All language subtitles for My 600-lb Life S07E07

Brandon: I FEEL LIKE I'M LIVING
A NIGHTMARE.

AND I'M ASHAMED
AT HOW OUT-OF-CONTROL

I'VE LET MY SIZE GET.

Woman: HE CAN'T STOP.

HE DOESN'T KNOW HOW.

Woman #2:
IT'S TERRIFYING TO THINK THAT
AT ANY MOMENT,

YOUR HEART CAN EXPLODE.

Woman #3: I DON'T WANT TO DIE.

I HAVEN'T EVEN GOTTEN
TO LIVE YET.

WHY ARE YOU JUMPING
ON MY CASE?!

YOU'RE OVEREATING, AND YOU'RE
ACTING LIKE IT IS OUR FAULT!

I KNOW THAT I'M DYING.

I KNOW THAT I'M NOT
GONNA MAKE IT.

[ GASPS ]
I CAN'T BREATHE.

Kassandra: YOU MIGHT BE HAVING
A PANIC ATTACK.

PLEASE, SOME HELP ME!

GOD, I'M GONNA DIE!

♪♪

♪♪

♪♪

Brandon: I FEEL LIKE I'M LIVING
A NIGHTMARE,

WHERE MY OWN BODY'S THIS PRISON
I'M TRAPPED IN.

AND IT KEEPS ME FROM BEING ABLE

TO LIVE MY LIFE
OR EVEN DO ANYTHING.

BECAUSE I'M SO BIG.

BUT THAT'S THE REALITY
I HAVE TO FACE EVERY DAY NOW.

WHEN I WAKE UP IN THE MORNING,

I'M DREADING HAVING TO LIVE
ANOTHER DAY IN THIS BODY

BECAUSE I'M MISERABLE.

♪♪

AND THE SECOND MY FEET HIT
THE FLOOR AND I STAND UP,

THIS JOLT OF PAIN
SHOOTS UP MY LEGS

BECAUSE IT'S JUST A LOT
OF WEIGHT TO PUT ON MY KNEES.

AND I FEEL LIKE THEY'RE GONNA
BUCKLE AT ANY MOMENT.

AND TO MAKE IT EVEN WORSE,
I HAVE SEVERE LYMPHEDEMA,

WHICH ARE THESE HUGE MASSES
THAT HAVE FORMED

ON BOTH OF MY LEGS THAT HANG
AND PULL ON MY INNER THIGHS.

SO IT MAKES IT EVEN MORE PAINFUL
TO MOVE AND GET AROUND.

IT'S ALL ALMOST UNBEARABLE,
AND IT'S A BIG MENTAL STRUGGLE

FOR ME
TO CONTINUE TO CONVINCE MYSELF

TO TRY EVERY DAY
TO EVEN GET OUT OF BED.

BUT I PUSH MYSELF
BECAUSE IF I DON'T,

I KNOW THAT IT'LL MEAN
MY GIRLFRIEND, TAYLER,

WILL HAVE TO START BATHING
AND CLEANING ME IN BED.

AND I CAN'T LET IT GET
TO THAT POINT.

WE LIVE TOGETHER WITH MY MOM,

BUT TAYLER IS THE ONE WHO HAS TO
HELP ME AND TAKE CARE OF ME.

BUT I DON'T WANT HER TO HAVE
TO DO ANY MORE

THAN SHE ALREADY DOES FOR ME.

SO SHE'S MY MOTIVATION TO PUSH
MYSELF TO GET UP EVERY DAY.

BECAUSE JUST THE THOUGHT OF HER
HAVING TO CLEAN ME

OR HELP ME GO TO THE BATHROOM
UPSETS ME A LOT.

SO I'M NOT LETTING MYSELF
BECOME BEDRIDDEN.

BUT I KNOW I'M GETTING CLOSER
TO THAT POINT,

WHETHER I LIKE IT OR NOT.

BECAUSE EVEN BASIC THINGS
ARE HARD FOR ME.

AND I'M TERRIFIED OF FALLING
ANY TIME I'M UP,

BUT ESPECIALLY
WHEN I'M IN THE SHOWER.

BECAUSE IF I DO, IT'LL BE
CATASTROPHIC AT MY SIZE.

SO I KNOW IT'S EXTREMELY BAD.

AND I'M ASHAMED
AT HOW OUT OF CONTROL

I'VE LET MY BODY AND SIZE GET.

IT'S HARD FOR ME TO EVEN LOOK
AT MYSELF ANYMORE

BECAUSE WHEN I LOOK
IN THE MIRROR,

I JUST SEE A MONSTER.

AND I KNOW THAT'S WHAT THE REST
OF THE WORLD

SEES WHEN THEY LOOK AT ME, TOO.

ALL I HAVE TO DO IS TAKE
ONE STEP OUTSIDE MY FRONT DOOR,

AND I CAN SEE ON THEIR FACES,
"HE'S AN ANIMAL.

HE'S A MONSTER.

WHAT IS THAT?"

IT'S JUST EMBARRASSING
THAT I'VE LET IT GET BAD

BECAUSE I CAN'T STOP EATING.

AND THERE'S NOT A MOMENT
WHERE I'M NOT CRAVING SOMETHING.

AND THERE'S NOTHING
THAT'S AS GOOD AS THE FIRST MEAL

THAT STARTS THE DAY

BECAUSE I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR IT
SINCE I WENT TO BED.

♪♪

[ DOOR OPENS ]

HEY, BABE.
HEY, BABE.

GONNA EAT RIGHT HERE?

YEP.

LET ME GET A TRAY.

OKAY.

THANKS.

TAYLER USUALLY
BRINGS ME SOMETHING

BEFORE SHE GOES TO WORK.

AND WE EAT TOGETHER.

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO DRINK?

UH, I'LL TAKE SODA, PLEASE.

OKAY.

AND IT'S HARD TO DESCRIBE
THE INCREDIBLE FEELING

FOOD GIVES ME.

IT'S AMAZING.

THANKS.

AND NOTHING IN MY LIFE
HAS EVER BEEN ABLE TO COMPARE

TO THE HAPPINESS
AND JOY I FEEL WHEN I EAT.

SO I NEVER WANT TO STOP.

I DEFINITELY FEEL LIKE
I ENABLE HIM SOME.

I FEEL LIKE HE'S IN PAIN
ALL THE TIME.

BRANDON CAN'T STAND LONG.

HE CAN'T LAY LONG.
HE CAN'T SIT LONG.

HE'S JUST UNCOMFORTABLE ALWAYS.

AND I FEEL LIKE EATING
HIS FAVORITE FOODS

PUTS HIM IN A BETTER MOOD.

I LOVE HIM, AND HE DESERVES
TO BE HAPPY.

Brandon: I'VE LET FOOD BASICALLY
BECOME MY WHOLE LIFE.

AND IT'S BEEN THAT WAY
FOR A WHILE NOW.

GROWING UP, I WOULDN'T SAY
MY HOME WAS A PEACEFUL PLACE.

MY PARENTS WERE CONSTANTLY
FIGHTING,

SO THERE WAS A LOT OF SCREAMING.

IT WOULD ESCALATE INTO THINGS
BEING THROWN AT EACH OTHER.

SO THAT'S MOSTLY WHAT I REMEMBER
OF EARLY CHILDHOOD.

AND DURING THOSE TIMES, I WOULD
JUST NORMALLY BE IN MY ROOM.

BUT BEFORE I WOULD GO
IN MY ROOM,

I WOULD GO AND GRAB AS MUCH FOOD
AS I COULD AND TAKE IT WITH ME

BECAUSE EATING HELPED
CALM ME DOWN

AND HELPED BLOCK OUT WHAT WAS
GOING ON OUTSIDE MY DOOR.

I WAS AROUND 6 AT THIS TIME, SO
MY WEIGHT GAIN STARTED EARLY ON.

I HAD GOTTEN UP TO A LITTLE OVER
80 POUNDS AROUND THEN.

Rhonda: I WAS SCARED
FOR BRANDON'S WEIGHT.

I THOUGHT HE WOULD OUTGROW IT
BECAUSE A LOT OF THE PARENTS

AND MY FRIENDS, THEIR KIDS,

AT A CERTAIN AGE,
HAD GOTTEN HEAVY.

AND THEY SAID,
"OH, HE WOULD JUST LOSE IT,

YOU KNOW, AS HE GETS OLDER.

PROBABLY JUST GO AWAY."

BUT WITH BRANDON, IT NEVER DID.

Brandon:
OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS,

MY LIFE CHANGED A LOT
BECAUSE AROUND THEN,

MY MOM HAD
MY YOUNGER BROTHER,

AND THEN A LITTLE OVER A YEAR
LATER, MY YOUNGER SISTER.

AND THANKFULLY, THE FIGHTING
BECAME LESS FREQUENT THEN

BECAUSE MY DAD
GOT INTO LAW SCHOOL.

HE HAD BEEN A BUS DRIVER
IN NEW YORK CITY,

AND WE LIVED IN NEW JERSEY.

AND ALL OF A SUDDEN,
WHEN I WAS 8,

WE WERE MOVING
TO COLUMBUS, OHIO,

SO MY DAD COULD BE A LAWYER.

BUT BECAUSE OF THAT,
MY MOM HAD TO TAKE ON EXTRA JOBS

TO GET MY DAD THROUGH LAW SCHOOL
AND TO PROVIDE FOR ALL OF US.

AND WE HARDLY SAW HER BECAUSE
SHE HAD TO CONSTANTLY WORK,

AND MY DAD
WAS ALWAYS STUDYING.

SO ALL THE FIGHTING STOPPED
BECAUSE MY PARENTS

JUST WEREN'T AROUND ANY LONGER.

SO I WOULD SAY IT WAS A BETTER
TIME IN MY CHILDHOOD

BECAUSE OF THAT, BUT IT
STILL GOT STRESSFUL FOR ME

BECAUSE I HAD TO LOOK AFTER MY
YOUNGER BROTHER AND SISTER, TOO.

I STILL USED FOOD
TO MAKE ME FEEL BETTER,

AND BY THE TIME I WAS 12,
I HAD MADE IT UP TO AROUND 250.

AND THAT'S WHEN MY MOM
STARTED TO TAKE NOTICE

OF HOW BIG I WAS GETTING.

SO SHE STARTED TO GET
REALLY CRITICAL OF MY WEIGHT.

AND HER COMMENTS INCREASED,
AND I TOOK IT AS AN INSULT.

AND I STARTED AVOIDING HER
AS MUCH AS I COULD

BECAUSE IT WOULD JUST ALWAYS
LEAD TO A DISAGREEMENT,

USUALLY ABOUT WHAT I WAS EATING,
AND I WOULD GET REALLY UPSET.

BUT AROUND THAT TIME, TOO, I
STARTED GETTING CLOSER TO MY DAD

BECAUSE HE GRADUATED
FROM LAW SCHOOL.

SO HE WAS ABLE TO BE AROUND
MORE THEN,

AND HE WAS REALLY POSITIVE
AND HE WOULD BUILD ME UP.

SO I REALLY WANTED TO BE
WITH HIM BECAUSE OF THAT,

AND BECAUSE HE WAS NEVER
CRITICAL ABOUT MY WEIGHT

AND WHAT I WAS EATING.

THERE WAS A PERIOD
WHERE HE WANTED ME

TO START TO WORK OUT
AND EXERCISE MORE.

BUT I KNOW MY MOM WAS BEHIND IT
AND THAT IT WASN'T HIM.

WE'D HAVE DISCUSSIONS WITH
BRANDON'S DAD ABOUT HIS WEIGHT,

AND SOMETIMES HE SAID,
"LET HIM JUST ENJOY LIFE,"

BUT I SAID,
"YOU NEED TO WORK OUT WITH HIM

SO THAT HE CAN LOSE THE WEIGHT
AND HE'LL HAVE A BUDDY SYSTEM."

Brandon:
I WASN'T TOO HAPPY WITH MY MOM

TRYING TO MANIPULATE
MY RELATIONSHIP WITH MY DAD.

SO ALL OF THAT PUT EVEN MORE
STRAIN ON MY RELATIONSHIP

WITH MY MOM.

AND IT DIDN'T WORK BECAUSE
I STILL KEPT EATING AND GAINING.

AND BY THE TIME I'D GRADUATED
HIGH SCHOOL WHEN I WAS 18,

I WAS OVER 400 POUNDS.

AND AT THAT SIZE,
IT WAS STARTING TO GET

A LITTLE HARDER
TO GET AROUND AND DO AS MUCH.

BUT I COULD STILL FUNCTION
LIKE I NEEDED,

SO I WENT TO COLLEGE.

AND FOR THE NEXT FEW YEARS,

IT WAS
A REALLY GOOD TIME FOR ME.

I WAS HAPPY.

I PICKED VOCAL PERFORMANCE
AS MY MAJOR,

WITH AN EMPHASIS ON OPERA.

AND IT TURNED OUT THAT I HAD
A LOT OF TALENT WITH MUSIC.

MY DREAM WAS TO MOVE TO FLORENCE
AND AUDITION

FOR AN ITALIAN OPERA.

SO MY WEIGHT STABILIZED BECAUSE
I WASN'T EATING LIKE

I HAD BEEN FOR MOST OF MY LIFE
BECAUSE I WAS HAPPY.

BUT MY SENIOR YEAR OF COLLEGE

IS WHEN EVERYTHING
CAME CRASHING DOWN AGAIN.

I WAS 21 AND I WENT HOME
TO VISIT

AND I FOUND OUT MY DAD
WASN'T LIVING THERE ANYMORE.

HE HAD BEEN HAVING AN AFFAIR
FOR YEARS

AND MY MOM FOUND OUT
AND THEY SPLIT UP.

AND I WAS JUST IN SHOCK
AND DEVASTATED.

