All language subtitles for My 600-lb Life S08E04

J.T.:
EVEN WITH ALL I'M AFRAID OF,
BECAUSE OF HOW BIG I'M GETTING,

I STILL CAN'T STOP DOING
WHAT'S CAUSING IT.

OH!

Woman #1: SOMEWHERE IN ME IS
THIS LITTLE GLIMMER OF HOPE.

I JUST WANT TO BE
A NORMAL PERSON.

YOU CAN'T DO IT,
AND THEN I JUST GET MAD.

Woman #2:
IF I DON'T MAKE A CHANGE NOW,

I'M SCARED
IT'S GOING TO BE TOO LATE.

IT HURTS!

Woman #3:
I REFUSE TO STOP FIGHTING.

I HAVE TO DO THIS
FOR MY CHILDREN.

OKLAHOMA OR TIMBUKTU,

YOU'RE KILLING YOURSELF
WITH THE FOOD.

WHICH PART OF THAT IS
SO HARD TO UNDERSTAND?

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

CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY
DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS

J.T.: EVERY DAY OF MY LIFE
IS PRETTY MUCH THE SAME.

I WAKE UP AND EAT,

AND THEN I TRY TO KEEP EATING
FOR AS LONG AS I CAN

BECAUSE IT'S WHAT
I LIVE FOR NOW,

AND IT'S ALL I WANT TO DO,

AND I CAN'T START MY DAY
UNTIL I'VE HAD SOMETHING,

SO WHEN MY GIRLFRIEND, JESSICA,
WAKES UP,

SHE USUALLY GETS UP BEFORE ME
AND HEADS OUT,

BUT SHE NEVER LEAVES ME
WITHOUT LEAVING

SOMETHING I LIKE BY THE BED.

NOTHING ELSE I CAN DO
CAN COMPETE

WITH HOW GOOD IT FEELS
TO BE EATING

BECAUSE FOOD COMFORTS ME
BETTER THAN PEOPLE CAN,

AND IT'S THE ONLY THING
THAT BRINGS YOU BACK

TO AT PEACE OR A CENTER.

SO WHY WOULD I EVER
WANT THAT TO END

EVEN WHEN IT FEELS LIKE IT'S
TOO MUCH FOR MY BODY TO HOLD?

WHEN I'M DONE EATING,
SOMETIMES I FEEL MISERABLE

JUST BECAUSE I'M SO FULL
THAT I CAN'T MOVE,

BUT IT DOESN'T MATTER
HOW FULL I FEEL.

FEW MINUTES PASS,
I'M HUNGRY AGAIN,

AND I'M READY FOR MY NEXT MEAL,

BUT SOME DAYS I ALSO HAVE TO
GET UP AND TRY TO CLEAN MYSELF.

I TRY TO SHOWER AT LEAST
ONCE A WEEK,

BUT GETTING OUT OF BED
IS SOMETHING I DREAD,

AND IT'S GETTING TO THE POINT

WHERE
IT'S ALMOST TOO HARD TO DO IT.

BECAUSE I SINK IN SO DEEP,

IT'S LIKE TRYING TO GET OUT
OF COTTON CANDY OR PUDDING.

BUT AS HARD AS IT IS, GETTING UP
OUT OF BED IS THE EASY PART

BECAUSE NOT ONLY DO

I HAVE ALL THE WEIGHT OF MY BODY
PULLING DOWN ON ME,

I ALSO HAVE SEVERE LYMPHEDEMA
ON MY LEFT LEG.

I CAN'T WALK PROPERLY

BECAUSE MY LYMPHEDEMA
PUSHES AGAINST BOTH OF MY LEGS.

IT HURTS CONSTANTLY.

AND THEN I CAN ONLY STAND
FOR MAYBE 15 MINUTES AT A TIME.

MY SIZE AND MY LYMPHEDEMA

MAKE IT HARD
TO FIT IN MOST PLACES ANYMORE.

I CAN BARELY GET IN THE BATHROOM
AND SIT ON THE TOILET,

AND IF I GET ANY BIGGER,
I WON'T BE ABLE TO,

AND I'M SCARED
OF WHAT I'M GOING TO DO

WHEN IT GETS TO THAT POINT.

I CAN'T TAKE A SHOWER
IN A NORMAL TUB.

I HAVE TO HAVE A STAND-IN SHOWER

BECAUSE IT WOULD BE
JUST IMPOSSIBLE FOR ME

TO LIFT MY LEFT LEG
OVER THE RIM OF THE TUB.

BUT BECAUSE I HAVE TO STAND,

I CAN'T STAY IN THE SHOWER
FOR TOO LONG.

IT JUST HURTS TOO MUCH.

AND TO MAKE IT EVEN WORSE,
I CAN'T BE IN WATER FOR TOO LONG

BECAUSE IT'S BAD
FOR MY LYMPHEDEMA.

THE HOT WATER MAKES
THE SWELLING WORSE,

AND THEN IT STARTS TO BURN.

IT'S IN THERE, SCRUB THE MOST
STINKY PARTS AND THEN OUT.

I CAN WASH EVERYTHING ON MY BODY
FROM ABOUT MY WAIST UP.

WHEN IT GETS TO MY LEG AND DOWN
BELOW MY LEG,

IT'S ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE.

SO I DO AS MUCH AS I CAN,

AND THEN I GET OUT BEFORE
IT GETS TOO BAD,

BUT I'M VERY LIMITED
AT THIS POINT.

I'M BEYOND SCARED
TO GET TO A POINT

WHERE I CAN'T TAKE
A SHOWER MYSELF, AND I CAN'T --

IT TERRIFIES ME
TO GET TO THAT FAR.

BUT I KNOW I'M REALLY CLOSE
TO THAT POINT NOW

BECAUSE OF HOW MUCH A STRUGGLE
IT IS TO DO ANYTHING,

AND BY THE TIME
I'M DONE WITH MY SHOWER,

I'M ALREADY WIPED, AND I HAVE
TO SIT AND CATCH MY BREATH

BEFORE I TRY TO PUT
MY CLOTHES BACK ON,

BUT AT MY SIZE, I DON'T HAVE
MANY OUTFIT OPTIONS.

I HAVE ONE PAIR OF PANTS
THAT FIT ME STILL

BECAUSE OF HOW BIG MY LEG IS

AND JUST A COUPLE
OF SHIRTS THAT FIT,

BUT THEY'RE GETTING REALLY
WORN DOWN AT THIS POINT,

AND IF I GET ANY BIGGER,

THEY'LL EITHER GET TO BE
TOO SMALL

OR JUST COMPLETELY FALL APART.

THEN I THINK MY ONLY OPTION TO
COVER MYSELF WOULD BE A BLANKET

WHICH WILL BE A WHOLE DIFFERENT
LEVEL OF EMBARRASSMENT

FOR ME THAT I'M SCARED OF.

BUT EVEN WITH ALL I'M AFRAID OF
HAPPENING SOON

BECAUSE OF HOW BIG I'M GETTING,

I STILL CAN'T STOP DOING
WHAT'S CAUSING IT.

AND ONCE I'M DRESSED,
IF JESSICA ISN'T BACK YET

TO MAKE ME SOMETHING,
THEN I'LL TRY TO DO IT MYSELF

BECAUSE THE PAIN IN MY BODY
FROM BEING UP

IS NOTHING COMPARED TO THE PAIN
OF NOT EATING WHAT I WANT.

AND THE UPSIDE OF WHEN I GET
MY OWN FOOD

IS THAT
I CAN MAKE AS MUCH AS I WANT,

AND I ALWAYS WANT A LOT.

MY PORTION SIZES ARE VERY LARGE.

I GET LARGE
SERVING SIZES OF THINGS,

AND I'LL JUST MAKE
THE WHOLE THING,

YOU KNOW,
THE WHOLE CAN OF BISCUITS

AND ALL THE SAUSAGE PATTIES.

I'LL EAT IT ALL,
AND I WON'T STOP

UNTIL IT'S ALL GONE, SO YOU KNOW
JESSICA HAS TO GO SHOP

JUST ABOUT EVERY OTHER DAY
TO KEEP FOOD IN THE HOUSE

BECAUSE MY APPETITE
KEEPS GROWING,

AND I CONSTANTLY NEED
A SUPPLY OF FOOD

SO I CAN KEEP EATING AND KEEP
THAT FEELING I NEED GOING,

AND NOTHING IN MY LIFE
CAN COMPETE

WITH HOW FOOD
MAKES ME FEEL, NOT ANYTHING.

EATING IS BETTER
THAN SEX FOR ME,

AND EVERY TIME I TAKE A BITE,
IT'S LIKE I'M TRANSPORTED

TO THIS OTHER WORLD
WHERE THERE'S NO PAIN.

THERE'S NO SADNESS.
THERE'S NO JUDGEMENT.

THERE'S ONLY PEACE AND JOY,
AND ALL THAT COMES WITH FOOD.

SO I CAN'T EVEN IMAGINE MY LIFE
WITHOUT IT

BECAUSE IT IS MY LIFE.

IT'S WHAT I'M LIVING FOR
AND WHY I GET UP.

IF I'M AWAKE, I'M EITHER EATING
OR WAITING TO EAT,

AND IF I'M ASLEEP,
I'M DREAMING OF EATING,

SO IT'S ALL
I THINK ABOUT AND WANT.

I DON'T EVEN WANT TO BE AWAKE
A LOT OF TIMES IF I CAN'T EAT,

SO IF I'VE EATEN JUST
ABOUT EVERYTHING IN THE HOUSE

AND JESSICA IS NOT BACK YET
WITH MORE FOOD,

I JUST GO TO SLEEP

AND WAIT FOR HER
TO GET BACK WITH WHAT I NEED.

HEY.

YEAH. I'LL BE OUT THERE
IN JUST A SECOND.

JESSICA:
All right. Thanks.

BYE.

I HATE WHEN JESSICA ASKS ME
TO CARRY THE GROCERIES IN

BECAUSE JESSICA KNOWS
I'LL DO ANYTHING FOR FOOD.

JUST BEING AROUND IT,
I CAN'T WAIT TO EAT IT,

ESPECIALLY THE CANDY.

I WORRY ABOUT J.T. A LOT,

ABOUT HIS CONDITION AND WEIGHT
AND EVERYTHING

AND HOW MUCH HE EATS
BECAUSE SINCE I'VE MET J.T.,

HE HAS GAINED WEIGHT.

I THINK WHEN WE FIRST STARTED
DATING, HE COULD DO MORE.

NOW I WOULD SAY PRETTY
MUCH EVERYTHING J.T. DOES,

I SEE HIM STRUGGLE WITH.

I WISH THERE WAS MORE I COULD DO
TO HELP HIM,

BUT IF I EXPRESS THOSE WORRIES
TO J.T., HE GETS VERY UPSET,

ESPECIALLY WHEN I TRY TO
INFLUENCE J.T.'S EATING HABITS

IN ANY WAY,
SO I END UP BRINGING HOME

THE FAST FOOD AND GETTING
WHAT HE WANTS FROM THE STORE

BECAUSE I DON'T WANT
J.T. TO BE MAD AT ME,

SO I JUST DO WHATEVER HE WANTS.

J.T.: ANYTHING WITH SUGAR
IS MY BIG WEAKNESS,

ESPECIALLY ANYTHING
WITH PEANUT BUTTER IN IT,

WHETHER IT BE MIXED
WITH CHOCOLATE,

A COOKIE, CAKE, ICE CREAM.

IT MY GUILTY PLEASURE.

SO EATING PEANUT-BUTTER CUPS

AND ANYTHING PEANUT-BUTTER
CANDIES, I LOVE IT.

I FEEL HAPPY
WHEN I EAT PEANUT BUTTER.

IT REMINDS ME OF WHEN I WAS
A KID HAVING GOOD TIMES,

SO I CAN'T GET ENOUGH OF THEM.

I JUST WANT TO FEEL THE WAY
THEY MAKE ME FEEL FOREVER

BECAUSE SOME OF MY HAPPIEST
TIMES OF MY LIFE

ARE WHEN I WAS YOUNG BEFORE
THINGS STARTED TO GET HARD.

I HAD A PRETTY BIG FAMILY
GROWING UP.

I HAVE TWO SISTERS
AND ONE BROTHER,

AND I'M THE OLDEST
OF MY SIBLINGS,

AND WE WERE PRETTY CLOSE-KNIT.

WE DID EVERYTHING
PRETTY MUCH TOGETHER.

WE HAD OUR UPS AND DOWNS
LIKE ANY OTHER FAMILY,

BUT THINGS WERE GOOD.

WE DIDN'T HAVE A LOT OF MONEY,

BUT MY DAD WORKED
FOR A HOT-DOG RESTAURANT,

AND WE COULD EAT THERE FOR FREE,
SO WE'D HAVE DINNER THERE A LOT,

AND I THINK THOSE ARE
MY FAVORITE MEMORIES.

AND I NEVER WANTED THAT TIME
TO END

BECAUSE WE WERE ALL TOGETHER
EATING AND HAPPY,

BUT FOR A LOT OF REASONS,

THAT ALL STARTED TO CHANGE
AS I GOT OLDER,

THE BIGGEST ONE BEING
THAT I DIDN'T REALIZE

THAT MY PARENTS
STARTED DOING DRUGS,

AND AS I GOT OLDER,
THEIR HABIT GOT WORSE.

THEY GOT INTO HARDER STUFF.

