Original subtitles

Dominic: THE SCARIEST THING ABOUT BEING HOMELESS

IS THE UNCERTAINTY OF EVERYTHING.

Woman: 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 GONNA BE TOO LATE.

IT HURTS!

Woman #3: I REFUSE TO STOP FIGHTING.

I HAVE TO DO THIS FOR MY CHILDREN.

WE'RE HOMELESS RIGHT NOW. WE'RE LIVING IN OUR VAN.

-BOTH OF YOU? -YES, IN THE VAN.

THAT'S GOING TO BE A DIFFICULT SITUATION TO TREAT.

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

CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS

Dominic: I NEVER THOUGHT MY LIFE WOULD END UP LIKE THIS.

I FEEL I AM IN A NIGHTMARE BECAUSE MY LIFE IS SUCH A MESS

RIGHT NOW IN SO MANY WAYS.

BUT MY LIVING SITUATION AND HEALTH

ARE MY TWO BIGGEST STRUGGLES RIGHT NOW

BECAUSE THEY'RE THE WORST THEY'VE EVER BEEN,

AND I JUST FEEL LIKE MY WORLD HAS FALLEN APART.

ME AND MY BROTHER LIVE IN MY VAN

BECAUSE WE'RE HOMELESS AND MY SIZE MAKES MY SITUATION HARDER

BECAUSE OF HOW I STRUGGLE NOW TO FIT PLACES AND DO THINGS.

HOW DID YOU SLEEP?

ALL RIGHT. LITTLE PAINFUL. MY HIP IS BOTHERING ME.

I HAD TO READJUST.

I REALLY WANT TO TAKE A SHOWER.

IT'S BEEN AWHILE.

WE HAVE ENOUGH MONEY FOR A ROOM?

YEAH, I THINK WE MIGHT,

BUT LET'S GET SOMETHING TO EAT FIRST.

LET'S GO.

Dominic: IT'S NOT VERY EASY TO GO TO SLEEP IN A VAN ON THE STREETS.

THERE'S ALWAYS PEOPLE AROUND, OTHER HOMELESS PEOPLE,

ADDICTS, AND THEN WE ALSO GOT TO KEEP A LOOKOUT FOR COPS.

WE DON'T WANT TO GET IN TROUBLE OR YOU KNOW, HAVE THEM TELL US

THAT WE CAN'T BE HERE ANYMORE.

WHAT HELPS ME FORGET ABOUT THAT AND ALL MY TROUBLES IS FOOD,

AND MY LIFE REVOLVES AROUND EATING AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.

HI, WHAT CAN I GET STARTED FOR YOU?

CAN I GET A SIX OF THE BACON, EGG, AND CHEESE BISCUITS...

OKAY.

...SIX HASH BROWNS, TWO TRIPLE GRIDDLES.

CAN I GET THREE OF THE BIG BREAKFASTS

AND A LARGE CHOCOLATE SHAKE WITH WHIPPED CREAM?

-OKAY. -YEAH, THAT'S IT.

OKAY. I'LL HAVE A TOTAL FOR YOU AT THE WINDOW. THANK YOU.

Dominic: I GET PRETTY HUNGRY PRETTY QUICKLY,

SO I'LL PROBABLY EAT FOUR, FIVE TIMES, SIX TIMES A DAY

IF I CAN, WHEN I CAN.

AS I'M EATING, ALL MY WORRIES DO SEEM TO DISAPPEAR.

FOOD IS NEVER MAD AT ME, RIGHT?

AND IT NEVER JUDGES ME, AND IT'S ALWAYS THERE FOR ME,

SO I CAN RELY ON IT TO LIFT ME UP

AND BE THERE TO HELP ME GET THROUGH WHATEVER IT IS I NEED.

SO WITHOUT FOOD, I DON'T KNOW HOW I WOULD GET THROUGH MY DAY.

AND IF I COULD AFFORD IT, I'D JUST NEVER STOP EATING,

BUT ME AND JAMES ARE ON A FIXED INCOME.

I GET SOME FOOD STAMPS, BUT THEY DON'T LAST LONG.

I GET MONEY BY PUBLIC ASSISTANCE, GENERAL AID

BECAUSE I'M NOT ABLE TO WORK, BUT IT'S NOT A LOT.

MY BROTHER IS ABLE TO WORK SOMETIMES

AND GET SMALL JOBS, BUT IT'S NOT CONSISTENT,

SO IT'S NOTHING WE CAN RELY ON.

BUT WHAT WE DO GET, WE MOSTLY SPEND ON FOOD PRETTY MUCH.

WE SAVE SOME FOR GAS TO TRY TO GET AROUND

AND THEN WE TRY TO SAVE UP TO GET A HOTEL

ONCE A WEEK OR EVERY TWO WEEKS

SO WE COULD SHOWER AND REST IN A BED.

THAT WAS GOOD.

IF WE DIDN'T NEED TO CLEAN UP, AND IF JAMES DIDN'T WANT A BED

EVERY NOW AND THEN, I'D SKIP GETTING A HOTEL ROOM

BECAUSE THAT'S TWO MORE MEALS A PIECE FOR US

THAT WE DON'T GET TO HAVE EACH TIME WE DO THIS.

I WOULD RATHER GET THE FOOD AND SAY,

"WELL, I COULD GO ANOTHER DAY WITHOUT THE HOTEL."

BUT I KNOW IT'S NECESSARY SO WE DO

BECAUSE IF I DON'T, AT MY SIZE,

YOUR SKIN BREAKS DOWN FROM ALL THE RUBBING IN BETWEEN FOLDS,

SO YOU HAVE TO KEEP THOSE AREAS CLEAN.

IT'S IMPORTANT, BUT THAT'S NOT ALWAYS EASY.

AND WHEN WE TRY TO GET A HOTEL ROOM,

WE HAVE TO FIND ONE WITH A HANDICAP SHOWER SO I COULD FIT.

IT'S BEEN THREE YEARS SINCE I FIT INTO A REGULAR SHOWER.

THE WHOLE PROCESS OF STAYING CLEAN ISN'T EASY.

AT MY SIZE, NOTHING IS.

MOVING THROUGH THE WORLD FEELS LIKE I'M CARRYING

AN INVISIBLE BOULDER AROUND MY NECK ALWAYS.

BUT IT'S MY BODY, MY WEIGHT.

SO ANYTHING THAT TAKES A LOT OF ENERGY FOR ME TO DO

IS ALMOST TOO MUCH FOR ME NOW.

MY BROTHER JAMES HELPS ME IF I NEED IT,

BUT HE DOESN'T LIKE TO HELP ME WITH STUFF LIKE THIS.

AND I FEEL BAD THAT HE HAS TO DO SO MUCH FOR ME.

SO I'M AT LEAST GLAD I CAN STILL GO TO THE BATHROOM,

SHOWER BY MYSELF, I JUST CAN'T DO IT FOR LONG.

BATHING FOR ME IS PHYSICALLY EXHAUSTING,

MENTALLY EXHAUSTING, TIRING,

BUT I TRY TO DO THE BEST I CAN...

...BECAUSE IT'LL BE AT LEAST ANOTHER WEEK OR TWO

BEFORE WE SAVE UP AND DO THIS AGAIN,

SO I TRY TO FOCUS ON THE AREA UNDER MY STOMACH AND MY LEG

BECAUSE ABOUT A YEAR AGO I GOT LYMPHEDEMA,

AND I NEED TO KEEP THAT CLEAN TO PREVENT INFECTION,

BUT IT'S A BIGGER CHALLENGE

NOW TO KEEP MY LYMPHEDEMA CLEAN AND DRY, NOW THAT I'M HOMELESS.

AND IT'S GETTING EVEN HARDER FOR ME EACH TIME

I DO IT, SO I KNOW MY ABILITY TO GET AROUND IS GETTING WORSE

AND IT SCARES ME THINKING ABOUT LOSING THAT ABILITY.

BUT I KNOW THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING BECAUSE

NOW I STRUGGLE TO BREATHE AT TIMES,

AND I CAN ONLY PROBABLY STAND FOR FIVE MINUTES AT A TIME

BEFORE I'LL HAVE TO SIT DOWN

OR LEAN ON SOMETHING BECAUSE OF MY BACK OR MY KNEES.

SO I CAN SEE ALL THE WAYS IT'S GETTING REALLY BAD FOR ME.

LOSING MY MOBILITY SCARES ME.

THAT WOULD BE DEVASTATING BECAUSE

IF I WERE TO LOSE THE ABILITY TO GO TO THE RESTROOM

AND BATHE BY MYSELF, IT WOULD MEAN THE END.

AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT I'M GOING TO DO IF IT GETS TO THAT POINT.

SO IT DEPRESSES ME BECAUSE THIS ISN'T THE LIFE

I THOUGHT I'D HAVE.

IT'S NOT A LIFE ANYONE SETS OUT TO HAVE IN ANY WAY.

MY SIZE HAS ALWAYS BEEN AN ISSUE FOR ME BECAUSE GROWING UP,

ME AND MY WHOLE FAMILY LOVED TO EAT, AND ALL THE GOOD TIMES

WE HAD TOGETHER, WE WERE ALL EATING.

MY BEST MEMORY IS PROBABLY MY MOM'S HOMEMADE TORTILLAS.

BEFORE DINNER, I WOULD SNEAK A COUPLE OF TORTILLAS,

PUT BUTTER ON THEM, AND THEN GO HIDE AND EAT THEM

SO I COULD HAVE MORE DURING DINNER.

SO, YOU KNOW, FOOD WAS A BIG DEAL TO US

AND IT MADE US ALL HAPPY

AND THAT'S WHAT I KNEW AS I GOT OLDER

AND THINGS STARTED TO CHANGE AND GET HARDER FOR US.

MY MOM AND DAD WERE GOOD PARENTS,

BUT THEY STARTED TO HAVE ISSUES TOGETHER IN THEIR MARRIAGE.

WELL, IT STARTED WITH THEM FIGHTING MORE...

...AND THEN THE FIGHTS GOT WORSE UNTIL MY MOM GOT TO A POINT

WHEN I WAS 9 THAT SHE KICKED MY DAD OUT.

AND WHEN THAT HAPPENED, I WAS DEVASTATED.

I KNOW JAMES WAS, TOO, BUT IT HIT ME REALLY HARD.

UP UNTIL MY DAD LEFT, DOMINIC AND I HAD A GREAT CHILDHOOD.

WE DIDN'T WANT FOR ANYTHING.

BUT WHEN MY DAD LEFT, THAT'S WHEN THE TROUBLE STARTED.

Dominic: AFTER THAT, MY PARENTS GOT DIVORCED,

AND I ONLY SAW MY DAD ON WEEKENDS.

I WAS OVERWEIGHT BUT NOTHING CRAZY.

I WAS AROUND A 100 POUNDS WHEN I WAS 9.

BUT MY WEIGHT JUST KEPT GOING UP

AS I WENT TO FOOD MORE WHEN THINGS GOT HARDER.

AND I NEEDED IT BECAUSE A COUPLE OF YEARS AFTER MY DAD MOVED OUT,

HE LEFT ABRUPTLY, AND AFTER THAT,

WE DIDN'T EVEN HEAR FROM HIM.

AND IT WAS LIKE HE JUST STOPPED CARING ABOUT US.

LAST WE HEARD, ABOUT 15 YEARS AGO,

HE DIDN'T HAVE OTHER KIDS.

BUT MY DAD ABANDONING US REALLY AFFECTED DOMINIC.

IT SHATTERED HIM. HE WASN'T THE SAME AFTERWARDS.

Dominic: IT'S BEEN 27 YEARS SINCE I'VE SEEN MY DAD.

I STILL MISS HIM A LOT.

I THINK ABOUT HIM EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE.

AND THE LAST I WAS TOLD, HE HAD MOVED TO HOUSTON,

BUT I DON'T KNOW IF HE'S EVEN STILL ALIVE NOW.

BUT WHEN HE LEFT, NOT ONLY DID I LOSE HIM,

BUT HIM LEAVING LED TO THINGS GETTING WORSE IN MY LIFE

BECAUSE MY MOM WORKED A LOT.

AND WHEN SHE COULDN'T BE HOME WITH US,

THERE WERE TIMES WHEN I HAD TO GO STAY

AT A FAMILY MEMBER'S HOUSE --

THE FAMILY MEMBER THAT STARTED TO ABUSE ME.

A FAMILY MEMBER THAT ABUSED ME

WAS ONLY A COUPLE YEARS OLDER THAN ME.

IT WAS CONFUSING AND AWFUL.

I DIDN'T TELL MY MOM ABOUT THE SEXUAL ABUSE

BECAUSE I THOUGHT I WOULD GET IN TROUBLE.

I WAS ASHAMED, SO I KEPT IT INSIDE.

AND SO, IT KEPT HAPPENING.

BUT EVERY TIME IT HAPPENED, IT MADE ME WANT TO EAT A LOT

BECAUSE FOOD WOULD BRING ME HAPPINESS, TASTE GOOD, COMFORT.

AND I PUT ON SOMETHING LIKE 50 POUNDS IN THAT NEXT YEAR

TO OVER 150 BY THE TIME I WAS 11.

BUT AROUND THAT TIME IS WHEN THE ABUSE STOPPED

BECAUSE I GOT OLDER AND I DIDN'T HAVE TO GO OVER THERE ANYMORE.

AND I WAS REALLY HAPPY ABOUT THAT.

BUT WHAT IT DID TO ME WAS STILL THERE.

IT STILL HAUNTS ME TO THIS DAY.

I'VE JUST BEEN COPING WITH IT EVER SINCE.

BUT IF I WAS EATING,

I COULD PRETEND THAT NONE OF THAT HAD HAPPENED TO ME,

SO I ATE WHATEVER I COULD, WHENEVER I COULD.

AND BY THE TIME I WAS 14, I WEIGHED 300 POUNDS.

DOMINIC WAS ALWAYS A BIG KID.

BUT AFTER A WHILE, ONCE WE STARTED GETTING OLDER,

IT JUST STARTED BALLOONING A LOT.

Dominic: NO ONE WANTS TO BE THE BIG KID IN HIGH SCHOOL,

SO I TRIED TO CONTROL MY EATING SOME,

BUT I NEVER REALLY COULD, SO I KEPT GETTING BIGGER.

