Lacey: I'VE LET MY WEIGHT GET SO BAD,
MY WHOLE LIFE IS JUST A HUGE STRUGGLE NOW.
I BASICALLY LIVE TO EAT.
♪♪
Woman: HE CAN'T STOP.
HE DOESN'T KNOW HOW.
Woman #2: IT'S TERRIFYING TO THINK THAT AT ANY MOMENT,
YOUR HEART COULD EXPLODE.
♪♪
Woman #3: I DON'T WANT TO DIE.
I HAVEN'T EVEN GOTTEN TO LIVE YET.
♪♪
WHY ARE YOU JUMPING ON MY CASE?
YOU'RE OVEREATING, AND YOU ACT LIKE IT IS OUR FAULT.
I KNOW THAT I'M DYING.
I KNOW THAT I'M NOT GONNA MAKE IT.
YOU ARE NOT LISTENING TO WHAT I'M SAYING.
WELL, WE GOT TO TALK ABOUT IT,
'CAUSE I AM NOT GONNA STAY IN THIS
[BLEEP] TOWN MORE THAN A YEAR.
--Captions by VITAC-- www.vitac.com
CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS
♪♪
Lacey: WAKING UP IS SO PAINFUL, BECAUSE THERE'S SO MUCH WEIGHT
PULLING DOWN ON EVERY PART OF ME NOW,
THAT EVERY INCH OF MY BODY IS CONSTANTLY IN PAIN.
AND IT'S SO MUCH WORSE WHEN I MOVE.
SO GETTING UP AND HAVING TO START MY DAY
IS SOMETHING I DREAD,
BECAUSE THE VERY FIRST FEW STEPS OUT OF BED,
THAT'S THE MOST PAINFUL.
AND EVERY DAY IT'S GETTING WORSE,
TO THE POINT WHERE I'M SCARED NOW.
MY LEGS COULD GIVE OUT.
AND I'M TERRIFIED OF THAT BECAUSE I LIVE ALONE.
SO I DON'T HAVE ANYONE HERE TO HELP ME.
SO IF THAT EVER HAPPENS, MY FEAR IS THAT
UNLESS MY MOM OR MY FRIENDS
HAPPEN TO COME OVER TO CHECK ON MY IN TIME,
I COULD END UP SERIOUSLY HURT OR EVEN DYING.
♪♪
I'VE LET MY WEIGHT GET SO BAD
THAT SOMETHING SIMPLE LIKE GOING TO THE BATHROOM
OR TAKING A SHOWER COULD BE A LIFE-OR-DEATH EXPERIENCE FOR ME.
AND I'M ASHAMED I'VE LET IT GET TO THIS POINT.
AND I REFUSE TO EVEN LOOK AT MY BODY ANYMORE,
AND I DON'T EVEN LIKE THINKING ABOUT IT.
I DON'T LIKE LOOKING AT IT.
I'M OVERWHELMED BY THE SIZE OF MY BODY.
IT DEPRESSES ME WHEN I SEE IT.
SO I DON'T EVEN WANT TO BE AROUND A MIRROR
WHEN I GET DRESSED,
AND I MAKE SURE I GO TO A ROOM
WHERE THERE AREN'T ANY TO PUT MY CLOTHES ON.
BUT GETTING DRESSED IS A WHOLE OTHER EVENT
THAT COMPLETELY EXHAUSTS ME.
I DON'T EVEN THINK THAT I CAN PHYSICALLY DRY
MY ENTIRE BODY LIKE A NORMAL PERSON DOES.
SO IT'S A MISERABLE PROCESS, AND I HATE IT ALL.
MY LIFE IS JUST A HUGE STRUGGLE NOW,
AND THE ONLY JOY I HAVE LEFT IS FOOD.
I BASICALLY LIVE TO EAT, BECAUSE IT'S THE ONLY REASON
I PUT MYSELF THROUGH ALL I DO TO GET UP.
BECAUSE ONCE I FINISH GETTING READY, I JUST START EATING.
AND IT'S LIKE THIS MARATHON OF FOOD UNTIL I GET FULL,
AND IT CAN TAKE A LOT.
♪♪
I USUALLY MAKE SOME SAUSAGE AND SOME POTATOES TO START.
I'M PRETTY TIRED AT THIS POINT,
BUT MY HUNGER IS GREATER THAN MY FATIGUE.
AND I CAN'T WAIT TO EAT.
♪♪
ALL I WANT TO DO IS EAT.
SO WHEN I FINALLY DO, THAT FIRST BITE IS SO, SO GOOD.
I CAN HARDLY DESCRIBE IT.
AND I JUST WANT MORE AND MORE.
AND I DON'T WANT THAT FEELING TO EVER STOP.
AND AFTER I FINISH MY BREAKFAST AND THERE'S NOTHING LEFT,
I FINALLY LET MYSELF GET SOMETHING SWEET.
AND THAT'S WHAT I'VE REALLY BEEN WAITING FOR.
ANYTHING WITH SUGAR, ESPECIALLY CHOCOLATE,
IS MY BIGGEST WEAKNESS.
IT'S LIKE HEAVEN WRAPPED INTO THESE TINY BITES,
AND I CAN'T GET ENOUGH.
♪♪
THE LAST EIGHT TO NINE YEARS,
I'VE LIVED HERE IN MY HOUSE, ALL ALONE.
I DON'T LIKE GOING ANYWHERE ANYMORE.
I ONLY GET OUT OF THE HOUSE TO GET FOOD.
IT GIVES ME A PLACE TO GO TO.
BUT I STILL DON'T GO VERY FAR, BECAUSE IT TAKES A LOT OUT OF ME
JUST TO WALK ALL THE WAY TO MY CAR.
AND I AM AFRAID THAT ONE DAY, I WILL GET STUCK IN MY CAR
AND I WON'T BE ABLE TO GET OUT.
AND IT HURTS TO MUCH TO TRY AND STAY CRAMMED
IN MY CAR FOR TOO LONG,
SO I KNOW IT'S ONLY A MATTER OF TIME
BEFORE I CAN'T DO THIS ANYMORE.
Woman: Go ahead with your order whenever you're ready.
COULD I HAVE A DOUBLE CHEESEBURGER,
AND EXTRA-LARGE FRY, MOZZARELLA STICKS,
AND THEN A LARGE BANANA SHAKE?
Okay. So, we'll see you at the window.
Thank you.
Hi. -HI.
THANK YOU. -Have a nice day.
ONCE I CRAVE IT, I HAVE TO HAVE IT.
SO I USUALLY PICK SOME THINGS UP AT A COUPLE DIFFERENT
FAST-FOOD PLACES TO GET EVERYTHING I WANT.
-Hello? -HI.
COULD I HAVE THREE SPICY TACOS, PLEASE?
Thank you.
FOOD IS THE ONLY THING THAT HELPS ME DEAL WITH MY LIFE.
SO EVEN JUST THE THOUGHT OF NOT HAVING WHAT I KNOW I CAN RELY ON
TO HELP ME WHEN I'M DEPRESSED IS ABSOLUTELY HORRIFYING TO ME.
I DON'T KNOW HOW TO DO IT, OR HOW TO CHANGE.
EVER SINCE I WAS YOUNG,
IT'S BEEN THE ONLY CONSTANT I CAN RELY ON.
♪♪
FOOD AND MY WEIGHT HAVE ALWAYS BEEN A STRUGGLE FOR ME.
IF THERE IS A TIME WHERE I WASN'T OVERWEIGHT,
I DON'T REMEMBER THAT.
I WAS BIG WHEN I WAS A TODDLER.
IT STARTED FROM THERE, AND IT JUST PROGRESSED.
MY MOM LOVED FOOD.
SHE WAS ACTUALLY A COOK AT A RESORT,
SO FOOD WAS HER LIFE.
AND SHE HAD REALLY BAD EATING HABITS,
AND I KNOW THAT I LEARNED MY EATING HABITS FROM HER.