INSTEAD OF BUYING THINGS
LIKE CLOTHES AND FOOD,

MY PARENTS WOULD USE THE MONEY
TO BUY DRUGS AND ALCOHOL

AND COCAINE, ECSTASY, SHROOMS.

METH WAS A BIG PROBLEM.

SO WE STARTED TO STRUGGLE
EVEN MORE FINANCIALLY,

AND MY WHOLE FAMILY SITUATION
CHANGED.

THINGS JUST GOT A LOT HARDER
AND LONELIER

BECAUSE ME AND MY SIBLINGS
WERE KIND OF ON OUR OWN

AND HAD TO START TO FEND
FOR OURSELVES.

I WAS AROUND 10 AT THE TIME,
AND AS THE OLDEST

I FELT A LOT OF PRESSURE
TO HELP AND FIGURE THINGS OUT,

BUT THERE WASN'T MUCH
I CAN REALLY DO AT THAT AGE.

THE ONLY THING I COULD REALLY
STILL DO WAS EAT

TO FORGET ABOUT MY LIFE,

AND I STARTED TO
PUT ON WEIGHT FAST.

OVER THE NEXT 3 YEARS FROM THEN,
MY WEIGHT TRIPLED.

I HIT 300 POUNDS
WHEN I WAS 13 YEARS OLD,

AND GETTING THAT BIG THEN OF
COURSE MADE THINGS EVEN HARDER

BECAUSE I COULDN'T FIT
IN MY DESK, THEN.

SITTING IN CHAIRS
LIKE THE OTHER STUDENTS,

I JUST COULDN'T FIT IN THEM.

THEY WERE TOO SMALL,
SO I'D BE IN A CHAIR IN A DESK

IN FRONT OF THE CLASS LIKE
I WAS ALMOST OUT ON DISPLAY.

SO I REALLY DIDN'T
HAVE ANY FRIENDS.

I JUST HAD FOOD AND MY FAMILY,

SO I KEPT EATING AS MUCH
AS I COULD WHENEVER I COULD

AND PUT ON ANOTHER
150 POUNDS OR SO,

SO I WAS UP AROUND 450 THEN.

BUT AT THAT AGE, MY FAMILY
STARTED TO BECOME

A LOT MORE RESPONSIBILITY FOR ME
BECAUSE, AS THE OLDEST,

I KIND OF HAD TO START BECOMING
THE LEADER OF THE FAMILY

AND TAKE CARE OF EVERYONE

SINCE OUR PARENTS
WEREN'T TAKING CARE OF US,

AND I WAS OLD ENOUGH
TO GET A JOB,

SO I BECAME
THE MAN OF THE HOUSE.

I GOT A JOB AT A FAST-FOOD PLACE

SO I COULD EARN A PAYCHECK
AND KEEP EATING ALL DAY.

I'D GO TO SCHOOL FROM 7:00
UNTIL 3:00,

HAVE TO GO TO WORK FROM ABOUT
3:00 P.M. TO ABOUT 3:00 A.M.

AND THEN HAVE TO BE
BACK UP AT 7 A.M. FOR SCHOOL.

AND I MADE WHAT WE NEEDED,
BUT THE STRESS OF IT

ALL WAS HARD TO DO SCHOOL
AND WORK LIKE THAT,

AND I STARTED TO GET
REALLY DEPRESSED,

AND THAT JUST MADE ME
WANT TO EAT MORE,

AND BY THE TIME I WAS 18
AND GRADUATED HIGH SCHOOL,

I'D CROSSED WELL OVER
INTO THE 500s.

AND THEN WHEN I WAS 19,

I STARTED WORKING IN
A PIZZA PLACE,

AND I LOVE PIZZA,
BUT THE DEAL WAS THE SAME THERE

WHERE I COULD EAT FOR FREE.

AND BY THE END OF THE DAY,
I'D EATEN FOUR OR FIVE PIZZAS

ON MY OWN AND A BUNCH OF
BREADSTICKS OR CINNAMON STICKS.

I JUST LOVED IT.

FOOD STARTED BECOMING THIS
ALL-CONSUMING PASSION OF MINE.

I ALWAYS WANTED TO BE EATING,
BUT I WAS ALSO THAT PERSON

THAT GOT A SENSE OF JOY
OUT OF IT

BECAUSE FEEDING OTHER PEOPLE

BECAME ALMOST LIKE
A EUPHORIC THING FOR ME,

AND THAT CAUSED ME TO EAT MORE,

SO MY WEIGHT GAIN
JUST KEPT GOING.

MY WEIGHT CLIMBED
OVER 600 POUNDS

WHEN I WAS ABOUT 22 YEARS OLD.

RIGHT BEFORE I CROSSED
THAT POINT

IS WHEN I STARTED DEVELOPING
THE LYMPHEDEMA ON MY LEG.

THIS MASS WAS FORMING ON MY LEG,

SO ME AND MY MOM
WENT TO THE DOCTOR,

AND THEY TOLD ME WHAT IT WAS,

AND IT WOULD ONLY GET WORSE
IF I DIDN'T LOSE WEIGHT.

THE DOCTOR TOLD ME THAT
IF I DIDN'T CHANGE

THAT I WOULD BE DEAD AT 31,

AND THEY SHOULD PRETTY MUCH SAY
THEIR GOODBYES TO ME

IF I DIDN'T CHANGE.

SO ALL THAT GOT ME
EVEN MORE DEPRESSED,

BUT WHEN I FELT THAT WAY,

IT MADE ME WANT
TO EAT EVEN MORE,

SO IT WAS THIS VICIOUS CYCLE
WHERE I JUST KEPT EATING

AND WANTING TO EAT
MORE AND MORE,

SO I KEPT GETTING BIGGER,

AND IT KEPT GETTING HARDER
TO DO THINGS...

...TO WHERE WHEN I TURNED 25,

I HAD TO COMPLETELY STOP WORKING

BECAUSE I COULDN'T PHYSICALLY
DO IT ANYMORE.

I WENT ON DISABILITY.

I'M GUESSING I WAS AROUND
700 POUNDS THEN.

SINCE I COULDN'T TAKE CARE
OF MY FAMILY ANYMORE,

THE ONE THING
I DIDN'T WANT TO DO

IS BECOME MORE OF
A FINANCIAL BURDEN TO THEM,

SO I STARTED LIVING ON MY OWN,

DOING NOTHING REALLY
BUT EATING ALL DAY ALONE,

BUT THE LONELINESS
DIDN'T HELP MY DEPRESSION.

I GOT A DOG NAMED BELLA
TO TRY TO HELP,

BUT NOTHING DOES FOR ME
WHAT FOOD DOES,

SO MY EATING
HAS NEVER SLOWED DOWN

TO WHERE NOW I DON'T KNOW
HOW MUCH I WEIGH.

ALL I KNOW IS IT'S GOTTEN TO BE
TOO HARD TO DO MOST EVERYTHING.

IF IT WASN'T FOR JESSICA
IN MY LIFE,

I DON'T KNOW WHAT I'D DO
OR HOW I'D SURVIVE.

WE MET ORIGINALLY
ON A DATING APP,

AND WHEN I CAME TO J.T.'S HOUSE
TO MEET HIM FOR THE FIRST TIME,

I JUST FELT COMFORTABLE,
SO I DIDN'T REALLY NOTICE

J.T.'S WEIGHT OR HIS SIZE

BECAUSE HIS PERSONALITY
COVERS IT UP PRETTY WELL.

I ALWAYS DREAMED OF AND WANTED
A FAMILY OF MY OWN.

WHEN JESSICA CAME INTO MY LIFE,
IT GAVE ME HOPE,

BUT THE PROBLEM IS
I'M STILL 32 AND WEIGH SO MUCH

I CAN HARDLY MOVE,

BUT FOOD IS SUCH
AN IMPORTANT PART OF MY LIFE.

HOW DO I GIVE UP WHAT MAKES ME
FEEL HAPPY AND SAFE

AND LIKE I DID
WHEN I WAS A KID?

FOOD IS MY EVERYTHING,

SO I DON'T KNOW HOW TO LIVE
WITHOUT IT,

EVEN THOUGH I KNOW IT'S THE SAME
THING THAT'S KILLING ME NOW

AND IT'S TAKING MY FUTURE
AND LIFE FROM ME.

Jessica:
I LOVE J.T., SO MY DREAM IS
TO HAVE A FAMILY WITH HIM,

BUT I'M WORRIED THAT
IF HE DOESN'T LOSE WEIGHT,

I'M NOT GOING TO HAVE THAT.

J.T.: THE DOCTORS GAVE ME
UNTIL I WAS 30, AND I'M 32 NOW,

SO MY TIME IS RUNNING OUT,
SO I DON'T HAVE A LOT LONGER

BECAUSE, AT ANY MOMENT,
MY HEART CAN JUST GIVE OUT,

AND THAT DOES SCARE ME,

BUT LOSING FOOD SCARES ME MORE,
AND THAT'S THE PROBLEM.

IT WAS REALLY GOOD, THOUGH.

-THANKS.
-I APPRECIATE IT.

I WANT TO LIVE, BUT I DON'T SEE
HOW I CAN WITHOUT FOOD,

SO I KNOW I NEED HELP.

HEY, BABE. IS THERE
ANY ICE CREAM IN THERE?

I THINK SO.

HERE YOU GO.

IT'S CHOCOLATE CHIP
COOKIE DOUGH.

-THANKS.
-YOU'RE WELCOME.

J.T.:
EVERY NIGHT WHEN I GO TO BED,

I WONDER IF TONIGHT IS THE NIGHT
I'M NOT GOING TO WAKE UP

BECAUSE I CAN FEEL
SOMETHING BAD COMING.

MY BODY HAS NEVER FELT THIS WAY.

I'VE NEVER HURT AS BAD AS I DO,

AND NOW I STRUGGLE
TO BREATHE A LOT,

SO I'M JUST GETTING EVEN WORSE

BECAUSE MY BODY CAN'T TAKE
ALL MY WEIGHT ANYMORE.

IT'S JUST TOO MUCH.

-ARE YOU DONE?
-YEAH.

CAN YOU THROW THIS
AWAY FOR ME?

YEAH, I WILL.

I APPRECIATE IT.

SO WHATEVER TIME I HAVE LEFT,
IT'S NOT A LOT.

-BELLA, MOVE OVER.
-MOVE OVER, BELLA.

I DON'T THINK I HAVE
ANOTHER YEAR IN ME.

KISS?

SO I EITHER HAVE TO FIND
A SOLUTION

TO HELP ME FINALLY CHANGE,

OR I KNOW THERE'S NO WAY
I'M GOING TO BE ALIVE

FOR MUCH LONGER.

ME AND JESS ARE PREPARING
TO TAKE A TRIP TO HOUSTON

TO SEE DR. NOW,
BUT I'M NOT SURE HOW LONG

IT'S GOING TO TAKE
FOR US TO GET THERE.

IT WOULD NORMALLY BE
AN 8-HOUR DRIVE,

BUT I KNOW I CAN'T BE
IN THE CAR FOR THAT LONG,

AND I'M EXTREMELY NERVOUS

BECAUSE I'VE NEVER GONE
THIS FAR FROM MY HOME.

IT'S BEEN YEARS SINCE
I'VE BEEN ABLE TO FIT IN A CAR,

SO JESS WENT TO GET
A MINIVAN RENTAL,

AND SHE'S GOING TO LAY THE SEATS
DOWN IN THE BACK,

AND I'M GOING TO TRY TO SEE
IF THAT WORKS,

AND I CAN FIT BACK THERE,
SO I'M HOPING THIS WORKS.

-HEY.
-HEY.

-YOU READY?
-YEAH, I'M READY.

I GOT EVERYTHING PACKED.

AWESOME.

Jessica:
I HAVE THE VAN OUT FRONT.

YEAH. HOW YOU FEELING
ABOUT THIS TRIP?

GOOD, REALLY GOOD.

IT'LL BE FINE.

IT'S GOING TO BE LONG.

IT IS.
IT'S GOING TO BE A LOT.

OKAY.
LET'S GO.

Jessica: I WORRY WITH J.T.
TRAVELING THIS FAR,

BUT THE TRIP IS IMPORTANT FOR
HIM BECAUSE HE NEEDS TO SEE

DR. NOW TO LOSE WEIGHT.

IF DR. NOW SAYS, "NO,"

I FEEL LIKE I'M GOING TO WAKE UP
NEXT TO HIM ONE DAY,

AND HE'S NOT GOING TO BE AWAKE.

SO I THINK THIS IS DEFINITELY
J.T.'S LAST CHANCE.

J.T.:
I'M SUPER GRATEFUL THAT JESS
IS COMING WITH ME ON THE TRIP.

THERE'D OBVIOUSLY BE NO WAY
I CAN DO THIS

WITHOUT HER GETTING THE CAR
AND DRIVING ME THERE.

I JUST HOPE IT GOES WELL,
BUT I HAVE TO MAKE SURE

THAT I CAN EVEN FIT
IN THE BACK OF THE VEHICLE.

OKAY.

I'M GLAD I CAN FIT,
BUT IT'S STILL TIGHT,

AND I'M REALLY UNCOMFORTABLE.

HERE,
LET ME SPREAD IT OUT.

WANT TO HOLD THE PILLOWS?

YEAH.

OKAY.
I THINK I'M READY.

EVEN THOUGH I CAN FIT,

I'M WORRIED
IF I HIT MY BREAKING POINT,

IT'LL BE SOMEWHERE ON THE ROAD,
AND THAT'S POSSIBLY SCARY

BECAUSE IT'S A LIFE-AND-DEATH
SITUATION FOR ME.