AND I JUST STARTED AVOIDING EVERYONE AS MUCH AS I COULD,

SO FOOD WAS MY ONLY REAL FRIEND.

BY THE TIME I FINISHED HIGH SCHOOL,

I WAS OVER 400 POUNDS.

WHEN WE WERE YOUNG, DOMINIC WAS VERY OUTGOING,

CHARISMATIC, HE WAS FUNNY, AND HE SEEMED VERY HAPPY,

BUT AS THE YEARS WENT ON, THAT JUST STAYED HIDDEN,

AND I WAS THE ONLY ONE SEEING IT.

YOU KNOW, HE JUST SHUT IT OFF TO EVERYONE ELSE.

Dominic: NO MATTER HOW MUCH I WANTED TO SLOW IT DOWN OR STOP IT,

MY WEIGHT JUST KEPT CLIMBING.

AND AFTER HIGH SCHOOL, THAT DIDN'T CHANGE.

I GOT A JOB, BUT I HAD TO QUIT AFTER TWO MONTHS

BECAUSE OF MY WEIGHT.

I ENDED UP JUST STAYING HOME ALL DAY

AND ALL I DID WAS BASICALLY WATCH TV,

PLAY VIDEO GAMES, AND EAT.

SO I GOT OVER 450 BY THE TIME I WAS IN MY 20s.

SHORTLY AFTER THAT, I REALIZED

THAT I COULDN'T MOVE AROUND THE WAY I USED TO.

AND IT GOT TO A POINT WHERE WHEN I WAS 23,

I WAS CLOSE TO 500 POUNDS.

AND THEN WHEN I WAS 25, WE FOUND OUT MY MOM HAD DIABETES

AND WAS JUST IN DECREASING HEALTH.

SO AFTER THAT, ME AND MY BROTHER TOOK CARE OF HER

AND THAT LASTED ALMOST EIGHT YEARS WHERE WE DID THAT.

BUT AS I GOT INTO MY 30s,

ME AND MY BROTHER NEEDED MORE HELP TO TAKE CARE OF HER,

SO WE ALL MOVED IN WITH OUR GRANDMOTHER,

SO SHE COULD HELP, TOO.

BUT MY GRANDMOTHER PASSED AWAY A COUPLE OF YEARS

AFTER WE DID THAT,

AND WE ALL KEPT LIVING IN THE HOUSE TOGETHER.

AND THEN MY MOM PASSED AWAY WHEN I WAS ABOUT 34,

AND THAT WAS DEVASTATING.

MY MOTHER MEANT EVERYTHING TO ME.

EVERY DAY I WAKE UP AND SHE'S THE FIRST PERSON I THINK ABOUT

AND HOW I MISS HER.

SHE WAS THE ONE PERSON I COULD COUNT ON.

James: IT WAS VERY HARD WHEN MY MOM DIED.

IT WAS VERY SURPRISING. IT WAS VERY SHOCKING.

AND LOOKING BACK ON THAT, I FEEL LIKE I HAVEN'T LEARNED ANYTHING

BECAUSE MY MOM WAS STRUGGLING WITH FOOD ISSUES.

AND NOW I'M AFRAID DOMINIC MIGHT KILL HIMSELF WITH FOOD

LIKE MY MOM DID.

BUT I DON'T KNOW WHAT WILL GET HIM TO LOSE WEIGHT.

BEFORE MY MOM PASSED AWAY, SHE DID ENCOURAGE ME TO GET HEALTHY.

IT WAS AROUND THAT TIME WHEN IT GOT ON A SCALE

AND FOUND OUT THAT I WAS UP TO 630 POUNDS.

AND I KNOW MY WEIGHT HAS PROBABLY BEEN GETTING WORSE

SINCE THEN.

THAT WAS ABOUT FOUR YEARS AGO THAT MY MOM PASSED AWAY,

AND SHE WAS THE ONE WHO KEPT THE REST OF THE FAMILY IN LINE

TO KIND OF PROTECT MY GRANDMOTHER

FROM BEING TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF.

BUT WITH MY MOM GONE, THERE WAS NO ONE TO KEEP DOING THAT.

WHEN MY GRANDMOTHER DIED,

WE HAD THE MOTIVATION TO KEEP THE HOUSE FROM BEING SOLD,

BUT A LOT OF OUR FAMILY MEMBERS CONSPIRED TO GET

WHATEVER THEY COULD OUT OF IT AND NEVER PAY RENT.

THEN EVENTUALLY AFTER MY MOM DIED

AND NOBODY WAS PAYING ANY BILLS,

SO THE HOUSE WAS SOLD BY THE COUNTY.

Dominic: LOSING THAT HOUSE LEFT ME AND JAMES HOMELESS,

SO WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY CHOICE

OTHER TO LIVE IN MY VAN ON THE STREETS.

THE SCARIEST THING ABOUT BEING HOMELESS

IS THE UNCERTAINTY OF EVERYTHING.

I HAVE NO IDEA HOW WE'RE GOING TO SURVIVE

OR WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO.

AT THE SAME TIME, I DO FEEL LIKE A BURDEN TO MY BROTHER.

THE STRESS OF HIM HAVING TO FIND A JOB

AND ALSO HAVING TO WORRY ABOUT ME

IS HARD FOR HIM, SO IT MAKES ME FEEL GUILTY

THAT MY BROTHER HAS TO TAKE CARE OF ME.

James: EVERY DAY WE'RE SPENDING MONEY

THAT WE CAN'T AFFORD TO FEED DOMINIC.

AND WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH MONEY

TO KEEP FEEDING DOMINIC THIS WAY.

AND IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT MONEY. IF HE DOESN'T SLOW DOWN,

HIS BODY'S GOING TO JUST GIVE UP.

Dominic: I'M 37 AND I KNOW I'M OVER 600 POUNDS,

BUT I DON'T EVEN KNOW MY EXACT WEIGHT RIGHT NOW.

BUT WE KNOW THINGS ARE GETTING WORSE

AND I'M GETTING TO A REALLY BAD PLACE THAT SCARES ME.

THE PERSON I USED TO BE IS LOST AND GONE.

MY WEIGHT HAS TAKEN AWAY THE LIFE I WANTED

AND I'M VERY TIRED OF THIS LIFE. I WANT A FAMILY.

I WANT A ROOF OVER MY HEAD. I WANT A SPOT TO LAY MY HEAD,

BUT NOT BEING ABLE TO CONTROL MY EATING HAS DESTROYED MY LIFE.

AND I'M SCARED I'M NOT GOING TO HAVE THE CHANCE

TO EVEN CHANGE TO HAVE THOSE THINGS

BECAUSE I'M NOT GOING TO BE ALIVE MUCH LONGER

IF I KEEP LIVING LIKE THIS.

I'M MOST AFRAID OF DYING, LEAVING MY BROTHER BY HIMSELF

BECAUSE LOSING ME WOULD BREAK WITH BROTHER.

HE WOULD HAVE NO ONE ANYMORE.

HE WOULD BE ALONE. THAT SCARES ME.

AT THIS POINT, I'M STUCK IN MY VAN WAITING TO DIE.

AND I FEEL LIKE I'M IN A CAGE.

I FEEL TRAPPED, STUCK.

I DESPERATELY NEED THINGS TO CHANGE.

AND I'M HOPING ME AND MY BROTHER CAN FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN GET

WHAT WE NEED TO GO TO HOUSTON TO GET HELP FROM DR. NOW,

SO I COULD FIND A WAY TO STOP EATING AND LOSE WEIGHT.

BECAUSE IF YOU DON'T FIGURE THAT OUT SOMEHOW,

THEN I KNOW I'M NOT GOING TO BE ALIVE MUCH LONGER

BECAUSE THERE'S NO WAY MY BODY

CAN TAKE MUCH MORE OF BEING LIKE THIS.

I JUST REALLY HOPE IT'S NOT GOING TO BE TOO LATE.

Dominic: ME AND JAMES HAVE BEEN TRYING TO SAVE UP ENOUGH MONEY

TO GO TO HOUSTON TO SEE DR. NOW,

BUT WE'VE BEEN HAVING TROUBLE GETTING ENOUGH TOGETHER

TO FEEL LIKE WE COULD MAKE IT ALL THE WAY THERE.

WE CAN'T END UP STRANDED SOMEWHERE WITH NO MONEY FOR GAS

AND IN A PLACE WE'RE NOT FAMILIAR WITH

WHERE WE MIGHT GET ARRESTED FOR LOITERING AROUND IN PLACES.

BUT OUR COUSIN GINA TOLD US SHE WANTS TO TRY AND HELP US OUT.

SHE'S THE ONLY FAMILY WE REALLY TALK TO NOW.

THE ONLY FAMILY WE HAVE LEFT REALLY.

AND SHE'S THE ONE WHO CONVINCED ME

TO START CONSIDERING GOING TO SEE DR. NOW

TO TRY AND GET HIS HELP,

AND SHE SAID SHE'S GOING TO COME GIVE US SOME MONEY TO HELP OUT

BECAUSE SHE'S WORRIED I'M RUNNING OUT OF TIME.

HI, GINA. GLAD TO SEE YOU.

HOW ARE YOU GUYS DOING? I BROUGHT YOU GUYS SOME...

-THANK YOU. -...TOOTHPASTE AND STUFF.

HOW ARE YOU DOING? HOW'S WORK GOING?

OKAY.

-BUSY. -BUSY.

HOW ARE YOU GUYS... HOW'S EVERYTHING ELSE GOING?

IT'S GOING ALL RIGHT.

MY LEG IS FEELING A LITTLE HEAVY AGAIN.

IS IT STILL... SWOLLEN?

YEAH, IT'S GOTTEN BIGGER.

USUALLY OVER THE DAY, IT STARTS GETTING BIGGER,

BUT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE DAY, IT'S LESS.

WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN? LIKE, WHAT'S THE PLAN?

WHAT'S NEXT?

I KNOW LAST TIME WHEN I SAID,

"WE WERE GOING TO SET A GOAL. WHAT DID YOU WANT TO DO?"

AND YOU SAID... DO YOU REMEMBER?

BARBECUE, YEAH. BARBECUE. GET SOME BARBECUE.

NO, YOU SAID GO THE BEACH.

OH, YEAH, YEAH, YEAH. THAT'S RIGHT.

FOOD.

YEP. ALWAYS THINKING ABOUT FOOD. BUT, YEAH, THE BEACH.

YOU SAID THAT WAS A GOAL OR A DREAM OF YOURS TO GO...

GO TO THE OCEAN, YEAH.

PUT YOUR FEET IN THE SAND.

YEAH.

YOU HAVE TO DO SOMETHING, DOMINIC.

I JUST FEEL LIKE THERE'S NOTHING I CAN DO.

YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? YOU HAVE TO DO IT.

YEAH.

YOU HAVE TO.

HOPEFULLY THIS DOCTOR IN HOUSTON WILL BE ABLE TO HELP ME.

MAYBE THAT'LL BE THE DIFFERENCE.

I'M HOPING IT WILL BE.

OKAY. ALL RIGHT. WELL, I'M GOING TO GO.

-ALL RIGHT. -I'LL TEXT YOU.

THANK YOU. BYE.

TAKE CARE. LET ME KNOW WHAT HAPPENS.

-YEAH. -IF YOU FIND OUT ANYTHING.

-THANK YOU GINA. -THANK YOU. BYE.

-BYE. -BYE.

Dominic: GINA IS OUR ONLY REAL FAMILY ME AND JAMES HAVE LEFT,

AND I KNOW SHE CARES ABOUT ME AND WORRIES ABOUT US,

AND I FEEL BAD THAT I DO THAT TO HER.

BUT WITH THIS HELP SHE'S GIVEN ME,

I'M HOPING IT'S ENOUGH TO GET ME AND JAMES TO HOUSTON.

Dominic: WE GOT EVERYTHING WE NEED READY TO GO

TO HEAD OUT ON THE ROAD TO HOUSTON.

AT LEAST WE HOPE WE DO. BUT WE GOT SUPPLIES AND STUFF.

DID A TUNE UP ON THE CAR, GOT SOME TIRES, ADDED OIL.

BUT ALL THAT TOOK, LIKE, HALF HER MONEY.

WE HAD NO CHOICE THOUGH.

WE CAN'T AFFORD FOR ANYTHING TO GO WRONG ON THE ROAD

AND TO GET STRANDED ANYWHERE. AND IT'S A LONG TRIP, YOU KNOW.

FROM FRESNO TO HOUSTON WITHOUT ANY TRAFFIC, THE DRIVE

SHOULD BE 26, 27 HOURS AND... I'M WORRIED ABOUT THAT.

BUT I'M THANKFUL FOR GINA'S HELP

BECAUSE WE WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO THIS WITHOUT IT.

SO WE'RE GOING TO MEET UP WITH HER TO SAY, "BYE,"

AND THEN HEAD OUT TO TEXAS AND HOPE FOR THE BEST.

WE DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO GO THERE AND COME BACK,

SO THIS IS A ONE WAY TRIP RIGHT NOW,

AND WE'RE PUTTING ALL OUR EGGS IN THIS ONE BASKET,

SO I'M A LITTLE NERVOUS ABOUT THAT.

I'M JUST REALLY HOPING THIS TRIP LEADS TO ME

GETTING THE HELP I NEED.

SO, READY TO GET GOING? I MEAN, FOR GOOD?

IT'S GOING TO BE A LONG TIME UNTIL WE GET BACK.

YEAH. I WOKE UP KIND OF NAUSEOUS AND NERVOUS THIS MORNING,

BUT I'M READY. READY TO DO THIS.

Dominic: I KNOW JAMES DOESN'T REALLY WANT TO GO TO HOUSTON,

BUT HE'S DOING IT FOR ME, SO I'M GOING TO WORK HARD

ONCE I GET THERE TO DO EVERYTHING I CAN TO GET HEALTHY

AND MAKE THIS TRIP WORTH IT.

James: I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS COULD BE

A LIFE CHANGING MOMENT FOR DOMINIC.

SOMETHING THAT HE NEEDS, SO I'LL BE THERE TO HELP, BUT...

BECAUSE THIS IS PROBABLY DOMINIC'S LAST CHANCE

BECAUSE HE'S ALREADY GIVEN IT A FEW TRIES HERE,

AND HE JUST GOT NOWHERE WITH IT,

SO I THINK HE KNOWS THIS IS HIS LAST CHANCE.