UM, BINGE EATING -- THAT'S SOMETHING MY MOM
HAS STRUGGLED WITH HER ENTIRE LIFE, AS WELL.
SO I PICKED IT UP, TOO.
BECAUSE AS A KID, I ALWAYS ATE WITH MY MOM
AND THAT BECAME OUR THING TOGETHER.
SO EARLY ON, I STARTED PUTTING ON A LOT OF WEIGHT
AND WAS AROUND 80 POUNDS BY THE TIME I WAS 4.
SOMETIMES MY MOM WOULD TAKE ME OUT TO EAT FOR DINNER,
AND I REALLY LIKED TO GO OUT TO EAT WITH MY MOM
BECAUSE I GOT TO SPEND A LOT OF TIME WITH HER.
THAT TIME WAS KIND OF SPECIAL TO ME.
BUT BY THE TIME I WAS 6, I WAS ALREADY OVER 120 POUNDS,
WHICH WAS ALMOST THREE TIMES
WHAT MY WEIGHT SHOULD'VE BEEN AT THAT AGE.
Martha: LACEY WAS ALWAYS BIGGER THAN OTHER KIDS.
BUT WHEN SHE WAS IN FIRST GRADE,
IT WAS TIME FOR HER TO SEE HER PEDIATRICIAN
AND SHE SAID, "WHAT ARE YOU FEEDING THIS KID?
BECAUSE SHE'S ALREADY OFF THE CHARTS BY A MARGIN."
AND THAT'S WHEN I STARTED WORRYING.
I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO AT THAT POINT.
Lacey: AS I GOT OLDER, MY MOM AND MY DAD WORKED LONGER
AND LONGER HOURS AND WEREN'T AROUND MUCH.
AND MANY DAYS, I WOULD BE ON MY OWN
FROM WHEN I GOT UP TO WHEN I WENT TO BED.
I TOOK CARE OF MYSELF ON MY OWN,
AND I STARTED COMING HOME AND MAKING MY OWN DINNER.
AND I ATE WHATEVER I WANTED.
ONE OF MY FAVORITE THINGS WAS TO MIX BUTTER
AND SUGAR IN BOWL AND GO EAT IT IN MY ROOM ALONE,
AND THERE WAS NO ONE TO TELL ME I COULDN'T.
MY DAD STARTED TO STRUGGLE TO FIND WORK,
SO HE STARTED BEING AROUND SOMETIMES.
AND HE WOULD OCCASIONALLY SAY SOMETHING
ABOUT WHAT I WAS EATING,
AND SAY, "DON'T YOU THINK THAT'S ENOUGH,"
OR "YOU'VE ALREADY HAD ENOUGH."
AND I WOULD BE LIKE,
"I'M GONNA GO DO IT ANYWAY, BECAUSE I CAN."
SO MY WEIGHT GAIN CONTINUED,
AND I MADE IT OVER 200 POUNDS BY THE TIME I WAS 9.
AND THAT'S WHEN MY WEIGHT STARTED TO REALLY AFFECT ME
AND CAUSE ISSUES FOR ME,
BECAUSE I GOT TIRED VERY QUICKLY COMPARED TO MY FRIENDS.
I COULD BARELY GO AROUND THE BLOCK WITHOUT BEING TIRED,
SO I WAS SAD THAT I COULDN'T HANG OUT WITH MY FRIENDS.
SO MY WEIGHT WAS STARTING TO ISOLATE ME FROM EVERYONE,
AND MY LIFE STARTED TO GET A LOT WORSE --
NOT JUST BECAUSE OF MY SIZE,
BUT BECAUSE OF HOW THINGS WERE GETTING AT HOME.
WITH MY DAD FINDING IT HARDER TO FIND A JOB,
MY PARENTS STARTED FIGHTING A LOT ABOUT THE FINANCES.
AND MY MOM FELT MY DAD WASN'T TRYING HARD ENOUGH,
AND THAT HE WAS BEING LAZY.
SO THE FIGHTING GOT REALLY BAD.
ONE TIME, WE WERE ALL HAVING DINNER AND THEY WERE FIGHTING.
MY DAD JUST GOT UP AND FLIPPED THE TABLE.
I WAS JUST CRYING BECAUSE I WAS TERRIFIED.
AND FROM THAT POINT ON,
I STARTED TO GET SCARED OF MY DAD
BECAUSE HE WOULD LOSE HIS TEMPER LIKE THAT.
AS TIME WENT ON, THEY FOUGHT EVEN MORE
AND I WAS JUST SCARED ALL THE TIME.
AND I DIDN'T KNOW WHEN MY DAD WAS GOING
TO LOSE HIS TEMPER AGAIN, BECAUSE HE ALWAYS DID.
BUT THAT'S WHEN I STARTED TO REALIZE FOOD
WAS A HUGE COMFORT FOR ME.
IT WAS THERE FOR ME WHEN I WAS LONELY,
AND NOW IT WAS THERE FOR ME WHEN I WAS SCARED.
AND I WENT FROM CONSTANTLY WANTING IT
TO CONSTANTLY NEEDING IT.
WHEN I WAS 12, I HIT 350 POUNDS,
AND THAT WAS AS HIGH AS THE SCALES
COULD GO AT THE DOCTOR'S OFFICE.
SO WE NEVER EVEN BOTHERED WEIGHING ME AFTER THAT,
BECAUSE WE COULDN'T.
BUT I KNEW I WAS GETTING BIGGER EVERY DAY.
AND OTHER PEOPLE WOULD FIND OUT HOW BIG I WAS GETTING,
ESPECIALLY MY DAD.
MY DAD WAS THE WORST.
WHEN I WAS A TEENAGER,
HE STARTED TO CONSTANTLY GET AFTER ME BECAUSE OF MY WEIGHT.
SO I DIDN'T WANT TO BE AROUND HIM ANYMORE AT THAT POINT.
Martha: FOR A LONG TIME, LACEY DIDN'T LIKE HER DAD
AND SHE DIDN'T WANT TO SIT DOWN AT THE TABLE WITH HIM,
BECAUSE HE ALWAYS CRITICIZED HER AT THE TABLE
WHEN WE WERE READY TO EAT DINNER.
SO SHE DIDN'T WANT TO EAT AT THE TABLE,
AND WE ATE IN THE LIVING ROOM AND SHE ATE IN HER BEDROOM.
Lacey: I DID EVERYTHING I COULD
TO AVOID MY DAD DURING THAT TIME,
BECAUSE HE JUST WOULDN'T LET UP.
Steve: IN LACEY'S HIGH SCHOOL YEARS,
THE OBESITY BECAME MORE AND MORE OF A PROBLEM.
I BECAME MORE OF AN ADVERSARY TO HER,
BECAUSE I FOCUSED ON IT PROBABLY MORE THAN
I SHOULD HAVE AT THAT TIME.
AND IT WAS UPSETTING TO ME THAT I SAW WHAT SHE WAS BECOMING,
THROWING HER LIFE AWAY.
Lacey: WHEN I WAS 15, MY DOCTOR GOT A NEW SCALE THAT COULD GO HIGHER,
AND I FOUND OUT I WAS 492 POUNDS.
I WAS IN SHOCK, BUT IT STILL DIDN'T STOP ME
FROM CONTINUING TO GAIN.
AND WHEN I WAS 16 DURING MY SOPHOMORE YEAR,
I GOT TO THE POINT WHERE I COULDN'T DO
WHAT I NEEDED FOR SCHOOL.
SO I HAD TO DROP OUT, AND IT WAS HUMILIATING FOR ME.
BUT I WAS ABLE TO FIND AN ALTERNATIVE SCHOOL
THAT ACCOMMODATED MY NEEDS,
SO I WAS STILL ABLE TO FINISH MY CREDITS
AND GET MY DEGREE WHEN I WAS 18.
AT THAT POINT, I WAS UP OVER 560 POUNDS,
BUT I COULDN'T STOP EATING.