SO THIS IS A BIG RISK,

AND I HAVE A LOT
OF FEAR RIGHT NOW.

WE'VE ONLY BEEN ON THE ROAD
ABOUT TWO HOURS,

BUT I CAN'T GO MUCH FURTHER.

MY WHOLE BODY IS HURTING
TOO MUCH,

AND MY LEGS HAVE GONE NUMB NOW,
SO I NEED TO STOP.

HEY, BABE.
WE NEED TO STOP.

THINK WE CAN GET
SOME FAST FOOD...

-YEAH.
-...SOMETHING TO EAT?

OKAY.

I'M HOPING THAT I'LL BE ABLE
TO GO LONGER TOMORROW

ONCE I GET SOME REST,

BUT SO FAR, WE'VE ONLY GONE TWO
HOURS IN AN EIGHT-HOUR DRIVE.

CAN I GET TWO OF THE BEEF
AND CHEDDARS?

SO THAT'S NEARLY AS FAR
AS I WAS HOPING,

AND I'M A LITTLE DISAPPOINTED
IN MYSELF FOR THAT.

THANKS.

-HERE YOU GO.
-THANKS.

THANKS.

I ONLY HAVE 2 DAYS UNTIL
MY APPOINTMENT WITH DR. NOW,

SO WHATEVER IT TAKES, I HAVE
TO GO LONGER FOR TOMORROW,

BUT THIS WAS A LOT HARDER
THAN I EXPECTED,

AND I'M JUST AT MY LIMIT,

AND I'M HOPING THAT
IF I GET SOME SOLID REST AND EAT

THAT I'LL BE READY AGAIN
TOMORROW.

WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO
FIGURE OUT SOMEHOW

TO BLOCK THIS HOLE RIGHT HERE.

OR I CAN USE THIS BLANKET.

CRAP, I HOPE I MAKE IT
OVER THAT.

YEAH, I DON'T KNOW.

I DON'T KNOW HOW I'M GOING
TO GET OUT OF THIS

THIS IS MORE ACTIVITY
THAN I'VE HAD

IN MORE THAN SIX OR SEVEN YEARS,

SO IT'S TAKING EVERYTHING I GOT
JUST TO PUSH MYSELF TO DO THIS,

AND I JUST WANT TO GET UPSTAIRS
TO REST AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

-YOU NEED HELP?
-YEAH, GIVE ME A SECOND.

DO YOU KNOW
WHERE THE ROOM IS?

-IT'S ON THE FOURTH FLOOR.
-CRAP.

DO YOU KNOW WHERE
THE ELEVATOR IS?

YEAH.

DON'T GET ALL THAT NOW.
I NEED TO GET TO THE ROOM.

JUST GIVE ME SOMETHING
I CAN CARRY

SO WE CAN GO,
LIKE THE PURSE.

CAN YOU HURRY, PLEASE?

CAN YOU CARRY THAT?

HEY, HOLD THAT BETTER.
DON'T DROP THAT, PLEASE.

I'M NOT GOING TO DROP IT.

OKAY. COME ON.

LET'S JUST GO.

I HAVE TO LAY DOWN NOW
BEFORE I PASS OUT.

LEG.

JESSICA, YOU'RE GOING TO
HAVE TO HOLD ON.

HEY, JESS. YOU'RE GOING TO
HAVE TO WAIT FOR A SECOND.

YOU OKAY?

NO, NOT REALLY.

I'M SORRY.

-WHERE'S THE ELEVATOR?
-RIGHT THERE.

406?

YEAH, IT'S RIGHT HERE.

WILL YOU HOLD THIS?

THANK GOD.

I JUST REALLY HOPE THE BEDS ARE
GOOD AND THAT THEY CAN HOLD ME

BECAUSE LEGS ARE ABOUT
TO GIVE OUT.

I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS
STABLE FOR ME TO SIT ON.

I'M NOT TRYING TO BE
ON THE FLOOR.

WELL, TRY TO SIT ON IT.

WHAT IS THAT ON?

OH.

LIKE, SIT DOWN SLOWLY.

THERE'S NO SLOWLY.

IT'S HIGH AS

OKAY.

OKAY.

LET ME PUT THIS UP.

-WHAT?
-I WAS PUTTING THIS UP.

THESE.

THANKS.

YOU'RE WELCOME.

THAT WAS A BIG RISK,
BUT I HAD NO CHOICE.

I COULDN'T WAIT ANY LONGER.

MY BODY WAS GOING TO GIVE OUT.

THIS FOOD IS HELPING ME
CALM DOWN,

BUT I'M REALLY GLAD THE BED
IS HOLDING ME FOR NOW.

WITH A LITTLE LESS THAN TWO DAYS
TO GET TO HOUSTON

AND ABOUT 6 OR 7 HOURS
OF DRIVING LEFT TO GET THERE,

I AT LEAST HAVE TO BE ABLE
TO GO AN HOUR LONGER TOMORROW

IF WE'RE GOING TO HAVE
ANY CHANCE OF MAKING IT ON TIME

BECAUSE IF DR. NOW DOESN'T
ACCEPT ME INTO THE PROGRAM,

ALL THIS PAIN, ALL THE STRESS,

ALL THE ANXIETY
WILL JUST BE ALL FOR NOTHING.

WITH ME BEING PRETTY MUCH
A TICKING TIME BOMB,

TIME ISN'T ON MY SIDE RIGHT NOW,

SO I NEED TO FOCUS ON
GETTING READY PHYSICALLY

AND MENTALLY TO DO
WHAT I NEED TOMORROW

BECAUSE MY WHOLE LIFE DEPENDS ON
ME BEING ABLE TO DO WHAT I NEED.

I FEEL LIKE JUST WATCHING
SOME TV AND PASSING OUT

SO WE CAN GET UP EARLY IN
THE MORNING AND GET ON THE ROAD.

YOU READY FOR THAT?

YEAH, I'M READY.

NO MATTER HOW HARD TOMORROW
IS GOING TO BE

OR HOW MUCH IT'S GOING TO HURT,

I HAVE TO PUSH MYSELF
TO MAKE IT AS FAR AS I NEED,

OR I'LL BE RISKING
LOSING EVERYTHING,

AND I CAN'T LET THAT HAPPEN.

J.T.: IT'S DAY THREE OF MY TRIP
DOWN TO HOUSTON TO SEE DR. NOW

FOR MY FIRST APPOINTMENT,

AND WE'VE BEEN ON THE ROAD
FOR ALMOST 3 1/2 HOURS TODAY.

WE MADE IT TO HOUSTON, AND WE'RE
GETTING CLOSE TO DR. NOW'S.

I JUST HOPE IT GOES WELL
AND THAT IT'S NOT TOO SHOCKING

WHEN MY WEIGHT COMES UP.

A LOT DEPENDS ON WHAT'S ABOUT
TO HAPPEN, SO I'M JUST SCARED,

AND I HOPE THIS WILL ALL BE
WORTH IT

BECAUSE DR.
NOW SAYS THAT HE CAN HELP ME.

J.T.?

I KNOW I'M OVER 600 POUNDS
AND PROBABLY OVER 700, TOO.

I JUST HOPE MY WEIGHT IS NOT
A LOT HIGHER THAN THAT.

892.

-THANK YOU.
-MM-HMM.

I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT.

I'M, LIKE, 8 POUNDS AWAY
FROM BEING 900.

IT FEELS LIKE A MISTAKE
BECAUSE I NEVER EVEN IMAGINED

THAT I COULD GET THIS BIG,

SO I'M TERRIFIED RIGHT NOW
BECAUSE I KNOW

I CAN'T GO ON FOR MUCH LONGER
AT THIS WEIGHT,

SO I HAVE TO GET THE HELP
THAT I NEED NOW

BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO BE
TOO LATE SOON.

-HELLO.
-HELLO.

HOW ARE Y'ALL DOING?

WE'RE DOING GOOD, AND YOU?

I'M DOING GOOD, THANK YOU.

ALL RIGHT.
AND YOU'RE...?

J.T.

I'M DR. NOWZARADAN,
NICE TO MEET YOU.

-NICE TO MEET YOU.
-JESSICA.

NICE TO MEET YOU, TOO.

SO WHERE Y'ALL COMING FROM?

-CLAREMORE, OKLAHOMA.
-OKLAHOMA.

ALL RIGHT.

I WOULD SAY THAT'S
NOT TOO BAD A DRIVE,

BUT YOU'RE ALMOST 900 POUNDS
WITH YOUR SEVERE LYMPHEDEMA,

SO I'M SURPRISED THAT YOU'RE
STILL EVEN MOBILE AT THIS POINT,

AND THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON
FOR HOW LONG?

I WAS DIAGNOSED WITH LYMPHEDEMA
IN 2008.

SO YOU HAVE HAD HAD THAT
FOR OVER A DECADE.

MM-HMM.

GRADUALLY IT'S GETTING
WORSE, RIGHT?

-YES.
-OKAY.

WELL, MY BIG CONCERN IS,

YOU'RE TRAVELING WITH THAT,
AND AT YOUR SIZE,

THIS IS A VERY DIFFICULT
SITUATION TO CRACK,

BUT IF WE LOSE SOME WEIGHT,
WE MAY BE ABLE TO ADDRESS THAT.

OKAY.

BUT RIGHT NOW, LET ME SEE HOW
BAD THE SWELLING IS IN YOUR LEG.

OH, THERE, RIGHT NOW,
I HURT PRETTY BAD,

OH, IN MY LEFT LEG.

TURN AROUND, LET ME SEE WHAT
THE SIDE OF YOUR LEG...

MY ANKLE.

YEAH, SO IT'S GOING TO BE
VERY IMPORTANT FOR YOU

TO LOSE SOME WEIGHT
SO WE CAN HAVE SOME POTENTIAL

OF MAYBE TAKING THAT OFF
IN THE FUTURE, HUH?

YEAH.

YOUR BMI IS 121,
WHICH IS IN DANGEROUS SITUATION,

SO WITH ALL THIS,
I'M GLAD YOU'RE STILL MOBILE.

HOW IS YOUR ACTIVITY?

NONEXISTENT.

OKAY, SO WHAT DO
YOU DO ALL DAY?

I SIT DOWN, PRETTY MUCH PLAY
VIDEO GAMES AND WATCH TV.

DO YOU HAVE A GOAL
IN YOUR LIFE?

I DO HAVE A GOAL IN MY LIFE.

-WHAT IS IT?
-I WANT TO SEE THE WORLD.

I'VE ALWAYS WANTED TO GO
TO JAPAN AND LIVE THERE.

IT'D BE NICE TO DO
SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

WELL, THAT'S A NICE GOAL,
BUT IF YOU'RE ALMOST IMMOBILE,

THEN HOW ARE YOU GOING TO
SUPPORT YOURSELF OVER THERE?

I HAVEN'T REALLY THOUGHT
ABOUT IT, SO I'M NOT SURE YET.

MY GOAL RIGHT NOW IS JUST TO
LOSE THE WEIGHT

AND BE RID OF IT.

ALL RIGHT. FIRST THING
WE NEED TO DO IS START YOU

ON A 1,200-CALORIE,
HIGH-PROTEIN AND NO-CARB DIET.

-YOU THINK YOU CAN DO THAT?
-I CAN TRY.

SO WHO ELSE IS IN YOUR HOUSEHOLD
BESIDE YOU?

JUST JESS.

AND YOU TWO ARE DATING,
CORRECT?

MM-HMM.

OKAY, SINCE HE'S NOT
THAT MOBILE,

YOU'RE BRINGING HIM
ALL THE FOOD HE WANTS?

YES.

AND YOU HAVE WEIGHT PROBLEM,
AND HE HAS A WEIGHT PROBLEM.

-YEAH.
-SO THAT'S A BAD COMBINATION.

-YEAH, IT IS.
-YES.

SO THIS IS GOING TO TAKE
BOTH OF YOU

TO MAKE THE CHANGES
TO BE SUCCESSFUL.

-YEAH.
-OKAY?

ALL RIGHT.

BUT, JULIUS, IF YOU
STICK TO THE DIET,

YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO
EASILY LOSE 150 POUNDS

OVER THE NEXT TWO MONTHS.

-OKAY.
-OKAY?

AND IF YOU DO THAT,
THEN WE'LL CONSIDER YOU

FOR WEIGHT LOSS SURGERY,

BUT AT YOUR SIZE AND WITH YOUR
ISSUES WITH YOUR LYMPHEDEMA,

I'M CONCERNED ABOUT YOU
TRAVELING BACK AND FORTH.

SO YOU NEED TO MOVE DOWN
TO HOUSTON IMMEDIATELY

IF YOU WANT TO DO THIS.

-YOU GOT IT?
-OKAY.

ALL RIGHT.
HAVE A SAFE TRIP BACK.

DON'T PUSH YOURSELF
TOO HARD,

AND IF YOU NEED ANYTHING,
GIVE ME A CALL.

IF NOT, I'LL SEE YOU BOTH
IN TWO MONTHS

WITH SOME GOOD PROGRESS,
OKAY?

-OKAY.
-ALL RIGHT.

AND, J.T., NICE TO MEET YOU,

AND YOU'RE GOING TO NEED
A LOT OF HELP,

AND WE'RE GOING TO SEE
IF WE CAN GET YOU DOWN TO 220.

-I APPRECIATE IT.
-ALL RIGHT?

-SOUNDS GREAT.
-WELL, NICE TO MEET YOU, TOO.

YES, YOU, TOO.