James: ALL READY TO GO.

HI. THANKS FOR EVERYTHING, GINA.

YOU'RE WELCOME.

I'M SUPER EXCITED FOR YOU GUYS.

ESPECIALLY YOU, DOMINIC. I JUST WANT YOU TO BE OKAY

AND I WANT YOU TO JUST... ONCE THIS IS ALL DONE

AND JUST REALLY SEE LIFE THE WAY -- THE WAY YOU SHOULD.

I'M JUST -- I'M SUPER EXCITED FOR YOU.

THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU'VE DONE FOR US TOO, GINA.

-OKAY. -THANK YOU.

-TAKE CARE. -THANK YOU AGAIN.

-BE SAFE. -YEAH.

-DRIVE CAREFULLY. -BYE.

DRIVE SAFELY AND TEXT ME.

BYE.

MY APPOINTMENT WITH DR. NOW

IS IN A WEEK SO THAT GIVES US FIVE DAYS TO MAKE IT TO HOUSTON,

BUT I'M HOPING WE'RE ABLE TO MAKE IT SOONER THAN THAT.

I'M TAKING THIS RISK BECAUSE I BELIEVE IT'S THE LAST

AND ONLY OPPORTUNITY I'LL GET TO BETTER MY LIFE

BECAUSE I'M GETTING OLDER AND PUTTING ON MORE WEIGHT,

AND IT'S GETTING HARDER FOR ME TO MOVE AROUND.

SO I NEED TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY

AND DO IT NOW BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE.

LET'S GO FIND A SPOT WE WON'T GET KICKED OUT OF.

-A SAFE PARKING LOT? -YEAH.

Dominic: IT'S BEEN TWO DAYS SINCE WE LEFT FRESNO,

AND WE'RE SOMEWHERE AROUND LAS CRUCES, NEW MEXICO,

SO WE MADE IT ABOUT HALFWAY TO HOUSTON.

I'M HAVING TO DRIVE THE WHOLE WAY

BECAUSE JAMES DOESN'T HAVE A LICENSE RIGHT NOW.

SO I'M GOING AS FAR AS I CAN EACH DAY,

WHICH IS AROUND EIGHT HOURS AT A TIME BEFORE I NEED A REST.

JAMES HAS BEEN TELLING ME WE CAN'T STOP TOO OFTEN FOR FOOD

BECAUSE HE WANTS US TO CONSERVE MORE MONEY,

BUT I TOLD HIM I'D RATHER SKIP THE HOTELS

AND SAVE MONEY THAT WAY,

BUT HE'S WORRIED ABOUT IT BEING DANGEROUS TO SLEEP IN OUR CAR

IN PLACES WE DON'T KNOW,

SO WE'VE BEEN FIGHTING ABOUT THAT.

BUT HE AGREED WE COULD SKIP THE HOTELS SO FAR.

HOW COLD DO YOU THINK IT'S GOING TO GET TONIGHT?

VERY COLD. CLOSE TO FREEZING I THINK.

CLOSE TO FREEZING.

34, 35.

Dominic: BUT THE NIGHT WE GET THERE, WE NEED TO GET A HOTEL ROOM

SO WE COULD GET CLEANED UP BEFORE WE SEE THE DOCTOR

BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO GO IN AND SMELL

WHEN WE SEE HIM, SO THAT'S THE PLAN.

BUT SO FAR THE TRIP HAS BEEN A LITTLE MORE STRENUOUS

THAN I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE,

AND WE'RE JUST FIGHTING A LOT ABOUT THE MONEY AND PLANNING

AND THAT MAKES ME WANT TO EAT MORE,

BUT I'M TRYING TO WAIT UNTIL JAMES GOES

TO SLEEP TO SNACK SOME

JUST SO WE DON'T FIGHT ABOUT USING UP MORE OF OUR SUPPLIES

OR RESOURCES OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

IT'S MY TURN TO SLEEP IN THE BACK TONIGHT.

I THINK YOU HAD IT YESTERDAY, DIDN'T YOU?

NO, YOU SLEPT THERE LAST NIGHT. IT'S MY TURN.

ALL RIGHT, WELL, YOU THINK I COULD SLEEP BACK THERE

AGAIN TONIGHT BECAUSE MY LEGS ARE HURTING ME AGAIN?

-YEAH, I GUESS. -ALL RIGHT, THANKS.

I'LL SLEEP UP HERE AGAIN.

Dominic: ALL I KNOW IS I HAVE AN APPOINTMENT WITH DR. NOW

IN THREE DAYS, BUT IT'S STILL GOING TO TAKE US

AROUND TWO DAYS TO GET THERE.

EVERYTHING ELSE WE STILL HAVE TO FIGURE OUT,

SO WE'RE JUST TRYING NOT TO WORRY ABOUT THAT

AND FOCUS ON GETTING THERE.

BUT I JUST HOPE THINGS DON'T GET WORSE

BETWEEN US WITH THE FIGHTING.

Dominic: WE'VE BEEN ON THE ROAD FOR A TOTAL OF FOUR DAYS NOW,

BUT WE'RE GETTING CLOSE TO HOUSTON,

AND I'M HOPING TODAY'S MY LAST DAY OF TRAVEL

BEFORE I GET TO MEET THE DOCTOR.

AND WE'RE BOTH REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING THERE

AND GETTING A HOTEL ROOM WE COULD REST IN

BECAUSE THIS HAS JUST BEEN A REALLY LONG TRIP.

AND IT'S BEEN HARD ON ME HAVING TO DRIVE THIS LONG.

BUT AS WE GET CLOSER,

I'M GETTING MORE NERVOUS ABOUT WHAT DR. NOW

IS GOING TO SAY BECAUSE I KNOW

I'M EITHER GOING TO GET HIS HELP OR NOT.

BUT I'M WORRIED ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF NOT,

SO I'M THINKING A LOT ABOUT THAT.

I'M GETTING NERVOUS ABOUT SEEING HIM.

WHAT DO YOU THINK? YOU THINK I'LL GET ACCEPTED?

WELL, I HOPE YOU'LL GET ACCEPTED.

WHAT ARE THE REASONS HE WOULD NOT ACCEPT YOU FOR?

IT CAN BE SOMETHING MEDICALLY WITH ME.

-YEAH. -YOU KNOW, IF I...

MY HEART OR SOMETHING OR...

I'M KINDA WORRIED ABOUT SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

Dominic: WE FINALLY MADE IT HERE TO HOUSTON

AND I JUST WANT TO GET REST AND GET CLEANED UP,

BUT I'M VERY HAPPY THAT ME AND JAMES MADE IT

AND THAT THE VAN MADE IT ALL THIS WAY.

THIS IS THE FURTHEST WE'VE EVER TRAVELED,

SO IT FEELS REALLY GOOD TO HAVE ACHIEVED SOMETHING.

LIKE A FIRST STEP FOR ME IN GETTING HEALTHY LIKE I NEED.

-MADE IT, HOMEY. -YEAH.

-WE'RE HERE. -WHOO.

Dominic: I'M SO SORE AND TIRED

FROM BEING CRAMMED BEHIND THE WHEEL FOR SO LONG,

AND I'M STILL WORRIED ABOUT WHAT DR. NOW

IS GOING TO SAY TOMORROW AT MY APPOINTMENT.

BUT RIGHT NOW, I'M JUST EXCITED WE DID THIS AND I MADE IT.

-WE'RE HERE, MAN. -YEAH.

2000 MILES, ALMOST. -ALMOST 2000 MILES.

-YOU STILL EXCITED? -YEAH.

I'M GETTING NERVOUS.

I'M DEFLATING, THOUGH. I'M GETTING TIRED.

-WELL, IT'S LATE. -YEAH.

Dominic: RIGHT NOW, ME AND JAMES HAVE A LITTLE LESS

THAN A THIRD OF THE MONEY LEFT,

SO I'M NOT SURE WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO HERE

IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS WHEN WE RUN OUT AROUND THEN.

BUT RIGHT NOW, MY FOCUS IS JUST ON BEING AT MY APPOINTMENT

WITH DR. NOW TOMORROW AND GETTING ON HIS PROGRAM

BECAUSE IF THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN,

THEN WE JUST CAME OUT HERE TO GET STRANDED FOR NOTHING.

SO THAT'S THE BIG THING I NEED AND WHY I'M HERE,

BECAUSE MY WHOLE LIFE AND FUTURE DEPENDS ON THIS.

Dominic: ME AND JAMES ARE HERE FOR MY FIRST APPOINTMENT WITH DR. NOW,

AND I'M VERY NERVOUS SINCE EVERYTHING IN MY LIFE

IS ESSENTIALLY DEPENDING ON HOW THIS GOES.

BUT I'M HOPEFUL THERE WON'T BE ANY ISSUES GETTING

DR. NOW'S HELP, AND THAT TODAY WILL BE THE TURNING POINT

FOR ME TO GET HEALTHY AND FINALLY LOSE THE WEIGHT.

DOMINIC?

I'M ALSO A LITTLE NERVOUS ABOUT SEEING MY WEIGHT.

I KNOW I'M OVER 600,

BUT THERE HASN'T BEEN A SCALE BIG ENOUGH FOR ME

TO GET MY WEIGHT FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS,

SO I'M WORRIED IT'S CLIMBED A LOT HIGHER THAN 600.

I'M JUST HOPING I'M NOT CLOSE TO 700.

GEEZ.

Dominic: THAT'S A LITTLE SHOCKING AND UPSETTING

TO BE AT MY HIGHEST WEIGHT OF MY LIFE.

AND I KNOW IT WAS JUST GOING TO KEEP GETTING WORSE LIKE THIS

UNLESS I STOP EATING,

SO I'M HOPING TODAY'S THE DAY I CAN TURN THINGS AROUND

AND STOP THE CYCLE BEFORE IT GETS WORSE.

-HELLO. -HELLO.

-HELLO. -HOW Y'ALL DOING?

-PRETTY GOOD. HOW ARE YOU DOING? -I'M GOOD.

GOOD. I'M DR. NOWZARADAN, AND YOU ARE?

DOMINIC HERNANDEZ.

NICE TO MEET YOU.

JAMES HERNANDEZ, HIS BROTHERS.

JAMES HERNANDEZ. BROTHERS, HUH?

BROTHERS.

ALL RIGHT. SO WHERE Y'ALL COMING FROM?

CALIFORNIA, CENTRAL VALLEY.

CALIFORNIA. THAT'S QUITE A WAYS.

SO YOU CAME ALL THIS WAY FOR HELP WITH YOUR WEIGHT.

YES.

OKAY. AND I SEE YOUR BROTHER'S ALSO ON THE SAME PATTERN,

BUT NOT QUITE AS BAD AS YOU. -YEAH.

OKAY. SO YOU'RE 37, AND YOU WEIGH 672 POUNDS.

AND HOW'S YOUR ACTIVITY?

OH, LIMITED. NONE.

YOU WALK?

YEAH, I DO WALK. I CAN WALK.

HOW MUCH YOU CAN WALK BEFORE YOU GET TIRED?

ONLY A FEW YARDS. 20 YARDS.

OKAY. AND ANY SHORTNESS OF BREATH?

-YES. -OKAY.

SO YOU'RE STRUGGLING WITH YOUR MOBILITY.

SO YOU NOT WORKING NOW, HUH?

NO.

SO THEN, DOES YOUR BROTHER WORK?

-NO. -ALL RIGHT.

SO YOUR BROTHER IS HERE WITH YOU, MORAL SUPPORT?

YES, FOR MORAL SUPPORT.

OKAY. AND HOW OLD ARE YOU?

James: I'M 44.

-SO YOU'RE BIG BROTHER? -YEAH, 7 YEARS OLDER.

OKAY. SO IF YOU DON'T WORK AND HE DOESN'T WORK,

HOW DO YOU MAKE A LIVING IF YOU'RE NOT WORKING?

WE'RE HOMELESS RIGHT NOW. WE'RE LIVING IN OUR VAN.

BOTH OF YOU LIVE IN A CAR OR WHAT?

YES, IN A VAN.

HOW DO YOU GET MONEY TO EAT?

DO YOU GET FOOD STAMPS OR WHAT?

YEAH. FOOD STAMPS?

WE GET GENERAL AID AND FOOD STAMPS.

AND I USED TO WORK.

THROUGH TEMP AGENCIES, HE GETS JOBS EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE.

-YEAH. -OKAY.

WELL, SO WHAT DO Y'ALL EAT IN A REGULAR DAY?

FIRST, IT'S TOO MUCH AND BAD FOOD.

SO WHAT KIND OF FOOD SUPPLY Y'ALL HAVE AT YOUR VAN?

-JUNK FOOD. CHIPS. -JUNK FOOD.

YEAH. COLD STUFF THAT WE COULD JUST EAT OUT OF THE CAN.

-WE EAT A LOT OF SOUPS. -YEAH, SOUPS.

-COLD RAVIOLI IN THE CAN. -YEAH, PASTA.

SO HOW DO YOU WARM IT UP?

-WE DON'T. -WE DON'T. WE EAT IT COLD.

ALL RIGHT. I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT WOULD BE POSSIBLE

TO GET YOUR FOOD STAMP TO BE TRANSFERRED TO HERE.

IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, YOU HAVE TO HAVE AN ADDRESS IN TEXAS

TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.

OH, REALLY?

YEAH. SO WE'VE GOT THE DIFFICULT SITUATION

WITH YOUR HEALTH AND ISSUES

WE GOT WITH YOUR FIGURING OUT YOUR LIFE IN BOTH OF YOU,

AND THE DYNAMIC THAT YOU HAVE THAT BOTH OF YOU WERE EATING

AND ENABLING EACH OTHER.

SO THAT'S GOING TO BE DIFFICULT SITUATION TO TREAT.

THERE ARE GOOD HOME SHELTERS AROUND IN HOUSTON

THAT WE CAN GET YOU OVER THERE,

SO YOU CAN HAVE AT LEAST A BEDDING FACILITY,

AND THE MEALS, AND THINGS LIKE THAT FIRST.

PLUS, YOU BOTH NEED SOME CIVILITY IN YOUR LIFE

TO START TO GET THINGS UNDER CONTROL LIKE YOU NEED.

BUT DOMINIC, YOUR HEALTH IS GOING TO START

TO DECLINE RAPIDLY

IF YOU DON'T DO SOMETHING NOW TO CHANGE THINGS.