I TRIED TO SEE IF THEY'D
GET BACK TOGETHER,

BUT THINGS DIDN'T GO WELL AT ALL

BECAUSE WHEN I GOT MY DAD
TO COME OVER AND TALK TO MY MOM,

HE'D SAY THINGS THAT NO GROWN
MAN SHOULD EVER SAY TO A WOMAN.

SO I KICKED HIM OUT
OF THE HOUSE MYSELF.

IN JUST A FEW SHORT DAYS,
MY WHOLE RELATIONSHIP

WITH MY DAD
WAS UNDONE AND ERASED.

AND I FELT SO BETRAYED

BECAUSE I HAD TO START
SUPPORTING MY FAMILY.

SO I ENDED UP MOVING BACK HOME
TO HELP TAKE CARE OF THEM

ONCE I GRADUATED FROM COLLEGE.

AND THAT MEANT I HAD TO STOP
PURSUING MUSIC AND MY DREAMS.

I HAD TO GIVE THAT UP.

AND THAT WASN'T THE ONLY
THING THIS ALL COST ME.

MY RELATIONSHIP
WITH MY DAD ENDED.

THE LAST WORDS THAT MY FATHER
AND I SAID TO EACH OTHER

WERE VERY HARSH, ABRASIVE WORDS
THAT, IN OTHER WORDS, SAID...

"WE'RE FINISHED."

THAT WAS AROUND 12 YEARS AGO.

AND THAT WAS THE LAST TIME
I EVER SAW OR TALKED TO MY DAD.

AND WHEN I TOOK THE ROLE OF MAN
OF THE HOUSE

WITH MY BROTHER AND SISTER,

IT PUT A STRAIN
ON OUR RELATIONSHIP

THAT WE'VE NEVER RECOVERED FROM.

SO, WHAT MY DAD
DID DESTROYED MY LIFE,

AND I'VE NEVER
FORGIVEN HIM FOR THAT.

HE JUST TORE DOWN OUR FAMILY
LIKE IT WAS NOTHING.

AND I'VE NEVER BEEN ABLE
TO RECOVER FROM THAT.

BUT HOW I DEALT WITH IT
WAS BY GOING BACK TO FOOD.

SO AT THAT TIME,
I STARTED EATING A LOT AGAIN.

I HAD TO WORK TO SUPPORT
OUR FAMILY, AND TO DO THAT,

I HAD GOTTEN A JOB
AS AN ELEMENTARY-SCHOOL TEACHER.

AND IT WAS A VERY ACTIVE JOB.

BUT I GOT TOO BIG
AND COULDN'T DO IT.

I WAS 24 AT THAT TIME AND HAD
PUT ON ANOTHER 100 POUNDS

OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS
TO GET OVER THE 500-POUND MARK.

Rhonda:
BRANDON, I REMEMBER ONE TIME

I WENT TO THE DOCTOR WITH HIM
AND THEY WENT TO WEIGH HIM

AND IT COULDN'T EVEN
PICK UP HIS WEIGHT

BECAUSE I THINK THE LIMIT
WAS PROBABLY 500 POUNDS.

Brandon:
I'M NOT SURE WHEN I PROBABLY
CROSSED THE 600 MARK.

IF I HAD TO TAKE A GUESS,
I WOULD SAY SOMEWHERE

AROUND 27 OR 28 YEARS OLD.

AND IT STARTED TO GET
REALLY HARD TO DO

EVEN BASIC THINGS AROUND THEN.

BUT I WAS STILL TRYING
TO GET OUT AND GO PLACES.

AND I'M GLAD BECAUSE
WHEN I WAS 28,

I MET MY GIRLFRIEND,
TAYLER, AT CHURCH.

WE WERE JUST TALKING
AND WE HIT IT OFF.

SO I ASKED HER OUT
AND SHE SAID YES

AND WE STARTED
SEEING EACH OTHER.

THE FIRST TIME I MET BRANDON,

MY FIRST IMPRESSION
WAS KIND OF A SHOCK

BECAUSE I'D NEVER SEEN
ANYBODY LIKE THAT BEFORE.

BUT ONCE I STARTED
TALKING TO HIM,

I REALIZED HOW SWEET
AND NICE OF A GUY HE WAS.

Brandon:
AND I KNOW THAT IF I WOULD HAVE
GIVEN IN

AND STARTED TO JUST STAY HOME,

I WOULD HAVE NEVER MET
THE LOVE OF MY LIFE.

BUT WHEN WE STARTED DATING,

THAT'S WHEN MY LYMPHEDEMA
STARTED TO DEVELOP.

AND I GOT TOO BIG TO DRIVE,

AND THEN I STARTED REALLY
STRUGGLING WITH EVERYTHING.

SO I COULDN'T PROVIDE FOR MYSELF
ANYMORE.

AND THEN TAYLER AGREED TO MOVE
IN WITH ME

AND MY MOM TO BE THE ONE
WHO LOOKS AFTER ME

AND HELP TAKE CARE OF ME.

AND NOW I'M 33.

I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH I WEIGH,
BUT IT'S SO BAD.

I'M ALMOST COMPLETELY BEDRIDDEN

AND HAVE TO HAVE HELP
TO EVEN FUNCTION.

AND I CAN'T BELIEVE
I'VE LET IT GET THIS BAD.

I'M GONNA GO TAKE THE EGGS
TO THE TABLE.

OKAY.
OKAY.

IT'S NOT FAIR THAT MY MOM
HAS TO PROVIDE FOR ME

WHEN I SHOULD
BE HELPING HER OUT.

AND THIS ISN'T A LIFE FOR ME
OR FOR TAYLER.

I WANT US TO GET MARRIED,

BUT RIGHT NOW
IF I PROPOSE TO HER,

WHAT KIND OF LIFE
WOULD I BE OFFERING HER?

THANK YOU.

SHE'D BE SAYING YES TO BEING
MY CARETAKER,

AND THAT'S NOT FAIR TO HER.

OHH.

WE DON'T DO BOYFRIEND-GIRLFRIEND
STUFF PARTLY BECAUSE OF MY SIZE.

BUT WHEN IT COMES
TO PHYSICAL STUFF,

TAYLER AND I DO NOT
PARTAKE IN INTIMACY

BECAUSE WE'RE NOT MARRIED YET.

WE'RE WAITING UNTIL WE'RE
MARRIED,

BUT THAT WON'T HAPPEN
UNLESS I LOSE THE WEIGHT

AND I'M ABLE TO ACTUALLY
GIVE HER WHAT SHE DESERVES.

SO I KNOW I DESPERATELY NEED
TO LOSE WEIGHT

TO NOT ONLY BE ABLE TO DO THAT,
BUT BECAUSE IT'S GETTING SO BAD

THAT MY BODY'S STARTING
TO STRUGGLE MORE AND MORE.

AND I KNOW THAT IF I DON'T
LOSE WEIGHT IN DRASTIC AMOUNTS,

I WILL DIE.

MY HEART OR SOMETHING
WILL GIVE OUT,

AND THAT WILL BE THE END.

SMELLS GOOD.
LOOKS REAL GOOD.

BUT AS IT IS, I'M ALREADY NOT
LIVING BECAUSE OF MY WEIGHT.

AND I'VE LET SO MUCH
OF MY LIFE PASS ME BY.

I DON'T EVEN FEEL LIKE
I'M LIVING THE LIFE

I WAS SUPPOSED TO LIVE.

I FEEL LIKE I WAS MEANT TO BE
A GOOD HUSBAND

AND RAISE SUCCESSFUL CHILDREN.

BUT I'VE TRADED ALL OF THAT
FOR FOOD.

AND NOW MY WORST FEAR IS DYING

BEFORE I GET TO FULFILL
ANY OF MY DREAMS.

BUT I DON'T KNOW HOW I'M EVER
GONNA BE ABLE TO GET TO

THAT POINT WHERE I'LL BE ABLE
TO GIVE UP HOW I EAT.

MY LOVE FOR FOOD AND MY DRIVE
TO CONSTANTLY EAT

IS A PART OF WHO I AM.

AND EVERY TIME I TRY
TO CHANGE THAT, I JUST CAN'T.

I'M DONE.

AND IT MAKES ME FEEL
COMPLETELY HOPELESS AND LIKE

I'M CONDEMNED TO THIS FATE
WHERE MY CURSE IS TO EAT

UNTIL I DESTROY MY LIFE
AND IT KILLS ME.

AND I OFTEN ASK GOD,
"WHY WAS I MADE DIFFERENT?

WHY WAS I MADE WITH THIS
CRAVING, OR ADDICTION, TO FOOD,

WHERE NO MATTER WHAT I DO,
IT ONLY SEEMS TO GET WORSE?"

SO IT MAKES ME FEEL BROKEN,

AND I DON'T KNOW
HOW TO FIX MYSELF.

BUT I KNOW I'M AT A POINT NOW
WHERE MY EATING

AND MY WEIGHT ARE AT A LIMIT,

AND I'M GONNA DIE SOON
IF I DON'T CHANGE.

SO NO MATTER HOW HOPELESS IT
FEELS, I HAVE TO TRY SOMETHING.

AND IF I DON'T, MY WEIGHT'S
GONNA END ME HERE SOON

BECAUSE ONE NIGHT
I'M GONNA GO TO BED

AND I'M JUST NOT GONNA WAKE UP

BECAUSE I'LL HAVE FINALLY
EATEN MYSELF TO DEATH.

♪♪

♪♪

THANKS.

Brandon:
TODAY I'M HEADED TO HOUSTON
TO TRY AND SEE

IF I CAN GET HELP
TO LOSE WEIGHT.

I MADE AN APPOINTMENT
WITH DR. NOW,

AND I'M HOPING HE'LL TAKE ME ON
AS A PATIENT.

HOW ARE YOU FEELING?

ARE YOU NERVOUS,
EXCITED, SCARED?

I MEAN, HOPEFULLY,
PEOPLE ARE NICE ENOUGH

TO NOT STOP AND STARE,

BUT THE FACT THAT WE GET TO SEE
DR. NOW

IS GONNA BE THE HIGHLIGHT.

EXCITING.I'M EXCITED ABOUT THAT.

HOPEFULLY, HE HAS NO REASON
TO NOT ACCEPT ME AS A PATIENT.

I'M DESPERATE, AND I DON'T HAVE
ANY OTHER OPTIONS THAN THIS.

SO I'M HOPING IT ALL WORKS OUT

BECAUSE I'M FACING
AN EARLY DEATH SOON,

AND I HAVE TO CHANGE.

SO I'M REALLY HOPING
THIS WILL BE IT.

BUT I'M NERVOUS
ABOUT THIS WHOLE TRIP.

Tayler: MY BIGGEST FEAR FOR
IF DR. NOW SAYS NO

IS THAT THIS COULD SEND BRANDON
INTO A SPIRAL DOWNWARD.

I MEAN, THAT COULD JUST BE
REALLY HARD FOR HIM

TO HEAR THAT,

BUT I WOULD STILL
BE THERE FOR HIM,

AND I WOULD DEFINITELY HELP HIM

THROUGH WHATEVER
HE FEELS AFTER THAT.

Brandon:
AND I'M ALREADY STARTING TO FEEL
A LITTLE OVERWHELMED.

BUT I'M THANKFUL.

AT LEAST I HAVE TAYLER WITH ME
FOR THIS WHOLE TRIP

TO HELP ME WHEN I NEED IT,
NOT JUST PHYSICALLY,

BUT ALSO EMOTIONALLY BECAUSE
SHE HAS A WAY OF MOTIVATING ME

WHEN I NEED IT, TOO.

SO AS LONG AS SHE'S WITH ME,
I THINK I CAN HANDLE THIS.

OKAY.

♪♪

READY?
ONE, TWO, THREE.

♪♪

BUT I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH THIS
IS GONNA TAKE FOR ME

TO MAKE IT
ALL THE WAY THERE TO HOUSTON.

BUT I'M VERY DETERMINED
RIGHT NOW TO SUCCEED.

SO YOU JUST PULL UP, YOU KNOW,
AS CLOSE AS YOU CAN.

RIGHT HERE.

♪♪

♪♪

I'M GONNA GO
PARK THE CAR.

OKAY, SEE YOU SOON.

I'M ALREADY FEELING
EXTREMELY TIRED

BECAUSE THIS IS A WHOLE LOT
OF ACTIVITY FOR ME.

AND IT'S JUST TAKING A LOT
OUT OF ME.

THIS IS GONNA BE A LOT TOUGHER
THAN I THOUGHT

BECAUSE WE HAVE
TWO FLIGHT CONNECTIONS

BEFORE WE GET TO HOUSTON.

SO IT'S LIKE ANOTHER 12 HOURS
OF TRAVELING AHEAD OF US.

AND I'M ALREADY FEELING LIKE
I'M GETTING TO MY LIMIT.

READY?
LET'S GO.

NOT TOO FAR.

OKAY.

LET'S DO IT.

I'M IN A LOT OF PAIN.

SO I'M STARTING TO GET A LITTLE
WORRIED ABOUT BEING ABLE

TO MAKE IT
ALL THE WAY TO THE GATE.

Woman:
FIRST NAME, PLEASE.

Tayler: BRANDON SCOTT.

WELL, THAT'S WHAT I --
I HAVE NO IDEA.

SURE.
LET'S DO THAT.

IS THAT, UH,
IN THE FRONT ROW,

WHERE THERE'S GONNA BE
A LITTLE MORE KNEE ROOM?

OKAY.
OH, IT'S A CHOICE FOR SEATS.

OH, AWESOME.

I DIDN'T KNOW THAT.
OKAY, THANKS SO MUCH.

I APPRECIATE IT, MOLLY.

GATE A3.

OKAY.
THANK YOU.