Dr. Nowzaradan:
AT ALMOST 900 POUNDS

AND WITH SUCH A DEBILITATING
LYMPHEDEMA IN HIS LEFT LEG,

I'M SURPRISED JULIUS
ISN'T BEDRIDDEN AT THAT POINT,

BUT HIS MOBILITY MAY BE THE ONLY
THING THAT HAS KEPT HIS BODY

FROM REACHING
A BREAKING POINT ALREADY.

REGARDLESS, WITH HIS WEIGHT
AND BMI AS HIGH AS IT IS,

THERE IS NO WAY HE CAN CONTINUE
PUSHING HIS SYSTEM

LIKE HE HAS FOR MUCH LONGER,

SO HIS TIME IS GOING
TO RUN OUT REALLY SOON

IF HE DOESN'T START
TAKING THE STEPS HE NEEDS

TO CHANGE HIS LIFE RIGHT NOW
BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE.

J.T.: I'M STILL TAKING IN A LOT
OF WHAT DR. NOW SAID.

-CAN YOU OPEN THE DOOR, MOVE?
-YEAH.

I'M JUST GLAD HE'S LETTING ME
TRY TO DO HIS PROGRAM,

AND THAT HE'S
GIVING ME A CHANCE,

SO I THINK I JUST NEED TO REST
AND RECOVER ENOUGH

TO HEAD BACK HOME,
AND THEN ONCE WE'RE THERE,

HAVE A LITTLE TIME
TO RECOVER FROM THAT TRIP.

I CAN START TO FIGURE OUT
HOW I'M GOING TO DO WHAT I NEED,

BUT FOR RIGHT NOW,
I'LL JUST FOCUS ON THE POSITIVE

BECAUSE I'M BEING GIVEN
A SECOND CHANCE,

AND SO I STILL HAVE HOPE THAT
THINGS ARE GOING TO GET BETTER.

I JUST KNOW THAT I'M GOING TO
HAVE TO WORK AT IT,

AND IT WON'T BE EASY.

ME AND JESSICA GOT BACK HOME
FROM HOUSTON LATE YESTERDAY,

BUT ABOUT AN HOUR OUT,
I STARTED TO FEEL SICK,

AND NOW I FEEL HORRIBLE.

I FEEL LIKE I'M GONNA THROW UP
JUST EVERY TWO SECONDS.

-DO YOU NEED THE BAG?
-YEAH, I MIGHT.

OKAY.

I WAS SCARED BEING IN THE CAR
FOR AS LONG AS I WAS

HAD PUSHED MY BODY TOO HARD

AND THAT SOMETHING REALLY BAD
IS HAPPENING,

SO JESSICA CALLED DR. NOW,

AND HE TOLD HER I NEED
TO GET TO THE HOSPITAL NOW

BECAUSE HE'S WORRIED IT COULD BE
FROM AN INFECTION

WITH MY LYMPHEDEMA,
AND HE SAID IF IT IS,

IT COULD BE REALLY BAD,
SO HE WANTS US TO GO NOW.

SO JESS WENT TO GO MAKE
ANOTHER MINIVAN RENTAL,

AND SHE'S GOING TO
TAKE ME IN THAT,

BUT I DON'T KNOW IF I'M
GOING TO BE ABLE TO HANDLE

BEING IN THE CAR
WHEN I FEEL THIS BAD.

I'M JUST REALLY SCARED,

AND I'M HOPING SOMETHING
ISN'T REALLY WRONG

BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE I'M DYING.

YOU GOING TO BE OKAY
GETTING IN THE VAN?

YEAH, I THINK SO.

OKAY.

I HOPE I CAN DO THIS.

OH, THANKS.

GOT IT?
GOT IT?

I FEEL REALLY BAD.
AND I'M REALLY SCARED.

MY LYMPHEDEMA HURTS A LOT,

AND IT'S REALLY SWOLLEN.

BUT I'M REALLY HOPING
IT'S NOT INFECTED,

OR THAT MY BODY
IS BREAKING DOWN.

MAN.

I'M FINALLY TRYING TO DO
SOMETHING TO FIX THINGS,

SO I CAN'T BE OUT OF TIME

BECAUSE I'M READY TO CHANGE.

SO YOU'RE GOING TO GO
IN THE PARKING GARAGE?

YEAH, IT'S WHERE
YOU PARK AT HERE.

PLEASE DON'T GET SMART

CAN YOU GET OUT?

YEAH.

IT'S HARD TO GET OUT
OF THE VAN, BUD.

I'LL SHUT IT.

I'M PRAYING THAT WHATEVER
IS WRONG WITH ME

ISN'T SOMETHING REALLY BAD
AND THAT IT'S TOO LATE,

BUT I FEEL LIKE I'M DYING,
AND I'M SCARED IT IS.

IT'S BEEN A MONTH SINCE
MY FIRST APP WITH DR. NOW.

I HAD A BIT OF A SCARE
WHEN I GOT BACK

BECAUSE I GOT REALLY SICK,

AND I WAS WORRIED
THAT I PUSHED MY BODY

TO A BREAKING POINT
WITH ALL THE TRAVELING.

BUT I MOSTLY HAD FOOD POISONING

FROM SOMETHING
I ATE ON THE ROAD,

BUT I HAD ALSO
IRRITATED MY LYMPHEDEMA,

SO IT WAS FLARING UP
REALLY BAD,

AND IT WAS STARTING
TO GET INFECTED.

SO THEY PUT ME ON ANTIBIOTICS TO
CLEAR IT UP BEFORE IT GOT WORSE,

BUT I'M FEELING
A WHOLE LOT BETTER NOW,

AND I'M REALLY GLAD THAT
NOTHING WAS SERIOUSLY WRONG

AND THAT I STILL HAVE TIME
TO TRY AND TURN THINGS AROUND.

WANT TO GO OUTSIDE?

YOU WANT TO GO POTTY, HMM?

WANT TO GO PLAY BALL
AND POTTY?

COME ON.
LET'S GO.

YOU WANT TO GO POTTY?
YOU WANT TO GO POTTY?

HOLD ON. HOLD ON.

I'VE BEEN WORKING TO DO
DR. NOW'S EXERCISES AND DIET.

FOR ACTIVITY, I'VE BEEN
GOING OUT TO WALK BELLA,

AND I PLAY WITH HER A LITTLE.

HOLD ON. HOLD ON.

OH, OH!

THE FIRST DAY, I COULDN'T DO IT
FOR MORE THAN A FEW MINUTES,

BUT NOW I CAN STAND AND GET
AROUND FOR ALMOST 30 MINUTES

BEFORE I HAVE TO REST.

SO I FEEL GOOD ABOUT THAT

BECAUSE THAT MEANS
I'M MAKING PROGRESS,

BUT I STILL HAVE TO BE
REALLY CAREFUL

NOT TO PUSH MYSELF
TOO MUCH AT ONCE.

COME ON, COME ON.

COME ON.
BELLA, COME ON.

GO ON.

BUT ME AND JESSICA ARE ALSO
CHANGING OUR DIETS TO DR. NOW'S,

AND I'M WORKING REALLY HARD
TO LOSE WEIGHT.

I JUST HOPE THAT I MAKE ENOUGH
PROGRESS BY MY NEXT APPOINTMENT

BECAUSE WITH EVERYTHING
THAT'S HAPPENED THIS PAST MONTH,

I KNOW I HAVE TO GET HELP NOW
MORE THAN EVER.

WE'RE EVEN WORKING ON MOVING
TO HOUSTON NEXT MONTH

LIKE DR. NOW SAID.

JESS IS STILL A LITTLE
ON THE FENCE ABOUT IT,

BUT IT MAKES SENSE TO ME.

BECAUSE IF I LOSE DR. NOW'S
HELP, I'LL LOSE EVERYTHING.

Dr. Nowzaradan: JULIUS CALLED ME
TO TELL ME THAT HE WAS STRANDED

A COUPLE HOURS AWAY,
AND AT HIS SIZE,

BEING ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD
IN TEXAS HEAT

WITH NO AIR CONDITIONING
WASN'T GOING TO TURN OUT WELL.

HE WOULDN'T HAVE LASTED
LONG LIKE THAT,

SO I SENT A TRANSPORT
TO PICK HIM UP

AND BRING HIM HERE
TO THE HOSPITAL,

SO WE CAN MAKE SURE
HE'S DOING OKAY

AND HE HASN'T DONE ANYTHING
TO PUSH HIS BODY TOO HARD.

HEY, JULIUS, YOU FEELING OKAY
AT THE MOMENT?

MY BODY IS IN
A LOT OF PAIN.

MY LEG IS, LIKE,
EXTREMELY SWOLLEN.

WELL, I SEE THAT.

WE'RE GOING TO MOVE YOU
IN THE BED AND BRING YOU INSIDE,

AND WE'RE GOING TO SEE
WHAT'S GOING ON WITH YOU, OKAY?

-OKAY.
-OKAY?

OKAY.

MY MAIN CONCERN
IS HIS LYMPHEDEMA,

ESPECIALLY WITH ALL THE TRAVEL
HE'S HAD WITH IT RECENTLY,

BUT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE
HE'S DOING OKAY

AND THAT WE DON'T HAVE
ANY ISSUES

THAT WILL BECOME
LIFE-THREATENING FOR HIM SOON.

YOU'RE BLEEDING.

YEAH, BECAUSE THAT THING
SCRATCHED ME,

AND I'M ALREADY
WEEPING FROM HERE

AND SOMEWHERE
RIGHT HERE PREVIOUSLY.

NOW LIFT UP THIS HERE.

IN THE BOTTOM, I THINK
IT'S BLEEDING A LITTLE.

OKAY, THERE WE GO.

BUT IT PROBABLY
IS ALSO IRRITATING

HIS SEVERE LYMPHEDEMA,
AND IF THAT AREA GETS INFECTED,

IT COULD LEAD TO SEPSIS
VERY QUICKLY,

AND WITH HOW ADVANCED IT IS NOW,

IS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME
BEFORE THE LYMPHEDEMA

BECOMES A SERIOUS
AND LIFE-THREATENING ISSUE

IF IT HASN'T ALREADY.

HAVING ANY PAIN RIGHT NOW?

YEAH, THE WHOLE -- PROBABLY
FROM MY HIPS

AND MY BACK DOWN
IS JUST...

WELL, THIS MASS IS VERY HEAVY
AND PUTTING A LOT OF STRAIN

ON YOUR BACK
AND ON YOUR KNEE AND HIP.

YEAH.

AND WE'VE GOT TO GET
THIS MASS OFF,

BUT TO DO THAT, WE NEED
TO GET YOUR WEIGHT DOWN.

YEAH.

IT'S A MATTER OF LIFE
AND DEATH FOR YOU

BECAUSE YOU CAN'T KEEP
GOING LIKE THIS.

YEAH, I KNOW.

OKAY. ALL RIGHT.

LET ME CHECK YOUR LEG
AND YOUR LYMPHEDEMA.

ALL RIGHT. THERE'S NO SIGN
OF INFECTION, WHICH IS GOOD,

BUT IT'S REALLY SWOLLEN
AND IRRITATED,

SO TO BE SAFE AND MAKE SURE,

WE'RE GOING TO GET
SOME TESTS ON YOU,

AND WE'RE GOING TO SEE HOW
THE KIDNEY FUNCTION IS DOING,

BUT, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU HAVE,
LIKE, A LYMPHEDEMA LIKE THIS,

THIS IS, LIKE, THE DEEP
PORTION OF THE GROUND.

ALL THE WATER MOVES THERE.

THE TWO THING IMPORTANT
WITH THIS --

ONE IS TO LOSE WEIGHT.

THE OTHER ONE IS THAT WE NEED
TO REMOVE THIS SURGICALLY.

EVEN REMOVE IT,
IT MAY COME BACK,

BUT IF YOU'RE IN A LOWER WEIGHT,
THEN WE CAN DEAL WITH IT,

BUT WHEN YOU'RE 900
OR EVEN 300 OR 400 POUNDS,

IT'S GOING TO BE VERY HARD
TO DEAL WITH THIS.

SO WE NEED TO AGGRESSIVELY
WORK WITH YOUR WEIGHT,

THINK OF REMOVING THIS MASS.

-YEAH.
-BUT THERE'S A GOOD CHANCE

YOU WOULDN'T SURVIVE
ANOTHER FEW MONTHS

IF WE LET YOU CONTINUE
LIKE YOU HAVE BEEN,

SO AFTER WE RUN OUR TEST,

IF THERE'S NOTHING WE NEED
TO ADDRESS IMMEDIATELY,

WE MAY START YOU
ON A CONTROLLED DIET HERE

TO HELP YOU WITH THAT
SINCE YOU DON'T LOOK

TO HAVE LOST MUCH WEIGHT --
20 TO 30 POUNDS AT BEST,

SO YOUR SITUATION
IS VERY SERIOUS RIGHT NOW

BECAUSE IF YOUR LYMPHEDEMA
GETS INFECTED,

IT'S GOING TO BE VERY HARD
TO TREAT IT WITH ANTIBIOTIC,

AND IT CAN GET IN BLOODSTREAM,
AND AT THAT POINT,

YOU LIKELY WON'T SURVIVE,
OKAY?

SO THIS IS DANGEROUS
SITUATION TO HAVE,

AND YOU NEED TO BE
VERY PROACTIVE

TO TAKE CARE OF IT
RIGHT NOW, OKAY?

OKAY.