I UNDERSTAND.

OKAY. ALL RIGHT.

SO LET'S GET YOU TO A HOMELESS SHELTER

OR WE'LL SEE ABOUT PUBLIC HOUSING

BECAUSE YOU MAYBE QUALIFY FOR SOME ASSISTANCE,

AND WE WILL HAVE TO GET A SOCIAL WORKER TO WORK WITH YOU

AND SEE WHAT WE CAN DO TO GET YOU THAT.

BUT WE'VE GOT A LOT OF OBSTACLE TO OVERCOME

AND GET YOUR LIFE BACK.

SO AT THE MEANTIME, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO CHANGE

YOUR EATING HABIT, BOTH OF YOU.

SO I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU BOTH TO READ SOME STUFF,

LIST OF FOOD TO AVOID.

I WANT YOU TO EAT ONLY THREE TIMES A DAY. NO SNACKING.

WAIT A MINUTE, I'M ONLY HERE FOR MORAL SUPPORT.

BUT YOU'RE GOING TO BE WITH HIM.

YEAH.

YOU'RE LEAVING, GOING BACK?

NO. I'M GOING TO STAY HERE.

ALL RIGHT, YOU'RE GOING TO STAY,

BUT IF YOU'RE GOING TO EAT BAD

AND HE'S GOING TO SIT DOWN AND WATCH YOU,

THAT'S NOT GOING TO WORK.

SO YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO EAT BETTER, TOO.

OKAY? SO YOU'RE GOING TO BE MORAL SUPPORT,

YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DO YOUR PART, TOO.

OKAY? -ALL RIGHT.

BECAUSE YOU'RE PART OF HIS OVEREATING

AND HE'S PART OF YOUR OVEREATING.

YOU BOTH ARE FEEDING EACH OTHER, AND THIS DYNAMIC

IS NOT GOING TO BE POSSIBLE TO CHANGE

UNLESS BOTH OF YOU CHANGE.

IS THAT SOMETHING YOU BOTH UNDERSTAND?

-YEAH. -YEAH.

SO I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU BOTH HIGH PROTEIN DIET,

LOW CARB AND 1,200 CALORIE A DAY, OKAY?

JAMES, DO YOU THINK YOU CAN DO THAT?

I COULD DO THAT.

OKAY. AND ALSO THERE'LL BE SOME EXERCISE

I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU

THAT I WANT YOU TO START DOING THOSE TWICE A DAY.

AND THOSE EXERCISES ARE GOING TO BE VERY IMPORTANT

TO GET YOUR STAMINA UP, OKAY?

SO YOU BOTH ARE IN TOGETHER, OKAY?

AND IF YOU ARE TOGETHER, THEN YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE BOTH

HAVE TO BE ON THE SAME PAGE, OKAY?

SO THE PRIORITY FOR BOTH OF YOU

IS TO GET YOUR LIFE IN ORDER, OKAY?

BUT YOU DON'T HAVE TO WAIT FOR ANYTHING TO CHANGE

YOUR EATING HABITS NOW, TO START EATING HEALTHY.

AND THAT'S GOING TO BE REALLY IMPORTANT

TO UNDERSTAND THAT, OKAY?

BUT DOING THAT IS NOT GOING TO BE EASY.

SO DON'T COME BACK HERE

AND SAY, "IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO FOLLOW DIET

BECAUSE I'M STRESSED AND I GOT THIS AND GOT THIS."

NOBODY SAID THAT IT'S GOING TO BE EASY, OKAY?

YOU UNDERSTAND THAT? -YEAH.

THAT'S GOING TO BE HARD, BUT LIFE IS HARD,

AND IF YOU DON'T TRY, IT IS GOING TO BE HARDER.

SO THERE IS NO MAGIC PILL FOR YOU.

AND WHAT I WANT TO SEE FROM YOU, DOMINIC, IS IN TWO MONTHS,

I WANT YOU TO LOSE 60 POUNDS, OKAY?

OKAY? -OKAY. YES.

SO THIS IS GOING TO BE VERY EASY GOAL

BECAUSE IF YOU JUST CUT BACK ON THE CARBS,

EAT ONLY THREE TIME A DAY, DON'T EAT JUNK FOOD,

YOU'RE GOING TO BE EASILY ABLE TO LOSE THAT AMOUNT, OKAY?

OKAY.

GIVE YOU SOME PROTEIN SUPPLEMENT

AND YOU CAN GET THOSE AT THE MEANTIME,

UNTIL WE GET SOME BETTER STUFF AVAILABLE FOR YOU, OKAY?

OKAY.

BUT YOU NEED TO START MAKING ALL THE CHANGES RIGHT NOW

WITHOUT ANY MORE EXCUSES, OKAY?

OKAY.

AND THAT INCLUDES YOU, TOO, JAMES.

YOU GOT IT, TOO?

-YES. -OKAY, GOOD.

SO WE'LL SEE IF WE CAN GET HELP FOR BOTH OF YOU, OKAY,

TO CHANGE YOUR LIFE

BECAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE YOU BOTH NEED SOME HELP.

AND THERE IS A DYNAMIC BETWEEN YOU TWO

THAT MOTIVATES EACH OTHER.

SO, WE NEED TO TURN AROUND THINGS FOR BOTH OF YOU

FOR EITHER OF YOU TO HAVE A CHANCE.

OKAY? -OKAY.

-WELL, NICE TO MEET YOU BOTH. -NICE TO MEET YOU.

I'M SORRY YOU HAVE SO MUCH PROBLEM

THAT NEED TO BE WORKED OUT,

BUT WE'LL DO WHAT WE CAN TO HELP YOU.

AS LONG AS YOU REALIZE THIS IS ALL UP TO YOU

TO DO WHAT YOU NEED AND MAKE ALL

THE CHANGES TO SAVE YOUR LIFE.

OKAY. -YES.

OKAY. ALL RIGHT. ANY QUESTIONS?

NO.

ALL RIGHT. NICE TO MEET YOU GUYS,

AND I'LL SEE YOU BOTH IN TWO MONTHS.

IN THE MEANTIME, IF YOU NEED ANYTHING YOU MAY CALL.

-OKAY. -ALL RIGHT?

-THANK YOU. -THANK YOU.

THAT WAS EXCITING.

YEP.

I DIDN'T LIKE THE FOCUS ON ME.

Dr. Now: IT LOOKS LIKE WE HAVE A LOT OF OBSTACLES

TO OVERCOME WITH DOMINIC

TO GET HIM ON THE RIGHT PATH AND WHERE HE NEEDS

BECAUSE ASIDE FROM NEEDING TO CHANGE HIS EATING HABITS,

HE HAS A DYSFUNCTIONAL DYNAMIC WITH HIS BROTHER

WHEN IT COMES TO EATING

BECAUSE THEY'RE ENABLING EACH OTHER'S UNHEALTHY LIFESTYLE.

AND HIS BROTHER JAMES SEEMS HESITANT TO START WORKING

ON WHAT HE NEEDS TO CHANGE

TO IMPROVE THAT DYNAMIC FOR BOTH OF THEM.

AND ON TOP OF ALL THAT, LIVING OUT OF A VAN RIGHT NOW

IS GOING TO MAKE IT DIFFICULT FOR THEM

TO GET INTO THE ROUTINES THEY NEED WITH EATING

AND EXERCISING TO IMPROVE THEIR HEALTH.

SO WE NEED TO WORK TO HELP THEM GET ESTABLISHED

AS MUCH AS THEY CAN.

SO ALL THAT COMBINED IS NOT GOING TO BE EASY TO ADDRESS,

BUT IT'S ALL GOING TO START WITH DOMINIC TAKING THE FIRST STEP

AND ACCEPTING RESPONSIBILITY

TO START IMPROVING HIS SITUATION.

BUT WE MAY HAVE A VERY LONG ROAD AHEAD WITH DOMINIC

TO GET HIM TO WHERE HE NEEDS TO BE.

Dominic: IT WAS HARD TO HEAR DR. NOW SAY A LOT OF THINGS,

BUT I DO BELIEVE THE DOC'S, RIGHT.

AND I'M JUST GLAD AND RELIEVED HE'S GIVING ME A CHANCE

TO DO THIS PLAN TO GET THE SURGERY

AND GET MY LIFE TOGETHER IN THE WAYS I NEED,

LIKE DR. NOW SAID.

AND I KNOW I'M GETTING A SECOND CHANCE AT LIFE,

AND I WILL DO WHAT IT TAKES TO GET APPROVED.

Dominic: SINCE MY FIRST APPOINTMENT WITH DR. NOW,

ME AND JAMES TALKED ABOUT A PLAN TO START EATING HEALTHIER

SINCE WE DON'T HAVE A PLACE TO COOK AND PREPARE MEALS.

RIGHT NOW, WE AGREED TO NOT USE ANY MONEY WE HAVE LEFT ON HOTELS

AND INSTEAD USE IT TO GO TO RESTAURANTS TO EAT

BECAUSE WE CAN'T GO TO FAST FOODS

BECAUSE THERE'S NO HEALTHY OPTIONS THERE.

CAN I GET THE CRISPY HONEY, GINGER CHICKEN SANDWICH?

AND WE CAN'T GO GROCERY SHOPPING BECAUSE ALL THE HEALTHY OPTIONS

ARE THINGS WE NEED A FRIDGE AND A STOVE FOR,

SO IT'S THE BEST ROUTE I THINK WE HAVE

TO GO TO RESTAURANTS BECAUSE THEY AT LEAST PREPARE MEALS

IN A MORE HEALTHY WAY LIKE I NEED.

IT'S BEEN WHAT, OVER FIVE YEARS

PROBABLY SINCE I'VE BEEN OUT TO A RESTAURANT?

I'VE BEEN TRYING TO GET YOU OUT FOR A LONG TIME.

-PRETTY ANXIOUS. -GORGONZOLA BURGER?

YEAH. THANK YOU.

-THANK YOU. -CAN I GET YOU ANYTHING ELSE?

-NO. -NO, THANK YOU.

-THANK YOU. -ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, ALL.

THANK YOU.

Dominic: ME AND JAMES ALSO WENT THROUGH ALL THE FOOD

STOCKED UP IN THE VAN

TO SEE WHAT FIT THE DIET PLAN AND WHAT DOESN'T,

AND WE TALKED ABOUT THROWING SOME OF THE STUFF

THAT'S NOT HEALTHY OUT,

BUT THAT'S REALLY HARD, TOO, BECAUSE WHEN YOU'RE HOMELESS,

FOOD IS HARD TO COME BY SOMETIMES.

AND YOU KNOW, WE CAN'T REALLY JUST THROW IT AWAY

OR GIVE IT AWAY WHEN WE'RE GOING TO NEED IT

EVEN IF IT IS NOT SO HEALTHY FOR US.

SO JAMES SAID HE'LL EAT THAT STUFF FOR ME

SO I COULD FOCUS ON THE HEALTHY STUFF.

MY BROTHER, HE DIDN'T LIKE WHEN THE DOC FOCUSED ON HIM

BECAUSE HE TOLD ME THAT HE'S HERE FOR MORAL SUPPORT,

BUT YOU KNOW, HE'S STILL GOING TO EAT HOW HE WANTS,

BUT I JUST NEED TO MAKE SURE I STICK TO EATING LIKE I NEED.

OOH-WHEE. TWO MORE BITES.

SO I THINK IT'S GOING WELL RIGHT NOW,

AND WE'RE ALSO WORKING ON THE OTHER THINGS

THE DOCTOR TOLD US LIKE FIGURING OUT HOUSING,

BUT I THINK THAT'S JUST GOING TO TAKE TIME.

SO JAMES IS GOING TO MAKE IT A PRIORITY TO FIND SOME WORK,

SO WE COULD AFFORD TO STAY SOME WORK TO START OUT.

SOMEWHERE THAT HAS A KITCHEN SO WE COULD COOK

AND PREPARE HEALTHY MEALS AND STUFF.

-YEAH, I'M DONE. -YOU'RE DONE?

Dominic: SO WE'RE DOING A LOT AND MAKING A WHOLE LOT OF CHANGES

SO THAT WHEN I GO BACK TO SEE DR. NOW,

HE'LL GIVE ME WEIGHT LOSS SURGERY.

SO THAT'S WHAT I'M HOPING FOR WHEN I GO BACK IN A FEW WEEKS.

ME AND JAMES ARE HERE BACK AT DR. NOW'S

TO SEE HOW MY WEIGHT LOSS IS,

AND I FEEL GOOD ABOUT MY CHANCES OF BEING AS LOW AS I NEED.

I KNOW ME AND JAMES CHANGED A LOT.

I THINK I MADE SOME GOOD PROGRESS

THAT WILL MAKE DR. NOW PROUD OF ME.

DOMINIC.

BUT I'M STILL ALSO REALLY NERVOUS

BECAUSE SO MUCH KIND OF DEPENDS ON THAT NUMBER THAT COMES UP,

SO MY ONLY FEAR IS IF I DID FAIL,

AND IF DR. NOW IS GOING TO THINK I'M BEYOND HELP

BECAUSE IF THAT HAPPENS I'M GOING TO BE DEVASTATED.

Dominic: ME AND JAMES ARE BACK AT DR. NOW'S FOR MY WEIGH IN,

SO I COULD SEE IF I MADE IT TO MY GOAL.

I WAS AT 672 LAST TIME

AND I WAS SUPPOSED TO LOSE 60 POUNDS,

SO I NEED TO BE AT 612 TODAY.

AT LEAST I HAD SOME GOOD WEIGHT LOSS,

SO I'M HAPPY ABOUT THAT ASPECT, BUT I THOUGHT I DID BETTER.

AND I'M VERY WORRIED RIGHT NOW

ABOUT WHAT DR. NOW IS GOING TO SAY.

I'M REALLY HOPING HE'S NOT TOO DISAPPOINTED AND UPSET AT ME.

-HELLO. -HELLO.

-HELLO. -HOW ARE YOU ALL DOING?

-GOOD. -PRETTY GOOD. HOW ARE YOU?

I'M DOING GOOD. ALL RIGHT, DOMINIC.

FIRST OFF, HOW ARE YOU GETTING SITUATED IN HOUSTON?

WERE YOU ABLE TO GET HOUSING SET UP?

NO, NOT YET. IT'S KIND OF HARD TRYING TO FIND A PLACE.