♪♪

♪♪

I'M STARTING TO FEEL LIKE
I'M ON DISPLAY

AND THAT EVERYONE'S STARTING
TO GAWK AT THE BIG MAN

BECAUSE I CAN SEE THEM POINTING
AND MUMBLING TO EACH OTHER

WHEN THEY SEE ME.

SO I'M FEELING LIKE THIS WAS
A REALLY BAD IDEA

BECAUSE IT'S PROBABLY
ONLY GONNA GET WORSE FROM HERE.

AS I WAS WALKING BY A FAMILY,
ONE OF THE CHILDREN SAID,

"WOW, HE'S FAT.

SUPER FAT."

AND THEN ALSO, I'VE ALREADY HAD
SEVERAL ADULTS STARE AT ME.

AND THAT, YOU KNOW --
THAT WEARS ON YOU.

IT'S OKAY.

OH, MY GOD.

[ Voice breaking ]
I 100% REGRET THIS RIGHT NOW.

I CANNOT BELIEVE IT, MAN.

[ CRYING ]

I'M JUST FEELING REALLY
OVERWHELMED ABOUT EVERYTHING.

JUST THE WHOLE PROCESS
IS ALL VERY DIFFICULT.

AND IT'S SO MUCH EASIER
TO JUST STAY AT HOME

AND NOT HAVE TO WORRY
ABOUT ALL EYES ON ME.

BUT EVEN THOUGH THAT'S NOT
HOW I WANT TO LIVE,

THIS IS DEFINITELY
ONE OF THE HARDEST THINGS

I'VE EVER HAD TO DO.

I'M STARTING TO FREAK OUT,
AND I WANT TO GO HOME

BECAUSE I DON'T THINK
I CAN DO THIS.

I HAVE SO MUCH OF THIS TRIP
LEFT TO GO,

AND I SHOULDN'T HAVE
CONVINCED MYSELF

THAT I WAS READY TO DO ANYTHING
LIKE THIS

BECAUSE I'M NOT.

♪♪

OKAY.

Brandon: YESTERDAY WAS ONE OF
THE HARDEST DAYS OF MY LIFE.

AND I KNOW I LOST IT FOR
A LITTLE BIT AT THE AIRPORT.

MY ANXIETY AND HOW OVERWHELMED
I FELT

GOT THE BEST OF ME
FOR A MOMENT.

OKAY.

I ENDED UP TOUGHING IT OUT
AND PUSHED THROUGH THE PAIN,

AND IN SOME WAYS,
I FEEL GOOD ABOUT THAT,

BUT BECAUSE OF THE EFFORTS
I GAVE YESTERDAY,

TODAY I'M KIND OF PAYING
FOR IT A LITTLE BIT.

♪♪

♪♪

BUT ALL THIS STRUGGLE
AND HARD WORK

IT TOOK TO GET HERE
COMES DOWN TO TODAY

AND THIS APPOINTMENT
THAT TAYLER AND I

ARE HEADED TO
WITH DR. NOW.

AND I'M HOPING
THAT IT ALL PAYS OFF

AND THAT I'M ABLE TO FINALLY
GET THE HELP I NEED TODAY.

BUT I'M NERVOUS.

EVER SINCE I GOT REALLY BIG,

I HAVEN'T REALLY LIKED
GOING TO DOCTORS,

PARTLY BECAUSE I'M SCARED
ABOUT WHAT THEY CAN FIND.

BUT I'M ALSO REALLY
SCARED OF NEEDLES.

SO I HAVEN'T HAD A CHECKUP
IN A REALLY LONG TIME.

SO, MY BIGGEST FEAR IS THAT DR.
NOW WOULD FIND SOMETHING WRONG

THAT WOULD RESULT
IN WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY

NOT BEING AN OPTION FOR ME.

BRANDON SCOTT?

THE OTHER THING
I'M NERVOUS ABOUT

IS FINDING OUT WHAT I WEIGH NOW.

I'M HOPING I'M STILL
IN THE 600s.

BUT BASED OFF OF THE LAST TIME
I WAS WEIGHED,

I THINK I MIGHT WEIGH
OVER 700 POUNDS.

BUT I REALLY HOPE IT'S NOT
THAT BAD YET BECAUSE MAKING IT

THAT HIGH WOULD BE A WHOLE
OTHER LEVEL OF OUT OF CONTROL

THAT MY WEIGHT
WILL HAVE REACHED.

CAN I USE YOUR HAND
FOR SUPPORT?

MM-HMM.

AND IT'LL MEAN I HAVE
EVEN FURTHER TO GO

TO GET TO WHERE I NEED TO,
AND I DON'T WANT THAT.

♪♪

[ SIGHS ]

♪♪

THAT'S WHAT I WAS AFRAID OF.

IT'S HARD TO BELIEVE I'VE LET
MY WEIGHT GET THAT HIGH.

BUT I'VE KNOWN THAT IT WAS
GETTING TO THIS POINT.

I CAN FEEL IT IN HOW HARD IT IS
FOR MY BODY TO MOVE AROUND NOW,

BUT IT'S STILL EMBARRASSING
TO SEE

AND KNOW THAT THAT NUMBER
REPRESENTS ME

BECAUSE IT'S JUST NOT HUMAN.

IT'S NOT WHAT ANYONE
SHOULD EVER WEIGH.

SO I'M REALLY HOPING THAT
I'M ABLE TO GET DR. NOW'S HELP

AND CHANGE THAT TODAY.

[ KNOCKING ON DOOR ]

[ DOOR UNLOCKS ]

HELLO.

-HI.
-HELLO.

HOW ARE WE ALL DOING?

-GOOD.
-GOOD.

HOW ARE YOU TODAY?

I'M DOING ALL RIGHT,
THANK YOU.

I'M DR. NOWZARADAN.

DR. NOWZARADAN, I'M BRANDON.

NICE TO MEET YOU.

OKAY.
TAYLER.

NICE TO MEET YOU.

WHERE DO YOU COME FROM?

COLUMBUS, OHIO.

COLUMBUS, OHIO.MM-HMM.

HOW WAS YOUR TRIP
DOWN HERE?

IT WAS TOUGH, DR. NOW.

I'M TELLING YOU, IT WAS --

IT WAS GOOD,
BUT IT WAS TOUGH FOR ME.

GOOD AND TOUGH.

I WALKED THREE
DIFFERENT AIRPORTS,

AND IT PUT A REALITY IN MY MIND

'CAUSE IT WAS REALLY HARD
TO WALK ALL THAT DISTANCE.

WELL, I CAN IMAGINE
IT'S TOUGH FOR YOU

TO WALK ANY DISTANCE
AT YOUR WEIGHT

BECAUSE YOU WEIGHED IN TODAY
AT 718 POUNDS.

THAT'S A LOT OF WEIGHT
TO TRY AND MOVE AROUND.

SO, TELL ME ABOUT
YOUR EATING HABITS.

PORTION-WISE, I EAT TOO MUCH
IN ONE SITTING EVERY TIME.

YOU EAT TOO MUCH BECAUSE
YOU DON'T GET FULL, OR WHAT?

I DO EAT UNTIL I FEEL FULL,

BUT NOW THAT I'VE STRETCHED
MY STOMACH,

THE "FULL" SENSATION
DOESN'T COME

UNTIL AFTER I'VE EATEN
A LARGER PORTION

BECAUSE I'VE BEEN DOING IT
FOR YEARS NOW.

OKAY.

SO, YOU SOUND LIKE SOMEONE
WHO'S DONE SOME RESEARCH

IF YOU'RE GONNA TELL ME
ABOUT YOUR STRETCHED STOMACH.

[ LAUGHS ]

BUT LET ME CLEAR
SOMETHING UP FOR YOU.

YOU'RE OVEREATING
BECAUSE YOU WANT TO,

AND NOT BECAUSE
OF ANYTHING ELSE.

YOU GOT IT?I GOT IT.

SO, WHAT I WANT TO KNOW
ARE WHAT PATTERNS

AND HABITS WE'RE UP AGAINST
THAT WE NEED

TO START CHANGE
WITH YOU, OKAY?

OKAY.

DO YOU EAT AT HOME,
OR ARE YOU OUT?

MOSTLY AT HOME.
SOMETIMES OUT, AS WELL.

SO, WHO COOKS?

MY GIRLFRIEND, TAYLER, COOKS,
AND MY MOM COOKS.

WHO IS ENABLING YOU
TO EAT MORE?

I-I TAKE RESPONSIBILITY
FOR THAT.

YOU'RE RIGHT ABOUT THAT,
BUT YOU'RE HARDLY ABLE TO WALK,

SO SOMEONE HAS TO BE GETTING
FOOD AND BRINGING IT TO YOU.

SO, DOES TAYLER
BRING YOU FOOD AT ALL?

YES, SHE DOES, BUT SHE'LL
INCLUDE HERSELF

INTO THE STORY LINE AND SAY,

"YOU KNOW, WE SHOULD
START EATING HEALTHIER.

WE SHOULD START CHANGING
THE WAY WE..."

SO, SHE ENABLED YOU
RELUCTANTLY

BECAUSE SHE THINK
MAKING YOU HAPPY IS LOVE.

AND THEN SHE WORRIES
ABOUT YOU

BECAUSE SHE KNOWS WHAT SHE'S
DOING IS HELPING TO KILL YOU.

SO THAT'S LOVE.

SO, TAYLER,
IF YOU WANT BRANDON

TO HAVE ANY CHANCE
AT DOING THIS,

THAT HAS TO STOP TODAY.

YOU UNDERSTAND?

OKAY.
GOOD.

BECAUSE, BRANDON,
YOU'RE 33 AND 718 POUNDS.

HOW LONG DO YOU THINK
YOU CAN LIVE LIKE THAT?

I FEEL LIKE I'M LUCKY
TO BE ALIVE NOW.

YOU'RE RIGHT.

YOU'RE VERY LUCKY BECAUSE
VERY FEW PEOPLE IN THIS WORLD

MAKE IT TO THE WEIGHT
YOU'RE AT AND LIVE LONG.

BUT IF YOU DON'T DO SOMETHING
NOW, YOUR LUCK IS GONNA RUN OUT.

AND UNLESS YOU LOSE
A GOOD AMOUNT OF WEIGHT,

YOU'RE NOT GONNA BE A CANDIDATE
FOR WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY

BECAUSE THERE'S NO WAY
YOU CAN TOLERATE

ANY KIND OF SURGERY
AND ANESTHESIA.

OKAY.

SO THERE'S NO WAY AROUND IT

EXCEPT THAT WE GOT
TO LOSE WEIGHT.

I'M WILLING TO DO WHATEVER YOU
TELL ME TO DO.

ALL RIGHT.

SO, I'M GONNA GIVE YOU A DIET

THAT IS HIGH-PROTEIN
AND LOW-CARB,

AND IT'S LIMITED
TO 1,200 CALORIES A DAY.

YOU READ ALL THIS EVERY DAY.OKAY.

GIVE YOU A LIST OF FOOD
TO AVOID.

OKAY.

AND YOU STICK TO IT
COMPLETELY, OKAY?

OKAY.

AND WHAT I WANT YOU TO DO

IS LOSE 120 POUNDS
OVER THE NEXT TWO MONTHS.

YOU GOT IT?
OKAY.

AND I ALSO WANT YOU TO START
TO GET MORE ACTIVE.

BUT I SEE YOU GOT
A LOT OF LYMPHEDEMA?

YES, BOTH LEGS.BOTH LEGS.

BOTH LEGS, YEAH.

CAN WE TAKE A LOOK
AT YOUR LYMPHEDEMA

AND SEE WHAT'S GOING ON?

SURE.
UM...

OKAY.
LET'S DO THAT AND SEE.

OKAY.

THIS IS ACTUALLY
NOT LYMPHEDEMA.

THIS IS JUST A FAT STORAGE
IN YOUR LEG, OKAY?

OKAY.

WHAT HAPPENED -- YOUR BODY
RAN OUT OF PLACE TO STORE IT.

THOSE ARE PLACE TO STORE IT,

AND THEN GET HEAVY,
PULL DOWN, AND GET SWOLLEN.

CAN YOU PUSH IT DOWN
A LITTLE BIT MORE?

MM-HMM.YOU CAN SIT DOWN.

MAYBE I CAN SEE BETTER
IF YOU SIT DOWN.

OKAY.
OKAY.

ALL RIGHT, SO,
THIS IS A HUGE BULK OF THE FAT

THAT IS STORED IN THIS LEG
AND LESS SO IN THE OTHER ONE.

AND IF YOU GAIN MORE WEIGHT,

THOSE MASSES ARE GONNA GET
BIGGER AND BIGGER.

OKAY.

BUT IF YOU LOSE WEIGHT,
THIS IS GONNA GO DOWN.

OKAY.
GOOD.

THAT'S GOOD NEWS.ALL RIGHT.

YOU CAN GET DRESSED
IF YOU WANT TO.

OKAY.

IT SAYS HERE IN YOUR FILE
THAT LAST TIME

YOU WENT TO THE DOCTOR
WAS EIGHT YEARS AGO.

IS THAT ACCURATE?I'M NOT SURE.

WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME
YOU HAD BLOOD WORK DONE --

COMPLETE BLOOD WORK?

OKAY, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE
TO DO THAT BEFORE YOU LEAVE

BECAUSE YOU CAN'T GO THAT LONG

WITHOUT BASIC CHECKUP
ON YOUR WEIGHT.

AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE
THAT NOTHING'S GOING ON WITH YOU

RIGHT NOW
THAT COULD BE LIFE-THREATENING.

OKAY.

EVEN SOMETHING
LIKE YOUR BLOOD SUGAR

CAN BE TOO MUCH
FOR YOUR BODY TO HANDLE,

AND SO YOU CAN'T DO THAT.