BUT WE'RE GOING TO GET
SOME LAB WORK ON YOU,

AND WE'RE GOING TO RUN
THE TESTS WE NEED ON YOU

AND GO FROM THERE,
OKAY?

-OKAY.
-ALL RIGHT.

THANKS.

JULIUS DOESN'T LOOK LIKE
HE LOST MUCH WEIGHT

SINCE HIS LAST APPOINTMENT,

AND EVEN IF ALL HIS TESTS
ARE GOOD,

AND HE DOESN'T HAVE
ANY LIFE-THREATENING ISSUES

DEVELOPING RIGHT NOW, IT'S STILL
TOO RISKY TO SEND HIM HOME

AND CONTINUE LIKE THIS.

WITH HOW HE'S GOING RIGHT NOW,

I THINK HE'S GOING TO DEVELOP
INFECTION IN HIS LEG

THAT WILL BE TOO MUCH
FOR HIS BODY TO HANDLE

AND WILL KILL HIM,
ESPECIALLY WITH HOW THE SKIN

IS CRACKED
AND LEAKING IN THAT AREA,

SO WE NEED TO KEEP HIM HERE FOR
A MONTH OR SO AND CONTROL DIET

TO KEEP HIS WEIGHT DOWN
AS MUCH AS WE CAN,

AND TO HELP CLEAR UP
SOME OF HIS INFECTION,

BUT ULTIMATELY THE ONLY WAY
TO PREVENT HIS LYMPHEDEMA

FROM GETTING WORSE IS FOR HIM
TO LOSE A LOT OF WEIGHT

TO WHERE WE CAN REMOVE
IT SAFELY FROM HIM,

SO WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK
TO DO WITH JULIUS,

AND WE HAVE TO DO IT QUICKLY

BECAUSE JULIUS DOESN'T HAVE
A LOT OF TIME LEFT

TO TURN HIS SITUATION AROUND
BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE.

THIS WHOLE THING JUST KEEPS
GETTING SCARIER AND SCARIER,

BUT AT LEAST I MADE IT,
AND I'M GETTING THE HELP I NEED.

FOR A MOMENT, I KNOW ME AND
JESSICA WERE BOTH REAL WORRIED

WHEN THE CAR BROKE DOWN

BECAUSE I DON'T THINK
I WOULD HAVE LASTED LONG

IF DR. NOW DIDN'T SEND
THE AMBULANCE FOR ME.

I STILL HAD TO WAIT ON THE SIDE
OF THE ROAD

FOR TWO HOURS FOR IT
TO GET THERE,

AND THAT ALONE
WAS ALMOST TOO MUCH,

SO I'M REALLY HAPPY
TO HAVE THAT ALL OVER WITH,

BUT MY ANXIETY
IS STILL REALLY HIGH

BECAUSE I'M SCARED
ABOUT THE TESTS

AND ALL THE STUFF
THAT DR. NOW SAID.

I THINK I DID LOSE MORE
THAN 20 OR 30 POUNDS

IN THE PAST TWO MONTHS,
BUT REGARDLESS,

I'M HERE AND READY TO WORK HARD

AND DO WHAT I NEED TO MAKE SURE
I DON'T END UP TO WHERE MY BODY

FINALLY GETS TO A BREAKING POINT
AND MY WEIGHT FINALLY KILLS ME,

AND I KNOW WITH EACH DAY
THAT PASSES,

I HAVE EVEN LESS TIME,

SO I HAVE TO DO THIS NOW
BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE.

J.T.: I'VE BEEN HERE
AT THE HOSPITAL IN HOUSTON

FOR A COUPLE DAYS, AND THINGS
AREN'T GOING WELL AT ALL,

NOT EVEN REMOTELY.

ME AND JESSICA WERE TRYING
TO FIND A PLACE TO LIVE

HERE IN HOUSTON,
BUT JESSICA WAS STILL HESITANT,

SO WE DECIDED TO PUSH THE MOVE
TO ONCE I GOT APPROVED

FOR WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY,

BUT DR. NOW DOESN'T THINK
IT'S A GOOD IDEA

FOR ME TO MAKE THAT TRIP AGAIN

BECAUSE HE SAYS MY LYMPHEDEMA
HAS A SMALL INFECTION,

AND TRAVELING LIKE
THAT IS GETTING TOO RISKY,

SO I HAVE TO STAY DOWN HERE,

WHICH IS THE FIRST
UNEXPECTED THING,

BUT EARLIER TODAY, JESSICA TOLD
ME SHE DOESN'T WANT TO STAY

DOWN HERE WITH ME RIGHT NOW,

AND THAT SHE WANTS
TO GO BACK TO OKLAHOMA,

WHICH I GUESS BASICALLY
MEANS WE'RE BREAKING UP.

I DON'T KNOW. SO JUST
WHEN I THOUGHT THINGS

COULDN'T GO OFF THE TRACKS
EVEN MORE,

THAT WAS ANOTHER THING
THAT BLINDSIDED ME.

AND THEN TO TOP IT ALL OFF,
THE FOOD HERE IS HORRIBLE,

AND I'M NOT ALLOWED
ANY COMPROMISES.

I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING
TO CALM ME DOWN

OR HELP ME DEAL WITH ALL THIS,

AND WITH NOTHING
TO HELP ME DEAL,

MY STRESS LEVEL AND ANXIETY
JUST KEEP GETTING WORSE.

I'M REALLY, REALLY STRUGGLING.

-HI.
-HEY.

HOW YOU DOING?

OKAY,
I'M JUST SITTING HERE,

JUST BEEN GETTING
ANTIBIOTICS.

I'M GOING TO GO HOME

SINCE THERE'S NOT REALLY
A SET PLAN RIGHT NOW.

YOU EVEN KNOW WHEN THAT IS?

HOPEFULLY TONIGHT, TOMORROW.

OKAY, YEAH, I MEAN,

YOU HAVE TO GO HOME
BECAUSE BELLA IS THERE,

AND I HOPE SHE'S OKAY.

SHE'S OKAY.

ARE YOU EVEN PLANNING
ON COMING BACK?

I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY YET.

DO YOU WANT ME
TO COME BACK?

I MEAN, YEAH.
I GUESS.

I MEAN,

I DON'T KNOW RIGHT NOW.

I MEAN, I NEED YOU
AROUND STILL, YEAH.

I DON'T KNOW.

IT'S NOT THAT I DON'T WANT
YOU TO COME BACK,

BUT , JESS,

WE JUST SIT HERE
AND CONSTANTLY FIGHT.

THAT'S WHAT YOU WANT TO DO
FOR THE NEXT YEAR?

NO.

Jessica:
I FEEL LIKE HE JUST NEEDS
ME AROUND JUST TO HELP HIM,

NOT TO BE, LIKE,
IN A RELATIONSHIP.

HE GETS MAD WHENEVER I CRY
OR WANT TO TALK ABOUT THINGS

BECAUSE HE DOESN'T WANT
TO TALK ABOUT THEM.

IT MAKES ME FEEL LIKE I HAVE
TO BOTTLE EVERYTHING UP.

I LOVE J.T. A LOT, AND THAT'S
WHAT MAKES IT HARD.

HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT ME
LEAVING?

STRESSED. UH...

I MEAN, LIKE, I TOLD YA
THIS AIN'T GOING TO BE EASY.

THIS IS GOING TO BE
LITERALLY TORTURE,

AND I'M NOT -- I'M DEFINITELY
NOT GOING TO BE EASY

TO COPE WITH DURING IT.

WELL, IT COMES OFF TO ME
AS YOU DON'T CARE,

AND THAT'S -- IT HURTS.

JESSICA, WELL,

I'M SORRY,

BUT YOU KNEW THIS
WHEN YOU GOT INTO IT.

I LITERALLY TOLD YOU
ON DAY ONE.

WELL, PLANS CHANGE, I GUESS.

I JUST WANT TO
STAY IN OKLAHOMA.

I CAN'T EVEN BELIEVE THIS

BECAUSE IT'S JUST ONE
THING AFTER ANOTHER.

WHEN YOU GET FRUSTRATED,
MAD, YOU JUST BOLT.

IT'S LIKE, YOU WANT TO TALK
ABOUT OUR RELATIONSHIP?

IF IT'S NOT GOING TO WORK,
THAN WHAT'S THE POINT?

FINE, THEN JUST GO.

I CAN'T DO THIS.

J.T.: I CAN'T BELIEVE
ALL OF THIS HAPPENING.

IN A MATTER OF A FEW DAYS,
I PRETTY MUCH LOST MY HOME,

MY CAR, AND MY GIRLFRIEND,
AND MY DOG FOR NOW

BECAUSE I CAN'T GO BACK
AND GET BELLA.

IT'S LIKE MY WHOLE LIFE
IS FALLING APART

RIGHT WHEN I'M TRYING
TO SAVE IT,

AND ALL I WANT TO DO
RIGHT NOW IS EAT,

BUT I CAN'T EVEN DO THAT,

SO NONE OF THIS IS FAIR AT ALL,
NOT IN ANY WAY.

I'VE BEEN IN HOUSTON FOR A MONTH
NOW JUST LIVING AT THE HOSPITAL,

SO MY LIFE STILL IS KIND OF
IN THE TOILET RIGHT NOW.

I FEEL LIKE I'M GOING OUT
OF MY MIND HERE,

AND THE TERRIBLE FOOD HERE
DOESN'T HELP,

BUT DOC TELLS ME I'M GETTING
A CHANGE OF SCENERY FOR THE DAY

BECAUSE I'M GOING TO
A REHAB CENTER

THAT DOESN'T SOUND LIKE
IT'S AS BAD AS IT IS HERE.

BUT DR. NOW SAYS I NEED
SOMEONE DOWN HERE TO HELP ME,

SO MY COUSIN BLAIR CAME DOWN TO
VISIT ME A COUPLE OF DAYS AGO.

I WAS JUST TOLD BY DR. NOW

THAT I'M GETTING TRANSFERRED
TO A REHABILITATION CENTER.

YEAH.

PROBABLY JUST TRY TO LOOK
FOR APARTMENTS WHILE THERE,

AND JUST GOING TO FIND OUT A WAY
TO GET MY STUFF DOWN HERE.

WE'RE GOING TO FIGURE
SOMETHING OUT.

Blair:
I'VE KNOWN J.T. ALL MY LIFE,

AND I CAME DOWN TO HOUSTON
BECAUSE JESS IS GONE,

AND I'M HERE TO TAKE HER SPOT

AND HELP HIM FOCUS
ON HIS WEIGHT LOSS

AND SUCCEED IN THAT GOAL.

IT'S BEEN REALLY NICE HAVING
SOMEONE DOWN HERE WITH ME

BECAUSE I'VE BEEN
REALLY DEPRESSED.

Dr. Nowzaradan:
WE'VE HAD J.T. IN THE HOSPITAL

FOR THE PAST MONTH.

HIS BLOOD WORK SHOWED THAT
THE INFECTION IN HIS LYMPHEDEMA

WAS STARTING TO COME BACK,

SO WE HAVE BEEN
TREATING HIM FOR THAT

AND HAVE HIS OVERALL HEALTH
IN A MUCH BETTER PLACE NOW.

THE DAY AFTER HE FIRST ARRIVED
HERE AT THE HOSPITAL,

WE CHECKED HIS WEIGHT,

AND HE WAS ONLY DOWN
TO 884 POUNDS,

SO IN 2 MONTHS ON HIS OWN,
HE ONLY LOST 8 POUNDS,

BUT IN THE MONTH WE HAD HIM HERE

ON A 1,200-CALORIE-A-DAY
CONTROLLED DIET,

WE HAVE GOTTEN HIM
TO LOSE 126 POUNDS

TO GET HIM DOWN TO 758.

AND HIS LYMPHEDEMA
HAS IMPROVED SOME

BECAUSE IT'S GETTING SMALLER,

SO NOW WHAT WE CAN DO
IS SEND HIM TO REHAB,

WHICH WILL HELP HIM
GET HIS STAMINA UP,

BUT WON'T HAVE THE SAME
CONTROLLED DIET,

SO WE CAN START TO SEE HOW
HE'S GOING TO DO ON HIS OWN.

-HI, J.T.
-HELLO.

HOW'S YOUR DAY GOING?

IT'S GOING PRETTY GOOD.

OKAY, GREAT.
I'M GLAD TO HEAR IT.

AS YOU KNOW, AND WE'RE GOING TO
GET YOU TO GO TO, YOU KNOW,

WHAT WE CALL A LONG-TERM CARE
FACILITY, WHICH IS REHAB.

THE GOAL WILL BE TO GET YOUR
WEIGHT DOWN UNDER 600 POUNDS,

AND THEN WE CAN EXPLORE THE
OPTIONS FOR WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY

AND REMOVING YOUR LYMPHEDEMA.
SOUND GOOD?

YES, SIR.

LET ME SEE HOW THINGS LOOKING.

ALL RIGHT. IT'S EVEN A LITTLE
BIT SOFTER THAN BEFORE.

MM-HMM.

MAYBE LESS HEAVIER.

OH, OKAY.

SO WE GET THE AMBULANCE
TO PICK YOU UP OVER HERE

AND TAKE YOU TO REHAB CENTER

SO WE CAN START
WORKING ON THAT, OKAY?

-OKAY.
-ALL RIGHT.

GOOD, ANY QUESTIONS?

NO, SIR.

ALL RIGHT.
I'LL SEE YOU OVER THERE.

-THANK YOU.
-SURE.

MY BIGGEST CONCERN RIGHT NOW
IS JULIUS' ATTITUDE.