I CALLED THOSE NUMBERS. THEY SENT US TO A PLACE

WITH THOSE LONG LINES, AND WE DIDN'T GET TO MAKE IT IN.

AND THEN THE NEXT DAY WE WENT BACK, THEY CLOSED EARLY.

YEAH. SO WE DIDN'T GET TO TALK TO ANYBODY YET

ABOUT FINDING THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

OKAY.

SO THEN WHAT KIND OF CHANGES YOU MADE IN YOUR EATING HABIT?

I'M TRYING TO STICK TO THE UNDER 1,200 CALORIES,

BUT WE STILL HAVE SOME OF OUR FOOD

WE'RE TRYING TO FINISH 'CAUSE WE DIDN'T WANT TO THROW IT AWAY,

AND WE DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO GO GET MORE.

BUT IT WAS STILL, IT'S NOT THE HEALTHIEST,

BUT IT WAS STILL UNDER THE 1,200 CALORIES.

WELL, THAT SOUNDS POSITIVE,

BUT YOU'RE NOT MAKING THE PROGRESS YOU SHOULD

AND YOU NEED TO WORK HARDER ON DOING THE DIET

AND LOSING MORE WEIGHT. -OKAY.

AND THEN, WHAT I WANT YOU TO DO

IS TO START GOING TO PSYCHOTHERAPY TO SEE

IF THEY CAN HELP YOU MAKE SOME PROGRESS, OKAY.

OKAY.

OKAY, GOOD. HOW'S YOUR BROTHER DOING?

ARE YOU ALL CHANGING TOGETHER,

OR EATING THE SAME THING OR WHAT?

I'M CHANGING. HE'S CHANGING SLOWER.

HE'S TAKING A LITTLE WHILE. HE'S EATING A LITTLE MORE.

I HAD TO SACRIFICE AND EAT THE LESS HEALTHY FOOD.

YEAH.

HE'S NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO THIS

IF YOU'RE NOT DOING THIS WITH HIM.

YEAH, THAT'S TRUE. WE'RE ALL DONE WITH THE UNHEALTHY FOOD.

SO FROM NOW ON, IT'S ALL YOUR DIET.

ALL RIGHT, WELL GOOD. WHAT ABOUT WORK?

HAVE YOU TRIED TO FIND WORK

BECAUSE THE JOB MARKET IS SO GOOD IN HERE, YOU CAN FIND JOB?

YEAH, BY THE END OF THE WEEK, I EXPECT TO BE WORKING.

OKAY. WELL, STAY POSITIVE AND KEEP TRYING.

NONE OF THIS IS EASY,

BUT YOU HAVE TO KEEP WORKING ON IT IF YOU WANT THIS.

OKAY? -YEAH.

OKAY.

SO I'M GIVING YOU THE SAME GOAL.

IF YOU WANT TO SHOW ME YOU'RE SERIOUS

AND THAT YOU'RE READY TO DO THIS,

YOU NEED TO LOSE 60 POUNDS OVER THE NEXT TWO MONTHS,

AND START GOING TO PSYCHOTHERAPY THAT WE WILL SET UP FOR YOU.

OKAY? -OKAY.

ALL RIGHT. I GET YOU SOME SUPPLEMENT

AND THEN IF YOU NEED ANYTHING,

GIVE ME A CALL AND HOPEFULLY YOU'LL FIND A PLACE

TO LIVE IN HOUSTON. OKAY.

-OKAY. -ALL RIGHT.

-THANK YOU. -THANK YOU, DOCTOR.

Dr. Now: I'M GLAD DOMINIC MADE SOME PROGRESS,

BUT HE STILL SEEMS TO LACK AN OVERALL MOTIVATION

TO DO WHAT HE NEEDS TO TURN HIS LIFE AROUND,

AND MY BIGGEST CONCERN IS HIS BROTHER JAMES

BECAUSE HIS BEHAVIOR AND CHOICES ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO HAVE

A NEGATIVE EFFECT ON DOMINIC THAT MAKES IT HARDER FOR HIM.

BUT AGAIN, THIS ALL HAS TO START WITH DOMINIC.

AND WITH ALL THE OBSTACLES WE'RE STILL FACING WITH HIM,

MAYBE PSYCHOTHERAPY CAN HELP HIM TO FIND THAT MOTIVATION

BECAUSE RIGHT NOW, I'M NOT SEEING ANYTHING FROM HIM

THAT CONVINCES ME HE'S TAKING THIS SERIOUSLY

AND READY TO MOVE AHEAD. AND IF THAT DOESN'T CHANGE,

THERE'S NOT GOING TO BE ANYTHING WE CAN DO FOR HIM.

Dominic: I'M GOING TO TRY MY HARDEST TO WORK

EVEN HARDER THIS TIME AND EAT LESS.

I THINK IF ME AND JAMES COULD GET SET UP WITH A PLACE,

THAT'LL BE THE BIGGEST THING TO HELP ME EAT BETTER

AND BE MORE CONSISTENT

BECAUSE WE'LL BE ABLE TO PREPARE MEALS,

SO HOPEFULLY WE COULD DO THAT SOON.

AND IF DR. NOW THINKS THERAPY WILL HELP ME, I'LL DO THAT, TOO.

BUT I'VE NEVER HAD THERAPY, SO I'M SCARED

BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT.

BUT I KNOW I HAVE TO DO THIS.

I'M GOING TO THERAPY TODAY. I'M NERVOUS ABOUT DOING IT,

BUT I'M ALSO A LITTLE GLAD BECAUSE I NEVER REALLY

HAD ANYONE TO TALK TO ABOUT THE THINGS

I'VE BEEN THROUGH.

I TOLD MY BROTHER WHAT HAPPENED TO ME AS A KID,

AND HE SHARED WITH ME THAT IT HAPPENED TO HIM, TOO.

SO THAT ABUSE FROM A FAMILY MEMBER

IS SOMETHING WE BOTH ENDURED,

WHICH I DIDN'T KNOW UNTIL HE TOLD ME THAT,

BUT IT DIDN'T HELP ME KNOWING THAT

BECAUSE IT JUST MADE ME ANGRIER WHEN I FOUND THAT OUT

BECAUSE I WOULDN'T WANT THAT FOR ANYONE ELSE.

AND I KNOW IT MADE JAMES UPSET AND ANGRY, TOO,

SO NOW WE JUST DON'T TALK ABOUT IT.

SO I'VE STILL NEVER REALLY TALKED ABOUT

THE THINGS I'VE ENDURED. SO YOU KNOW, ULTIMATELY,

I'M HOPING THIS WILL BE A POSITIVE THING FOR ME

TO GET ME TO A BETTER PLACE.

DOMINIC, YOU CAN HAVE A SEAT RIGHT OVER THERE ON THE COUCH.

WELCOME. SO TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOURSELF.

WHO WAS IN YOUR HOUSE WHEN YOU WERE GROWING UP?

I HAVE A BROTHER.

MY DAD LEFT WHEN I WAS AROUND, I WANT TO SAY, 8,

SO IT WAS JUST MY BROTHER, MY MOM, AND ME FOR A LONG WHILE.

WHAT HAPPENED WITH YOUR DAD?

HE TOOK OFF TO TEXAS, OF ALL PLACES.

-NO KIDDING. -YEAH.

DO YOU KNOW WHERE IN TEXAS?

SOMEWHERE IN HOUSTON.

-NO KIDDING. -YEAH.

BUT YOU NEVER GOT AN ADDRESS, YOU NEVER GOT A...

-NO. -OKAY.

WHAT HAPPENED AFTER YOUR DAD FADED OUT OF YOUR LIFE?

8 TO 10, ANYTHING BIG HAPPEN IN YOUR LIFE?

I WAS ABUSED.

OKAY.

FAMILY MEMBER.

WHAT KIND OF ABUSED?

-SEXUAL ABUSE. -SEXUAL ABUSE.

-YEAH. -OKAY.

THAT'S REALLY HARD FOR ME TO TALK ABOUT IT, STILL.

MM-HMM. MM-HMM.

FOR A LONG WHILE, KEEPING IT BURIED, YOU KNOW?

SURE, YEAH, YEAH.

AND WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THAT, THAT'S THE KIND OF THING

A DAD SHOULD STOP FROM HAPPENING, RIGHT?

YEAH.

SO TALKING ABOUT IT WILL HELP YOU MAYBE REALIZE

THAT IT WASN'T YOUR FAULT.

WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'D HAVE ACCESS TO IN YOUR LIFE

THAT YOU DON'T IF YOU HADN'T BEEN ABUSED?

I WOULDN'T BE THIS BIG.

I'D PROBABLY HAVE A RELATIONSHIP --

A WIFE, KIDS. -YEAH.

I DON'T WANT YOU TO BELIEVE THAT THE ABUSE

IS PREVENTING YOU FROM DOING ANY OF THAT.

IT'S GOING TO BE PART OF THE HEALING

IS TO PROVE TO YOURSELF THAT YOU DESERVE TO HAVE A GOOD LIFE.

YEAH.

LET'S TALK ABOUT YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUR BROTHER.

YEAH.

HOW WAS YOUR RELATIONSHIP GROWING UP?

OH, IT WAS GOOD.

AND YOU GUYS ARE STILL TOGETHER,

AFTER YOUR MOTHER DIED, IT'S THE TWO OF YOU?

YEAH.

WHAT HAPPENED AFTER YOUR MOM DIED?

BECAUSE THEY SOLD THE HOUSE,

WE HAD GOTTEN A LITTLE MONEY FROM THE HOUSE.

OKAY.

SO WE GOT A VAN, AND WE ENDED UP LIVING IN THE VAN.

WOW. SO YOU GUYS WERE REALLY HOMELESS?

-YEAH. -OKAY.

SO, HOW ARE YOU AND JAMES NOW?

HOW DID THE RELATIONSHIP EVOLVE?

I GUESS IT BECAME MORE, WHAT DO YOU CALL IT,

CO-ENABLING?

WE WOULD GIVE IN TO OUR WORST PARTS OF OURSELVES, YOU KNOW?

YEAH. YEAH. THAT MEANS HE WAS PROBABLY HELPING YOU GET BIG.

YEAH, AND HE HAS PROBLEMS WITH DRINKING AND STUFF

LIKE THAT, SO, YEAH.

OKAY. OKAY, YEAH, THAT'S REAL CO-DEPENDENCE.

YEAH.

HOW DOES HE FEEL ABOUT YOU LOSING WEIGHT?

HE'S PROUD OF ME. HE'S ENCOURAGING ME.

HE'S SUPPORTIVE, YEAH.

OKAY, SO HE'S NOT ENABLING YOU ANYMORE?

NO.

OKAY. WHAT ARE YOUR BIG GOALS RIGHT NOW?

GETTING A JOB.

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO DO?

I'VE ALWAYS WANTED TO HELP PEOPLE WHO CAN'T READ THE WAY

I COULDN'T LEARN HOW TO READ, SO I WOULD LIKE TO DO THAT.

I WONDER IF YOU COULD BE A TEACHER'S AIDE

OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. -YEAH, THAT'S WHAT I'M THINKING.

OKAY. WHAT ABOUT GOALS WITH YOUR FAMILY?

DO YOU HAVE ANY GOALS WITH JAMES?

WE WANT TO EVENTUALLY BE NOT CO-ENABLING OR WHATEVER.

-HAVE MORE OF YOUR OWN LIFE. -YES.

BECAUSE YOU GUYS REALLY DO DESERVE EACH

TO HAVE YOUR OWN LIFE.

WHAT ABOUT OTHER FAMILY GOALS? WHAT ABOUT YOUR DAD?

HE'S SOMEWHERE HERE, MIGHT BE HERE IN HOUSTON.

I WOULD WANT TO SEE HIM AGAIN

AND FIND OUT HIS SIDE OF THE STORY.

WHY DID HE LEAVE?

SO YOU HAVE SOME QUESTIONS FOR HIM.

YEAH.

AND YOU KNOW, EVEN IF YOU CAN'T FIND HIM,

THINKING ABOUT WHAT YOU MIGHT SAY

IF YOU DID FIND HIM, THAT'S HELPFUL.

-YEAH. -YEAH.

SO MAYBE THE HOMEWORK IS TO DECIDE

IF YOU WANT TO FIND HIM AND CONTINUE THAT QUEST.

YEAH, OKAY. I'M REALLY GLAD YOU CAME IN.

-THANK YOU. -IT'S GOOD TO TALK TO YOU.

THANK YOU. IT WAS GOOD TO TALK TO YOU, TOO.

-THANKS FOR COMING IN, MAN. -THANK YOU.

GOOD TO SEE YOU.

Dominic: THAT WAS VERY INTENSE FOR ME AT MOMENTS,

AND IT WAS A LITTLE HARDER THAN EXPECTED,

BUT I'M GLAD I DID THIS.

AND I'M PROUD OF MYSELF FOR WORKING UP THE COURAGE

TO DISCUSS SOME OF THE THINGS I TALKED ABOUT

BECAUSE IT DID TAKE COURAGE FOR ME TO GO BACK

AND BRING THOSE THINGS BACK TO MY MIND AND GO THROUGH THEM.

BUT IN TERMS OF TRYING TO SEPARATE MYSELF MORE FROM JAMES,

I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THAT.

DR. PARADISE MAKES IT SOUND LIKE IT'S SOMETHING SIMPLE,

BUT HE'S MY FAMILY AND WE STICK UP FOR EACH OTHER,

SO WHY WOULD I WANT TO CHANGE OUR RELATIONSHIP?

BUT I WANT TO DO THE THINGS I'M TOLD WILL HELP ME GET BETTER,

SO IT'S LIKE A CONFLICT IN ME RIGHT NOW,

AND THE THOUGHT OF THAT IS SCARY TO ME,

SO I JUST NEED MORE TIME TO FIGURE OUT WHAT I'M GOING TO DO.

Dominic: THINGS HAVE FELT A LITTLE TOUGHER THE PAST COUPLE OF WEEKS

BECAUSE ME AND JAMES HAVE JUST BEEN HAVING A HARD TIME

GETTING THINGS FIGURED OUT LIKE WE NEED.

I NEED SOMETHING BEFORE WE SLEEP,

SO LET'S GRAB A BITE REAL QUICK.

THERE'S A FAST FOOD PLACE RIGHT WHERE WE'RE GOING TO.

YEAH.