I'M SCARED OF NEEDLES,
DR. NOW.

WELL, IT'S NOT OPTIONAL.

AND YOU NEED TO TAKE ALL OF THIS
VERY SERIOUSLY, BRANDON,

BECAUSE YOU'RE ON
THE TIPPING POINT RIGHT NOW.

IF YOU START GAINING
MORE WEIGHT,

IT'S GONNA HINDER
YOUR MOBILITY.

AND ONCE THAT HAPPEN,
YOU'RE GONNA BE BEDRIDDEN,

AND YOUR HEALTH
WILL START TO DECAY RAPIDLY.

OKAY.

IT'S GONNA BE VERY IMPORTANT

THAT YOU CHANGE YOUR LIFE NOW
BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE.

MM-HMM.YOU READY FOR THAT?

I'M MORE THAN READY.GREAT.

BECAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE
ANY TIME TO WASTE.

ALL RIGHT, IT WAS GOOD
TO MEET YOU BOTH,

AND I'LL SEE YOU
IN TWO MONTHS.

NICE TO SEE YOU.

THANK YOU, DOCTOR.THANK YOU.

NICE TO MEET YOU.NICE TO MEET YOU.

ALL RIGHT, BUT STICK AROUND SO
WE CAN GET SOME BLOOD FROM YOU

AND DO A COUPLE TESTS
BEFORE YOU GO.

ALL RIGHTY.
THANK YOU.

♪♪

Dr. Nowzaradan:
I HOPE BRANDON REALIZES
HOW DANGEROUS HIS SITUATION IS.

THE LARGE MASSES OF FAT
IN HIS LEGS

ARE REALLY SEVERELY INTERFERING
WITH HIS ABILITY

TO REMAIN MOBILE.

AND IF HE GAINS EVEN JUST
A LITTLE BIT MORE WEIGHT,

HE WILL BECOME BEDRIDDEN.

AND ONCE HE HITS THAT POINT,
THE ODDS OF HIM BEING ABLE

TO SURVIVE MUCH LONGER
ARE VERY LOW.

SO IT'S EXTREMELY IMPORTANT
HE START TO GET

A LOT OF WEIGHT OFF HIM NOW

BECAUSE HE'S GONNA
RUN OUT OF TIME.

[ KNOCKING ON DOOR,
DOOR OPENS ]

HI.

ARE YOU DOING
THE BLOOD WORK?

YES.
OKAY.

I'M, UH, SCARED
OF NEEDLES, SO...

OKAY.I'LL HOLD THIS FOR YOU.

[ EXHALES SHARPLY ]
OH, LORD.

WHICH ARM ARE WE DOING?

I JUST TRUST YOU.

I'M SORRY THAT I'M SO NERVOUS.

NO, YOU'RE FINE.
DON'T WORRY.

IT'S GONNA BE TIGHT,
OKAY?

OKAY.
OKAY.

OH, LORD, JESUS.

DEEP BREATHS.

JUST DON'T WATCH IT.OOH!

YOU HAVEN'T PASSED OUT YET,
SO YOU'RE FINE.

OHH...

I'M NOT SURE DR. NOW GETS
HOW AFRAID OF NEEDLES I AM.

OOH, MAN.
I'M GETTING WEAK.

SO THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS
I DON'T GO TO THE DOCTOR.

I'M GONNA GET SOMETHING NOW.

JUST PLACE YOUR --
PLACE YOUR ARM RIGHT HERE.

OKAY.
OKAY.

SO I'M GETTING EXTREMELY
OVERWHELMED.

AND WHEN I GET REALLY WORKED UP,
I START TO PASS OUT.

I NEED -- I NEED WATER.I DON'T KNOW.

WE HAVE CUPS IN THAT
BOTTOM DRAWER RIGHT THERE.

♪♪

OKAY.

[ WATER RUNNING ]

♪♪

I FEEL LIKE I'M NOT ABLE
TO BREATHE.

FRESH AIR?

YEAH.

I CAN'T HANDLE THIS.[ GROANS ]

I CAN'T DO THIS.

DO YOU WANT ME TO...?

I NEED HELP.
I NEED HELP.

I NEED HELP.WHAT'S HURTING?

IS SOMETHING HURTING?I CAN'T BREATHE.

I'M REALLY SERIOUS.
PLEASE HELP ME.

[ GASPS ]

I CAN'T BREATHE.

BABE.PLEASE, SOMEONE HELP ME.

GOD, I'M GONNA DIE!

YOU NEED TO CALM DOWN.

BREATHE THROUGH YOUR NOSE.

BREATHE THROUGH YOUR NOSE.

IN THROUGH YOUR NOSE.UGH...

DEEPER.

IN...[ BREATHES DEEPLY ]

OUT.
THAT'S BETTER.

OKAY.
IN...

OUT.
OHH [BLEEP]

IN...

OUT.
[ EXHALES DEEPLY ]

OKAY.

♪♪

PHEW.

THERE YOU GO.

THANK YOU.

♪♪

COMING TO HOUSTON AND SEEING
DR. NOW HAS PUSHED ME HARD.

BUT I'M STILL GOING,
AND I DON'T WANT TO GIVE UP.

♪♪

♪♪

Brandon:
IT'S BEEN A MONTH SINCE I HAD
MY APPOINTMENT WITH DR. NOW.

THE WHOLE TRIP GOING DOWN THERE
WAS REALLY HARD FOR ME.

AND COMING BACK WAS THE HARDEST

BECAUSE I WAS ALREADY WORN OUT
PHYSICALLY AND EMOTIONALLY.

BUT I MADE IT BACK, AND I
IMMEDIATELY STARTED ON THE DIET

AND THE EXERCISES
THAT DR. NOW GAVE ME.

RIGHT NOW MY ROUTINE
IS BASICALLY WAKING UP

AND THEN DO MY EXERCISES
FIRST THING.

I'VE BEEN MAKING SURE THAT I'M
GETTING UP EARLY IN THE MORNING

SO THAT I CAN START EARLY
IN THE MORNING.

AND THEN I DO IT ALL AGAIN
RIGHT AFTER DINNER,

BEFORE I GO TO BED.

I JUST MADE THE PROMISE
TO MYSELF

THAT IF I'M GONNA DO THIS,
I'M GONNA DO IT RIGHT

BECAUSE IF I DO WHAT I NEED
TO DO AND GET SURGERY,

ALL MY DREAMS FOR MY LIFE
AND MY LIFE WITH TAYLER

WILL BE A POSSIBILITY AGAIN.

SO NO EXCUSES OR CHEATING.

I'M 100% IN ON DOING THIS.

ARE YOU READY FOR BREAKFAST,
OR...?

SURE.

THANKS.

♪♪

I'M KEEPING TRACK OF EVERY
CALORIE I EAT

WITH A FOOD JOURNAL.

AND TAYLER IS RIGHT THERE
WITH ME.

SHE'S HELPING ME
PREPARE HEALTHY MEALS.

AND HER SUPPORT RIGHT NOW MEANS
A WHOLE LOT TO ME.

♪♪

YOU DON'T ADD ANYTHING ELSE
TO IT, RIGHT?

JUST THAT?

YEAH, I'LL TAKE
EXTRA CHEESE AND...

[ CHUCKLES ]

♪♪

JUST NOT WHAT YOU WOULD
NORMALLY EAT.

NOT GONNA GET IT
AT A FAST-FOOD JOINT.

RIGHT, THAT'S THE ONLY THING
WITH THE WHOLE DIET.

IT'S, LIKE,
BEEN PRETTY TOUGH.

I'M GLAD YOU'RE DOING IT
WITH ME.

YOU DEFINITELY NEED
A PARTNER.

ACCOUNTABILITY.

YEP.

I HAVE ONE MORE MONTH BEFORE
I GO BACK TO SEE DR. NOW

AND FIND OUT
IF I HIT MY GOAL.

AND I PLAN TO MAKE THE MOST
OF THAT TIME TO GET AS FAR ALONG

AS I CAN SO THAT
WHEN I'M BACK ON THAT SCALE,

I'LL BE EXACTLY WHERE I NEED
TO GET MY APPROVAL.

♪♪

♪♪

TAYLER AND I ARE BACK IN HOUSTON
FOR MY FOLLOW-UP WITH DR. NOW,

AND I'M FEELING CONFIDENT,
BUT AT THE SAME TIME,

I'M STILL VERY NERVOUS

BECAUSE I HAVE NO IDEA
HOW MUCH I WEIGH NOW.

120 POUNDS IS A LOT
TO HAVE TO LOSE.

BUT I COMPLETELY
STUCK TO THE DIET.

SO I'M JUST REALLY HOPING
IT'S ENOUGH TO HIT MY GOAL.

BRANDON SCOTT?

AT MY LAST DOCTOR'S APPOINTMENT,
I WEIGHED IN AT 718.

SO IF I MADE IT TO MY GOAL,
THEN I'LL BE BELOW 598 TODAY.

SO AS LONG AS THAT FIRST DIGIT
IS A 5,

THEN I'LL BE ABLE
TO BREATHE EASIER

BECAUSE I KNOW I MADE IT.

♪♪

Tayler: GOOD JOB.YEAH!

THAT'S REALLY GOOD!

I'M REALLY HAPPY WITH THAT.

ALL MY ANXIETY AND FEAR
IS GONE RIGHT NOW.

NOW I'M JUST EXCITED
BECAUSE I FEEL CONFIDENT

WITH THAT WEIGH-IN THAT DR.
NOW IS GONNA APPROVE ME

FOR WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY TODAY.

[ KNOCKING ON DOOR ]

[ DOOR OPENS ]

HELLO.
HELLO, DOCTOR.

HOW ARE YOU DOING?I'M DOING WELL.

HOW ARE YOU, SIR?I'M DOING ALL RIGHT.

SO I SEE YOU'VE MADE
VERY GOOD PROGRESS.

YOU'RE DOWN TO 577.

YES.

SO, YOU LOST 141 POUNDS
IN TWO MONTHS, HUH?

YES.
GOOD.

THAT'S VERY GOOD.

SO, HOW DID YOU CHANGE
YOUR EATING HABIT?

WELL, I STARTED KEEPING
A FOOD JOURNAL IMMEDIATELY,

WRITING DOWN THE CALORIES
OF EVERYTHING THAT I EAT.

AND I MADE SURE THAT I CUT
ALL THE SUGAR

AND CARBS OUT OF MY DIET
AND MY INTAKE.

GOOD.
THAT'S VERY GOOD.

YES.

ARE YOU GETTING ANY SUPPORT
AT HOME?

ABSOLUTELY.

TAYLER HAS BEEN DOING
THE DIET WITH ME.

SHE'S LOST WEIGHT, AS WELL.

I'M TRYING TO DO YOUR DIET,
TOO, SO... [ CHUCKLES ]

GOOD!

ALL RIGHT, SINCE YOU'VE LOST
YOUR WEIGHT

AND YOU'VE SHOWN THAT
YOU CAN STICK WITH YOUR DIET,

I'M GONNA APPROVE YOU
FOR WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY.

AWESOME.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.

I APPRECIATE THAT.

BUT NOW THAT WE'VE APPROVED YOU,
DON'T LET YOUR GUARD DOWN

AND GO AND CELEBRATE
WITH FOOD.

NO.
OH, NO.

NO, I WON'T DO THAT.

OKAY, GOOD.

SO, I'M GONNA SCHEDULE YOUR
SURGERY FOR TWO MONTHS FROM NOW.

OKAY.

AND THAT WILL GIVE YOU
ENOUGH TIME FOR YOU

TO MOVE DOWN TO HOUSTON

AND TO DO THE PROGRAM
FOR THE NEXT YEAR.

OKAY.

BUT IF YOUR PROGRESS STOPS
AND YOU START TO GAIN AGAIN,

WE WON'T MOVE AHEAD.
GOT IT?

YES.

I'M VERY PROUD OF BRANDON
FOR HIS PROGRESS

AND HARD WORK
THESE PAST TWO MONTHS,

AND OF TAYLER FOR DOING THE DIET
WITH BRANDON TO SUPPORT HIM.

I KNOW MAKING THESE CHANGES
WASN'T EASY,

BUT BOTH OF THEM
SEEM TO BE TAKING THIS

AS SERIOUSLY AS THEY NEED.

THE ONLY CONCERN I HAVE

IS THAT BRANDON DOESN'T
PUSH HIMSELF TOO HARD

AND GETS BURNED OUT.

IT'S SIMILAR TO A RUNNER

SPRINTING TOO HARD
TOO EARLY IN THE RACE.

THEY GET AHEAD OF EVERYONE,
BUT ALL OF A SUDDEN,

THEY HIT A WALL
AND CAN'T FINISH

BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T
PACE THEMSELVES.

SO SCHEDULING
HIS WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY

FOR A COUPLE OF MONTHS
OUT WILL GIVE HIM MORE TIME

TO SHOW ME THAT HE'S ABLE
TO MAINTAIN HIS PROGRESS

AND THAT THIS WASN'T JUST
AN EARLY SPRINT

THAT IS GONNA
BURN HIM OUT SOON.

ALL RIGHT.
YOU KEEP THIS UP,

AND YOUR WHOLE LIFE
IS GONNA CHANGE VERY SOON.

WHAT'S THE FIRST THING
YOU'RE GONNA START DOING

ONCE YOU START BEING ABLE
TO DO MORE?

Brandon:
I REALLY WANT TO GET BACK
TO SINGING AGAIN.

THAT'S MY DREAM.

DO YOU LIKE TO SING?SING?

NO, NO, NO.
NO?

I TRIED THAT MANY YEARS AGO
IN THE SHOWER.

OKAY.
[ LAUGHS ]

SO I'LL STICK TO BEING A DOCTOR.
ALL RIGHT.