SINCE JESSICA BROKE UP WITH HIM,
HE'S BEEN SULKING,

BUT EVEN THOUGH THIS HAS BEEN
A HARD TIME FOR HIM,

HE'S GOING TO HAVE TO DECIDE

WHETHER HE REALLY WANTS
TO SAVE HIS LIFE OR NOT

BECAUSE HE DOESN'T HAVE
A LOT OF TIME TO BE ON THE FENCE

ABOUT THIS.

THE CLOCK IS TICKING FOR HIM,

AND WE CAN'T HOLD
HIS HAND FOREVER.

AND IF HE WON'T START TO MAKE
THE CHOICES HE NEEDS,

THEN WE WON'T BE ABLE
TO HELP HIM MUCH LONGER.

J.T.: I'VE BEEN HERE IN HOUSE
IN THIS REHAB FACILITY

FOR ANOTHER MONTH,
AND IT'S BEEN ALMOST AS

MISERABLE AS THE FIRST MONTH
IN THE HOSPITAL.

THE ONLY GOOD THING HAS BEEN
THERE'S JUST A LITTLE BIT

MORE FREEDOM HERE,
BUT IT'S BEEN REALLY LONELY.

MY COUSIN HAD TO GO BACK
A FEW DAYS AFTER I GOT HERE,

AND I HAVEN'T HEARD MUCH
FROM JESSICA,

NOT THAT I WANT TO,
SO I'VE JUST BEEN FOCUSING ON

TRYING TO MAKE THE PROGRESS
DR. NOW WANTS

SO I CAN GET OUT OF HERE SOON,
BUT SO FAR THAT HASN'T HAPPENED.

YOU'RE DONE?

-YEP.
-THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

J.T.: THIS PAST MONTH,
JULIUS HASN'T DONE

AS WELL IN REHAB AS I'D HOPED.

HIS BIGGEST PROBLEM
IS STILL HIS ATTITUDE.

HE DOESN'T LIKE THE FOOD
OR HAVING TO DO THE REHAB

EXERCISES HE NEEDS,

SO HE HASN'T BEEN COMPLIANT WITH
PHYSICAL THERAPY A LOT OF DAYS,

AND HE HAS ALSO BEEN
ORDERING FOOD FOR DELIVERY

AND NOT STICKING TO THE DIET,

SO IT'S SHOWN US HE'S GOING
TO BE IN A BAD SITUATION

IF HE'S ON HIS OWN RIGHT NOW
BECAUSE HE CAN'T AFFORD TO

UNDO THE PROGRESS
WE HAVE MADE WITH HIM SO FAR.

-HI, J.T.
-HELLO.

HOW ARE YOU TODAY?

DOING OKAY.

SO HOW ARE YOU GETTING ALONG?

OKAY, I GUESS, BUT I FEEL LIKE
I'LL BE BETTER WHEN I'M OUT.

YEAH, YOU'VE BEEN HERE
FOR TWO MONTHS,

AND IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE
YOU HAVE LOST ANY WEIGHT.

NO, I HAVEN'T.

WHAT'S THE POINT OF COMING
DOWN HERE AND NOT DOING DIET?

GUESS I'M NOT SURE.

LET'S CHECK YOUR WEIGHT
AND SEE.

OKAY.

WEIGHT ON 0, OKAY.

SO YOU CAN GET ON.

748, HUH?

ACTUALLY, I DID LOSE WEIGHT,

AND I HAVEN'T GAINED ANY WEIGHT
SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE.

YOU KNOW, WITH YOUR 700 POUND,

IF YOU STICK
WITH THE 1,200-CALORIE DIET,

HOW MUCH YOU'RE GOING
TO LOSE A MONTH?

I HAVE NO IDEA.

100 POUNDS.

YEAH, I DID THAT LAST MONTH
LIKE YOU SAID.

YOU SHOULD HAVE DONE IT
AGAIN.

THAT'S JUST ACCORDING TO YOU.

WHAT DO YOU MEAN?
WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO TELL ME?

MY MENTAL STATE, ME NOT
BEING IN A MENTAL STATE,

ME BEING STRESSED OUT,

MAKES ME EAT,
MAKES ME WANT TO EAT.

THAT'S ME BEING HERE.

I'M ASSUMING THAT IF
I'D HAVE WENT BACK HOME,

I'D HAVE BEEN LOSING
THAT WEIGHT,

AND WE'D BE HAVING SURGERY

AND A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT
CONVERSATION THAN THIS.

YOU'RE NOT MAKING
ANY SENSE.

NO MATTER IF YOU WERE IN HOUSTON
OR OKLAHOMA OR TIMBUKTU.

MM-HMM.

NOTHING JUSTIFIED
TO BE UNHEALTHY

AND GIVE ME ALL
THAT RHETORIC THAT,

"I DIDN'T FOLLOW THAT
BECAUSE I WASN'T

PLANNING TO BE IN HERE."

-OKAY.
-REALLY?

I MEAN, THIS IS YOURLIFE.

THIS IS YOURHEALTH.

OKAY.

AND YOU ARE
RESPONSIBLE FOR IT,

AND WE'VE GIVEN YOU
HELP AND TOOLS

TO CHANGE YOUR LIFE
AND BE HEALTHY,

AND YOU'RE MAKING
ALL KIND OF NONSENSE HERE,

REASON NOT TO FOLLOW DIET,
RIGHT?

-MAKE SENSE?
-SURE.

-IT DOES?
-YES.

-TO YOU?
-YES.

OKAY,
THERE'S NO HOPE FOR YOU.

YOU'RE GOING TO
KILL YOURSELF YOUNG.

-OKAY.
-OKAY?

NOTED.

YOU GAIN THE WEIGHT BACK
AND BECOME IMMOBILE,

THEN YOUR HEALTH IS GOING
TO GO DOWN THE TUBE,

AND YOU'RE NOT
GOING TO SURVIVE.

MM-HMM.

YOU'RE KILLING YOURSELF
WITH THE FOOD.

WHICH PART OF THAT IS
SO HARD TO UNDERSTAND?

NO MATTER WHERE YOU ARE,

YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE
FOR YOUR EATING HABITS.

YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE TO IMPROVE
YOUR LIFE AND YOUR HEALTH.

DON'T MAKE THOSE EXCUSES
THAT ARE ACCEPTABLE TO YOU

TO NOT FOLLOW THE DIET
BECAUSE THE FLOOR WAS CROOKED.

THE LIGHT WAS NOT GOOD.

THE BED WAS NOT GOOD.

"I WAS NOT PLANNING
TO BE HERE,

SO I'M GOING TO
KILL MYSELF WITH FOOD."

-OKAY.
-OKAY?

-YES.
-ALL RIGHT.

-MM-HMM.
-YOU UNDERSTAND ALL THAT?

-YES, SIR.
-ALL RIGHT.

LET'S GO BACK TO YOUR ROOM.

ALL RIGHT, J.T.
THE QUESTION FOR YOU IS,

DO YOU WANT TO BE HEALTHY?
DO YOU WANT TO LIVE LONGER?

DO YOU WANT TO BE IN THIS
SITUATION REST OF YOUR LIFE

AND ENJOY SITTING IN THE BED
AND EAT YOURSELF TO DEATH?

AND BE TRUTHFUL ABOUT IT,
BECAUSE SO FAR YOU HAVEN'T,

AND YOU NEED TO BE UP-FRONT
AND TELL US

WHAT YOUR INTENTIONS ARE

BECAUSE IF YOU PLAN
TO KEEP MOPING AROUND

AND MAKING EXCUSES INSTEAD
OF CHANGING YOUR LIFE,

THEN WE DON'T NEED TO WASTE
ANY MORE TIME WITH THIS.

SO WHAT DO YOU WANT TO DO?

DO YOU WANT TO CHANGE
YOUR LIFE OR NOT?

WHAT IS IT?

I WILL BE STICKING WITH THE DIET
AND STICKING WITH THE PLAN.

WELL, THE QUESTION WAS NOT
STICKING WITH THE DIET.

DO YOU WANT TO CHANGE
YOUR LIFE?

YES.

THEN STOP MAKING EXCUSES
JUST LIKE YOU HAVE DONE

YOUR WHOLE LIFE TO JUSTIFY

WHAT YOU WANT TO DO
THAT IS KILLING YOU.

THAT CHOICE AND MIND-SET
IS UP TO YOU,

AND ULTIMATELY, THE WORK
TO DO THIS IS UP TO YOU.

WE'RE GOING TO GIVE YOU
THE TOOL,

BUT YOU ARE THE ONE THAT'S GOING
TO HAVE TO DO ALL THE WORK.

YOU THINK YOU CAN DO THAT?

YES.

YOU THINK YOU GOT ENOUGH
STAMINA AND INNER FEELING

THAT YOU'RE GOING TO BE ABLE
TO MAKE THOSE CHANGES?

YES.

OKAY, IF YOU'RE TELLING ME
THE TRUTH,

AND YOU STICK WITH THE DIET
LIKE WE DISCUSSED,

YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO LOSE
IN ONE MONTH EASILY 100 POUNDS,

BUT THE GOAL I'M GIVING YOU
IS JUST TO LOSE 80 POUNDS

IN THE NEXT MONTH, OKAY?

-OKAY.
-ALL RIGHT.

IF YOU'RE NOT ABLE
TO LOSE THAT,

THEN THAT MEANS YOU'RE NOT
STICKING WITH YOUR DIET.

-YOU UNDERSTAND THAT?
-YES, SIR.

ALL RIGHT.
I'LL SEE YOU LATER, OKAY?

-YEP.
-OKAY.

J.T. IS AT A CROSSROAD
RIGHT NOW.

I KNOW HE HAS HAD A LOT HAPPEN
TO HIM

IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME,
BUT IT'S UP TO HIM TO DECIDE

WHETHER HE WANTS TO USE THAT
AS AN EXCUSE TO CONTINUE

TO SELF-DESTRUCT
AND KILL HIMSELF WITH FOOD

OR WHETHER HE WANTS TO START
TO TRULY MAKE THE CHANGES

HE NEEDS TO SAVE HIS LIFE,

BUT WE CAN'T KEEP HIM
HERE FOREVER,

SO HE'S GOING TO DECIDE
WHICH PATH HE WANTS TO GO DOWN.

J.T.:
I GUESS I'M STILL NOT GETTING
OUT OF HERE ANYTIME SOON.

NONE OF THIS IS GOING LIKE
I THOUGHT IT WOULD,

AND THE HARDER I TRY,
THE WORSE THINGS GET.

AFTER DR. NOW CAME BY LAST WEEK,

I WAS STILL STRUGGLING A LOT,
BUT I CALLED MY COUSIN BLAIR

TO KIND OF VENT ABOUT THINGS
AND HOW HARD IT ALL IS,

AND HE TOLD ME HE'D COME BACK
DOWN TO BE WITH ME

AND ENCOURAGE ME,

SO HE'S BEEN BACK IN HOUSTON
WITH ME FOR THE PAST WEEK,

AND SO THAT'S HELPED ME A LOT.

BUT RIGHT NOW,
MY FOCUS IS ON DOING

WHAT I HAVE TO
TO GET OUT OF HERE.

AND THAT MEANS I NEED
TO HIT THE GOAL DR. NOW GAVE ME,

SO I'M WORKING REALLY HARD
TO LOSE WEIGHT.

-THERE YOU GO.
-THANK YOU.

BON APPéTIT.

THANKS.

I'M ONLY EATING THE FOOD
THEY GIVE ME HERE,

EVEN THOUGH IT'S AWFUL.

DO YOU WANT MY BEANS?

DID YOU TRY THEM?

I DON'T KNOW IF I'M ALLOWED
TO HAVE THEM.

-SO DO YOU WANT MINE?
-NO.

BLAIR HAS MADE SOME PROGRESS
FINDING A HOUSING OPTION FOR ME.

HE FOUND A HALFWAY HOUSE
FOR MEN DOING REHAB

AND GOING THROUGH
MEDICAL PROCEDURES

THAT I MIGHT QUALIFY FOR.

SO IF THAT WORKS OUT, I CAN
STAY THERE FOR THE NEXT YEAR.

I FEEL LIKE J.T.
IS LOSING WEIGHT.

I'M PROUD OF HIM
FOR GETTING HIS LIFE TOGETHER.

I THINK THE HARDEST PART
IS FINDING AN APARTMENT,

AND I JUST WANT TO HELP HIM
STRESS LESS.

FOR THE FIRST TIME
SINCE I GOT BACK TO HOUSTON,

I FEEL LIKE I HAVE SOME HOPE,
AND I FEEL MOTIVATED AGAIN.

I JUST NEED TO KEEP AT IT
BECAUSE I KNOW

I HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO,

SO IT'S MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER
FOR ME TO WORK AS HARD AS I CAN

SO I DON'T MESS THIS UP
AND LOSE THE CHANCE

I STILL HAVE AT THE LIFE I WANT
BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE.

FOR THE FIRST TIME
IN THE LAST THREE MONTHS,

I'M REALLY EXCITED

BECAUSE I'M FINALLY GETTING
TO LEAVE THE REHAB FACILITY.

WHEN THEY MOVED ME
TO A BIGGER ROOM,

I STARTED TO THINK THE PLAN
WAS FOR TO BE HERE FOREVER,

BUT YESTERDAY, I HIT DR. NOW'S
WEIGHT-LOSS GOAL

HE GAVE ME A MONTH AGO,
SO HE'S FINALLY DISCHARGING ME,

AND I REALLY CAN'T WAIT
TO GET OUT OF HERE.