Dominic: JAMES HAS BEEN ABLE TO DO A COUPLE OF SHORT-TERM JOBS

THAT HAVE HELPED US SOME WITH GETTING A LITTLE MORE INCOME,

SO THAT'S BEEN NICE, BUT IT'S NOTHING THAT'S ENOUGH

TO HELP US GET A PLACE.

WE'RE STILL TRYING WITH HOUSING PROGRAMS

AND A SOCIAL WORKER TO SEE WHAT OPTIONS WE HAVE WITH THAT,

BUT I THINK THAT ALL WILL TAKE A WHILE

BEFORE ANYTHING MATERIALIZES FOR US.

WHAT WE REALLY NEED IS FOR JAMES

TO FIND A JOB THAT'S MORE PERMANENT

THAT WOULD GIVE US CONSISTENT INCOME,

SO JAMES IS TRYING TO FIND THAT.

AND HE'S GOING TO INTERVIEWS AT PLACES AS MUCH AS HE CAN

BECAUSE IF HE GETS A STABLE JOB,

THAT WOULD BE THE FIRST BIG STEP WE NEED IN US

FIGURING OUT A PLACE THAT WE CAN RENT MONTH TO MONTH

WITH A KITCHEN SO WE CAN START TO MAKE HEALTHIER MEALS.

EATING AT RESTAURANTS JUST GOT TOO COSTLY,

SO FAST FOOD HAS BEEN OUR ONLY OPTION.

SO I'M TRYING TO JUST EAT LESS SINCE THE FOOD OPTIONS

AREN'T THE BEST, BUT IT'S NOT EASY

BECAUSE I'VE BEEN REALLY STRESSED ABOUT EVERYTHING.

THAT'S MEANT I HAVEN'T HAD ANY TIME TO THINK MORE ABOUT

WHAT DR. PARADISE DISCUSSED WITH ME.

I'M GOING TO HAVE TO DO THAT LATER

BECAUSE ALL MY FOCUS HAS BEEN ON SURVIVING

AND GETTING A PLACE FOR US

BECAUSE THAT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT THING.

SO, WHERE SHOULD WE GO TRY OUT FOR A SPOT?

-I'LL SAY FIND A BIG STORE. -A BIG STORE?

YES, OR A BIG PARKING LOT.

OR WHAT ABOUT WHAT WE DID IN FRESNO? A LIBRARY.

I'M WORRIED ABOUT THE VIOLENCE.

YOU KNOW, WE COULD GET ROBBED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT.

YEAH, BUT USUALLY LIBRARY AREAS ARE PRETTY SAFE.

Dominic: RIGHT NOW, I'M NOT ABLE TO DO ALL THE THINGS I NEED.

I'M JUST STUCK, BUT I ONLY HAVE LIKE SIX WEEKS

TO GET TO MY GOAL, AND SO I'M REALLY STRESSED OUT

AND NEED THINGS TO START COMING TOGETHER

BECAUSE I CAN'T GO BACK AND FALL SHORT AGAIN.

SO RIGHT NOW I'M JUST DOING THE BEST

I CAN TO MAKE MORE PROGRESS BECAUSE I KNOW I'M ON A CLOCK,

AND I DON'T HAVE A LOT OF TIME LEFT TO DO THIS.

THINGS ARE GOING A LITTLE BETTER FOR US THIS MONTH.

JAMES HAS BEEN ABLE TO GET A LOT OF SMALL JOBS

THAT HAVE HELPED US PAY FOR A LONGTERM-STAY HOTEL

WITH A KITCHEN IN IT

BECAUSE HAVING A PLACE TO PREPARE FOOD

IS BASICALLY ESSENTIAL FOR ME TO BE ABLE TO DO THE DIET.

SO THIS IS SOMETHING WE HAD TO FIGURE OUT

TO GIVE ME A CHANCE TO GET TO DR. NOW'S GOALS,

SO JAMES MADE IT, LIKE, HIS MISSION TO PROVIDE THIS FOR ME.

I'M REALLY THANKFUL FOR ALL HIS SUPPORT

AND HOW HARD HE'S WORKING FOR ME,

AND THAT JUST MAKES ME WANT TO WORK EXTRA HARD

SO I DON'T LET HIM DOWN, TOO. NOW THAT WE HAVE A KITCHEN,

I'M WORKING HARD TO FIGURE OUT OPTIONS ON THE DIET.

AND I FEEL LIKE I'M DOING IT BETTER THAN BEFORE

BECAUSE I'M GOING THROUGH WITHDRAWALS,

ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO SUGARY STUFF.

I'M MISSING THAT, BUT I KNOW IT'S IMPORTANT TO LOSE

AS MUCH AS I CAN OVER THE NEXT MONTH

BECAUSE I NOT ONLY NEED TO HIT DR. NOW'S GOAL,

BUT WE ONLY HAVE THE MONEY TO PAY FOR A MONTH HERE,

SO THIS MAY NOT LAST LONG,

SO I HAVE TO MAKE THE MOST OF IT WHILE WE DO.

THREE SOURCES OF ENERGY FROM FOOD.

IT SAYS CARBOHYDRATES, PROTEIN, AND FAT.

WE GOT TO TRY TO GET MOST OF OURS FROM PROTEIN,

BUT I'VE BEEN LOOKING AT THE LABELS,

AND YOU KNOW THEY'RE BAD OF CALORIES,

YOU KNOW?

IF YOU KEEP YOUR FOOD UNDER 1,200 CALORIES,

YOU'RE GOING TO LOSE SOME WEIGHT.

YEAH, I GOT TO START LOOKING AT FOOD AS ENERGY,

JUST FOR ENERGY.

Dominic: I'M TRYING TO STUDY THE DIET SO I MAKE SURE

I STICK TO IT LIKE I NEED AND ONLY EAT WHAT'S ON IT,

AND IT CONSTANTLY FEELS LIKE NOTHING IS.

BUT WHAT I'M LEARNING IS NOTHING WE'VE BEEN EATING FOR YEARS

HAS BEEN HEALTHY.

THERE ARE SOME THINGS I CAN HAVE THAT ARE PART OF OUR STASH,

BUT I'M JUST SURPRISED THAT MOST OF IT

IS STUFF I CAN'T HAVE ANYMORE.

IT'S NOT LIKE I THOUGHT WE WEREN'T EATING BAD,

I JUST THOUGHT THAT IT WASN'T ALL BAD,

SO DOING THIS HAS BEEN A BIG LEARNING EXPERIENCE.

BUT I'M WORKING MY HARDEST TO SUCCEED THIS TIME.

I HAVE ALMOST A MONTH UNTIL I GO BACK

AND SEE DR. NOW AND FIND OUT IF I HIT MY GOAL.

AND I JUST HOPE IT'S ENOUGH TIME

TO MAKE THE REST OF THE PROGRESS I NEED

BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO GO BACK AND FAIL AGAIN.

I'M BACK AT DR. NOW'S FOR ANOTHER APPOINTMENT,

AND I'M REALLY NERVOUS JUST BECAUSE OF HOW IMPORTANT IT IS

THAT I MADE IT TO MY GOAL AND EVERYTHING THAT DEPENDS ON IT.

AND I'M JUST MORE ANXIOUS BECAUSE I'M ALONE

SINCE JAMES HAD A JOB INTERVIEW.

DOMINIC.

I FEEL LIKE I'VE WORKED HARDER

AND THAT MY CHANCES ARE BETTER THIS TIME,

BUT I HAVE NO IDEA WHERE I'M AT ULTIMATELY,

AND I'M JUST PRAYING HARD THAT I GOT THE GOAL

AND DID IT BECAUSE I REALLY NEED THIS.

Dominic: I'M BACK AT DR. NOW'S FOR MY APPOINTMENT

TO SEE IF I MADE MY GOAL THIS TIME,

AND THIS IS MY SECOND CHANCE TO DO THIS,

SO I'M REALLY HOPING AND PRAYING I MADE IT THIS TIME.

AT MY LAST APPOINTMENT, I WAS AT 650,

AND MY GOAL WAS TO LOSE 60 POUNDS NOW.

SO THAT MEANS I NEED TO AT LEAST BE DOWN TO 590,

SO I'M REALLY HOPING I'M THERE LIKE I NEED THIS TIME.

I DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT. I'M VERY CONFUSED RIGHT NOW

BECAUSE I KNOW I WAS WORKING HARDER

TO EAT THE FOODS I SHOULD AND BE HEALTHY.

SO I JUST DON'T GET HOW I LOST LESS THIS TIME

WHEN I SHOULD HAVE LOST A LOT MORE.

I'M JUST UPSET AND CONFUSED,

AND I'M ALSO WORRIED ABOUT WHAT DR. NOW

IS GOING TO SAY TO ME ABOUT THIS.

-HEY, DOMINIC. -HEY, DOC.

-HOW ARE YOU? -PRETTY GOOD. HOW ARE YOU?

GOOD. ALL RIGHT, SO WHERE'S JAMES TODAY?

WHAT HAPPENED TO YOUR BROTHER?

HE HAD A JOB INTERVIEW TODAY,

SO THAT'S WHY HE'S NOT WITH US TODAY.

HAS A JOB INTERVIEW?

YEAH.

OKAY. WELL, THAT'S GOOD. WHAT ABOUT A PLACE TO LIVE?

WE'RE STILL WORKING ON GETTING A PLACE FOR US,

BUT JAMES HAS BEEN ABLE TO DO A COUPLE OF SHORT-TERM JOBS

SO WE COULD AFFORD A HOTEL.

WELL, THAT'S ALL POSITIVE, SO THAT'S GOOD.

BUT WHAT'S NOT POSITIVE IS THAT YOU'VE BARELY MADE

ANY PROGRESS FOR YOUR WEIGHT LOSS.

SO, WHAT HAPPENED WHERE YOU HAVEN'T LOST

MUCH WEIGHT THIS TIME?

YEAH, I THINK IT'S THE EXERCISE.

I HAVEN'T BEEN EXERCISING AS I SHOULD.

YOU'RE GETTING YOURSELF CONFUSED, OKAY?

EXERCISE, IF YOU EVEN RUN MARATHON,

HAS VERY LITTLE TO DO WITH YOUR WEIGHT.

YOUR WEIGHT HAS TO DO WITH YOUR EATING,

SO WHAT'S GOING ON WITH YOUR EATING?

I THOUGHT I WAS KEEPING UNDER THE 1,200 CALORIES,

BUT I GUESS NOT.

NO. OBVIOUSLY NOT BECAUSE YOU HAVEN'T LOST WEIGHT,

SO YOU'RE OVEREATING AGAIN.

SO THE FIRST TWO MONTHS YOU DID VERY WELL.

NOW YOU GO BACK TO NOT LOSING

AND EATING AS MUCH AS YOU DID BEFORE.

SO YOU'RE NOT LOSING WEIGHT AND PRETTY SOON

YOU'RE GOING TO START GAINING WEIGHT AGAIN.

SO, WHY IS THAT?

I GUESS THE STRESS OF EVERYTHING IS MAKING ME EAT MORE.

WELL, LIFE IS STRESSFUL. IF YOU USE FOOD TO DEAL WITH IT,

THEN YOU'RE GOING TO BE 600 POUNDS.

BUT YOU SHOULDN'T BE THAT STRESSED

BECAUSE YOU ARE GETTING SITUATED

AND THINGS ARE GETTING BETTER IN TEXAS FOR YOU,

SO THE STRESS IS GETTING LESS,

BUT YOUR EATING IS GETTING WORSE.

I'VE GOT TO FIND A WAY TO WORK AROUND THE STRESS

AND FIND SOMETHING ELSE TO DO THAN EAT.

WELL, THAT'S WHAT PSYCHOTHERAPY WILL HELP YOU WITH.

SO, I'M GOING TO SET UP YOUR NEXT APPOINTMENT

FOR YOU TO GO BACK.

AND YOU NEED TO START WORKING WITH HIM

TO LEARN THE HEALTHIER WAY TO COPE

WHEN YOU FEEL STRESSED AND DEAL WITH THE EMOTIONAL ISSUES

THAT DRIVE YOU TO EAT. OKAY?

OKAY.

AND CUT BACK ON YOUR EATING.

YOU'RE EATING SIX TO SEVEN TIMES WHAT YOU SHOULD.

SO, GO OVER THE DIET AGAIN,

AND GO OVER THE PORTION SIZES AGAIN.

WHAT HAPPENED TO THOSE PAPERS I GAVE YOU TO READ?

I'M READING THEM.

-EVERYDAY? -YEAH.

AND EVERYDAY YOU READ THEM, YOU FIND OUT WHAT YOU DID WRONG?

YEAH. I THINK SO.

YOUR WEIGHT LOSS WASN'T WHERE IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN TO BEGIN WITH,

AND FOR IT TO STOP IN SUCH A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME

IS VERY CONCERNING.

SO, I WANT TO SEE YOU IN A MONTH THIS TIME

BECAUSE I DON'T WANT YOU TO START TO SPIRAL AND GAIN A LOT

WITHOUT US BEING ABLE TO INTERVENE.

AND IN THAT MONTH, I WANT YOU TO LOSE AT LEAST 40 POUNDS.

YOU GOT THAT?

-YES. -OKAY. GREAT.

SO HOW IS YOUR BROTHER DOING WITH THE DIET?

DO YOU ALL EAT TOGETHER?

YEAH. WE USUALLY EAT TOGETHER, BUT HE HAS LUNCH,

SO I DON'T HAVE THAT MEAL WITH HIM.

BUT, HE'S BEING PRETTY SUPPORTIVE AND TRYING TO GET...

WELL, IF THAT'S ACCURATE, THEN THAT'S ANOTHER POSITIVE THING.

BUT WITH ALL POSITIVE THINGS,

YOU SHOULD BE HAVING EASIER TIME LOSING WEIGHT.

SO THERE IS NO EXCUSE FOR YOUR WAITING OTHER

THAN YOU JUST WANT TO DO IT. SO THIS IS ALL UP TO YOU, OKAY?

YES.

ALL RIGHT, DOMINIC, I'M DISAPPOINTED

BECAUSE YOUR 4-POUND WEIGHT LOSS IS NOT VERY GOOD,

SO YOU NEED TO GET BACK ON YOUR EATING HABIT, OKAY?

-OKAY. -AND I'LL SEE YOU IN ONE MONTH.