FOOD HELPED ME GET PAST SOME OF THE HARDEST MOMENTS IN MY LIFE,
ESPECIALLY AT THAT TIME,
BECAUSE THAT'S WHEN MY RELATIONSHIP WITH MY FATHER
PRETTY MUCH ENDED FOR A WHILE.
MY MOM AND MY DAD FINALLY GOT A DIVORCE,
AND MY DAD MOVED AWAY.
I WAS DEVASTATED WHEN THAT HAPPENED.
AS MUCH AS MY FATHER HURT ME, HE WAS STILL MY FATHER
AND I DIDN'T WANT HIM OUT OF MY LIFE.
I LOVE LACEY, BUT I JUST CAME TO THE REALIZATION
OR THE FEELING THAT LACEY REALLY WAS NOT MY DAUGHTER.
SHE WAS HER MOTHER'S DAUGHTER,
SO I KIND OF GAVE UP AND IT WORE ME DOWN.
THERE WERE ISSUES WITHIN ME ABOUT --
I HATE TO SAY IT, BECAUSE SHE'S MY DAUGHTER,
BUT -- EMBARRASSMENT.
YOU KNOW, BEING OUT IN PUBLIC, YOU KNOW,
WITH HER BECAUSE OF HER SIZE.
Lacey: I SPENT THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS LIVING AT HOME WITH MY MOM,
JUST EATING AND GETTING BIGGER.
AND WHEN I WAS 20 AND IN THE 600s,
I TRIED TO GO TO COMMUNITY COLLEGE
BUT THERE WAS JUST NO WAY.
I COULDN'T DO IT AND GET AROUND.
SO I WENT ON DISABILITY
AND USED THAT MONEY TO GET MY OWN PLACE.
AND THAT'S WHAT I'VE LIVED OFF OF FOR THE LAST EIGHT
TO NINE YEARS.
I'VE NEVER HAD A JOB. AND I'VE NEVER MADE MY OWN WAY.
I'VE NEVER FELT THAT --
WHAT IT FEELS LIKE TO WORK FOR SOMETHING.
AND I THINK THAT'S REALLY [BLEEP]
MY LIFE IS JUST THIS HOUSE.
AND FOR THE LAST EIGHT OR SO YEARS,
I'VE JUST LIVED HERE ON MY OWN.
MY MOM USED TO EAT WITH ME,
BUT SHE HAD GAINED A LOT OVER THE YEARS TOO,
SO SHE DECIDED TO GET GASTRIC BYPASS.
AND AFTER THAT, THINGS CHANGED SOME BETWEEN US
BECAUSE WE COULDN'T EAT THE SAME FOODS ANYMORE.
MY DAD COMES BY TO SEE ME AT TIMES.
HE GOT REMARRIED A LITTLE WHILE BACK.
BUT OUR RELATIONSHIP HAS BEEN STRAINED SINCE CHILDHOOD,
SO THE ONLY PEOPLE I REALLY SEE CONSTANTLY
ARE SOME OF MY FRIENDS I'VE HAD SINCE CHILDHOOD
THAT ARE STILL A PART OF MY LIFE.
SO, WHAT'S BEEN GOING ON?
NOT A WHOLE LOT.
JUST BEEN HOME AND DOING MY OWN THING, I GUESS.
WE WERE GONNA ASK YOU TO GO OUT TO EAT.
-YEAH. -NO, NOT TODAY.
-YOU SURE? -YEAH.
HOW ARE WE GONNA GET YOU OUT OF THIS FUNK?
MAYBE WHEN THE SUN COMES OUT.
WE'RE WORRIED ABOUT YOU.
THINGS ARE GETTING WORSE WITH YOU.
WE'RE NOTICING.
WELL, THANKS FOR WORRYING, BUT I THINK I'LL BE OKAY.
Katie: IT'S BEEN REALLY HARD WATCHING LACEY GAIN WEIGHT
AND JUST GET MORE ISOLATED.
AND I FEEL LIKE SHE'S LOSING HOPE IN HERSELF.
SHE DOESN'T DESERVE THE LIFESTYLE THAT SHE'S LIVING,
BUT IT'S ALL THAT SHE KNOWS.
NOT SURE ISOLATION IS GONNA HELP YOUR FUNK.
I JUST DON'T WANT TO SEE YOU BEING A SHUT-IN ANYMORE.
I TALK TO YOUR MOM QUITE A BIT ABOUT IT.
OH, YEAH. I TALK TO HER.
OH, YEAH. -YOU BEST NOT BE TALKING TO HER.
OH, WE TALK.
WE'RE BOTH WORRIED, AND I CAME OUT AND JUST TOLD YOUR MOM --
I WAS KIND OF BEING REALLY RUDE, BUT I TOLD HER
SHE'S GOT TO DO SOMETHING TO HELP.
Megan: I FEEL AS THOUGH LACEY'S ON THE FAST TRACK TO THE GRAVE.
AND I HATE THAT.
I DON'T EVER WANT TO GET THAT CALL
AND BE THERE AT LACEY'S FUNERAL.
DON'T EVER.
SURE WE CAN'T CONVINCE YOU TO GO?
Lacey: YEAH, I'M NOT GOING ANYWHERE.
I THINK JUST HANGING OUT HERE IS FINE,
AND Y'ALL CAN GO.
ARE YOU KICKING US OUT, OR CAN WE HANG OUT FOR A BIT?
I'M TIRED.
I THINK IT'S TIME FOR Y'ALL TO HEAD OUT SO I CAN REST.
ALL RIGHTY, THEN.
-LOVE YOU. -LOVE YOU, TOO.
I'LL SEE YOU LATER.
BYE.
HAVE FUN. DON'T DO ANYTHING TOO CRAZY.
OH, I WON'T.
♪♪
I HATE THAT I'VE LET THIS BECOME MY LIFE,
AND THAT IT'S ONLY GETTING WORSE.
BUT I DON'T NEED EVERYONE NAGGING ME ABOUT IT.
AND I'M FRUSTRATED THEY REACHED OUT TO MY MOM THIS TIME.
I FEEL LIKE THEY CROSSED A LINE,
AND I'M NOT COMFORTABLE WITH THAT.
I KNOW EVERYTHING THEY'RE SAYING IS TRUE.
BUT AT THIS POINT, THIS HAS BEEN MY LIFE FOR SO LONG NOW,
I DON'T KNOW HOW I WOULD BE ABLE TO DEAL WITH LIFE WITHOUT FOOD.
AND JUST THE THOUGHT OF IT SCARES ME TO DEATH,
BECAUSE I'D BE GIVING UP ALL THE HAPPINESS IN MY LIFE.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I KNOW IF I DON'T,
THEN I'M NOT GONNA BE ALIVE FOR MUCH LONGER.
AND I'M GONNA GO TO SLEEP ONE NIGHT
AND THEN JUST NOT WAKE UP, AND I DON'T WANT THAT.
SO I KNOW I HAVE TO DO SOMETHING BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE
AND I EAT MYSELF TO DEATH.
♪♪
Lacey: I'VE BEEN THINKING A LOT ABOUT WHAT MY FRIENDS
KEEP TRYING TO TALK TO ME ABOUT.
FOR THEM TO KEEP TELLING ME HOW BAD OFF I AM
IS JUST FRUSTRATING AND EMBARRASSING,
BUT I KNOW THEY'RE RIGHT.
SO I AGREED TO TALK TO MY MOM ABOUT GETTING HELP.
AND SHE TOLD ME IF I'D AGREE TO GO TO HOUSTON TO SEE DR. NOW,
THAT SHE'D GO WITH ME.
SO SHE MADE AN APPOINTMENT FOR ME AND BOOKED US FLIGHTS DOWN.
THIS IS A FUNNY-LOOKING HAIRBRUSH.
DOESN'T PULL YOUR HAIR OUT.