YOU'RE DOING GREAT, AND I'LL SEE
YOU BOTH IN A COUPLE OF MONTHS.

IF YOU NEED ANYTHING
BEFORE THEN, LET ME KNOW.

OKAY.
OKAY?

WONDERFUL.
THANK YOU AGAIN.

NICE TO SEE YOU AGAIN.

THANK YOU, DR. NOW.

NICE TO SEE YOU.

PHEW. MAN.

I HAVE TO SAY THAT'S THE BEST
DOCTOR VISIT EVER.

THAT'S GOOD!I'M SO HAPPY I COULD DIE.

HE SAID HE WAS PROUD.

YEAH.

THIS IS A HUGE ACCOMPLISHMENT
FOR ME.

I'VE NEVER PUSHED MYSELF THE WAY
I HAVE THESE PAST TWO MONTHS.

AND I'VE HAD A LOT OF FEARS
AND STRUGGLES DOING THIS.

BUT TO MAKE IT TO THIS POINT
OF GETTING APPROVED

FOR SURGERY FEELS AMAZING.

I KNOW THIS IS GONNA BE
A BIG CHANGE FOR ME

AND TAYLER MOVING DOWN
TO HOUSTON,

BUT THIS MEANS THAT WE ARE
FINALLY GONNA BE ABLE

TO HAVE THE LIFE WE WANTED.

SO I KNOW IT'S GONNA
BE WORTH IT.

♪♪

♪♪

I'LL GET YOU ANOTHER BOX.

FOR THE PAST MONTH,
TAYLER AND I HAVE BEEN WORKING

ON TRYING TO MAKE THE MOVE
DOWN TO HOUSTON,

AND WE STILL HAVE
A LOT TO FIGURE OUT.

BUT I WANT TO GO AHEAD
AND GET DOWN THERE.

WE'LL START WITH THIS ONE
IN HERE.

WE'LL JUST GRAB IT OUT.

-PERFECT.
-OKAY?

Brandon:
THE DATE DR. NOW GAVE ME
FOR MY SURGERY

IS ONLY A MONTH AWAY.

AND I DON'T WANT TO HAVE
TO RESCHEDULE IT

OR WAIT
ANY LONGER TO GET IT.

SO I THINK WE JUST NEED TO TAKE
THIS LEAP OF FAITH AND MOVE.

ALL RIGHT, DO YOU THINK
YOU CAN GET...?

YEP.

AWESOME.
IS IT TOO HEAVY?

NOPE.
Tayler: THANK YOU.

THANKS SO MUCH.

MY PLAN IS FOR US TO HEAD DOWN
TO HOUSTON TOMORROW

ONCE WE'RE FULLY PACKED UP.

WE HAVE A MOVING VAN, AND A LOT
OF FOUR FRIENDS ARE HERE

HELPING US LOAD
ALL OF OUR STUFF IN.

AND ONCE WE'RE DOWN IN HOUSTON,
TAYLERz AND I

WILL PUT IT ALL IN STORAGE
UNTIL WE FIND A PLACE TO LIVE.

BUT I KNOW WE CAN GET IT
ALL FIGURED OUT

IF WE JUST GET DOWN THERE.

THANK YOU.

TAYLER'S NOT AS SURE, THOUGH.

SHE'S REALLY WORRIED THAT THIS
IS TOO SOON

AND WE'RE NOT READY YET.

AND SHE'S BEEN
A LITTLE STRESSED.

BUT I THINK WHAT'S REALLY
MAKING HER FEEL THAT WAY

IS THAT SHE'S NEVER BEEN AWAY
FROM HER PARENTS,

AND NOW SHE'S GOING TO BE
FOR AT LEAST A YEAR.

AND I KNOW
SHE'S STRUGGLING WITH THAT.

BUT I KNOW THIS IS SOMETHING
WE HAVE TO DO.

MY LIFE IS ON THE LINE
IF WE DON'T.

SO I NEED HER TO BE
COMPLETELY ONBOARD WITH THIS.

AND I FEEL LIKE SHE'S ABOUT
TO REACH HER BREAKING POINT.

♪♪

Tayler: I DON'T EVEN KNOW
IF I'M DOING THIS [BLEEP]

Rhonda: YES, YOU ARE.
CALM DOWN.

YOU CAN'T TELL ME
WHAT TO DO.

YOU'RE OKAY.

BRANDON, WE NEED TO HAVE
A SERIOUS TALK.

'CAUSE I'M DEAD SERIOUS
RIGHT NOW.

[ DOOR SLAMS ]

YOU JUST NEED TO LET HER KNOW
YOU NEED HER SUPPORT RIGHT NOW.

JUST STOP TALKING, MOM.

STOP TALKING.

YEAH, I KNOW.

WE NEED TO HIT THE ROAD, MAN.

♪♪

[ SIGHS ]

♪♪

OKAY.
WHY DON'T WE JUST --

I DON'T KNOW WHY
YOU DON'T FEEL LIKE YOU CAN.

I FEEL LIKE YOU CAN DO THIS.
I DON'T KNOW.

IF YOU GET THERE AND YOU PUT
A REAL, HONEST EFFORT TOWARDS IT

AND YOU WANT TO LEAVE,
THERE'S NOBODY STOPPING YOU.

BUT YOU DIDN'T EVEN --

I-I STARTED SOMETHING.

I WANT TO FINISH IT.

BUT I DON'T WANT TO FINISH IT
WITHOUT YOU.

WELL -- WELL, I DON'T --
I DON'T -- NO, NO, LISTEN.

I CAN'T DO THIS WITHOUT YOU.

♪♪

♪♪

Brandon:
TAYLER AND I HAVE ARRIVED
IN HOUSTON,

AND WE'RE ABOUT TO HEAD
TO OUR NEW APARTMENT

AND MOVE ALL OUR STUFF
IN AND GET SETTLED.

ABOUT A MONTH AGO,
I WAS READY TO COME DOWN,

BUT WHILE WE WERE PACKING,
TAYLER KIND OF BROKE DOWN

AND SAID SHE DIDN'T FEEL
LIKE SHE COULD DO IT.

PART OF IT WAS HAVING TO
LEAVE HER FAMILY FOR SO LONG.

SHE SHARED HOW HARD THAT WAS
FOR HER

AND THAT HER FAMILY DIDN'T WANT
HER TO MAKE THIS MOVE EITHER.

SO THAT WAS ALL WEIGHING ON HER.

AND THE OTHER REASONS WERE THAT
SHE FELT WE JUST WEREN'T READY

TO BE MOVING DOWN
WITHOUT A PLACE TO LIVE YET

OR WITHOUT HER HAVING
A JOB LINED UP.

SO I TOLD HER I'D BE WILLING
TO SEE IF DR. NOW

WOULD GIVE US AN EXTRA MONTH

SO WE'D HAVE MORE TIME
TO GET EVERYTHING WE NEED SET UP

AND SHE COULD SPEND
SOME MORE TIME WITH HER FAMILY.

AND SHE AGREED.

SO IT'S A MONTH LATER
THAN I WAS HOPING,

BUT AT LEAST WE'RE DOWN HERE

AND WE HAVE EVERYTHING
WE NEED READY.

LOOP BACK AROUND AND COME BACK
UP TO THE OFFICE,

AND WE'LL HAVE SOMEONE
GIVE YOU A KEY OR WHATEVER

AND I'LL START DOING
THE PAPERWORK, OKAY?

OKAY.
WE'LL GO AROUND.

♪♪

TAYLER'S MOM AND GRANDMOTHER
CAME WITH US TO BE WITH HER,

BUT THEY AREN'T STAYING
FOR THE MOVE-IN,

SO I'M GONNA GET THE PAPERWORK
FOR THE APARTMENT SQUARED AWAY

WHILE TAYLER SAYS
GOODBYE TO THEM.

IT'S OKAY.
IT'LL BE QUICK.

DON'T CRY.

[ CRYING ]

♪♪

Tayler: THIS IS THE FIRST TIME
THAT I'VE EVER BEEN AWAY

FROM ALL OF MY FAMILY.

IT'S PRETTY EMOTIONAL.

MY MOM IS PRETTY UPSET.

BUT HOPEFULLY, SHE WILL
COME VISIT ME SOON.

♪♪

Brandon:
ONCE THE MOVERS GET HERE,
WE'LL GET EVERYTHING MOVED IN

AND SET UP,

AND THEN I'LL BE ABLE TO
JUST LOOK FORWARD

TO GETTING WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY
AND MOVING AHEAD ON MY JOURNEY.

HELLO.
I'M EDWARD.

HI.
TAYLER.

EDWARD.HI, PLEASURE TO MEET YOU.

BRANDON WILL BE HERE SHORTLY.

ALL RIGHT.
PERFECT.

SO WE'LL JUST GO AHEAD
AND GET STARTED...

UNLOADING SOME STUFF.

Brandon:
DR. NOW SAID HE DIDN'T HAVE
A PROBLEM

RESCHEDULING MY SURGERY
FOR A MONTH LATER,

AS LONG AS I KEPT LOSING WEIGHT
LIKE I NEEDED.

SO MY SURGERY'S CURRENTLY
SCHEDULED FOR A FEW WEEKS

FROM NOW.

AND I'M REALLY HOPING
WHEN I SHOW UP,

I'VE DONE WHAT I NEED TO DO
TO MOVE AHEAD WITH MY OPERATION.

IT'S TAKEN A LOT FOR ME
TO BE ABLE TO GET TO THIS POINT.

AND I'M REALLY READY
TO MOVE AHEAD.

SO IF THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN,
IT'S GONNA BE PRETTY DEVASTATING

TO ME AND TO TAYLER.

♪♪

♪♪

♪♪

Dr. Nowzaradan:
WHEN BRANDON ARRIVED
FOR HIS SURGERY,

WE CHECKED HIS WEIGHT
AND RAN SOME TESTS ON HIM.

HIS WEIGHT LOSS WAS FINE,
AND HE LOST ANOTHER 68 POUNDS,

SO HE'S DOWN TO 509.

BUT THE PROBLEM IS
HE HAS DEVELOPED CELLULITIS

ON HIS LEGS,
AND THE FATTY MASSES ON HIS LEGS

ARE STARTING TO SUCCUMB
TO BACTERIA AND GET INFECTED.

SO WE RAN SOME TESTS

TO DETERMINE
HOW SEVERE IT IS RIGHT NOW.

BRANDON SAID HE'S BEEN FEELING
SICK THE LAST COUPLE WEEKS,

BUT HE DIDN'T LET US KNOW.

SO I'M CONCERNED RIGHT NOW

BECAUSE IF ANY OF THIS BACTERIA
GETS INTO HIS BLOODSTREAM,

IT CAN BE
VERY LIFE-THREATENING.

OKAY.

IF YOU CAN BE --
IF YOU...

IF YOU CAN DO IT
IN A GENTLE MANNER,

I JUST WANT TO LET YOU KNOW
THAT EVEN THE SLIGHTEST TOUCH --

IT'S KILLING ME SO BAD.

LORD JESUS, HELP ME.

LORD, GOD.

OHH.

OOH, LORD JESUS CHRIST,
I CAN DO THIS.

I CAN DO THIS, LORD.
I CAN DO THIS, LORD.

THROUGH YOU, LORD,
I CAN DO THIS.

Dr. Nowzaradan:
THIS CELLULITIS CAN ALSO LEAD
TO HIM

DEVELOPING A BLOOD CLOT
IN THE LEG.

AND IF THAT HAPPENS
AND IF IT GETS DISLODGED,

IT CAN TRAVEL TO THE HEART
AND LUNG,

CAUSING PULMONARY EMBOLISM
THAT COULD KILL HIM.

SO THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT WE HAVE
TO ADDRESS

BEFORE IT GETS ANY WORSE

BECAUSE HIS HEALTH
COULD VERY QUICKLY START

TO DETERIORATE WITH THIS,

AND IT WOULD LIKELY BE TOO MUCH
FOR HIS BODY TO HANDLE

AND HE WON'T MAKE IT.

SO HE IS IN NO CONDITION TO MOVE
AHEAD WITH WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY,

AND OUR PRIORITY RIGHT NOW
IS RESOLVE HIS CELLULITIS

BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE.

♪♪

♪♪

Brandon:
I'VE BEEN IN THE HOSPITAL
SINCE YESTERDAY,

AND I'M JUST WAITING ON MY
DIAGNOSIS FROM DR. NOW.

SO I'M STILL JUST
REALLY NERVOUS.

AND I'M HOPING TO GET
SOME ANSWERS SOON

BECAUSE I JUST WANT
TO KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON.

Dr. Nowzaradan:
YESTERDAY, BRANDON CAME IN
FOR HIS WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY,

BUT HE HAD A SEVERE INFECTION
IN HIS LEGS

THAT HAD DEVELOPED
INTO CELLULITIS.

IT LOOKED LIKE HE HAS SOME LAPSE
OF HYGIENE

IN THAT AREA OF HIS BODY,

WHICH CAN BE VERY DANGEROUS
WHEN YOU'RE HIS SIZE

BECAUSE ANY INFECTION
CAN VERY EASILY

AND QUICKLY
BECOME LIFE-THREATENING.

SO WE HAD TO POSTPONE
HIS WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY,

AND WE'VE BEEN
RUNNING SOME TESTS ON HIM

TO DETERMINE HOW DANGEROUS
HIS CONDITION HAS BECOME

OR WHETHER IT HAS LED
TO A SEVERE CONDITION

LIKE A BLOOD CLOT
IN HIS LEG.

[ KNOCKING ON DOOR, UNLOCKING ]

-HELLO.
-HELLO.

-HELLO.
-HI.

Brandon: HELLO, DR. NOW.
HOW ARE YOU?

