?

AND WE'LL GET YOU
IN TOMORROW,

SO YOU DON'T HAVE
TO WAIT ANYMORE.

OKAY?
ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.
Y'ALL HAVE A GOOD DAY.

YOU TOO.
YOU HAVE A GOOD DAY.

OKAY?

SO I'LL SEE YOU
ALL TOMORROW.

THANK YOU.
MM-HMM.

Dr. Nowzaradan: TAMY HAS DONE
A GREAT JOB STAYING ON THE DIET

DESPITE ALL HER SETBACKS
AND DELAYS SHE HAS FACED,

SO SHE'S READY NOW FOR THE NEXT
BIG STEP IN HER JOURNEY.

HER WEIGHT LOSS HAS SLOWED DOWN,

AND IF WE HAVE
TO WAIT ANY LONGER,

SHE WILL JUST CONTINUE TO SLOW
UNTIL SHE STOP LOSING WEIGHT

AND STARTING GAINING AGAIN.

SO TAMY MAY HAVE
HAD TO WAIT AWHILE

AND WORK HARD TO GET HERE,

BUT IT'S ALL ABOUT
TO PAY OFF FOR HER.

**

Tamy: HEARING THOSE WORDS
THAT I'M APPROVED

WAS SO WONDERFUL TO HEAR,

AND THEN TO FIND OUT
IT'S HAPPENING TOMORROW

WAS SUCH A HUGE RELIEF.

**

THIS HAS BEEN SUCH A HARD ROAD,

BUT NOW THAT'S
IT'S FINALLY HAPPENING,

I'M JUST EXCITED
AND PROUD OF MYSELF.

**

**

Tamy:
I'VE BOTH DREADED AND LOOKED
FORWARD TO THIS DAY,

AND NOW THAT IT'S HERE,
I AM JUST TERRIFIED.

JUST THINK, IN A FEW MINUTES,
YOU'LL BE...

[ IMITATES SNORING ]

AND THEN YOU'LL WAKE UP,
AND YOU'LL BE IN YOUR ROOM.

YEAH.

THEY JUST NEED TO HURRY UP
AND COME PUT ME TO SLEEP.

YOU'LL BE FINE.

[ DOOR OPENS ]
OKAY. COME HERE.

I LOVE YOU.
Y'ALL SHOULD BE RELAXING.

MWAH.
ALL RIGHT.

WE'LL SEE YOU AFTER
YOU GET DONE, OKAY?

OKAY.

BYE, TAMY.

MY NERVES ARE STARTING TO
GET THE BEST OF ME RIGHT NOW

BECAUSE MY WORST FEAR
IS DYING ON THE TABLE.

SO I'M JUST NERVOUS
ABOUT WHAT TO EXPECT,

AND WITH ME BEING OVERWEIGHT
AND THE HEALTH ISSUES,

I AM VERY HIGH-RISK,

BUT THIS WAS THE ULTIMATE GOAL
WHEN I FIRST STARTED THIS.

THE DIET, THE EXERCISE, IT WAS
ALL TO GET TO HAVING THE SURGERY

AND THEN BEING ABLE
TO BECOME A BETTER ME,

A HEALTHIER ME
AND THE PERSON I WANT TO BE,

SO I REALLY DO NEED THIS SURGERY
TO MOVE FORWARD IN MY LIFE,

AND I HAVE TO DO THIS.

**

Dr. Nowzaradan:
TODAY, WE'LL BE PERFORMING
A GASTRIC SLEEVE ON TAMY,

BUT SHE'S STILL
VERY HIGH-RISK

BECAUSE SHE DOESN'T HAVE
VERY MUCH STAMINA,

SO WE STILL HAVE TO BE
VERY CAREFUL WITH HER LUNGS.

OKAY.
READY FOR THE FIRST INCISION.

BUT THIS IS GOING TO BE
A DIFFICULT PROCEDURE

TO PERFORM TODAY

BECAUSE THE LARGE MASS
ON HER ABDOMEN

IS GOING TO MAKE IT DIFFICULT
TO MANEUVER THE INSTRUMENTS.

WE CAN TURN THE ROOM LIGHT OFF.

BUT AT THE SAME TIME,
WE NEED TO WORK

TO MAKE SURE SHE'S NOT
UNDER ANESTHESIA

FOR TOO LONG TO PREVENT
HER LUNGS FROM HAVING ISSUES.

GO FORWARD.
GO FORWARD.