SO ANYWAY, WE'RE GONNA GET THROUGH THIS, THICK OR THIN,
AND WE'LL GET THIS DONE.
WE'LL GET YOU A NEW LIFE, AND -- AND ME, A VERY HAPPY MOM.
GOOD.
THANKS.
LOVE YOU SO MUCH.
LOVE YOU, TOO.
SO, I THINK I'M DONE.
OKAY.
-YOU CAN GO OUT, 'CAUSE... -YOU GOT IT?
-...I GOT IT. -ALL RIGHT.
I'VE NEVER BEEN ON A PLANE OR DONE A TRIP LIKE THIS.
AND IT'LL BE THE FURTHEST I'VE GONE OR WALKED IN A LONG TIME,
SO I'M SCARED HOW MY BODY'S GONNA HANDLE IT ALL.
AND THEN ON TOP OF THAT, DR. NOW MAY NOT EVEN HELP ME,
AND THIS ALL COULD BE A WASTE OF TIME.
BUT I JUST REALLY HOPE THIS IS NOT A BIG MISTAKE.
ALL RIGHT, LET'S GO.
♪♪
Martha: HOW MANY SEATS DO YOU THINK THAT YOU'RE GONNA HAVE?
I'M THINKING TWO.
I HOPE TWO, BUT YOU KNOW, IF IT'S GONNA BE THREE,
THEN LET IT BE SO YOU CAN MAYBE PROP YOUR LEG UP OR SOMETHING.
[ CHUCKLES ]
MAYBE.
EVEN IF THE SEATS, YOU KNOW, ARE NOT COMFORTABLE,
GETTING THERE IS ALL THAT MATTERS AT THIS POINT.
YEAH, I CAN DO THAT.
SURE.
MY NERVES ARE STARTING TO GET TO ME.
AND I NEED THIS ALL TO BE AS SHORT AS POSSIBLE,
BECAUSE I CAN'T WALK VERY FAR.
BUT WE CALLED AHEAD FOR DISABILITY ASSISTANCE,
SO SOMEONE'S GOING TO BE HERE TO HELP ME AND GET ME A WHEELCHAIR.
AND THAT'S GOING TO HELP ME A LOT,
BECAUSE I'M GOING TO HAVE TO SIT DOWN SOON.
HI.
YES, PLEASE.
ALL RIGHTY. WELL, I'LL TAKE YOUR BAGS.
WE'LL GO AHEAD AND GET YOU STARTED.
ALL RIGHT.
I MIGHT NEED A WHEELCHAIR, THOUGH.
NO PROBLEM, YEAH.
-YES, SIR. -JUST GO AHEAD AND HAVE A SEAT
RIGHT OVER HERE FOR A MOMENT, ALL RIGHTY?
-OKAY, THANK YOU. -THANK YOU.
-NO PROBLEM, MA'AM.
JUST GO AHEAD AND HANG ONTO THAT FOR ME.
YEP.
JUST WAIT FOR ME FOR A FEW MOMENTS,
AND I'M GONNA GO REQUEST A WHEELCHAIR FOR YOU.
OKAY, THANK YOU.
AH, HERE HE COMES.
OH, OKAY.
WOULD IT BE EASIER IF YOU HELD ON TO A WHEELCHAIR
AS A WALKER AND WENT TO YOUR GATE?
I THINK I'LL TRY IT WITHOUT.
I MEAN, I COULD TRY WITHOUT.
-EVEN WITHOUT HOLDING IT? -YEAH.
OKAY, I GOT YOU. NO PROBLEM AT ALL.
OKAY.
I WASN'T EXPECTING THIS.
THIS IS THE TYPE OF STUFF
I'M ALWAYS WORRIED ABOUT GOING ANYWHERE,
BECAUSE MOST PLACES DON'T HAVE WHAT I NEED TO ACCOMMODATE ME.
AND NOW I'M GONNA FEEL LIKE EVERYONE'S LOOKING AT ME
TRYING TO STRUGGLE TO GET TO THE PLANE,
WHEN I WAS JUST HOPING TO BE ABLE TO DO THIS
AND GET IT DONE AS FAST AS I COULD.
I CAN'T STAND FOR LONG LIKE THIS.
I'M ALREADY HURTING A LOT.
OKAY.
I DON'T THINK PEOPLE UNDERSTAND HOW HARD THIS IS FOR ME TO DO
AND HOW BAD THIS CAN GET IF I START TO HIT MY LIMIT.
I JUST NEED TO MAKE IT TO WHEREVER I CAN SIT DOWN NEXT.
-THANK YOU VERY MUCH. -THANKS.
YOU HAVE A GOOD ONE, AND ENJOY YOUR FLIGHT, HON, OKAY?
-THANK YOU SO MUCH. -NO PROBLEM.
THANK GOODNESS.
NOW THAT I'M ABLE TO SIT DOWN,
I'M CALMING DOWN A LITTLE BIT AND I FEEL BETTER.
YOU DON'T SEEM AS NERVOUS AS YOU WERE WHEN WE WERE DRIVING NOW.
I'M EXCITED.
-MAN. -THAT'S COOL.
OH, MAN.
THEY'RE A LOT BIGGER THAN THEY SEEM.
THIS IS THE WHOLE BEGINNING OF YOUR NEW JOURNEY.
-YEAH. -I AM SO, SO HAPPY.
NOW THAT I'VE MADE IT THIS FAR AND I'M ALMOST TO THE PLANE,
I KNOW I CAN MAKE IT.
I'M NOT NERVOUS ANYMORE, 'CAUSE WE'RE HERE.
WE'RE HERE, AND IN MY HEAD, YOU KNOW,
IT'S SOMETHING MORE SCARY THAN THIS.
SO I'M PRETTY -- PRETTY EXCITED ABOUT IT NOW.
I'VE NEVER SEEN AIRPLANES LAND OR TAKE OFF OR MOVE OR ANYTHING,
SO LOOKING OUT THERE IS REALLY AWESOME.
I JUST CAN'T STOP.
PEOPLE TAKE FOR GRANTED THAT THEY CAN GO DO THIS
AND SEE THINGS LIKE THIS.
IT'S TRULY AMAZING.
I JUST HAVE TO WALK A LITTLE BIT FURTHER,
AND I'M CONFIDENT I CAN MAKE IT.
I AM STILL A LITTLE WORRIED ABOUT WHETHER
I'M GONNA HAVE ANY TROUBLE GETTING ON THE PLANE,
BUT I'M MOSTLY EXCITED ABOUT ALL THIS.
AND I CAN'T WAIT TO FLY FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MY LIFE.
NOPE, THAT'S GOOD. I'M IN.
-PERFECT. -THANK YOU.
MY LEGS HURT, AND I'M REALLY TIRED.
BUT I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THIS.
OH, MY GOD.
WHOO!
OH, MY GOD.
THAT'S SO COOL!
THIS IS BREATHTAKING.
I'M JUST THANKFUL TO HAVE THIS WHOLE OPPORTUNITY
TO BE FLYING FOR THE FIRST TIME,
AND OVERALL, TO HAVE THIS CHANCE TO GET MY LIFE BACK.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN FROM HERE,
OR IF DR. NOW IS EVEN GONNA BE ABLE TO HELP ME.
BUT I'M FEELING REALLY OPTIMISTIC,
AND I FEEL PROUD FOR PUSHING MYSELF.
♪♪
WE SHOULD BE IN HOUSTON HERE SOON,
AND WE HAVE DISABILITY ASSISTANCE
SET TO HELP ME ONCE WE ARRIVE.
SO I FEEL LIKE I CAN HANDLE THE REST OF THE TRIP,
AND I'M NOT WORRIED.
I GOT THIS.
♪♪
AS EMBARRASSING AS IT WAS TO HAVE TO GET TWO SEATS
TO ACCOMMODATE MY SIZE, IT ENDED UP HELPING ME A LOT
BECAUSE I COULD MOVE AROUND AND REPOSITION MYSELF
WHEN I GOT SORE.