I'M DOING OKAY.
HOW ABOUT YOURSELF?

WELL, THAT DEPENDS
ON WHAT YOU TELL ME.

OKAY, THIS IS A SERIOUS
INFECTION IN THE LEG,

CAN GET IN THE BLOODSTREAM,

AND THAT CAN BE
A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION.

OKAY.

SO WE NEED TO GIVE YOU SOME
I.V. ANTIBIOTIC

TO GET THAT
UNDER CONTROL.

YEAH, THIS IS ALL
SOFT-TISSUE INFECTION.

NOT ONLY THE SKIN,
THE FAT IS ALSO VERY HARD

'CAUSE THE INFECTION IS GETTING
IN THE TISSUE AND BACK HERE.

THIS IS GONNA BE SOMETHING
THAT WE NEED

TO GET YOU SOME ANTIBIOTICS

TO GET THAT INFECTION
UNDER CONTROL.

-OKAY.
-OKAY.

THE DOPPLER,
THE ULTRASOUND SHOWED

THERE'S NO BLOOD CLOT
IN THE LEG,

SO THIS IS GOOD.

SO WE KEEP YOU
ON I.V. ANTIBIOTIC,

AND YOU NEED
TO GET UP AND DO SOME WALKING

AND SEE IF WE CAN GET YOU OVER
THIS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, OKAY?

-OKAY.
-ALL RIGHT.

Dr. Nowzaradan:
YOU FEELING OKAY?

I FEEL A LOT BETTER.

AND WHAT WILL BE, FOR ME,
A GOOD TIME FRAME TO THINK

ABOUT AS FAR AS SURGERY
AT THIS POINT?

WELL, FIRST WE HAVE
TO GET OVER THIS,

AND THAT'S THE PRIORITY.

BUT IT COULD TAKE A MONTH
OR TWO

BECAUSE IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT
CLEANING UP YOUR INFECTION,

BUT MAKING SURE YOUR BODY
IS READY FOR SURGERY.

SO FOCUS ON RECOVERY.
OKAY.

AND IF YOU DO THAT,
WE WILL FIGURE OUT THE TIMING

OF MOVING AHEAD WITH YOU
AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, OKAY?

OKAY.
THANK YOU, SIR.

I APPRECIATE IT.

ALL RIGHT, BRANDON.
I'LL SEE YOU LATER.

♪♪

Dr. Nowzaradan:
UNLESS THERE ARE ANY
UNFORESEEN ISSUES,

WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO CLEAR
BRANDON'S INFECTION

IN A WEEK OR TWO,
AND THEN WE CAN SEND HIM HOME.

BUT HE'S STILL GONNA HAVE
TO CONTINUE ANTIBIOTIC

FOR A LITTLE WHILE AFTER THAT

TO MAKE SURE NONE OF
THE INFECTION COME BACK.

AND ONCE HE HAS ENOUGH TIME
AND WE'RE CONFIDENT HIS BODY

IS NOT COMPROMISED FROM
THE ADDITIONAL STRAIN OF THIS,

THEN WE'LL CONSIDER MOVING AHEAD
WITH HIS WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY.

Brandon: I'M STILL DISAPPOINTED
ABOUT HAVING TO WAIT

EVEN LONGER FOR
MY WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY,

BUT AT LEAST I'M STILL GONNA
HAVE A CHANCE TO GET THERE.

SO THIS IS JUST A MINOR SETBACK
AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED.

♪♪

♪♪

AFTER ALMOST TWO WEEKS
IN THE HOSPITAL, DR. NOW SAID

THAT HE FELT LIKE
I'D RECOVERED ENOUGH TO GO HOME.

BUT I STILL HAVE A WAYS
TO GO BEFORE

I'M FULLY RECOVERED
FROM THE CELLULITIS.

DR. NOW TOLD ME I NEED
TO KEEP TAKING MY ANTIBIOTICS

FOR A COUPLE MORE WEEKS

SO THAT THE INFECTION DOESN'T
GET AGGRAVATED AND COME BACK.

AND IF I DO THAT,
I SHOULD BE IMPROVED

ENOUGH HERE SOON TO BE ABLE
TO GET WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY.

SO I'M WORKING HARD TO MAKE SURE
I STAY ON TRACK.

BUT EMOTIONALLY,
IT WAS A BIG BLOW TO ME

TO HAVE MY SURGERY
DELAYED AGAIN.

IT'S BEEN OVER TWO MONTHS

SINCE I WAS ORIGINALLY
SUPPOSED TO HAVE IT.

AND I'M STARTING TO GET AFRAID
THAT IF I DON'T GET IT SOON,

I'M NOT GONNA BE ABLE
TO KEEP MAKING PROGRESS.

SO I KNOW HOW IMPORTANT IT IS I
STAY FOCUSED NOW MORE THAN EVER.

THE BIGGEST THING THAT'S BEEN
HELPING ME

HAS ACTUALLY BEEN MY MUSIC.

I'VE BEEN ABLE TO START
PLAYING MORE AGAIN.

I'VE BEEN USING IT TO TRY
AND HELP KEEP ME FOCUSED

AND LET SOME OF HOW I FEEL OUT.

AND IT'S HELPING.

AND RIGHT NOW THAT GOES
A LONG WAY

BECAUSE THERE ARE TIMES I REALLY
JUST WANT TO GIVE IN RIGHT NOW

AND GO GET SOME FAST FOOD
OR HAVE SOME DESSERT.

AND I CAN'T LET THAT HAPPEN.

♪♪

♪♪

I'M AT THE HOSPITAL,
AND I'M HOPING

I'M GETTING
WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY TODAY.

BUT IT'S ALL GONNA COME DOWN
TO MY WEIGH-IN

AND IF I'M STILL LOSING.

I'VE CONTINUED TO STRUGGLE
WITH SOME REALLY HARD MOMENTS,

AND A FEW TIMES I KNOW
I'VE GIVEN IN A LITTLE.

SO I'M VERY WORRIED THAT
THERE'S A CHANCE

MY WEIGHT LOSS WON'T BE ENOUGH.

[ KNOCKING ON DOOR ]

COME ON IN.
HI.

HI.

ANY MORE RESCHEDULING OR DELAYS
WILL BE TOO MUCH FOR ME,

AND I DON'T THINK
I'M GONNA BE ABLE TO HANDLE IT.

AND I'M WORRIED JUST
THE EMOTIONS FROM THAT

WILL BE ENOUGH FOR ME
TO START TO GIVE IN.

SO I HAVE TO HAVE MADE IT TODAY.

BUT I'M SCARED
I'M GONNA LOSE EVERYTHING.

♪♪

♪♪

Brandon: I HOPE I GET
WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY TODAY.

DR. NOW TOLD ME I HAD TO KEEP
MAKING GOOD ENOUGH PROGRESS.

SO I HOPE WHEREVER I'M AT TODAY,
IT'S ENOUGH.

♪♪

THAT'S ONLY AROUND A 20-POUND
WEIGHT LOSS

IN THE LAST MONTH AND A HALF.

BUT I REALLY HOPE HE SEES
HOW MUCH I'M TRYING.

BUT I GUESS ALL I CAN DO
IS GET READY

AND HOPE I'M MOVING AHEAD
AND WAIT AND SEE.

♪♪

HI, BRANDON.

HI, DR. NOW.

HOW ARE YOU TODAY?

IT DEPENDS ON
WHAT'S HAPPENING TODAY.

WELL, TODAY WE'RE DOING
YOUR WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY.

IT'S ENOUGH TO SHOW ME YOU STILL
TRIED, BUT YOUR RECENT ISSUE --

THERE MAY BE SOME ISSUES
WITH YOUR GALLBLADDER.

SO WE'RE GONNA LOOK
AT YOUR GALLBLADDER.

IF THERE'S ANY INDICATION
THAT'S GONNA BE A PROBLEM,

WE'RE GONNA REMOVE THAT, TOO.

OKAY.
OKAY?

SOUNDS GOOD.

OKAY, LET'S GET YOU STARTED,
OKAY?

ALL RIGHT.
THANK YOU, DOCTOR.

ALL RIGHT, YOU'RE WELCOME.

♪♪

IT'S COOL.

THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS
WHEN YOU'RE DR. NOW.

IT'S TIME?IT'S TIME.

WHOO!
BYE, BABY.

I'LL SEE YOU IN A LITTLE BIT.

LOVE YOU.
LOVE YOU.

Brandon:
I KNEW MY LIFE WAS GONNA GO
ONE WAY OR THE OTHER TODAY.

AND I'M THANKFUL IT'S GOING
IN THE DIRECTION I NEED

BECAUSE THIS SURGERY IS GOING
TO BE WHAT GIVES ME MY LIFE.

I HAVEN'T HAD ONE FOR SO LONG,

SO I'M 100%
READY FOR THIS TODAY,

AND I HAVE NO DOUBTS,
NO MATTER THE RISK.

AND THERE'S NOTHING THAT CAN
CHANGE MY MIND

ABOUT TAKING THIS STEP TODAY.

Dr. Nowzaradan:
TODAY WE'RE ATTEMPTING TO DO

A GASTRIC SLEEVE PROCEDURE
ON BRANDON.

SO FAR, HE'S LOST A SIGNIFICANT
AMOUNT OF WEIGHT ON HIS OWN,

BUT HIS PROGRESS IS STARTING
TO SLOW SIGNIFICANTLY.

AND THAT TREND IS ONLY GOING
TO CONTINUE WITH HIM.

SO, THIS SURGERY IS GOING TO BE
A VERY HELPFUL TOOL FOR HIM

TO CONTINUE TO MAKE
THE PROGRESS HE NEEDS

BECAUSE WHAT THE SURGERY DOES
IS REDUCE THE STOMACH BY 90%,

LEAVING A SMALL, NARROW TUBE
THAT LOOKS SIMILAR TO A SLEEVE.

SO THE PATIENT'S FOOD INTAKE
IS PHYSICALLY LIMITED,

AND THE PATIENT IS LESS HUNGRY.

SO THIS OPERATION WILL GIVE THEM
AN OPPORTUNITY

TO LOSE EVEN MORE WEIGHT.

BUT EVEN THOUGH BRANDON
HAS MADE A LOT OF PROGRESS

UP TO THIS POINT,

HE STILL HAS
A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF WEIGHT

CREATING A LOT OF STRAIN
ON HIS BODY.

SO, IF AT ANY POINT,
WE ARE CONCERNED THAT HIS BODY

MAY NOT BE ABLE TO HANDLE IT,

WE WILL HAVE TO END
THE OPERATION.

SOME OF THE TESTS WE RAN
A LITTLE EARLIER SHOWED

THAT HE MAY HAVE A SIGNIFICANT
NUMBER OF GALL STONES

THAT WILL BE VERY PROBLEMATIC
FOR HIM IF IT IS NOT ADDRESSED.

SO IF WE DETERMINE
THAT'S THE CASE,

WE WILL
NEED TO REMOVE IT, AS WELL.

IT'S DEFINITELY HARD TO WAIT
TO HEAR BACK

FROM THE SURGEONS
WHEN BRAN'S OUT.

IT FEELS LIKE AN ETERNITY
HAS PASSED,

AND SO I'M JUST ANXIOUS

AND READY
TO GO BACK THERE AND SEE HIM.

Dr. Nowzaradan: ALL RIGHT.

ALL RIGHT.
ROOM LIGHT ON.

OKAY.
ALL FINISHED.

ALL RIGHT.

BRANDON'S SURGERY
WENT VERY WELL.

WE WERE ABLE TO DO
A SLEEVE GASTRECTOMY,

AND WE ALSO REMOVED
HIS GALLBLADDER.

SO, WE WILL GET HIM
TO RECOVERY NOW SO HE CAN REST.

FOR THE FIRST MONTH, HE'S GOING
TO STAY ON LIQUID DIET,

AND THAT SHOULD HELP HIM TO LOSE
AT LEAST 40 POUNDS IN THAT TIME.

AND AFTER THAT, HE SHOULD BE
ABLE TO LOSE AT LEAST

30 POUNDS A MONTH

UNTIL HE GETS CLOSE
TO HIS TARGET.

BUT WHAT'S GOING TO BE EXTREMELY
IMPORTANT IS THAT WE MAKE SURE

BRANDON
STARTS WITH PSYCHOTHERAPY

AS SOON AS HE RECOVERS
FROM SURGERY

BECAUSE HE HAS A LOT OF EMOTIONS
AND PSYCHOLOGICAL ISSUES

AT THE ROOT
OF HIS PATHOLOGICAL EATING.

AND IF HE DOESN'T,
HE WILL EVENTUALLY START GOING

BACK TO FOOD AGAIN
AND OVEREATING.

SO IT'S VERY IMPORTANT WE DO
EVERYTHING WE CAN

TO PREVENT BRANDON FROM FAILING.

♪♪

♪♪

Brandon:
DR. NOW'S SENDING ME TO THERAPY,

SO THAT'S WHERE
I'M HEADED RIGHT NOW.

THE LAST MONTH SINCE
MY WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY

HASN'T BEEN TOO BAD.

THE LIQUID DIET TOOK SOME
GETTING USED TO,

BUT I'VE ENJOYED HOW THE SURGERY
HAS COMPLETELY TAKEN AWAY

MY APPETITE.

NOT HAVING THE CRAVINGS
AND TEMPTATIONS

I WAS STARTING TO STRUGGLE WITH
HAS BEEN SOMETHING I WELCOME.

SO I FEEL GREAT,
AND I'M DOING REALLY WELL.

AND I DON'T REALLY THINK I NEED
THERAPY TO KEEP THAT GOING.

BUT I SAID I'D DO WHATEVER
DR. NOW TELLS ME TO DO.

SO I'M KEEPING MY WORD
AND GOING.