PULL IT BACK A BIT.

MAN, THIS AIN'T
GOING TO BE EASY.

IF SHE STARTS TO STRUGGLE
TO BREATHE, WE COULD LOSE HER,

SO WE NEED TO BE
EXTRA CAREFUL

NOT TO PUSH HER BODY
OVER THE LIMIT.

BUT IF WE ARE
SUCCESSFUL TODAY,

THIS WILL HELP TAMY CONTINUE
TO LOSE MORE WEIGHT.

**

James: I'M REALLY WORRIED
AND I AM SCARED.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING
TO GO ON DURING SURGERY.

YOU KNOW, ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN,
BUT I'M TRYING TO STAY POSITIVE

AND KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW,
THINGS ARE GOING TO GO SMOOTH,

BUT THERE'S ALWAYS THAT CHANCE
THAT SOMETHING COULD COME UP.

Dr. Nowzaradan: LOOK AT THIS.

WELL, TAMY GOT A REALLY
BIG SPLEEN

THAT IS BLOCKING ACCESS
TO THE STOMACH.

THAT IS REALLY CHALLENGING,

SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE
TO SEE WHAT WE CAN DO

TO GET IT OUT OF THE WAY.

THE SLEEVE GASTRECTOMY
IS AN OPERATION

THAT REDUCES THE SIZE
OF THE STOMACH 70 TO 80 PERCENT.

AFTER THE SURGERY,
HER FOOD DESIRE WILL DIMINISH,

AND SHE WILL BE ABLE TO EAT LESS
AND BE ABLE TO LOSE SOME WEIGHT.

OKAY.
PULL IT OUT.

PULL IT OUT.

KEEP PULLING. KEEP PULLING.
KEEP PULLING.

KEEP PULLING.

ALL RIGHT.
ROOM LIGHT ON, PLEASE.

OKAY. ALL FINISHED.

ALL RIGHT. TAMY'S SURGERY
WENT VERY WELL.

WE WERE ABLE TO DO
A SLEEVE GASTRECTOMY ON HER,

AND THAT WAS A LITTLE
BIT CHALLENGING

BECAUSE OF HER WEIGHT
AND DIFFICULTY

IN MANEUVERING INSTRUMENT
INSIDE OF HER ABDOMEN

AND THEN ENCOUNTERING
ISSUES WITH HER SPLEEN,

PREVENTING ACCESS
TO HER STOMACH.

BUT WE WERE ABLE TO COMPLETE
THE SURGERY SAFELY.

SO WE'LL GET HER TO RECOVERY
SO SHE CAN REST,

AND AS SOON AS SHE LOSES
SOME MORE WEIGHT

AND RECOVER COMPLETELY,

THEN WE'RE GOING TO
CONSIDER TAKING THIS MASS

THAT IS IN HER
LOWER ABDOMEN.

THAT'S GOING TO BE A
SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT FOR HER,

FOR HER ABILITY
TO WALK AND BE ACTIVE,

SO TODAY IS A BIG
STEP FORWARD FOR HER,

AND IF SHE KEEPS
UP HER PROGRESS,

WE'RE GOING TO HELP HER MAKE
AN EVEN BIGGER STEP HERE SOON.

**

**

Tamy: I'VE BEEN HOME FROM THE
HOSPITAL FOR ABOUT A WEEK NOW,

AND I'M STILL REALLY SORE
AND HAVING A HARD TIME

GETTING UP AND WALKING,

BUT I HAVE TO
PULL MYSELF TOGETHER.

MY RECOVERY TIME
IS BEING CUT SHORT

BECAUSE JAMES IS PACKING
TO GO BACK TO KENTUCKY.

HE AGREED TO HELP TAKE CARE
OF ME UP TO SURGERY,

AND I SUPPOSE HE KEPT
HIS END OF THE BARGAIN.

I DO WISH JAMES COULD STAY
A LITTLE LONGER,

BUT I UNDERSTAND THAT HE CAN'T,

AND I'M THANKFUL THAT HE STAYED
DOWN FOR AS LONG AS HE DID.

YOU WILL HAVE TO HELP ME
WITH DINNER TONIGHT...

YES, I KNOW.
...MAKING YOUR DINNER.

James:
IT'S TIME FOR ME TO GO BACK

SO TAMY CAN START
THIS JOURNEY ON HER OWN,

SO SHE CAN DO THINGS FOR
HERSELF, BE MORE INDEPENDENT.