SO I'M FEELING PRETTY GOOD RIGHT NOW,
AND I'M REALLY RELIEVED THAT THEY HAVE A WHEELCHAIR FOR ME.
I'M JUST STARVING.
AT THIS POINT IN THE DAY,
I'VE USUALLY ALREADY EATEN A LOT.
BUT TODAY, I'VE HARDLY HAD ANYTHING.
SO I'M GONNA HAVE TO GET SOMETHING REALLY SOON.
THANK YOU.
BUT OTHER THAN THAT, I FEEL GOOD.
AND I FEEL LIKE THIS TRIP HAS BEEN A GOOD EXPERIENCE FOR ME.
♪♪
Lacey: EXCUSE ME.
CAN WE FIND SOMEWHERE TO GET SOME FOOD REALLY QUICK?
HOW ABOUT DRIVE-THRU?
YES, SIR.
I'M REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO FINALLY EATING,
BECAUSE I'M SO HUNGRY AND I KNOW
THIS MAY BE ONE OF THE LAST TIMES
THAT I GET TO EAT LIKE THIS FOR A WHILE.
AFTER I SEE DR. NOW,
I'M PROBABLY GONNA HAVE TO START
MAKING A LOT OF CHANGES WITH WHAT I EAT.
SO I'M GONNA SAVOR THIS.
A NUMBER SEVEN.
Man: COULD I GET A NUMBER SEVEN, PLEASE?
Lacey: BUT I KNOW TOMORROW IS A NEW DAY,
AND I'M GONNA HAVE TO START WORKING HARD.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. -MM-HMM.
THIS HAS BEEN A LOT OF ACTIVITY FOR ME,
SO I FEEL LIKE WE'RE GETTING HERE
AND ENDING THIS TRIP JUST IN TIME.
♪♪
OH, DAMN IT!
[BLEEP]
DAMN IT!
GEEZ.
I CAN'T MOVE. MY LEG HURTS SO BAD.
WHICH ONE, HONEY?
DON'T. YOU CAN'T TOUCH ME.
JUST LEAVE ME ALONE. -ALL RIGHT.
ALL RIGHT.
I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS HAPPENED.
I'M IN SO MUCH PAIN RIGHT NOW.
I DON'T THINK I CAN GET UP,
AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT I'M GONNA DO.
♪♪
OH [BLEEP] LEG!
Lacey: I DON'T KNOW IF I CAN GET UP.
ALL RIGHT.
WE'RE CALLING AN AMBULANCE, THEN.
NO!
WE NEED YOU TO GET IN A STRETCHER.
YOU CAN'T... -NO, I DON'T!
...GET UP.
-MOM? -LACEY --
LEAVE ME ALONE, AND LET ME --
I JUST DON'T WANT YOUR LEG TO GET ANY WORSE.
MOM! I'M FINE.
YOU HURT IT.
I JUST NEED A MOMENT, AND I WISH MY MOM WOULD LEAVE ME ALONE.
IF I JUST TAKE A SECOND,
I CAN SEE IF I CAN GET UP,
BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO HAVE TO CALL AN AMBULANCE OR ANY HELP.
I JUST WANT TO GET IN MY ROOM AND EAT AND PUT THIS BEHIND ME.
NO, NO, NO. DON'T TOUCH ME!
OKAY. ALL RIGHT.
[ GROANS ]
DON'T TOUCH ME.
LET GO OF ME, PLEASE! -OKAY.
-PLEASE, LET GO! -CAREFUL.
YOU'RE ON A -- YOU'RE IN A -- -LET GO OF ME!
-I DON'T HAVE -- -GET AWAY FROM ME!
-I DON'T HAVE YOU. -JUST LET ME DO IT.
ALL RIGHT, ALL RIGHT, ALL RIGHT.
OKAY.
Man: LET ME MOVE SO THAT SHE CAN PASS.
OH, NO. [ CRIES ]
I'M GONNA GET YOU -- STAY PUT.
I'M GONNA GET YOU A WHEELCHAIR.
I JUST WANT TO GO!
LACEY!
DON'T YOU DARE PICK NOTHING UP.
LACEY, SIT ON THIS.
-NO! -I'LL PUSH YOU.
NO.
GOD.
I KNEW THIS WAS GONNA HAPPEN.
Lacey: I WAS DOING SO WELL, AND I WAS FEELING CONFIDENT.
BUT GETTING OUT OF THE VAN, I JUST PUSHED MYSELF TOO HARD.
AND I FEEL EMBARRASSED AND DEFLATED,
AND I JUST WANT TO FINALLY REST AND EAT SOMETHING.
Martha: IT WAS HORRIBLE TO SEE LACEY FALL.
THAT WAS MY WORST FEAR COME TO LIFE.
I FELT HELPLESS.
IT WAS SCARY.
I'M GRATEFUL SHE DIDN'T BREAK ANYTHING, BUT, YOU KNOW,
I DON'T WANT TO RELIVE THAT EVER, EVER AGAIN.
YOU WANT A FRENCH FRY? IT'LL MAKE YOU FEEL BETTER.
[ LAUGHS ]
Lacey: I'M JUST GLAD TO BE HERE, AND I'M READY FOR BED.
I EARNED A GOOD NIGHT'S SLEEP.
I JUST HOPE I'M ABLE TO REST,
BECAUSE MY MIND IS RACING ABOUT TOMORROW
AND HOW IT'S GOING TO GO WITH DR. NOW.
MY BODY'S BREAKING POINT ISN'T TOO FAR OFF,
SO MY WHOLE LIFE AND EVERYTHING ALL DEPENDS
ON WHAT HAPPENS TOMORROW.
AND I KNOW THIS IS MY LAST CHANCE.
♪♪
ME AND MY MOM ARE HEADED TO DR. NOW'S
FOR MY FIRST APPOINTMENT.
AFTER WHAT HAPPENED YESTERDAY,
I WAS ABLE TO REST AND GET SOME SLEEP.
OKAY.
-Y'ALL HAVE A GOOD DAY. -THANK YOU. YOU, TOO.
SO I'M FEELING A LOT BETTER TODAY.
THE ONLY THING I'M NERVOUS ABOUT
IS HOW THIS APPOINTMENT IS GONNA GO.
LACEY HODDER?
MY FEAR IS THAT I'VE GOTTEN OVER 650 OR CLOSE TO 700.
♪♪
-700, LACEY. -OOH.
♪♪
THAT'S WHAT I WAS AFRAID OF.
SO MY WEIGHT IS MORE OUT OF CONTROL THAN EVER,
AND I KNOW I NEED TO GET HELP.
♪♪
-HI. -HELLO.
-HOW ARE Y'ALL DOING?
I'M DR. NOWZARADAN.
HI. IT'S NICE TO MEET YOU.
I'M LACEY. -AND?
I'M MARTHA. NICE TO MEET YOU.
-AND YOU'RE...? -LACEY'S MOTHER.
-MOTHER. OKAY. -YES.
WELL, IT'S GOOD TO MEET YOU BOTH.
SO, HOW WAS YOUR TRIP? -IT WAS GOOD.
MY FIRST TIME FLYING, SO IT WENT REALLY WELL.
GREAT.
I'M GLAD IT WENT SO WELL AND THAT YOU MADE IT HERE.
ALL RIGHT. SO, LACEY, TODAY YOU'RE AT 691.
YEAH.
IS THAT THE HIGHEST WEIGHT YOU HAVE BEEN?
YES, SIR.
AND YOU'RE 5'3".
YEAH.
AT YOUR HEIGHT, YOU SHOULD BE 120 TO HAVE A NORMAL BMI.
BUT YOUR BMI IS 122.
-YEAH. -WOW.
THAT MAY NOT BE THE HIGHEST THAT I'VE SEEN,
BUT YOU'RE PRETTY CLOSE THERE.
YEAH.