HELLO, BRANDON.

HI.
HI.

I'M LOLA.NICE TO MEET YOU.

IT'S A PLEASURE TO MEET YOU.

WHY DON'T WE GO RIGHT ON IN?

SURE.AND WE'LL GET STARTED.

GREAT.
THANK YOU.

YOU'RE WELCOME.

SO, TELL ME A LITTLE BIT
ABOUT YOURSELF.

WHERE ARE YOU FROM?

I'M FROM COLUMBUS, OHIO.

I'VE BEEN OVERWEIGHT
FOR THE MAJORITY OF MY LIFE,

IF NOT ALL OF MY LIFE.

WHAT WAS THE FAMILY CLIMATE
LIKE IN REGARDS TO YOUR WEIGHT?

YEAH, MY FAMILY WAS VERY --
THEY WERE STRONG ADVOCATES

FOR ME BEING HEALTHY,
GETTING HEALTHY.

UH-HUH.

WERE THEY KIND?

YEAH, FOR THE MOST PART.

MY MOM WAS THE STRONGER ADVOCATE
OF THE TWO PARENTS.

NOW, WHAT WAS YOUR RELATIONSHIP
LIKE WITH DAD GROWING UP?

WE HAD A GOOD RELATIONSHIP.

HE WAS ALWAYS VERY OUTSPOKEN
ABOUT HOW HE WAS VERY PROUD

OF HOW I WAS HIS FIRST BORN,

AND HE WAS ALWAYS BRAGGING TO
OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS AND FRIENDS

AND PEOPLE WE WOULD
COME ACROSS ABOUT ME.

SO I TOOK PRIDE IN THAT.

SO, YOU WEREN'T SHORT
ON PRAISE GROWING UP.

NO, NO, I HAD A GOOD LIFE.

I MEAN, I NEVER WANTED
FOR ANYTHING, SO...

YOUR FATHER MUST BE SO EXCITED
FOR YOU AND PROUD NOW.

WELL, NOW WE DON'T HAVE
A RELATIONSHIP.

SO THAT'S ALL GONE NOW.

THAT'S GONE?ALL OF THAT'S GONE NOW.

TELL ME A LITTLE BIT
ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED THERE.

WELL, NOW THEY --
MY PARENTS ARE DIVORCED.

OKAY.
AND, UM...

BUT MY -- MY DAD AND I
HAD A FALLING OUT,

AND SO I HAVEN'T SEEN HIM
OR SPOKEN TO HIM SINCE.

WHEN YOU SAY "A FALLING OUT,"

DESCRIBE TO ME
WHAT THAT LOOKED LIKE.

ALL I KNOW IS THAT,
YOU KNOW --

IS THAT THERE WAS
SOME INFIDELITY

AND WE HAD AN ARGUMENT
OVER THE PHONE

AND HE SAID CHOICE WORDS TO ME
AND I SAID IT BACK TO HIM

AND THAT WAS THE LAST THING
WE SAID TO EACH OTHER.

WOW.

WHAT'S IT BEEN LIKE FOR YOU
TO GO FROM BEING SO CLOSE

TO YOUR DAD TO NOTHING?

AT THE MOMENT, AT THAT TIME,
IT FELT LIKE SUCH A BLOW.

IT HAD ME QUESTIONING,
LIKE WHY --

IF ALL OF THAT WERE --

ALL THE TIMES
THAT HE BRAGGED ABOUT ME

AND MADE ME FEEL SPECIAL
WERE REAL AND TRUE,

THEN WHY WOULD YOU EVER WASTE
THAT AND JEOPARDIZE

ANY OF YOUR RELATIONSHIP
WITH YOUR KIDS

AND YOUR WIFE BY GOING ELSEWHERE
WITH ANYONE ELSE?

YOU KNOW, BRANDON,
IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT

THAT YOU DON'T LET
THE INFIDELITY

AND THE BREAK-UP OF THE FAMILY

NEGATE ANY GOOD FEELINGS
OR GOOD EXPERIENCES

THAT YOU SHARED
WITH YOUR FATHER.

IT DOESN'T MAKE HIS PRAISE AND
ADULATION FOR YOU INAUTHENTIC...

OKAY.

...JUST BECAUSE THE MARRIAGE
ENDED, OKAY?

OKAY.

AND SO I SAY ALL OF THAT
TO SAY DON'T JUDGE.

I DON'T KNOW.

I GUESS THAT MAKES SENSE.

SO, BRANDON, NOW THAT YOU
RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANCE

IN NOT JUDGING YOUR FATHER,

NOR NEGATING HIS LOVE
AND AFFECTION FOR YOU,

I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT
THAT YOU CONSIDER WRITING HIM

A LETTER JUST TELLING HIM
ABOUT YOUR LIFE

AND THE WAY IT IS TODAY
AND ABOUT YOUR FEELINGS

REGARDING THE WAY
HE EXITED YOUR LIFE.

[ SIGHS ]

I DON'T KNOW.
UM...

BEEN SO LONG I JUST DON'T FEEL
LIKE I CAN DO THAT.

BUT I'D LIKE TO BE AS OPEN TO IT
AS POSSIBLE.

THEN YOU CAN DECIDE
FOR YOURSELF

WHETHER OR NOT THAT LETTER
IS SOMETHING YOU WISH TO SEND.

OKAY.

OKAY?

THANK YOU.
THANK YOU.

THANKS FOR SHARING
WITH ME TODAY.

I APPRECIATE IT.
ABSOLUTELY.

MY PLEASURE.

AND I LOOK FORWARD TO SCHEDULING
YOUR NEXT SESSION.

OKAY.
THANK YOU.

I'M NOT 100% SURE HOW I FEEL
ABOUT THIS THERAPY APPOINTMENT.

I THINK IN SOME WAYS,
IT WAS REALLY GOOD,

BUT I STILL DON'T AGREE
THAT I NEED TO DIG UP THE PAST.

IT JUST DOESN'T MAKE SENSE
TO RELIVE ANY OF THAT

AND MAKE MYSELF
GO THROUGH THAT AGAIN.

I'VE BEEN DOING FINE UP
TO THIS POINT

WITHOUT DEALING WITH ALL THAT.

SO I'M CONFIDENT I CAN KEEP
FOCUSING ON THE POSITIVE

AND MAKING PROGRESS
WITHOUT ANY LETTER.

HE'S BEEN OUT OF MY LIFE,
AND AT THIS POINT,

I DON'T SEE ANY REASON
TO TRY TO LET HIM BACK IN.

♪♪

♪♪

♪♪

Brandon:
THIS PAST MONTH HASN'T GONE
AS WELL AS I WOULD HAVE HOPED

BECAUSE I'VE HAD SOME CRAVINGS
AND THE TEMPTATION

TO TRY TO EAT
SOME THINGS I'M NOT SUPPOSED TO.

BUT I THINK THE PROBLEM IS THAT
I WENT TO THERAPY

AND DUG UP THE PAST AND THINGS
ABOUT MY FATHER AND MY CHILDHOOD

AND ALL THE EMOTIONS
I HAD AROUND THAT

WHEN I HAD ALREADY
MOVED PAST THOSE THINGS,

OR I GUESS I THOUGHT I HAD.

ALL THIS EMOTIONAL STUFF
HAS COME OUT OF NOWHERE FOR ME

AND KIND OF BLIND-SIDED ME.

I'M NOT SURE ABOUT REACHING OUT
TO MY DAD YET,

BUT WHAT I THINK I CAN DO
IS START BY TALKING TO MY MOM

ABOUT SOME OF THE THINGS
SHE DID WILL HELP ME

RESOLVE SOME OF HOW I FEEL.

♪♪

HEY, BRANDON.
HELLO.

HEY.
GOING GOOD.

GOOD.
GOOD.

HOW DID YOUR APPOINTMENT GO
WITH THE COUNSELOR?

IT WENT WELL.

BUT ONE OF THE THINGS
THE THERAPIST TALKED ABOUT

WAS SHE HAD WANTED ME
TO CONSIDER REACHING OUT TO DAD

JUST TO SEE WHERE
THINGS CAN GO FROM THERE.

AND I WAS NOT OPEN
TO THAT AT ALL.

BUT I DID TELL HER THAT I WOULD
JUST KEEP AN OPEN MIND,

JUST THINK ABOUT IT AT LEAST.

SO I REALLY DON'T KNOW
IF I'M GONNA DO THAT,

BUT IF I WERE GONNA DO THAT,

I DON'T HAVE ANY IDEA HOW
I WOULD EVEN GO ABOUT DOING SO.

DO YOU HAVE ANY --

I THINK
YOU KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT.

THAT WAS A TOXIC RELATIONSHIP,

AND YOU DON'T BRING ANYTHING
LIKE THAT BACK INTO YOUR LIFE.

YEAH.

I DON'T HAVE A PHONE NUMBER
OR ANYTHING,

AND I'M GRATEFUL THAT I DON'T.ALL RIGHT, MOM.

I JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU
FOR ALL THAT YOU'VE DONE.

YOU'VE ALWAYS BEEN HERE
FOR ME.

IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE SUPPORT
OF YOUR FAMILY,

THEN WHO DO YOU HAVE?

MM-HMM.
WELL, THANK YOU.

OKAY.
ALL RIGHT.

LOVE YOU.
LOVE YOU.

BYE.

I THINK THAT WENT OKAY.

I'M NOT SURE HOW I FEEL
OR IF THAT'S SOMETHING

THAT'S GONNA HELP ME,
BUT I DO FEEL LIKE

I WAS ABLE TO SHARE SOME OF
HOW I FELT FOR A LONG TIME,

THAT I'VE KEPT BOTTLED UP
SINCE I WAS A KID.

I WASN'T LOOKING FOR AN APOLOGY,

AND THAT'S NOT SOMETHING
I NEED FROM HER.

SO I'M REALLY HOPING
THAT'S GONNA HELP ME START

TO GET
TO A BETTER PLACE

AND HELP ALLEVIATE
SOME OF THE STRUGGLE

I'VE BEEN FEELING RECENTLY.

BECAUSE I CAN'T LET MYSELF
START GAINING AGAIN.

♪♪

♪♪

♪♪

THIS PAST MONTH HASN'T
REALLY BEEN MUCH EASIER.

I'VE STILL BEEN STRUGGLING
LIKE I WAS THE MONTH BEFORE

BECAUSE ALL THE ISSUES THAT WERE
COMING TO THE SURFACE STILL ARE.

SO MY MONTHLY WEIGHT LOSS
IS STILL NOT

WHERE IT SHOULD BE RIGHT NOW.

AND I KNOW I HAVE TO DO
SOMETHING MORE DRASTIC

AND TAKE THIS ALL MORE SERIOUSLY
IF I DON'T WANT IT TO GET WORSE.

I HAD ANOTHER SESSION WITH LOLA,

AND SHE REALLY PUSHED THE NEED
FOR ME

TO ADDRESS THINGS
I'VE BURIED ABOUT MY FATHER

AND TO CONSIDER CALLING HIM
TO TRY

AND SEE IF I COULD START
A CONVERSATION WITH HIM

ABOUT IT BEFORE MY EMOTIONS
START TO TRIP ME UP ANYMORE.

Brandon: HEY.
Tayler: HEY.

I GOT HIS NUMBER.
HMM.

WHERE'D YOU GET THIS FROM?

ONLINE.AND IT WAS ON THERE?

MM-HMM.

WOW.

WELL, WHAT ARE YOU
GONNA DO WITH IT?

I DON'T KNOW.

UH, I MEAN,
I WAS THINKING ABOUT

WHAT LOLA WAS SAYING
AT THE THERAPY SESSION,

AND I KNOW SHE REALLY
WANTS ME TO REACH OUT.

BUT I DON'T KNOW
HOW I FEEL ABOUT THAT.

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

I HONESTLY THINK IT COULD GO
EITHER WAY.

IT COULD BE A REALLY GOOD THING
OR A REALLY HORRIBLE THING,

BUT I GUESS YOU'LL NEVER KNOW
IF YOU DON'T TRY.

YEAH.
IT'S TOUGH.

I MEAN, HE MIGHT NOT EVEN WANT
TO TALK TO YOU AT ALL.

AND THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING.

I'M NOT EVEN SURE THAT I WANT
TO TALK TO HIM, EITHER, SO...

I'LL JUST...
YEAH.

I'LL JUST THINK ABOUT IT.

I'LL SUPPORT YOU
WHATEVER YOU DECIDE.

WELL, THANK YOU.

THIS IS BIG.

THIS IS REALLY BIG.

I WANT TO DO WHATEVER IT TAKES
TO MAKE SURE

I'M DEALING WITH WHATEVER
I HAVE TO,

TO MAKE SURE I STAY ON TRACK
AND CONTINUE MAKING PROGRESS.

AND I'M WILLING TO WORK
AS HARD AS I POSSIBLY CAN.

BUT THIS IS TOO MUCH.

AND I CAN'T DO IT.

I JUST CAN'T DO IT.

♪♪

♪♪

Brandon:
OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF MONTHS,
MY WEIGHT LOSS HAS BEEN SLOWING

BECAUSE I'VE BEEN STRUGGLING
WITH A LOT OF EMOTIONS

THAT INVOLVE MY PAST,

PARTICULARLY MY CHILDHOOD
AND MY DAD.

THE PROCESS OF THE JOURNEY

SEEMS TO HAVE BROUGHT IT
ALL TO THE SURFACE.

AND I KNOW I CAN'T JUST RUN
FROM THEM OR BURY THEM LIKE

I HAVE MY WHOLE LIFE.

SO AFTER I TRIED TO WORK UP
THE COURAGE TO CALL HIM

AND COULDN'T, I'M WRITING A SONG
ABOUT MY FATHER

TO AT LEAST TRY TO TAKE
A STEP IN THE DIRECTION

I NEED TO FACE THIS.