**

BEFORE I LEAVE, I JUST WANT
TO LET YOU KNOW

THERE'S VEGETABLES
IN THE FRIDGE, CHICKEN BROTH,

JELL-O, AND YOU GOT A BRAND-NEW
PACK OF WATER UP ON THE FRIDGE.

Tamy: OKAY.

IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE?

OKAY.

JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE.

IT'S GOING TO BE HARD
LEAVING, YOU KNOW?

SO USED TO YOU AND ZACH
BEING AT THE HOUSE.

YEAH. I KNOW.
IT'S GOING TO BE LONELY.

IT'S NOT LIKE I'M ENJOYING
THE WHOLE THING OF THINKING

OF BEING DOWN HERE
BY MYSELF,

BUT I'M SURE
I'LL BE OKAY.

LIKE I SAID, IF YOU'RE NOT,
JUST CALL.

OKAY.

WELL, I'M GOING TO GO.

LOVE YOU.
UH-HUH.

YOU BE GOOD FOR YOUR MOM
AND PAY ATTENTION TO HER

WHEN SHE TELLS YOU
TO DO STUFF.

YOU UNDERSTAND?
MM-HMM.

YOU NEED HELP UP?

NO.
I'M NOT STANDING UP.

ALL RIGHT.

YOU'LL HAVE TO
COME DOWN TO ME.

I'LL SEE YOU.
OKAY.

YOU GOING TO LET ME GO?

YEAH.

WHEN?

I'LL SEE YOU, OKAY?

YEAH.

I'LL CALL YOU ON THE ROAD.

ALL RIGHT.

Tamy: IT'S A LITTLE BIT SCARY
BECAUSE I'M IN A NEW CITY

WITH NO ONE I KNOW HERE,
AND I HAVE A SON TO RAISE,

AND I'M STILL
RECOVERING FROM SURGERY

AND TRYING TO LOSE WEIGHT,

AND I'M A LITTLE OVERWHELMED

BECAUSE I'M NOT REALLY SURE
HOW TO DO THIS ALL ON MY OWN,

BUT I HAVE NO CHOICE.

IF I DON'T, THEN EVERYTHING
HERE WILL FALL APART.

**

**

Tamy:
IT'S BEEN OVER 6 WEEKS SINCE
JAMES LEFT AND WENT BACK HOME,

AND IT GOT REALLY TOUGH
RIGHT AFTER HE DID.

IT'S BEEN A BIT OF
AN ADJUSTMENT,

BUT I FEEL LIKE I'M STARTING
TO GET A HANDLE ON THINGS.

ZACH HAS ALWAYS BEEN
THE MOTIVATION FOR ME

DURING THIS PROCESS,

AND LOSING WEIGHT AND GETTING
SURGERY WAS AS MUCH

FOR ZACH AS IT WAS FOR ME

BECAUSE I CAN'T IMAGINE
MY LIFE WITHOUT HIM,

BUT I ALSO DON'T THINK
HE'S HAD THE LIFE HE DESERVES.

ZACH STRUGGLES WITH A LOT
OF DIFFERENT THINGS,

AND UNFORTUNATELY, I'VE NEVER
BEEN ABLE TO HELP HIM,

BUT NOW I'M ABLE TO TAKE HIM
TO OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY,

AND IT MEANS THE WORLD TO ME.

Humphrey: THIS IS OUR BIG GYM,
OUR BIG THERAPY GYM.

MOM, IF YOU WANT TO GO AHEAD AND
SIT, YOU CAN SIT ON THE COUCH.

ALL RIGHT.

ZACH, SO WHAT WE CAN DO NOW
IS WE CAN KIND OF RELAX,

SO IF YOU'D LIKE TO GO AHEAD
AND LAY ON THE GROUND.

I'D RATHER SIT.
YOU'D RATHER SIT?

THAT'S FINE BY ME.

SO, MOM, WHAT ARE SOME PRIMARY
CONCERNS FOR YOU FOR THERAPY?

I WISH I COULD FIGURE OUT A WAY
OF CALMING HIM DOWN

WHEN HE'S ANGRY
ABOUT SOMETHING.

ZACH, DO YOU FEEL LIKE YOU WANT
TO MAKE YOUR EMOTIONS BETTER?

YEAH.
YEAH?

SO, MOM, ARE YOU
ABLE TO HELP HIM

WITH DOING SOME
BONDING REFLEX?