SO THIS IS A PRETTY BAD SITUATION.
I'M SURPRISED YOU'RE STILL ABLE TO GET AROUND.
HOW MUCH YOU CAN WALK, ABOUT 10 STEPS, 20 STEPS, OR...?
OH, I CAN WALK PRETTY FAR, I GUESS, FOR MY SIZE.
BUT I'M OUT OF BREATH ALL THE TIME DOING IT,
BUT I CAN PUSH MYSELF TO WALK FURTHER.
YOU MAY OWE YOUR MOBILITY TO THE FACT THAT YOU'RE YOUNG.
YOUR BODY HAS BEEN ABLE TO HANDLE YOUR WEIGHT UP TO NOW,
BUT THAT'S GONNA START TO CHANGE RAPIDLY SOON.
SO, WHEN DID YOU NOTICE YOU WERE HAVING WEIGHT PROBLEM?
IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, WHEN I WAS VERY YOUNG.
I WAS -- I'VE BEEN OVERWEIGHT SINCE I CAN REMEMBER.
SO AT THAT AGE, YOU WEREN'T FEEDING YOURSELF.
THE WEIGHT GAIN STARTED WITH FOOD
YOU WERE GETTING FROM YOUR MOM?
I THINK SO.
IT SAYS IN THE FAMILY HISTORY HERE,
YOU HAD THE WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY, HUH?
I DID.
HOW MUCH YOU WEIGHED BEFORE WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY?
-350. -OKAY.
IT LOOKS LIKE YOU'RE NOW ABOUT IN UPPER 200s.
YES.
SO IT WASN'T AS EFFECTIVE AS IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN,
WHICH SHOWS ME YOU'RE STILL USING FOOD
AS A COPING MECHANISM.
AND I DON'T WANT THAT TO INFLUENCE YOUR DAUGHTER
NEGATIVELY.
BECAUSE, LACEY, IT'S EXTREMELY IMPORTANT
WE START TO GET YOUR WEIGHT DOWN IMMEDIATELY.
OKAY.
SO HERE'S WHAT I WANT YOU TO DO.
I'M GONNA GIVE YOU A 1,200-CALORIE-A-DAY,
HIGH-PROTEIN, LOW-CARB DIET
THAT I WANT YOU TO START IMMEDIATELY.
OKAY.
AND I WANT YOU TO START DEVELOPING HABIT
OF ONLY EATING THREE TIME A DAY, NO SNACK IN BETWEEN.
MM-HMM.
IF YOU DO THAT, YOU SHOULD HAVE NO PROBLEM
LOSING AT LEAST 80 POUNDS IN THE NEXT TWO MONTHS, OKAY?
YES, SIR.
I ALSO WANT YOU TO START GETTING MORE ACTIVE
AND WORK ON YOUR STAMINA
BY WALKING AT LEAST 30 MINUTES IN MORNING
AND 30 MINUTES IN EVENING.
GOT IT? -I CAN DO THAT.
IF YOU DO THAT, WHEN YOU COME BACK,
THEN I'LL APPROVE YOU FOR WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY.
-OKAY? -YES, SIR.
BUT IF YOU DON'T, IT WON'T EVEN BE POSSIBLE
TO EVEN CONSIDER PERFORMING ANY SURGERY.
BECAUSE WHEN YOU HAVE A HIGH BMI LIKE THAT,
IT'S GONNA BE ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO PUT YOU
ASLEEP AND BREATHE FOR YOU... -YEAH.
...BECAUSE OF THE HEAVY CHEST AND ABDOMEN.
SO THIS IS YOUR ONLY OPTION.
YOU HAVE TO START LOSING WEIGHT.
AND IF YOU DO THAT AND WE MOVE AHEAD
WITH WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY FOR YOU,
YOU NEED TO MOVE TO HOUSTON FOR A WHILE.
AND YOU NEED SOMEONE WITH YOU TO HELP YOU.
OKAY.
SO, IS THAT GONNA BE ANY PROBLEM?
NO.
WHO'S GONNA BE ABLE TO MOVE WITH YOU?
-MY MOM. -OKAY.
ARE YOU ANY HELP FOR HER?
BECAUSE YOU HAVEN'T BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL
WITH YOU OWN WEIGHT LOSS,
SO I'M SKEPTICAL IF YOU'RE GONNA
ENCOURAGE HEALTHY CHOICES WITH HER.
SHE DOES WHAT SHE WANTS, DOCTOR.
-WHAT DO YOU MEAN? -SHE JUST --
-I'M STUBBORN. -SHE DOES WHAT SHE WANTS.
SO YOU'RE SAYING YOU DON'T EAT UNHEALTHY FOOD AROUND HER
OR BRING HER ANYTHING SHE SHOULDN'T BE EATING.
-WE DON'T LIVE TOGETHER NOW. -OKAY.
THAT DOESN'T MEAN YOU CAN'T MODEL GOOD HABITS TO HER
AND NOT ENABLE HER.
SO YOU BOTH NEED TO START TO GET YOUR WEIGHT UNDER CONTROL
IF YOU WANT TO DO THIS TOGETHER.
AND IF YOU DON'T, THEN WE MAY
START DOING WEIGHT-CHECK WITH YOU, OKAY?
MM-HMM.
BECAUSE THERE'S NO MARGIN OF ERROR HERE OR ANY TIME TO WASTE.
AND, LACEY, YOUR BODY IS A TICKING CLOCK
RIGHT NOW THAT IS GONNA GO OFF ANY MINUTE.
I CAN DO IT. I THINK I CAN DO IT.
I'M READY TO DO IT.
I REALLY HOPE SO.
YOU BOTH HAVE TO TAKE THIS SERIOUSLY AND DO WHAT YOU NEED.
BUT IF YOU DON'T, THEN, MARTHA,
YOU'LL BE BURYING LACEY HERE SOON.
AND RIGHT NOW, IT'S JUST MATTER OF TIME BEFORE ONE LITTLE THING
IS TOO MUCH FOR YOUR BODY TO HANDLE, AND YOU WILL DIE.
YOU'RE 29 YEARS OLD.
YOU HAVE BMI OF 122.
YEAH.
YOUR LIFE EXPECTANCY IS NOT TOO LONG,
AND THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION
THAT YOU'RE DEALING WITH.
SO YOU NEED TO DO THIS NOW.
OKAY? -YES, SIR.
ALL RIGHT.
I'LL SEE YOU NEXT TIME WHEN YOU COME BACK TO HOUSTON, OKAY?
-OKAY. -THANK YOU.
-NICE TO MEET YOU. -IT WAS NICE TO MEET YOU.
OKAY.
Dr. Nowzaradan: LACEY IS VERY CLOSE TO HAVING THE HIGHEST BMI
THAT I HAVE EVER SEEN.
AND AT HER HEIGHT, THE AMOUNT OF STRAIN HER WEIGHT
IS PUTTING ON HER BODY IS COMPARABLE TO WHAT 800-
TO 900-POUND WILL BE ON SOMEONE OF AVERAGE HEIGHT.
SO HER WEIGHT IS AT AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS POINT,
AND THERE IS NO WAY HER BODY
CAN KEEP GOING LIKE THIS FOR MUCH LONGER.
SO RIGHT NOW, EVERY DAY IS A ROLL OF THE DICE FOR HER
AS TO WHETHER OR NOT HER BODY HITS ITS LIMIT
AND STARTS TO BREAK DOWN.
SO IF SHE DOESN'T CHANGE NOW, SHE WON'T HAVE MUCH TIME LEFT.
Lacey: I'M A MIXTURE OF EMOTIONS RIGHT NOW,
BECAUSE IT'S BEEN SHOCKING TO FIND WHAT MY WEIGHT IS UP TO
AND HOW HIGH MY BMI IS.
BUT THIS APPOINTMENT HAS ALSO MADE ME FEEL HOPEFUL.