IF YOU NEED ANYTHING, LET ME KNOW.

OKAY.

ALL RIGHT, I'LL SEE YOU THEN.

THANK YOU.

Dr. Now: IT'S VERY DISAPPOINTING TO SEE DOMINIC'S PROGRESS

WASN'T WHERE HE NEEDED TO BE IN THE FIRST TIME,

AND NOW IT'S WORSE DESPITE STARTING HIM WITH PSYCHOTHERAPY.

SO WHAT I'M SEEING FROM HIM SO FAR

IS SOMEONE WHO'S NOT TAKING THIS SERIOUSLY

AND ISN'T MOTIVATED TO PUT IN THE HARD WORK

HE NEEDS TO CHANGE HIS LIFE YET.

HE MAY WANT HIS SITUATION TO CHANGE

BECAUSE HE REALIZES HOW BAD HIS CONDITION IS GETTING,

BUT HE'S STILL EXPECTING SOMEONE ELSE TO FIX IT

AND DO ALL THE WORK FOR HIM.

HE HAS A BROTHER WHO TAKES CARE OF HIM LIKE A PARENT,

AND HE'S RELYING ON A SYSTEM

THAT ENABLES HIM TO DO VERY LITTLE.

SO RIGHT NOW THE BIGGEST ISSUE

WE HAVE IS GETTING HIM TO WAKE UP,

TO FIND THE MOTIVATION HE NEEDS TO DO THIS,

AND REALIZE NOBODY'S COMING TO SAVE HIM OR SOLVE HIS PROBLEMS.

SO RIGHT NOW, WE'LL CONTINUE TO HAVE PSYCHOTHERAPY WORK WITH HIM

AND SEE IF THEY CAN MAKE PROGRESS WITH HIM

TO GET HIM MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION

BECAUSE UNTIL HE STARTS TAKING THE STEPS

HE NEEDS, THERE'LL BE NO POINT IN MOVING AHEAD WITH HIM.

Dominic: I FEEL REALLY BAD BECAUSE I'M LETTING DR. NOW DOWN,

BUT I DON'T KNOW HOW I DID WORSE THIS TIME

BECAUSE I KNOW I WAS EATING HEALTHIER THAN THE LAST TIME.

BUT I'M NOT GIVING UP,

SO I'LL TRY TO CUT BACK ON HOW MUCH I EAT AT ONCE

AND I'LL KEEP WORKING WITH THERAPY, TOO,

BECAUSE I KNOW THAT'S IMPORTANT AND THAT IT'S HELPFUL FOR ME.

OUTSIDE OF THOSE TWO THINGS, I'M NOT SURE WHAT MORE I COULD DO

BECAUSE I'M ALREADY WORKING MY HARDEST TO GIVE UP JUNK FOOD.

I HAVE TO DO THIS, SO WHATEVER IT TAKES,

I'M GOING TO KEEP TRYING UNTIL I GET MY WEIGHT LOSS SURGERY

BECAUSE I KNOW MY LIFE IS DEPENDING ON IT.

TODAY, I'M GOING SHOPPING FOR MYSELF AT THE GROCERY STORE

FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MAYBE LIKE FIVE OR SIX YEARS,

AND I'M A LITTLE NERVOUS ABOUT IT

BECAUSE I DON'T LIKE BEING OUT IN PUBLIC.

BUT I'M DOING THIS BECAUSE A COUPLE OF DAYS

AFTER MY LAST APPOINTMENT WITH DR. NOW,

I WENT BACK FOR ANOTHER SESSION WITH DR. PARADISE,

AND HE EXPLAINED MORE ABOUT WHAT HE MEANS

ABOUT SEPARATING FROM JAMES,

JUST IN WAYS I NEED TO BE LESS CO-DEPENDENT ON HIM.

AND THAT DOESN'T MEAN HE HAS TO BE

ANY LESS A PART OF MY LIFE, WHICH WAS MY BIG ISSUE.

IT'S SOMETHING I DIDN'T WANT TO CHANGE.

SO I FEEL REALLY GOOD ABOUT IT, BUT IT MEANS

I HAVE TO START DOING MORE FOR MYSELF

SO WE CAN START TO TRY AND BREAK SOME OF THE CYCLE

OF HOW WE LEAD EACH OTHER TO UNHEALTHY PLACES.

SO IN DOING THIS ON MY OWN IS ONE OF THE WAYS

DR. PARADISE SUGGESTED BECAUSE IT'S SOMETHING

JAMES ALWAYS DID FOR ME AND ENDED UP BUYING ME JUNK.

SO I NEED TO TAKE OWNERSHIP OVER IT AND MY EATING CHOICES,

AND THAT'S WHAT I'M TRYING TO DO.

AND DOING THIS HELPS JAMES OUT

BECAUSE HE DOESN'T REALLY HAVE TIME TO DO THESE THINGS

SINCE HE'S WORKING AROUND THE CLOCK AT JOBS

TO KEEP US IN A HOTEL.

BUT IT'S A LITTLE HARD TO BE ALL AROUND THIS FOOD

BECAUSE A LOT OF THINGS HAVE STUFF LIKE HIGH SUGAR AND FATS.

SO IT'S A LEARNING PROCESS, TOO.

BUT DOING THIS IS JUST ONE OF THE THINGS

DR. PARADISE WANTS ME TO DO.

HE ALSO TALKED ABOUT DOING OTHER THINGS

HE SAYS WILL BE VERY IMPORTANT FOR ME.

HE THINKS MAYBE REACHING OUT TO MY DAD AND TALKING WITH HIM

WILL HELP ME START TO RECLAIM SOME OF MY SELF WORTH

AND BRING ME CLOSURE SINCE HIS LEAVING

WAS ONE OF THE BIG THINGS THAT AFFECTED ME

IN HOW I SEE MYSELF AND MY WORTH AND STUFF.

SO I'M THINKING ABOUT DOING THAT.

BUT HE ALSO SUGGESTED I START A JOURNAL TO PUT MY FEELINGS IN

AND FOCUS ON THINGS LIKE WORKING OUT AND EXERCISING

WHEN I FEEL UPSET TO LET THAT ENERGY OUT

INSTEAD OF JUST EATING TO DEAL WITH IT.

MOSTLY, HE SAYS I NEED TO DEAL WITH THE FEELINGS

I HAVE FROM BEING HURT AND MOLESTED WHEN I WAS A KID.

SO IT'S A LOT OF THINGS TO PROCESS AND DO,

BUT I'M TRYING SO I CAN GET BETTER.

IT CAN JUST BE A LITTLE OVERWHELMING

BECAUSE ME AND JAMES STILL HAVE TO WORRY

ABOUT GETTING A LONG-TERM HOUSING OPTION, AS WELL.

BUT MY FOCUS IS ON ONE THING AT A TIME,

AND JUST TAKING AS MANY OF THOSE STEPS AS I NEED

TO KEEP MOVING FORWARD NO MATTER WHAT.

I ONLY HAVE THREE MORE WEEKS UNTIL MY NEXT APPOINTMENT

WITH DR. NOW, SO I HAVE TO GET TO MY GOAL SOON

AND FIGURE OUT WHATEVER I NEED TO DO THAT BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE.

Dominic: I THINK THE PAST COUPLE OF WEEKS HAVE BEEN GOING WELL.

I'VE JUST BEEN CONTINUING TO WORK ON THINGS

I NEED TO MOVE FORWARD.

I DID THE GROCERY SHOPPING ON MY OWN,

AND I'VE ALSO TAKEN ON DOING THE LAUNDRY FOR ME AND JAMES

TO KEEP TRYING TO WORK ON WAYS OF BECOMING LESS CO-DEPENDENT.

DO WE HAVE QUARTERS? WE HAVE QUARTERS, RIGHT?

YEAH, SAME PLACE THEY'RE ALWAYS AT.

-ALL RIGHT. -TOP DRAWER.

ALL RIGHT.

I'LL PROBABLY GET IT GOING RIGHT NOW.

Dominic: IT GIVES ME SOME GOOD EXERCISE WALKING TO THE LAUNDRY ROOM

THEY HAVE HERE AT THE HOTEL.

ALL RIGHT, I'LL BE BACK.

James: OKAY.

Dominic: BUT THE ONLY DOWNSIDE IS THAT

THERE'S A SNACK MACHINE IN THERE, TOO,

AND IT'S A BIT OF A TEMPTATION FOR ME

WHEN I PASS IT GOING BACK AND FORTH

TO PUT IN THE LAUNDRY OR CHECK ON IT.

AND SOMETIMES I GIVE IN JUST FOR SOMETHING SMALL,

JUST TO LIKE TIDE ME OVER. BECAUSE I ALREADY HAVE CHANGE

FOR THE LAUNDRY MACHINES AND ALL,

SO IT'S EASY JUST TO GRAB A QUICK, SMALL SNACK.

BUT MOST OF THE TIME, I'M RESISTING.

I CATCH MYSELF AND DECIDE AGAINST IT, YOU KNOW.

BUT TO MAKE UP FOR THE TIMES I'VE GIVEN IN,

I ALSO TRY TO GET IN SOME EXERCISE

TO BALANCE MY CHOICES AND BURN OFF THE EXTRA CALORIES

I GOT, EVEN THOUGH IT'S JUST A LITTLE.

AND I USE THE EXERCISE EQUIPMENT THEY HAVE IN THE GYM

THAT'S BY THE LAUNDRY ROOM.

LIKE, I'LL GET ON THE TREADMILL WHILE I WAIT

AND TRY TO WALK SOME ON IT TO BURN OFF SOME CALORIES.

AND YOU KNOW, DR. PARADISE TOLD ME WORKING OUT

COULD HELP ME GET OUT SOME OF MY PENT UP ANGER,

AND SO I'M HOPING IT'S NOT JUST HELPING ME LOSE WEIGHT,

BUT HELPING ME WITH THAT, TOO, SO I CAN KEEP MAKING PROGRESS.

I'VE ALSO TRIED THE JOURNALING TO LET MY ANGER OUT SOME TOO,

BUT I HAVEN'T GOTTEN INTO THAT

BECAUSE I REALLY DON'T KNOW WHAT TO WRITE YET.

I JUST KIND OF END UP STARING AT THE PAGES AND I GO BLANK.

SO MY FOCUS WITH THAT IS JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT

WHAT TO START WRITING ABOUT,

TO LET THINGS OUT WITH SOME OF MY EMOTIONS AND ANGER AND STUFF.

I ALSO LOOKED INTO TRYING TO FIND MY DAD

AND CONTACTING HIM,

BUT I HAVEN'T BEEN SUCCESSFUL YET.

AND TO BE HONEST WITH YOU,

I'M NOT EVEN SURE IF HE'S STILL ALIVE.

I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT HIM,

SO I DON'T KNOW HOW I'M GOING TO TRACK HIM DOWN

SINCE I DON'T SEEM TO HAVE ANY CURRENT INFORMATION ON HIM.

BUT I'M GOING TO KEEP TRYING TO DO ALL THE THINGS

I CAN TO IMPROVE AND GET HEALTHY.

MY NEXT APPOINTMENT WITH DR. NOW IS IN A WEEK,

AND I'M JUST GOING TO KEEP WORKING AS HARD AS I CAN

AND HOPE IT'S ENOUGH WHEN I GO BACK

SO I CAN GET SURGERY BECAUSE I REALLY NEED THAT.

SO IT'S VERY IMPORTANT

THAT I DON'T LOSE THIS CHANCE TO GET IT.

I'M BACK AGAIN FOR ANOTHER APPOINTMENT WITH DR. NOW

TO SEE HOW I DID THIS TIME,

AND I'M JUST MORE NERVOUS THAN EVER

BECAUSE THIS IS, LIKE, THE MOST IMPORTANT WEIGH IN YET.

LIKE THE MOST IMPORTANT WEIGH IN OF MY LIFE, REALLY,

BECAUSE I KNOW HOW MUCH DEPENDS ON THIS.

SO I'M REALLY WORRIED ABOUT HOW I DID AND SCARED RIGHT NOW,

BUT I'M THANKFUL THAT AT LEAST JAMES

IS HERE WITH ME TO SUPPORT ME

AND GIVE ME SOME COURAGE TO DO THIS

BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT.

DOMINIC.

I THOUGHT I'VE DONE BETTER THAN I HAVE EACH TIME,

AND THEN, YOU KNOW, I FOUND OUT I HAVEN'T,

AND IT'S DEVASTATING TO ME.

BUT I'VE WORKED HARD ON A LOT OF THINGS THIS PAST MONTH,

AND I KNOW I STILL STRUGGLED AT MOMENTS,

BUT I PUT MORE INTO A LOT OF AREAS TO HELP IMPROVE MYSELF.

SO I'M JUST HOPING IT'S AT LEAST BETTER

AND CLOSE ENOUGH TO THE GOAL THIS TIME,

BUT I'M TERRIFIED OF WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IF I'M NOT.

ALL RIGHT.

Dominic: I HAVE THIS PIT IN MY STOMACH. I JUST CAN'T BELIEVE IT,

AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT THIS IS GOING TO MEAN,

BUT I'M TERRIFIED RIGHT NOW

BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.

I JUST REALLY HOPE THAT DR. NOW DOESN'T GIVE UP ON ME,

AND THAT I'M NOT ABOUT TO LOSE THIS.

I'LL LOSE EVERYTHING IF THAT HAPPENS.

SO I'M JUST PRAYING THAT THIS ISN'T IT FOR ME,

BUT I'M REALLY SCARED THAT IT IS.

Dominic: I'M AT DR. NOW'S FOR ANOTHER APPOINTMENT TO SEE HIM

AND FIND OUT WHAT HE'S GOING TO TELL ME,

BUT I'M REALLY SCARED BECAUSE I GAINED THIS TIME,

SO I'M REALLY WORRIED ABOUT WHAT THIS MEANS

AND WHAT DR. NOW IS GOING TO TELL ME.

AND I'M JUST HOPING I STILL HAVE MORE CHANCES WITH HIM,

AND THAT THIS ISN'T GOING TO BE IT FOR ME.

-HELLO. -HELLO.

-HELLO. -HOW ARE YOU ALL DOING?

YOU DOING OKAY?

-YUP, DOING GOOD. -ALL RIGHT.

SO, IT LOOKED LIKE YOUR WEIGHT LOSS

WENT FROM SLOWING DOWN TO NONEXISTING NOW.