MY COUSIN BLAIR
HAD TO GO BACK HOME

ABOUT A WEEK AND A HALF AGO,

BUT HE WAS DOWN HERE
FOR ALMOST A MONTH

AND REALLY HELPED ME OUT.

I DON'T THINK I COULD'VE
DONE THIS WITHOUT HIM,

AND I WOULDN'T HAVE A PLACE
TO GO NOW IF IT WEREN'T FOR HIM

BECAUSE HE GOT EVERYTHING
WORKED OUT,

AND I WAS APPROVED TO MOVE
INTO THE HALFWAY HOUSE,

AND SO THAT'S WHERE I'M HEADED,

BUT I'M NOT QUITE SURE
WHAT TO EXPECT,

SO I'M A LITTLE NERVOUS
ABOUT THAT

BECAUSE IT'S JUST GOING
TO BE SOMEWHERE NEW,

AND THERE'S ALSO GOING TO BE
PEOPLE I'M LIVING WITH.

BUT MOSTLY, I'M JUST EXCITED
TO BE GETTING OUT OF HERE

AND THAT I HAVE A PLACE
TO LIVE FOR NOW.

Dr. Nowzaradan:
OVER THE LAST MONTH,

J.T. HAS STARTED TO WORK
A LITTLE BIT HARDER

AND HAS HAD A TURNAROUND
IN HIS ATTITUDE AND PERSPECTIVE,

SO THAT'S BEEN NICE TO SEE,

AND I'M PROUD OF HIM
FOR GETTING MORE MOTIVATED

AND MAKING THE CHOICE
TO START DOING

WHAT HE SAYS HE WANTS TO DO.

I GAVE HIM A GOAL TO LOSE
80 POUNDS OVER THE LAST MONTH,

AND HE LOST 77,
SO HE'S DOWN TO 671,

SO HE'S HEADING
IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION

AND SHOWING ME HE'S READY
TO BE ON HIS OWN AGAIN,

BUT IF HE WANTS TO KEEP MOVING
AND GET WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY,

HE'S GOING TO NEED
TO GET UNDER 600 POUNDS

AND TO SHOW ME HE'S WILLING
TO KEEP DOING THE WORK

HE NEEDS TO DO THIS
FOR THE LONG-TERM.

OKAY, MR. CLARK,
YOUR RIDE IS HERE.

YOU NEED HELP
WITH ANYTHING?

-NO, MA'AM.
-YOU'RE GOOD?

-YEP.
-WE ENJOYED YOU.

I APPRECIATE IT.

SO I'VE GIVEN HIM A GOAL
TO LOSE ANOTHER 75 POUNDS

OVER THE NEXT TWO MONTHS,

BUT NOW HE JUST HAS TO DO IT
COMPLETELY ON HIS OWN.

HOPEFULLY HE'S GOING
TO STAY ON TRACK,

BUT THAT'S ALL UP TO HIM NOW.

I'M FEELING REALLY GOOD ABOUT
ALL THE PROGRESS I'VE MADE,

AND THAT IN JUST 3 MONTHS,
I'VE MADE IT DOWN TO THE 600s.

IT'S A LOT EASIER TO GET AROUND,
AND I'M EXCITED ABOUT THAT.

BUT I KNOW I STILL HAVE
A LONG WAY TO GO

AND THAT I CAN'T GET
TOO COMFORTABLE

WITH MY PROGRESS RIGHT NOW,

SO I WANT TO KEEP WORKING HARD
TO HIT MY NEXT GOAL

AND GET WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY,

AND I THINK BEING OUT
OF THE FACILITY

AND ON MY OWN
IS GOING TO HELP ME DO THAT

BECAUSE IT'S GOING
TO HELP MY MIND-SET,

AND BEING IN THIS HOME
WITH OTHER PEOPLE

IS GOING TO HELP ME
WITH MY LONELINESS, TOO.

BECAUSE WHEN I'M LONELY,
THAT ALSO MAKES ME WANT TO EAT,

SO I THINK I'M GOING INTO
A BETTER SETUP FOR ME

TO KEEP DOING WHAT I NEED
TO MAKE IT TO MY GOALS.

THIS PLACE SEEMS GOOD,

AND I THINK IT'S GOING
TO BE GOOD FOR ME.

I JUST HOPE THE PEOPLE HERE
ARE COOL AND FRIENDLY

BECAUSE I'M GOING TO BE
LIVING HERE FOR A WHILE.

MY PLAN RIGHT NOW IS TO WORK
AS HARD AS I CAN

TO HIT DR. NOW'S GOAL
IN TWO MONTHS AND GET APPROVED

FOR WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY

BECAUSE I HAVE A LIFE I WANT
TO REBUILD AND START AGAIN,

AND THAT'S NOT REALLY
GOING TO HAPPEN

UNTIL I LOSE THE WEIGHT
AND GET MY LYMPHEDEMA REMOVED.

SO I'M GOING TO WORK REALLY HARD
TO TRY TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN

BECAUSE I WANT TO BE ABLE
TO START THAT LIFE

AS SOON AS I CAN.

I'VE BEEN OUT OF REHAB
AND LIVING IN MY SHARED HOME

FOR ABOUT A MONTH NOW,
AND I'VE HAD MY UPS AND DOWNS.

THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS
I'M STILL TRYING TO GET USED TO

AND MANAGE, MAINLY BECAUSE
I DON'T HAVE A CAR

OR ANY WAY TO GET ANYWHERE,

SO I MOSTLY JUST STAY HERE
ALL DAY AND WATCH TV,

AND I'M ALONE MOST OF THE TIME.

THAT WAS THE BIGGEST THING

I THOUGHT WAS GOING
TO BE DIFFERENT HERE

BECAUSE IT'S A GROUP HOME
WHERE I'M LIVING WITH OTHERS,

BUT MOST OF THE PEOPLE
WHO LIVE WITH ME HERE

ARE GONE DURING THE DAY,

SO LONELINESS HAS STILL BEEN
A STRUGGLE FOR ME

LIKE IT WAS
IN THE MEDICAL FACILITY.

BUT IT'S BEEN NICE
HAVING SOME OF MY FREEDOM BACK

WITH MY MEALS.

I'M STICKING TO DR. NOW'S DIET,
BUT IF I'M BEING HONEST.

IT'S A LITTLE HARDER THAN
I THOUGHT IT WAS GOING TO BE.

BUT I HAVEN'T LOST MY FOCUS,
AND I'M CONFIDENT

I'M LOSING
THE WEIGHT STILL, LIKE I NEED.

I'M NOT GIVING INTO MY CRAVINGS,
AND I'M RESISTING TEMPTATION

BECAUSE GETTING
WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY

IS THE WHOLE REASON
WHY I'M DOWN HERE

AND SACRIFICED MOST OF MY LIFE,
EVEN IF IT WAS ALL UNEXPECTEDLY.

SO I'M MAKING SURE
THAT ALL WASN'T FOR NOTHING,

AND THAT I'M MOVING
TOWARDS THE LIFE I WANT.

AND THAT'S ONLY GOING TO HAPPEN
IF I HIT MY GOAL

AT MY NEXT APPOINTMENT,
SO THAT'S WHAT I INTEND TO DO.

I'M HEADED TO SEE DR. NOW
AT HIS CLINIC

FOR ANOTHER APPOINTMENT
AND TO FIND OUT HOW MUCH WEIGHT

I'VE LOST OVER THE LAST
TWO MONTHS SINCE LEAVING REHAB

AND WHETHER OR NOT I'M APPROVED
FOR WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY.

MY ONLY OPTION TO GET AROUND
RIGHT NOW

IS MEDICALLY-EQUIPPED
TRANSPORT LIKE THIS.

I'M GLAD TO BE GOING ANYWHERE,
EVEN IF IT IS TO A CLINIC.

I'M A LITTLE NERVOUS
ABOUT THE APPOINTMENT.

I KNOW HOW HARD I'VE BEEN
WORKING TO STICK TO THE DIET,

SO I'M CONFIDENT I'M GOING TO
HAVE A GOOD WEIGHT LOSS TODAY,

BUT JUST NOT KNOWING HOW MUCH
AND WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN

MAKES IT HARD
NOT TO BE ANXIOUS,

ESPECIALLY WHEN SO MUCH
IS RIDING ON THE RESULTS.

AND SO IF I DON'T GET APPROVED
FOR SURGERY TODAY,

IT'LL MEAN I'M NOT MOVING
IN THAT DIRECTION.

J.T.?

MY BODY COULD GIVE OUT
AT ANY MOMENT.

THE ONLY WAY TO STOP THAT
IS TO KEEP LOSING

AND GET TO WHERE ALL THE STRAIN
FROM MY WEIGHT IS OFF MY BODY.

AND WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY
IS AN ESSENTIAL PART OF ME

BE ABLE TO DO THAT
BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE,

SO I JUST REALLY HOPE I MADE IT.

I'M AT DR. NOW'S,
ABOUT TO FIND OUT

IF I LOST THE WEIGHT
I NEED TO HIT MY GOAL.

TWO MONTHS AGO,
I WAS DOWN TO 671,

AND I NEEDED TO LOSE
75 POUNDS BY TODAY,

SO IF I DID IT,
I'LL BE UNDER 596.

THAT'S A LITTLE DISAPPOINTING.

I'M HAPPY I'M LOSING,
BUT I WORKED REALLY HARD,

SO I'M EXPECTED
THAT NUMBER TO BE LOWER.

AND I'M A LITTLE UPSET
THAT IT'S NOT.

I'M ALSO WORRIED ABOUT WHAT
DR. NOW IS GOING TO TELL ME

BECAUSE I DIDN'T LOSE ENOUGH.

AND I'M SCARED ABOUT
WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN NOW.

-HI, J.T.
-HEY.

-HOW ARE YOU?
-DOING OKAY.

ALL RIGHT.

SO TODAY,
YOU'RE DOWN TO 619.

ALMOST GETTING INTO THE 500s,
HUH?

-YES, SIR.
-BUT NOT QUITE THERE YET.

OVERALL, YOU'RE DOWN
JUST OVER 270 POUNDS.

-YES.
-SO CAN YOU TELL ANY DIFFERENCE?

A LITTLE BIT, YEAH.
I CAN MOVE AROUND A LOT MORE.

OKAY, SO HERE IS THE DEAL.

YOU DIDN'T HIT YOUR GOAL.

I KNOW.

BUT YOU SHOWED ME ENOUGH
FOR ME TO SEE

THAT YOU'RE TRYING TO DO
WHAT YOU NEED

AND MAKING SOME EFFORT,

SO I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD

AND APPROVE YOU
FOR WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY.

OKAY, GREAT.
THANKS.

BUT THE CATCH IS THAT
I'M GOING TO SCHEDULE IT

FOR TWO MONTHS FROM NOW.

IN THAT TIME, I WANT YOU
TO LOSE ANOTHER 40 POUNDS.

-OKAY?
-OKAY.

-YOU THINK YOU CAN DO THAT?
-YES, SIR.

OKAY, GREAT, BUT IF YOU
DON'T, AND YOU SHOW UP,

AND YOUR PROGRESS HAS SLIPPED,
THEN WE WON'T MOVE AHEAD.

-YOU GOT IT?
-YES, SIR.

WELL, LET ME KNOW
IF YOU NEED ANYTHING, J.T.

OKAY.

SEE YOU SOON.

Dr. Nowzaradan:
I'M HAPPY TO SEE THAT J.T.

HAS MADE SOME GOOD PROGRESS
ON HIS OWN,

AND HAS AT LEAST ENOUGH
WEIGHT-LOSS TO SHOW ME

HE'S MOVING
IN THE POSITIVE DIRECTION,

BUT I STILL NEED
A LITTLE BIT MORE FROM HIM

BECAUSE HE SHOULD HAVE
EASILY LOST MORE

THAN HE DID OVER
THE LAST TWO MONTHS.

SO I NEED TO SEE A LITTLE
MORE PROGRESS FROM HIM

BEFORE I'M CONFIDENT HE'S READY
FOR WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY.

J.T.: WHEN DR. NOW SAID
HE WAS GOING TO APPROVE ME,

I THOUGHT IT WAS A JOKE
FOR A SECOND,

SO THIS IS GREAT,
AND I'M REALLY EXCITED,

BUT AT LEAST I KNOW ALL
I'M SACRIFICING IS WORTH IT,

AND THERE'S PURPOSE
FOR EVERYTHING

I'M PUTTING MYSELF THROUGH.

BUT I'M NOT WORRIED ABOUT
HITTING ANOTHER GOAL

AS LONG AS IT MEANS
I GET SURGERY.

BUT I LOST MORE THAN 40 POUNDS
THIS TIME,

SO I KNOW WHAT IT'S GOING
TO TAKE AND THAT I CAN DO IT,

SO I'M EXCITED ABOUT IT, AND I'M
REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO IT.

AFTER 10 MONTHS OF SACRIFICE
AND HARD WORK,

I'VE FINALLY MADE IT
TO GETTING WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY.

I JUST WISH I HAD SOMEONE HERE
WITH ME FOR IT

BECAUSE IT'S A BIG OPERATION

AND A LITTLE SCARY
TO BE GOING THROUGH.

BUT I KNOW THIS IS A MAJOR STEP

IN GETTING TO WHERE ALL MY HOPES
AND DREAMS CAN COME TRUE,

AND I'M DOING THIS
TO GET THAT LIFE.