I AM A LITTLE INTIMIDATED BY HOW MUCH I HAVE TO LOSE
IN THE NEXT TWO MONTHS, BUT I PLAN TO WORK REALLY HARD
AND DO THE DIET AND EXERCISES LIKE I NEED.
BECAUSE I KNOW HOW IMPORTANT THIS IS,
AND THAT THIS IS MY LAST CHANCE.
♪♪
Lacey: IT'S BEEN ABOUT A MONTH SINCE I SAW DR. NOW.
AND THE SECOND I WALKED OUT OF HIS OFFICE,
I STARTED DOING EVERYTHING I'M SUPPOSED TO BE DOING.
AND MY MOM HAS BEEN HELPING ME TO DO THAT
BY TEACHING ME TO COOK HEALTHIER MEALS
AND KEEPING ME ACCOUNTABLE.
BUT THE DIET HAS BEEN A BIG ADJUSTMENT FOR ME,
BECAUSE IT'S NOT LIKE THE TEMPTATIONS
JUST GO AWAY OVERNIGHT.
THIS -- THIS DIET DR. NOW GOT YOU ON,
YOU SEE THAT IT'S WORKING, RIGHT?
IT'S WORKING. IT'S DOING ITS JOB.
HEY.
NOW, THAT'S A GOOD ATTITUDE.
I ONLY HAVE A MONTH TO LOSE AS MUCH
AS I CAN TO GET TO WHERE I NEED.
AND I'M NOT GONNA LET MYSELF SLOW DOWN AT ALL.
I'M NOT EATING A THING THAT'S NOT ON MY DIET,
AND I'M NOT GOING A SINGLE CALORIE OVER.
AND I'M ALSO DOING MY 30 MINUTES OF EXERCISE
IN THE MORNING AND 30 MINUTES IN THE EVENING.
♪♪
Martha: I GOT TO TELL YOU, I'M REALLY PROUD OF YOU.
I FEEL LIKE I'M DOING PRETTY GOOD.
I CAN TELL.
I'M USED TO EATING A LOT OF, LIKE, POTATOES AND RICE.
AND IT'S HARD TO MAKE A MEAL WITHOUT THOSE THINGS,
SO IT'S HARD TO FIND WHAT IS FILLING
AND WHAT IS NUTRITIOUS AT THE SAME TIME.
HOW NERVOUS ARE YOU ABOUT SEEING DR. NOW
FOR YOUR NEXT APPOINTMENT?
I'M HOPING THAT WHATEVER I'M DOING HERE IS WORKING,
AND THAT IT SHOWS IN THE NUMBERS,
AND IT SHOWS HIM THAT I'M DOING IT.
I HAVE FAITH IN YOU, LACEY.
I -- I THINK THAT YOU'RE DOING IT.
I HOPE THAT IT'S ENOUGH.
I HOPE IT'S ENOUGH, TOO.
I'M DOING EVERYTHING I'M SUPPOSED TO
SO THAT WHEN I'M BACK TO SEE DR. NOW AND I'M ON THAT SCALE,
I'LL SEE THE NUMBER I NEED COME UP.
I KNOW THIS IS MY LAST CHANCE,
SO I HAVE TO MAKE SURE I DON'T FAIL.
♪♪
ME AND MY MOM HAVE MADE IT BACK DOWN TO HOUSTON
FOR MY FOLLOW-UP WITH DR. NOW,
AND I'M FEELING NERVOUS BUT OPTIMISTIC.
THESE PAST TWO MONTHS HAVE HAD A BIG LEARNING CURVE,
BECAUSE I'VE HAD TO LEARN A WHOLE NEW WAY OF EATING,
AND THAT WASN'T EASY.
AND I JUST HOPE I MADE IT TO MY GOAL.
BUT I HAVE NO IDEA HOW THIS IS GONNA GO.
THE ONLY THING THAT I'M CONFIDENT ABOUT RIGHT NOW
IS THAT I HAVE DONE EVERYTHING DOWN TO THE LETTER
WITH WHAT DR. NOW TOLD ME.
I'VE MADE NO EXCUSES, AND I HAVEN'T CHEATED ONCE.
SO IF I DON'T MAKE MY GOAL, THEN IT WAS JUST IMPOSSIBLE FOR ME.
BUT I REALLY HOPE I DID, BECAUSE I NEED THIS.
LACEY HODDER?
AT MY LAST DOCTOR VISIT, MY WEIGHT WAS AT 691.
AND DR. NOW TOLD ME I NEED TO LOSE 80 POUNDS
OVER THE NEXT TWO MONTHS.
SO THAT MEANS I NEED TO BE DOWN TO 611 TODAY,
SO I'M REALLY NERVOUS TO SEE IF I DO THAT.
586.
♪♪
I CAN'T BELIEVE IT.
♪♪
THANKS.
I'M IN SHOCK, BUT A GOOD KIND OF SHOCK.
IT'S AMAZING, AND I CAN HARDLY BELIEVE I LOST THAT MUCH.
I CAN'T REMEMBER THE LAST TIME I'VE BEEN THIS EXCITED.
[ KNOCK ON DOOR ]
-HELLO. -HI.
HOW ARE Y'ALL DOING?
GOOD, HOW ARE YOU?
I'M DOING GOOD. THANK YOU.
SO, LACEY, TODAY YOU'RE DOWN TO 586.
YES, SIR.
WHICH IS 105-POUND WEIGHT LOSS IN ONE MONTH,
SO YOU STUCK TO THE DIET?
YEAH. GREAT.
MARTHA, YOU STICKING TO 1,200-CALORIE-A-DAY DIET, TOO?
I -- I GO MORE THAN 1,200, I THINK.
UM, BUT I STILL AM ABLE TO EAT WHAT SHE DOES.
BUT I PUT MORE FRUIT INTO MY MEALS THAN SHE.
I THINK YOU'RE EATING MORE THAN YOU REALIZE,
BECAUSE YOU DON'T LOOK LIKE YOU MADE PROGRESS LIKE LACEY.
SO IT'S BEST TO DO THE SAME DIET SHE IS ON RIGHT NOW
IF YOU WANT TO BE A SUPPORT FOR HER.
I'M TRYING TO TEACH HER THE THINGS, YOU KNOW.
IT'S, UH, KIND OF FUNNY.
LIKE SHE'LL ASK ME, "HOW MANY CALORIES ARE IN THIS?"
AND I'M LIKE, "THIS AMOUNT."
I'M LIKE, "DID YOU WEIGH YOUR FOOD OUT?"
SHE'S LIKE, "NO." I'M LIKE, "WELL, YOU NEED TO."
WELL, YOU'RE DOING GREAT, LACEY, AND I'M PROUD OF YOU.
SO I'M APPROVING YOU FOR WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY TODAY.
AWESOME. THANK YOU.
BUT BEFORE WE DO THAT, YOU NEED TO MOVE TO HOUSTON WITH YOUR MOM
IF SHE'S THE ONE WHO WILL BE WITH YOU.
YES. OKAY.
YES, SHE IS. OKAY.
THEN YOU BOTH NEED TO MOVE DOWN HERE
IF YOU'RE GONNA BE PART OF MY PROGRAM,
SO WE CAN GIVE YOU SUPPORT AND ACCOUNTABILITY TO DO THIS
FOR LONG-TERM AND GET YOU TO YOUR TARGET WEIGHT.
-OKAY. -YOU CAN DO THAT?
-I CAN DO THAT. -GREAT.
SO AS SOON AS YOU'VE DONE THAT, LET ME KNOW
AND I WILL SCHEDULE YOU FOR SURGERY.
MM-HMM.
BUT IN THE MEANTIME, MAKE SURE YOU'RE STILL ON TRACK
AND YOU CONTINUE TO LOSE WEIGHT.
BECAUSE IF YOU GAIN, WE WON'T MOVE AHEAD.
YOU UNDERSTAND?MM-HMM.
ALL RIGHT.