IN FACT, YOU GAINED A COUPLE OF POUNDS.

SO WHAT'S GOING ON WITH YOUR EATING HABITS?

I'M NOT SURE.

SO AFTER ALL THE GUIDANCE

WE'VE GIVEN YOU, YOU'RE STILL NOT SURE?

I DON'T KNOW.

WELL, WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE TO ME

IS THAT YOU JUST DON'T WANT TO DO WHAT YOU SHOULD,

NOT THAT YOU DON'T KNOW.

THE SITUATION WE'RE IN IS JUST HARD,

BUT I'M TRYING.

I KNOW YOUR SITUATION ISN'T EASY,

BUT THE REALITY IS IT IS ALSO HARD FOR SOMEONE

WHO IS HOMELESS TO MAINTAIN 600 POUNDS.

SO YOUR HEALTH AND YOUR WEIGHT IS SOMETHING YOU'RE CHOOSING,

AND YOU'RE NOT ACCEPTING RESPONSIBILITY

FOR THAT TO TURN YOUR LIFE AROUND.

AND YOU'RE ALSO LIKELY EATING YOUR OPPORTUNITY

TO GET MORE ESTABLISHED

BECAUSE OF HOW MUCH YOU TWO SPEND ON FOOD

BECAUSE YOU BOTH DON'T LOOK LIKE YOU LOST MUCH WEIGHT.

I DID, 50 POUNDS.

50 POUNDS? SINCE WHEN? SINCE YOU GOT TO HOUSTON?

I'M JUST EYEBALLING IT, I'M JUST GUESSING.

OKAY. WELL, YOU'RE GUESSING WRONG.

AND IT LOOKS LIKE NEITHER OF YOU ARE TAKING THIS VERY SERIOUSLY.

BUT DOMINIC, THE ISSUE IS YOU'RE STILL NOT SHOWING ME

YOU'RE WILLING TO DO WHAT YOU NEED TO TURN YOUR LIFE AROUND

AND BE SUCCESSFUL WITH WEIGHT LOSS SURGERY,

AND WE'VE GIVEN YOU A LOT OF TOOLS TO DO THAT.

ARE YOU STILL WORKING WITH THERAPY LIKE YOU NEED

AND GOING TO THAT?

YEAH. YOU SET IT UP, AND I WENT AGAIN AND IT WAS GOOD.

IT WAS HARD TO GET THROUGH,

THE TALKING AND EVERYTHING, BUT IT WAS GOOD.

ALL RIGHT. WELL, SO FAR, NONE OF THAT TRANSLATED

INTO HELPING YOU TO DEAL WITH YOUR EMOTIONAL EATING

AND MAKING A CHANGE WITH YOUR LACK OF PROGRESS.

SO AT THIS POINT, THERE IS NO POINT IN CONTINUING

IF YOU'RE NOT GOING TO START DOING WHAT YOU NEED.

BUT WE'LL CONTINUE TO PROVIDE YOU WITH PSYCHOTHERAPY

AS LONG AS YOU CONTINUE GOING TO THAT.

BECAUSE THAT'S SOMETHING YOU WILL CONTINUE WITH

IF WE DO THAT.

-YEAH. -OKAY. SO, WE WILL DO THAT.

AND IF ANYTHING COMES UP THAT YOU NEED HELP WITH,

WE'LL HELP YOU.

BUT OTHERWISE, UNLESS YOU START TO LOSE WEIGHT,

WE DON'T NEED TO DO THESE APPOINTMENTS.

AND I'M NOT GOING TO GIVE YOU ANOTHER GOAL,

BUT IF YOU DECIDE TO GET SERIOUS AND START LOSING, LET ME KNOW.

OKAY? -OKAY.

ALL RIGHT, ANY QUESTIONS?

NO, BUT DON'T GIVE UP ON ME. I'M GOING TO DO THIS.

I'VE ALREADY MADE PROGRESS IN A LOT OF WAYS.

I'VE BEEN DOING A LOT MORE THINGS ON MY OWN,

UM, SEPARATE FROM MY BROTHER, LIKE THE THERAPIST TOLD ME.

SO I KNOW IT MAY NOT SEEM LIKE IT,

BUT IT REALLY MEANS A LOT YOU'VE GIVEN ME THIS CHANCE.

JUST DON'T GIVE UP ON ME, PLEASE.

I NEVER GIVE UP ON ANYONE, DOMINIC.

BUT LOOKING AT YOUR SITUATION AND WHERE ARE YOU NOW,

I THINK WEIGHT LOSS SURGERY IS THE BOTTOM OF YOUR LIST.

OKAY?

SO, THERE ARE SO MANY ISSUES IN YOUR LIFE,

IN BOTH OF YOUR LIVES THAT NEED TO GET IN ORDER

PRIOR TO CONSIDERING THIS SURGERY.

YOU NEED TO GET YOUR LIFE IN ORDER.

-OKAY? -YEAH. ALL RIGHT.

AND IF WE CAN DO ANYTHING FOR YOU TO HELP YOU OUT,

THEN LET ME KNOW. OKAY?

OKAY.

AND I HOPE YOU KEEP WORKING AT IT AND THAT YOU WAKE UP

AND I SEE YOU SOON WITH SOME GOOD WEIGHT LOSS.

I'LL DO IT AND MAKE YOU PROUD.

I HOPE SO. ALL RIGHT, SEE YOU ALL LATER.

THANK YOU, DOC. BYE.

Dr. Now: I WAS HOPEFUL AT THE BEGINNING

WHEN DOMINIC STARTED TO LOSE WEIGHT,

BUT NOW THAT HE'S HEADING BACK IN THE WRONG DIRECTION AGAIN,

I'M VERY CONCERNED ABOUT WHETHER HE'S GOING TO WAKE UP IN TIME

TO TURN THINGS AROUND BEFORE HIS SITUATION GETS A LOT WORSE.

ON A 1,200 CALORIE DIET,

HE COULD HAVE LOST 160 POUNDS IN TWO MONTHS.

BUT WITH HIS SITUATION,

I GAVE HIM A VERY MODERATE GOAL OF LOSING

JUST 60 POUNDS IN THAT TIME

TO SHOW ME A SMALL DEGREE OF EFFORT

THAT HE'S WILLING TO TRY LIKE HE NEEDS TO SUCCEED IN THIS.

AND THEN THIS LAST TIME,

I GAVE HIM AN EASY GOAL FOR JUST ONE MONTH,

TO TRY AND SEE IF HE WOULD START TO APPLY HIMSELF

EVEN FOR A LITTLE WHILE,

SO IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN NO PROBLEM FOR HIM.

SO THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT HE STILL

DOESN'T WANT TO DO WHAT HE NEEDS TO CHANGE,

AND HE'S HOPING FOR SOMEONE TO RESCUE HIM

AND FIX HIS SITUATION FOR HIM, AND THAT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN.

SO WE'LL KEEP PROVIDING PSYCHOTHERAPY FOR HIM

IN THE HOPES THAT THEY'LL BE ABLE TO START

TURNING HIM AROUND AT SOME POINT

AND MAYBE MAKE SOME PROGRESS WITH HIM

TO GET HIM TO START LOSING WEIGHT LIKE HE NEEDS.

BUT UNTIL HE DOES THAT AND SHOWS ME HE'S SERIOUS

AND READY TO DO THE HARD WORK TO CHANGE HIS LIFE,

THERE IS NO MORE NEED FOR ANYMORE APPOINTMENTS.

Dominic: I KNOW I HAVE TO DO EVERYTHING I CAN TO PROVE MYSELF TO DR. NOW.

I KNOW I SLIPPED UP AT MOMENTS,

BUT I'M NOT GOING TO STOP TRYING TO DO THIS

BECAUSE MY WHOLE LIFE DEPENDS ON ME SUCCEEDING

AND GETTING WEIGHT LOSS SURGERY,

SO I CAN'T GIVE UP AND LOSE THIS, NO MATTER WHAT.

ME AND JAMES HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH A SOCIAL WORKER

TO GET SET UP WITH A HOUSING OPTION.

AND TODAY, I'M FILLING OUT AN APPLICATION TO SEE

IF WE CAN QUALIFY FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

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

I'M FINE.

COULD YOU START FILLING THAT OUT FOR ME PLEASE

AND WE CAN GET YOU STARTED?

YES, THANK YOU.

Dominic: AFTER MY LAST APPOINTMENT WITH DR. NOW,

I'VE DECIDED I'M GOING TO SPEND THE NEXT FOUR TO FIVE MONTHS

GETTING TO WHERE I NEED

SO I CAN GO BACK FOR AN APPOINTMENT

AT THE END OF THAT TIME AND REALLY IMPRESS HIM

WITH EVERYTHING I'LL HAVE DONE AND ACCOMPLISHED BY THEN.

AND TODAY, I'M TAKING A BIG STEP BY TRYING TO GET THIS HOUSING

BECAUSE I KNOW ONE OF THE BIG THINGS

THAT'S IMPORTANT IS GETTING SOME STABILITY IN MY LIFE.

THAT'S NOT POSSIBLE WITH HOW ME AND JAMES HAVE BEEN LIVING.

SO I KNOW GETTING QUALIFIED FOR SOMETHING LIKE THIS,

WE WON'T HAVE AS MUCH CONSTANT STRESS

ABOUT WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN EACH DAY

AND HOW WE'RE GOING TO SURVIVE.

-THANK YOU. -TALK TO YOU SOON.

YES.

Dominic: SO I FEEL LIKE THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT

AND BIG STEP IN MOVING FORWARD ALONG WITH ALL THE OTHER THINGS

I'M DOING TO MOVE MY LIFE INTO A MORE POSITIVE

AND HEALTHIER PLACE.

I'M STILL GOING TO THERAPY AND WORKING ON THINGS

WITH DR. PARADISE, AND I'M DOING MORE ON MY OWN.

AND I THINK ALL THAT I'M DOING IS ACTUALLY REALLY HELPING ME

BECAUSE I'M LOSING MORE AGAIN.

AND I FOUND A PLACE THAT'S NOT TOO FAR FROM OUR HOTEL

THAT HAS A BIG SCALE FOR LIKE RECYCLING METALS,

I THINK, THAT CAN HANDLE MY WEIGHT.

AND THEY LET ME GET ON TO CHECK MY WEIGHT

AND I LOST ALMOST, LIKE, 20 POUNDS.

AND THIS TIME, I'M NOT LETTING MY PROGRESS SLOW DOWN

OR GET OFF TRACK.

AND TODAY, I'M DOING SOMETHING THAT I FEEL LIKE

IS ANOTHER BIG STEP FOR ME.

I'M FOCUSED ON GETTING CLOSURE AND LETTING MY EMOTIONS OUT.

DR. PARADISE TOLD ME TO DO A VIDEO MESSAGE

TO SOMEONE I WISH I COULD TALK TO BUT CAN'T ANYMORE.

SO I PICKED TO DO THAT WITH MY MOM.

WHEN I WAS YOUNG, I REALLY USED TO LOVE THE BEACH,

AND I WOULD GO THERE WITH MY MOM AND MY BROTHER.

BUT WHEN I STARTED TO GET BIG, I JUST STOPPED GOING.

BUT I'VE ALWAYS WANTED TO GO BACK,

SO I'M DOING THIS TO GET SOME CLOSURE WITH MY MOM,

TO TELL HER THE THINGS I WISH I COULD

BUT CAN'T SINCE SHE PASSED AWAY.

HOPEFULLY, THAT WILL LET ME LET SOME THINGS OUT

I'VE HAD IN ME FOR A VERY LONG TIME.

HEY, MA. UM, I'M IN HOUSTON NOW,

ALL THE WAY IN TEXAS, BACK WHERE YOU WERE BORN.

ME AND JAMES ARE DOING A LOT BETTER.

I'M LOSING SOME WEIGHT, AND I DON'T BLAME YOU

FOR WHAT HAPPENED TO ME.

I KNOW IT WASN'T YOUR FAULT, AND I FORGIVE YOU.

IT'S REALLY HARD WITHOUT YOU BEING HERE WITH ME.

I JUST REALLY WISH YOU WERE HERE WITH US.

I WANT YOU TO KNOW I'M GOING TO BE OKAY,

AND I'M GOING TO BE HAPPY.

I LOVE YOU, MOM. I REALLY MISS YOU.

Dominic: IT FEELS A LITTLE WEIRD TO DO THIS

BECAUSE I HAVE A LOT OF PAIN

THAT I'VE NEVER REALLY ADDRESSED WITH MY MOM.

BUT I DID KNOW SHE LOVED ME, AND SHE DID HER BEST.

I DON'T THINK SHE KNEW HOW TO DEAL

WITH WHAT SHE WAS GOING THROUGH AND US BOYS.

BUT I DO LOVE MY MOM, AND I KNOW SHE WAS A GOOD MOM,

AND I MISS HER EVERY SINGLE DAY OF MY LIFE.

AND I FEEL LIKE THIS, TODAY,

IS A GOOD STEP IN MOVING ON WITH MY LIFE,

PUTTING IT BEHIND ME, AND MOVING FORWARD.

MY PLAN IS TO GO BACK TO DR. NOW

IN FOUR MONTHS WITH 150 POUND WEIGHT LOSS.

IF ME AND JAMES HAVE A PLACE TO LIVE, I COULD DO THAT.

I MAY HAVE HAD A SLOW START,

BUT I'M MORE DETERMINED NOW THAN EVER

BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO LOSE THIS,

AND I KNOW THERE'S A WHOLE FUTURE OUT THERE

THAT'S POSSIBLE FOR ME.

SO NO MATTER THE SETBACK OR HOW HARD IT GETS,

I'M GOING TO FIND WAYS TO KEEP MOVING FORWARD

UNTIL I'M WHERE I WANT TO BE WITH THE LIFE I WANT.

I HOPE IT'S SOON, BUT HOWEVER LONG IT TAKES,

I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT DAY I CAN LOOK UP AND SAY TO MYSELF,

AND EVERYONE IN MY LIFE, "I DID IT.

I DIDN'T GIVE UP, AND I DID IT. I DIDN'T LET LIFE KEEP ME DOWN.

I CLIMBED OUT OF THE VALLEY TO SEE THE SUN

AND CHANGE MY LIFE AND FUTURE FOR THE BETTER."

AND I CAN'T WAIT FOR THAT.