SO I'M MORE THAN READY
TO DO THIS

BECAUSE AFTER THE SURGERY TODAY,

I'LL BE CLOSER
THAN EVER TO HAVING IT.

THIS SIDE?

YEAH, THAT'S GOOD.

PERFECT. PERFECT.

Dr. Nowzaradan: TODAY,
WE ARE ATTEMPTING TO PERFORM

A GASTRIC SLEEVE ON J.T.

TWO MONTHS AGO, I APPROVED HIM
FOR WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY

AS LONG AS HE LOST
40 MORE POUNDS BY TODAY,

AND OVER THE LAST TWO MONTHS,

J.T. GOT DOWN TO 571,

WHICH IS A WEIGHT LOSS
OF 48 POUNDS DURING THAT TIME,

SO HE LOST MORE THAN HIS GOAL,
AND HE'S SHOWN ME

THAT HE'S READY FOR
THIS OPERATION TODAY.

BUT DOING ANY OPERATION ON HIM
AT HIS CURRENT WEIGHT

IS NOT ONLY HIGH-RISK
BECAUSE OF THE STRAIN

ALL HIS WEIGHT PUTS ON HIS BODY,

BUT BECAUSE HIS LYMPHEDEMA MASS

IT'S GOING TO MAKE IT DIFFICULT

TO KEEP HIM ON THE TABLE
LIKE WE NEED.

IT'S GOING TO REQUIRE US TO TAKE
SOME EXTRA MEASURES

TO SECURE HIS LEG
AND HIS WHOLE BODY TO THE TABLE

BECAUSE IF HIS LEG
OR ANY PART OF HIM

COMES OFF THE OPERATING TABLE,

IT WILL TAKE
HIS WHOLE BODY WITH IT.

WE HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFUL

TO MAKE SURE NOTHING HAPPENS
DURING SURGERY

THAT CREATES A LIFE-THREATENING
SITUATION WITH HIM

TO WHERE WE AREN'T ABLE TO
COMPLETE THE OPERATION

LIKE WE NEED.

OKAY, STARTING
THE FIRST INCISION.

BUT IF WE ARE ABLE
TO SUCCESSFULLY

COMPLETE THE SURGERY,
THEN WHAT THIS WILL DO FOR J.T.

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,

SO THIS OPERATION WILL GIVE THEM

AN OPPORTUNITY
TO LOSE EVEN MORE WEIGHT.

SO THIS WILL BE
AN IMPORTANT TOOL

TO HELP HIM TO STAY ON COURSE
AND LOSE WEIGHT

AS LONG AS HE CONTINUES
TO WORK HARD LIKE HE NEEDS.

CAN YOU TURN
THE ROOM LIGHT ON?

OKAY, ALL FINISHED.

J.T.'S SURGERY WENT VERY WELL,
AND THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE

WAS TO PUT HIM ON THE O.R. TABLE
AND SECURE HIM

TO THE POINT THAT WE CAN
DO HIS SURGERY SAFELY.

NOW THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE WILL
BE TO GET HIM OFF THE TABLE.

BECAUSE WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL
OF HIS LEG WHEN WE UNSTRAP HIM.

IF IT FALLS OFF, IT WILL BE
TOO MUCH FOR HIS BODY TO HANDLE,

SO WE'RE GOING TO NEED
TO GET MORE PEOPLE IN HERE

AND MOVE HIM CAREFULLY.

OKAY.

ARE YOU LOCKED?

OKAY.

-READY?
-ONE, TWO, THREE.

THAT'S IT.

NOW THAT WE'VE SUCCESSFULLY
TRANSFERRED J.T.

BACK TO THE BED,

WE'LL GET HIM TO RECOVERY
SO HE CAN REST.

SINCE HE DOESN'T HAVE ANYONE
AT HOME TO HELP HIM

AND HE'S THE ONLY SUPPORT SYSTEM
FOR HIMSELF,

SO BECAUSE OF THAT,

I PLAN TO KEEP HIM HERE
UNTIL HE FULLY RECOVERS,

BUT FOR THE NEXT MONTH,
HE WILL BE ON LIQUID DIET,

AND IN THAT TIME, HE SHOULD BE
ABLE TO LOSE AT LEAST 40 POUNDS,

AND THEN AT LEAST 25 POUNDS
EACH MONTH AFTER THAT.

J.T.'S GOAL WEIGHT
WILL BE AROUND 220 POUNDS,

SO AS FAR AS HE'S BEEN
ABLE TO COME,

HE STILL HAS A LOT OF PROGRESS
HE NEEDS TO MAKE

AND HARD WORK AHEAD OF HIM
TO DO THAT.

BUT IF HE DOESN'T CONTINUE
TO DO WHAT HE NEEDS,

HE COULD EASILY START
TO GAIN AGAIN

AND END UP BACK WHERE HE STARTED
AT 900 POUNDS

AND FACING AN EARLY DEATH.

SO HE NEEDS TO MAKE SURE
ALL HIS PROGRESS

DOESN'T END UP
JUST BEING TEMPORARY

BECAUSE HE GAINS
ALL HIS WEIGHT BACK.

SO HE'S NOT OUT OF THE WOODS
YET,

AND HE NEEDS TO MAKE SURE
HE STAYS MOTIVATED

AND KEEPS PUSHING HIMSELF

TO MAKE SURE
THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN.

J.T.: I'VE BEEN TRAPPED HERE IN
THE HOSPITAL SINCE MY SURGERY.

I TOLD DR. NOW THAT I THOUGHT
I HAD PROVEN MYSELF TO HIM

AND SHOWED HIM
I CAN DO THIS ON MY OWN.

HE SAID IT'S NOT THAT, AND THAT
HE WANTED ME TO HAVE HELP

WHILE I RECOVERED BECAUSE
I DON'T REALLY HAVE ANYONE,

AND I COULDN'T ARGUE WITH THAT.

BUT AT LEAST MY SURGERY
WENT WELL,

AND I'M MAKING MORE PROGRESS.

BUT DOC SAID HE'S COMING BY
TO SEE ME,

AND IF I'M DOING WELL ENOUGH
THAT HE'S GOING TO DISCHARGE ME,

SO MY HOPES ARE UP
THAT I CAN GET OUT OF HERE TODAY

AND GO BACK TO HAVING
A LITTLE MORE FREEDOM AGAIN.

-HI, J.T.
-HELLO.

HOW ARE YOU FEELING TODAY?

-DOING OKAY.
-ALL RIGHT.

SO YOU READY TO GO HOME?

YES, SIR.
ALL RIGHT.

WELL, LET'S SEE WHERE
YOUR WEIGHT IS AT,

AND THEN WE CAN GET YOU
ON YOUR WAY, OKAY?

OKAY.

MOVING THE SCALE IN,
AND WE'LL CHECK YOUR WEIGHT.

OKAY, 519, SO YOU'VE LOST
ANOTHER 52 POUNDS

THIS PAST MONTH,
SO THAT'S GREAT.

ALL RIGHT.
J.T., YOU'RE DOING GOOD,

SO WE'LL GET MEDICAL
TRANSPORT HERE FOR YOU

AND GET YOU GOING HOME.

ALL RIGHT.

IF YOU HAVE ANY ISSUES,
GIVE ME A CALL.

ALL RIGHT.

AND WE'LL SEE YOU FOR YOUR
NEXT APPOINTMENT IN A MONTH.

OKAY.

I'M PROUD OF YOU,
SO KEEP WORKING HARD

AND MAKING THE CHOICES YOU NEED.

AND ONCE YOU GET UNDER 450,

WE CAN TRY TO REMOVE
YOUR LYMPHEDEMA MASS.

SOUND GOOD?

THAT SOUNDS VERY GOOD.

ALL RIGHT.
I'LL SEE YOU SOON.

I APPRECIATE IT.

OKAY, TAKE CARE.

I'M PROUD OF J.T. FOR HOW FAR
HE HAS COME THIS PAST YEAR.

IN THE BEGINNING, HE HAD
SOME ISSUES

WITH HIS PERSPECTIVE
AND MOTIVATION

THAT LED HIM TO BE
NONCOMPLIANT FOR A WHILE,

BUT I HAVE BEEN VERY GLAD
TO SEE HIS TURNAROUND

AND TO SEE HOW HARD HE'S WORKED
FOR THE LAST SIX MONTHS.

AND AT THIS POINT, I'M CONFIDENT

HE'S GOING TO BE ABLE
TO STICK WITH IT,

SO WE CAN GET HIM TO HIS GOAL
OVER THE NEXT YEAR.

HE MAY HAVE SOME UPS
AND DOWNS ALONG THE WAY,

BUT AS LONG AS HE KEEPS
WORKING LIKE HE HAS BEEN,

HE'LL BE ABLE TO DO THIS
FOR THE LONG-TERM.

J.T.: I'M REALLY GLAD TO BE
GOING HOME AGAIN.

I START TO GET WORRIED
IT'S NEVER GOING TO HAPPEN

AFTER A WHILE BECAUSE
THAT'S WHAT IT FEELS LIKE.

I'M THANKFUL FOR ALL THE HELP
I GET AT THE MEDICAL FACILITY,

BUT I'M READY TO KICK
INTO HIGH GEAR ON MY OWN

AND TO WORK AS HARD AS I CAN TO
GET MY LYMPHEDEMA REMOVED NEXT,

SO I'M GOING TO KEEP PUSHING
MYSELF TO LOSE LIKE I NEED

UNTIL I GET APPROVED FOR IT.

AND THEN I DON'T PLAN TO STOP

UNTIL I GET TO MY GOAL
OF 220 POUNDS,

AND I CAN'T WAIT FOR THAT.

WITH ALL MY WEIGHT LOSS
AND PROGRESS,

I'VE BEEN ABLE TO BUILD
MY STAMINA UP

TO WALK A WHOLE LOT FURTHER

THAN I'VE BEEN ABLE TO GO
FOR MORE THAN 10 YEARS,

SO I'VE BEEN TRYING
TO TAKE WALKS OUTSIDE

FOR MY DAILY EXERCISE.

AND A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO,
I WAS ABLE TO GO FAR ENOUGH

TO DISCOVER A NEARBY PARK.

IT'S SMALL, BUT IT'S NICE,

AND WITHOUT A CAR,
IT'S AT LEAST A PLACE

I CAN GO TO FEEL LIKE
I'M ENJOYING THE OUTDOORS.

IT SOUNDS CRAZY, BUT WHEN
YOU'RE ALMOST 900 POUNDS,

YOU FORGET WHAT THE SUN
AND WIND FEEL LIKE ON YOUR SKIN

BECAUSE YOU EITHER NEVER GO
OUTSIDE ANYMORE, OR YOU DO,

AND YOU'RE SWEATING SO MUCH
THAT IT'S ALL YOU CAN FEEL.

SO I'M SAVORING BEING ABLE TO DO
SOMETHING LIKE THIS NOW.

AS SIMPLE AS THAT IS,
IT'S A BIG DEAL TO ME

BECAUSE IT SHOWS ME HOW FAR

I'VE BEEN ABLE TO COME
IN THE LAST YEAR.

I HAD MY TWO-MONTH POST-SURGERY
FOLLOW-UP WITH DR. NOW

A FEW DAYS AGO, AND I'M JUST
BARELY IN THE 400s AT 491.

AND I'VE JUST BARELY LOST
OVER 400 POUNDS.

I CAN HARDLY BELIEVE I'VE BEEN
ABLE TO DO THAT

AND FOR THE WAYS I CAN SEE
MY LIFE STARTING TO GET BETTER,

AND IF I CAN STAY ON TRACK,
IT'S JUST GOING TO KEEP ON

GETTING BETTER
BECAUSE DR. NOW SAID IF I DO,

I'LL BE READY FOR MY LYMPHEDEMA
REMOVAL IN A COUPLE MONTHS.

AND THAT COULD TAKE UP
TO ANOTHER 100 POUNDS OFF ME,

SO THAT'S GOING TO BE
LIFE-CHANGING FOR ME.

NOT TO JUST DROP MORE WEIGHT,

BUT BECAUSE THIS THING
HAS BEEN PULLING ON ME

AND KEEPING ME
FROM GETTING AROUND

FOR MORE
THAN A THIRD OF MY LIFE.

SO I'M EXTREMELY MOTIVATED
TO MAKE SURE I HIT THAT GOAL

AND GET THAT
IN THE NEXT COUPLE MONTHS.

AND IF I DO, IT'LL ALSO MEAN

I'LL BE IN THE LOWER-300s
VERY SOON.

SO I FEEL LIKE ALL THE HARD WORK

AND ALL THE SACRIFICE
THIS TOOK IS PAYING OFF.

A YEAR AGO, I COULDN'T EVEN SEE
A FUTURE FOR MYSELF.

I WASN'T GOING TO SURVIVE
LONG ENOUGH TO HAVE ONE,

BUT NOW I DO.

AND I'M GETTING CLOSE ENOUGH
TO THAT FUTURE

AND THAT LIFE I WANT
TO WHERE I CAN SEE IT,

AND I CAN BELIEVE
I'M GOING TO MAKE IT,

SO I'M MORE MOTIVATED THAN EVER
TO PUSH MYSELF TO GET THERE

AND START A LIFE I GAVE UP ON.

SO I'M NOT SLOWING DOWN
OR GETTING OFF TRACK

BECAUSE I CAN SEE THE LIFE
I WANT ON THE HORIZON.

I'LL BE THERE SOON,
AND I CAN'T WAIT FOR THAT.