THIS REFLEX CAN HELP MAKE YOU
MORE IN TOUCH WITH EACH OTHER

AND HIM FEEL BETTER
AND IMPROVE HIS SELF-ESTEEM

AND SELF-CONFIDENCE,

AND THAT TOUCH
CAN BE VERY CALMING.

COMFORTING, YEAH.
YEAH.

IT'S VERY COMFORTING.
ALL RIGHT, MR. ZACH,

YOU'RE GOING TO PUSH INTO MY
HAND OVER HERE ON THIS SIDE,

AND WHILE YOU'RE PUSHING,
MOM IS GOING TO TELL YOU THINGS

THAT SHE APPRECIATES ABOUT YOU.

I APPRECIATE THE HELP
YOU GIVE ME

ON AN EVERY-DAY BASIS.

I APPRECIATE HOW LOVING YOU ARE
WHEN I'M HAVING A BAD DAY.

I APPRECIATE, YOU KNOW,
JUST YOU BEING YOU.

EVEN ON YOUR BAD DAYS, YOU KNOW,
I SEE THAT GOODNESS IN YOU,

AND I APPRECIATE
ALL OF THAT.

YOU'VE MADE ME
A BETTER ME.

ZACH, HOW'D IT MAKE YOU FEEL
WHEN MOM SAID THOSE THINGS?

GOOD.
GOOD?

DO YOU BELIEVE THAT SHE FEELS
ALL THOSE THINGS,

HER APPRECIATION?

MM-HMM.
GOOD.

SO AREN'T YOU GLAD
THAT YOU HAVE MOM?

SHE SEEMS LIKE
A WONDERFUL MOM.

Zachery: I AM VERY GLAD THAT
MY MOM BROUGHT ME HERE.

IT IS REALLY COOL THAT
WE'RE DOING THIS TOGETHER,

AND I DO THINK MY MOM

IS LEARNING SOMETHING TODAY
AS WELL AS I AM.

Humphrey: I HOPE YOU HAVE A
WONDERFUL REST OF Y'ALL'S DAY.

Tamy: IT'S BEEN A LOT OF FUN
TODAY SPENDING TIME WITH ZACHERY

AND JUST SEEING
WHAT HE'S GOING THROUGH.

IT'S GREAT THAT HE'S OPENING UP,
THAT HE'S TRYING THE NEW THINGS.

I KNOW THAT THIS IS
GOING TO HELP HIM,

AND IT'S AMAZING
TO ACTUALLY HAVE

A COUPLE THINGS THAT I CAN TRY

AND SEE IF THEY'RE
GOING TO WORK FOR HIM.

SO I'M FEELING
REALLY GOOD RIGHT NOW,

AND I'M PROUD OF HOW I'M GETTING
A HANDLE ON EVERYTHING.

NO MATTER WHAT, I'M GOING
TO KEEP PUSHING

AND DO WHAT I NEED
TO MAKE THIS ALL WORK.

**

**

THINGS HAVE CONTINUED TO IMPROVE
OVER THE LAST MONTH.

ZACH IS DOING A LOT BETTER,

AND I FEEL LIKE I'M MAKING
SOME REALLY GOOD PROGRESS.

I HAVEN'T BEEN GROCERY
SHOPPING BY MYSELF

WITHOUT ANOTHER ADULT WITH ME
IN A GOOD 10 YEARS OR MORE.

I FEEL LIKE,
WITH ALL MY WEIGHT LOSS,

DOING MORE AND
DOING IT WITH ZACH

IS MAKING US SO MUCH CLOSER,

AND THAT'S BEEN AN UNEXPECTED
SURPRISE THAT'S BEEN WONDERFUL.

WHAT'S THAT?

THAT WOULD BE GRAPEFRUIT.

OH, OKAY.
GOOFY BUTT.

IT'S A GIANT ORANGE,
PRETTY MUCH.

Zachery: A YEAR AGO, I WOULD NOT
HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GO OUT

WITH MY MOM LIKE TODAY,

AND I AM VERY PROUD
OF MY MOM'S PROGRESS.

YOU WANT TO GET ME
SOME VEGGIE BROTH?

**

Tamy: I LOVE BEING ABLE
TO BE ACTIVE AND KNOW

THAT I CAN GO INTO A STORE
AND WALK A STORE,

AND I WANT TO GO OUT BECAUSE
I KNOW I CAN DO IT NOW,

AND I DIDN'T WANT
TO DO THAT BEFORE.