[ CLEARS THROAT ]
HEY, TAYLER.

Tayler: HMM?

YOU WANT TO COME OUT HERE AND
CHECK OUT WHAT I HAVE SO FAR?

SURE.

GIVE ME AN IDEA OF HOW
TO PIECE IT TOGETHER

BECAUSE IT'S NOT GONNA --

IT'S NOT REALLY FITTING ALL,
LIKE, LYRICALLY,

WITH THE RHYTHM OF THE SONG.

LET'S SEE.

SUPER-ROUGH.

[ PLAYING GUITAR ]

♪ MM-HMM ♪

♪ OHHH ♪

♪ PEOPLE SAYIN'
I SHOULD FEEL SOMETHIN' ♪

♪ SOMETHIN' 'BOUT
WHAT YOU DID BACK THEN ♪

♪ IT'S IN THE PAST,
BUT NOW IT'S OVER ♪

♪ BETTER BELIEVE ME
THAT IT'S OVER ♪

♪ PEOPLE MAD --
PEOPLE MAD ♪

♪ 'CAUSE I'M REALLY
FEELIN' NOTHIN' ♪

♪ FEELIN' NOTHIN',
EVEN THOUGH IT'S SOMETHIN' ♪

♪ I SHOULD BE SAD,
I SHOULD BE BROKEN ♪

♪ I SHOULD BE ANGRY
AND OUTSPOKEN ♪

♪ AH, AH, AH,
AH, AH, AH ♪

♪ MM, MM ♪

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

SOUNDS REALLY GOOD SO FAR.

SOUND LIKE IT COULD BE
A REAL SONG?

MM-HMM.

FOR SURE.

IT'S STILL A WORK IN PROGRESS,
BUT I'M GONNA FINISH IT.

STARTING WAS THE HARDEST PART.

AND I'M NOT BACKING DOWN
FROM FACING WHAT I NEED.

I JUST MAY BE ABLE TO DO IT
HOW I KNOW AND IN MY OWN WAY.

♪♪

♪♪

IN THE PREVIOUS MONTH,
I HAD ONLY LOST PRETTY MUCH

THE SAME AMOUNT,
WITH AN 8-POUND LOSS.

AND DR.

NOW SAID I'M SUPPOSED
TO BE LOSING AT LEAST

30 POUNDS A MONTH RIGHT NOW.

SO IF I'M BACK ON TRACK
AND LOSING LIKE I NEED,

THEN THAT'LL MEAN
I'M AT OR BELOW 375 TODAY.

SO I'M REALLY HOPING
TO SEE THAT NUMBER.

Tayler: GOOD JOB, BABE.

THAT'S AWESOME!

♪♪

OKAY, YOU GUYS CAN GO AHEAD
AND GO TO ROOM 5.

OKAY.
THANKS.

MM-HMM.

THAT'S NOT WHERE I'M SUPPOSED
TO BE AT,

BUT AT LEAST
IT'S A LOT CLOSER.

THAT'S MORE THAN I LOST IN THE
PREVIOUS TWO MONTHS COMBINED.

SO I'M GLAD TO SEE THAT
AND THAT I'M IMPROVING.

AND HOPEFULLY DR. NOW
FEELS THE SAME WAY.

♪♪

HEY, BRANDON.

HEY, DR. NOW.

HOW ARE YOU ALL DOING?

GOOD, AND HOW ARE YOU, SIR?

I'M GOOD, THANK YOU.

ALL RIGHT.

SO, YOU'RE DOWN TO 383 TODAY.YES.

THAT'S A LOT OF WEIGHT YOU LOST
IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.

THAT'S VERY GOOD.

YES, THANK YOU.

AND YOU LOST ACTUALLY
335 POUNDS.

YES.

AND CAN YOU TELL YOUR LIFE
IS DIFFERENT NOW?

YES, ABSOLUTELY.

I'M ENJOYING LIFE A LOT MORE,
AND EVERYTHING IS EASIER.

AND SO I COULDN'T BE HAPPIER.

WELL, YOU'RE DOING
FANTASTIC OVERALL,

BUT MY CONCERN IS THAT
YOU SHOULD BE LOSING AT LEAST

30 POUNDS A MONTH RIGHT NOW,

AND YOU'RE STILL
ONLY DOING HALF THAT.

OKAY.

BUT IT'S A LOT BETTER THAN ONLY
LOSING 8 POUNDS A MONTH.

YES. YES.

SO THE TREND IS GOING
IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.

WE JUST NEED TO MAKE SURE
THAT CONTINUES, OKAY?

OKAY.

BUT OVERALL,
YOU'VE DONE GREAT,

AND THAT'S ONE BIG PERSON
YOU LOST, HUH?

THAT'S RIGHT!
[ LAUGHS ]

ARE YOU FEELING
MUCH BETTER NOW?

I FEEL GREAT.

I DON'T KNOW IF I TOLD YOU
BEFORE, ON MY FIRST VISIT,

WALKING FROM THE LOBBY
TO HERE WAS TOO FAR.

[ LAUGHS ]YEAH, IT WAS TOO FAR, HUH?

IT WAS TOO FAR, DR. NOW.

SO NOW IT'S JUST FUNNY
BECAUSE --

NOTHING, HUH?

IT'S NOT ANYTHING, YEAH.

THAT'S A GREAT IMPROVEMENT.YEAH.

I'M PROUD OF YOUR PROGRESS,
AND I THINK IT WON'T BE TOO LONG

BEFORE YOU'RE READY
FOR SKIN SURGERY.

MM-HMM.

AND THEN YOU'RE GONNA BE
A TOTALLY DIFFERENT PERSON

BEING UNDER 200 POUNDS.

DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOU WANT
TO DO FIRST?

THE UPPER BODY OR LOWER BODY,
OR DOES IT DEPEND?

WELL, LET ME TAKE A LOOK
AT YOUR EXTRA SKIN

YOU HAVE DOWN IN YOUR LEG
AND SEE WHAT'S GOING ON WITH IT.

OKAY.

ALL RIGHT, YOU'VE GOT A LOT
OF EXTRA SKIN

WE'RE GONNA TAKE OFF, OKAY?

LET'S SEE HOW THE LEG DOING.

BY THE WAY,
YOU NEED NEW PANTS.

THESE ARE TOO BIG.

YES!

NEED TO WASH THEM
WITH WARM WATER.

[ CHUCKLES ]

ALL RIGHT.

YOU ARE LOSING A LOT OF WEIGHT,

BUT THIS IS STILL
A LOT OF FAT IN IT.

MM-HMM.AND SO IF WE LOSE THAT WEIGHT,

WE CAN TAKE ALL THAT SKIN
OFF IN BOTH LEGS.

OKAY.

AND GET YOUR LEGS
MORE NATURAL-LOOKING

AND YOU CAN WALK
AND DO EXERCISE MUCH EASIER.

YES.
OKAY.

HOW'S THE ARMS DOING?

YEAH, LET ME SHOW YOU
THE ARMS.

YEAH.

THE ARMS ARE GONNA BE EASIER
TO GO AHEAD AND DO,

AND START WITH THIS
WHILE YOU'RE LOSING WEIGHT.

AND THAT'S GONNA BE EASY
TO HEAL.

OKAY.

PROBABLY GONNA END UP
TAKING 60,

70 POUNDS OF EXTRA SKIN
OFF OF YOU.

OH, WOW.

THAT'S GOOD NEWS.

SO, WE HAVE OUR GAME PLAN.

ONCE YOU GET
UNDER 350 HERE SOON,

WE'LL START WITH YOUR ARMS.

AND THEN WE'LL REMOVE
THE EXCESS SKIN ON YOUR STOMACH,

AND LATER,
WE DO YOUR LEGS.

AND BY THAT TIME,
YOU SHOULD BE VERY CLOSE

TO YOUR TARGET WEIGHT OF 180.

AND IF YOU START LOSING
A LITTLE BIT MORE EACH MONTH

AND STAY ON TRACK,

THEN WE CAN DEFINITELY HAVE
YOU THERE IN THE NEXT YEAR.

SOUND GOOD?
YES.

I'M EXCITED.
OKAY.

YOU'RE DOING GREAT,
AND I'M PROUD OF YOUR PROGRESS.

AND YOU'RE GONNA BE ONE OF
THE FEW PEOPLE

THAT HAVE LOST 500 POUNDS
IN ANOTHER YEAR OR SO.

AWESOME.

I'LL SEE YOU BOTH SOON,

AND IF YOU NEED ANYTHING,
GIVE ME A CALL.

THANK YOU SO MUCH, DOCTOR.
I APPRECIATE IT.

YOU'RE WELCOME.
THANK YOU.

ALL RIGHT.
THANK YOU.

♪♪

I'M VERY HAPPY WITH BRANDON'S
PROGRESS OVER THE LAST YEAR.

HE HAS STRUGGLED OFF AND ON,
BUT OVERALL, HE'S DONE GREAT.

I WAS A LITTLE CONCERNED
WHEN HIS WEIGHT LOSS

DROPPED TO ONLY 8 POUNDS
A MONTH SO SOON AFTER SURGERY.

AND EVEN THOUGH HE'S NOT
QUITE BACK UP TO WHERE

HE SHOULD BE
WITH HIS MONTHLY WEIGHT LOSS,

HE'S HEADED IN
THE RIGHT DIRECTION NOW.

BUT AS LONG AS HE CONTINUES
TO MAKE PROGRESS AND WORKS HARD,

WE WILL MAKE SURE
HE HAS ALL THE TOOLS

AND SUPPORT HE NEEDS TO BE ABLE
TO GET TO HIS TARGET WEIGHT

OF 180 POUNDS THIS NEXT YEAR.

♪♪

Brandon:
TO HEAR DR. NOW SAY HE'S PROUD
OF ME FEELS REALLY GOOD.

BUT I KNOW I STILL HAVE
A GOOD AMOUNT TO DO STILL

TO MAKE IT TO MY TARGET.

AND THAT'S NOT GONNA BE EASY.

BUT I'M NOT GONNA SHY AWAY FROM
ANY OF IT, EVEN FOR A MINUTE.

♪♪

TONIGHT I'VE GOT A GIG
AT A LITTLE PLACE

WHERE I'M GONNA PLAY A SET.

SO I'M GETTING BACK INTO
THE SADDLE OF PERFORMING,

AND I'M REALLY EXCITED
ABOUT THAT.

♪♪

AND TO HAVE TAYLER BY MY SIDE

DOING IT IS JUST LIKE
A DREAM COME TRUE.

HOW I ASKED HER OUT
WAS WITH MUSIC.

I WROTE A SONG FOR HER,

AND I'M GONNA SURPRISE HER
TONIGHT BY SINGING IT ONSTAGE.

READY?
YEAH.

SO I'M REALLY AMPED UP
ABOUT THIS, AND I CAN'T WAIT.

A YEAR AGO, I THOUGHT I WAS
GONNA BE DEAD SOON.

SO TO BE HERE NOW
IS AN INCREDIBLE FEELING.

MY WEIGHT HAD LEFT ME WITH NO
FUTURE OR EVEN A HOPE OF ONE.

AND NOT JUST MINE,
BUT TAYLER'S, TOO.

BUT NOW I'M ABLE TO START
PURSUING MY DREAMS AGAIN,

AND TAYLER AND I CAN HAVE
THE LIFE WE DREAMED OF TOGETHER.

EVER SINCE I FIRST KNEW HER,
I WANTED TO GIVE HER THE WORLD

BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT SHE GAVE ME.

AND FOR THAT TO BE POSSIBLE NOW
IS WHAT'S THE MOST AMAZING TO ME

AND WHAT I'M MOST GRATEFUL FOR.

TAYLER HAS STUCK WITH ME
THROUGH THICK AND THIN,

AND I LOVE HER
WITH ALL MY HEART.

AND I CAN'T WAIT FOR THE LIFE
WE HAVE AHEAD TOGETHER NOW.

WELL, THANK YOU, EVERYONE,
FOR COMING OUT TO SUPPORT ME.

MY NAME IS BRANDON, AND I'LL BE
YOUR ENTERTAINMENT

FOR THE EVENING.

[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]

THERE'S A LITTLE BACK STORY
TO THIS FIRST SONG.

SO, THIS IS MY GIRLFRIEND
HERE IN THE CORNER.

HER NAME'S TAYLER.

AND THIS SONG GOT ME
THAT GIRLFRIEND.

SO THIS IS FOR YOU, TAYLER.

[ PLAYING GUITAR ]

♪♪

♪ JUST THINKIN' 'BOUT
THE WAY YOU SMILE, GIRL ♪

♪ AND HOW YOU'RE ALWAYS
ON MY MIND, GIRL ♪

♪ JUST MAKES ME WANNA WRITE
A SONG FOR YOU ♪

♪ YEAH ♪

♪♪

I'M DETERMINED TO MAKE IT TO MY
TARGET WEIGHT THIS NEXT YEAR,

BUT I KNOW IT'S GONNA TAKE A LOT
FOR ME TO DO THAT, AND I WILL.

I'M STILL WORKING UP THE COURAGE
TO REACH OUT TO MY DAD.

I'M NOT GIVING UP ON THAT.

I'LL FACE THAT
AND WHATEVER ELSE I NEED.

I'M NOT RUNNING OR BACKING DOWN
FROM ANY OF IT.

I'M STARTING TO LIVE THE LIFE

I COULD ONLY DREAM
ABOUT A YEAR AGO,

AND BEING ABLE
TO GIVE TAYLER THE LIFE

SHE DESERVES IS PRICELESS.

♪ YOU ARE MY WORLD ♪

♪ BEAUTIFUL GIRL ♪

♪ WHOA, WHOA ♪

♪♪