**

AND DR. NOW TOLD ME THAT
I'M REALLY CLOSE TO QUALIFYING

FOR THE REMOVAL OF THIS
HUGE MASS ON MY STOMACH.

**

SO MY GOAL IS TO WORK HARD
AND QUALIFY FOR THAT

BY THE NEXT TIME
I SEE HIM.

**

**

TODAY, WE'RE AT
DR. NOW'S OFFICE.

IT'S BEEN ABOUT A YEAR
SINCE I BEGAN THIS JOURNEY,

AND I'VE NEVER DONE ANYTHING
HARDER IN MY LIFE.

BUT I THINK I'VE MADE THE
PROGRESS THAT DR. NOW EXPECTS.

I MADE IT DOWN TO 413 LAST TIME,

BUT TODAY, I'LL BE HAPPY
TO JUST BE IN THE 300s.

**

YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE PROUD.

**

THE NUMBERS ON THE SCALE
WERE AWESOME.

I AM JUST SO HAPPY ABOUT THAT.

I CAN'T REMEMBER THE LAST TIME
I WAS UNDER 400 POUNDS.

I HAVE LOST SO MUCH WEIGHT
SINCE I STARTED THIS PROCESS,

AND JUST TO FEEL THAT,
JUST TO SEE THAT, IT'S AMAZING.

**

HELLO.
HELLO.

HOW Y'ALL DOING?
WE'RE FINE.

HOW ARE YOU?
ALL RIGHT.

SO YOU LOST
ALMOST 250 POUNDS.

WELL, HOW HAS YOUR LIFE CHANGED
SINCE YOU STARTED THE PROGRAM?

I MEAN, I CAN DO SO MUCH,
JUST GETTING OUT, DOING THINGS,

NOT HAVING TO DEPEND ON PEOPLE,

JUST, YOU KNOW,
TAKING CARE OF MYSELF.

I DON'T HAVE TO HAVE SOMEBODY
ELSE TAKE CARE OF ME.

YOU KNOW, DOING THINGS
WITH MY SON ZACHERY,

IT'S REALLY GREAT.

IT'S INCREDIBLE.
OKAY.

WELL, YOU'RE DOING GREAT,
AND I'M VERY PROUD OF YOU.

AND IF YOU LOSE ANOTHER
20 POUNDS IN THE NEXT MONTH,

THEN I THINK YOU'LL BE READY
FOR THE SKIN MASS

ON YOUR STOMACH
TO BE REMOVED,

AND WE'RE GOING TO
BE ABLE TO DO

MORE SKIN SURGERY.
YEAH.

AND THAT'S GOING TO GET YOU
TO YOUR IDEAL BODY WEIGHT

WITHIN 9 TO 12 MONTHS,

SO YOU'RE GOING TO BE
DOWN TO 170 POUNDS.

WOW.

THAT WOULD BE INCREDIBLE.
I HAVEN'T --

I CAN'T EVEN REMEMBER
BEING 170 POUNDS.

I WAS PROBABLY
IN MY EARLY TEENS.

EARLY TEENS?

YEAH.
OKAY. THAT'S GOOD.

WE'RE GOING TO
GET YOU THERE.

WELL, DESPITE HOW INTERESTING
YOUR YEAR HAS BEEN,

YOU DIDN'T GIVE UP,
AND YOU WORKED HARD,

SO, TAMY,
I'M PROUD OF YOU.

YOU'VE DONE GREAT.

KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK,

AND I LOOK FORWARD
TO SEEING YOU NEXT MONTH.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

OH, YOU'RE WELCOME.

YOU HAVE A NICE DAY.
I'LL SEE YOU LATER.

WHEN I FIRST STARTED
THE PROCESS,

I WAS ALMOST 600 POUNDS,

AND I'M FINALLY GOING TO BE
CLOSE TO UNDER 200 POUNDS.

I MEAN, IT'S INCREDIBLE.

I'VE HAD SOME UPS AND DOWNS,

AND I'VE KICKED MYSELF
MANY TIMES,

BUT I'M VERY PROUD

BECAUSE MY LIFE IS COMPLETELY
DIFFERENT NOW

AND SO MUCH BETTER.

I FEEL LIKE I'VE
ACCOMPLISHED SO MUCH,

BUT I STILL HAVE A LOT
MORE TO ACCOMPLISH.