I HOPE TO SEE YOU TWO SOON.
AND IF YOU NEED ANYTHING, GIVE ME A CALL, OKAY?
OKAY. THANK YOU.
ALL RIGHT.
♪♪
Dr. Nowzaradan: I'M REALLY HAPPY TO SEE LACEY'S WEIGHT LOSS
OVER THE PAST TWO MONTHS.
AND AS LONG AS SHE STAY ON TRACK, WE WILL MOVE AHEAD
WITH WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY WHEN SHE AND HER MOM ARE DOWN HERE.
BUT IT'S GOING TO BE IMPORTANT FOR HER LONG-TERM SUCCESS
THAT IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE OPERATION,
WE START HER GOING TO PSYCHOTHERAPY.
BECAUSE LACEY'S NEED TO ALWAYS FEEL SHE'S IN CONTROL
IS JUST AS MUCH AN ADDICTION AS FOOD TO HER,
SO IT'S NOT GONNA GO AWAY OVERNIGHT.
AND IF SHE START TO STRUGGLE, SHE'S GONNA FALL BACK INTO
ALL HER OLD WAYS IF WE DON'T ADDRESS IT.
BUT RIGHT NOW, SHE'S READY FOR THIS NEXT BIG STEP
OF WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY.
Lacey: I'M SO PROUD OF MYSELF.
I DIDN'T JUST MEET DR. NOW'S GOAL,
I LOST MORE THAN THAT.
SO I KNOW I DID A GOOD JOB, AND I'M GETTING THE SURGERY
I NEED TO SAVE MY LIFE NOW.
I KNOW IT'S GONNA BE HARD, AND THERE'S A LOT
THAT I HAVE TO DO TO MAKE ALL THE CHANGES
TO TRANSITION DOWN HERE.
BUT I KNOW IT'S GONNA BE WORTH IT.
♪♪
HOLIDAY STUFF.
OH, GOSH.
I'M REALLY ANXIOUS TO GET DOWN TO HOUSTON,
BECAUSE AS SOON AS I GET DOWN THERE,
THE SOONER I GET SURGERY.
IT TOOK A FEW WEEKS FOR ME
AND MY MOM TO FIND A PLACE TO STAY
AND GET IT SET UP SO WE CAN MOVE IN.
SO WE'RE PACKING TO HEAD OUT TOMORROW.
COMING FROM WHERE I LIVE, GOING INTO A HUGE CITY --
I THINK THAT ITSELF IS SCARY.
SO THIS IS A HUGE STEP FOR ME, BUT I'M GLAD TO HAVE THE SUPPORT
OF BOTH MY PARENTS HELPING ME TO DO THIS.
I'LL TAKE THIS ONE.
MY MOM AND I REALIZED
THIS WAS ALL TOO MUCH TO HANDLE ON OUR OWN,
SO I CALLED MY DAD TO SEE IF HE'D COME
AND HELP US MAKE THE MOVE DOWN.
AND HE SAID HE'D BE HERE, AND HE'D BRING SOME HELP
SO WE CAN KNOCK THIS OUT IN NO TIME.
THEN HE'S GONNA GO DOWN WITH US TO HELP MOVE IN, TOO.
SO I'M REALLY GRATEFUL HE'S DOING THIS.
HI, DAD.
HELLO, SWEETHEART.
CAREFUL.
HOW YOU DOING?
GOOD.
YOU READY?
WHY ARE YOU CRYING?
NEVER HAVE GONE THIS FAR AWAY FROM ME.
DON'T CRY. YOU'LL BE ALL RIGHT.
TAKE A BREATH.
ALL RIGHT.
HE'S ALWAYS WORRIED ABOUT ME,
SO IT'S BEEN NICE TO SEE HOW MUCH HE CARED.
WELL, I'M THINKING WE MIGHT AS WELL START
WITH THE BACK ROOM, GENTLEMEN.
Steve: RIGHT NOW, LACEY HAS HARDLY ANY LIFE.
SHE DOESN'T GET TO WALK THE BEACHES.
SHE DOESN'T WALK THE MALL.
AND EVEN PLACES, YOU KNOW, THAT SHE DOES WALK,
IT AFFECTS HER BECAUSE SHE KNOWS EVERYBODY'S STARING.
BUT IF SHE KEEPS GOING, SHE'S VERY CLOSE TO BEING BEDRIDDEN.
SO I WILL DO ANYTHING I CAN TO SUPPORT HER
BECAUSE BASICALLY, I THINK RIGHT NOW IS HER LAST CHANCE.
Lacey: HAVING ALL THIS HELP AND BOTH MY PARENTS HERE
WITH ME MEANS A LOT.
AND I KNOW EVERYONE IS WORKING TOGETHER TO MAKE SURE
I GET THE HELP I NEED.
AND I'M JUST EXCITED,
AND I CAN'T WAIT TO GET DOWN THERE AND START MY NEW LIFE.
OKAY. DROP HER DOWN.
THAT SHOULD WORK.
YEAH, YOU WANT TO GO?
OKAY.
Martha: I THINK LACEY'S HAPPY ABOUT THIS TRIP.
I ACTUALLY SEEN HER SMILE LAST NIGHT FOR THE FIRST TIME,
AND IT WAS A REAL SMILE.
'CAUSE I THINK SHE'S FINALLY PROCESSING GOING TO TEXAS,
AND IT'S COMING TO FRUITION.
YOU READY FOR THE RIDE, POOR BABY?
WE'LL GET YOU A BIGGER CRATE.
Lacey: BUT I FEEL LIKE I'M STARTING A WHOLE NEW CHAPTER OF MY LIFE,
WHERE IT'S ALL GONNA BE COMPLETELY DIFFERENT.
IT'S PROBABLY GONNA TAKE THREE TO FOUR DAYS FOR US
TO GET DOWN THERE, SO I KNOW IT WON'T BE EASY.
Martha: GOOD JOB!
YAY.
ALL RIGHT.
BUT I CAN'T WAIT, BECAUSE I'VE NEVER HAD THE CHANCE
TO SEE THE WORLD OR THIS COUNTRY, AND VISIT OTHER PLACES.
SO THIS IS ALL FASCINATING AND AMAZING TO ME,
AND EVERY STEP OF MY JOURNEY FEELS LIKE
IT'S GIVING ME A CHANCE TO DO THINGS
I NEVER WOULD'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO BEFORE.
BIG MOMENT WE'VE BEEN WAITING FOR.
SO EVEN THOUGH THIS WILL PROBABLY BE THE HARDEST THING
I'VE EVER PUT MY BODY THROUGH, I'M DETERMINED TO MAKE IT THERE.
AND AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED, THERE'S NO TURNING BACK.
♪♪
Lacey: WE ARE FINALLY HERE IN HOUSTON,
AND IT'S BEEN AN INCREDIBLE TRIP.
BUT IT'S ALSO BEEN A HARD TRIP,
BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN ON THE ROAD FOR FOUR DAYS.
THAT'S IT! -OH, LOOKY THERE!
-OH, YES! -WHOO-HOO!
Lacey: I'M COMPLETELY EXHAUSTED.
AND IT'S TAKEN A TOLL ON EVERYONE, NOT JUST ME,
BECAUSE MY PARENTS HAVE BEEN FIGHTING A LOT
AND EVERYONE'S JUST CRANKY.
STRAIGHT BACK.
STOP. -STOP?
STOP.
Lacey: AND SO I THINK IT'D BE BEST
IF WE CAN JUST GET THIS ALL OVER WITH.
OH. THAT'S GONNA BE TALL ORDER.
OH, MY GOD. IT FEELS SO GOOD!
SO GOOD.
I'M HOPING I CAN GET MOVED IN PRETTY QUICK
AND ALL THIS CAN BE DONE,
AND EVERYONE CAN GO BACK TO THEIR NORMAL LIVES
BEFORE THERE'S ANY MORE FIGHTING OR ANYONE ELSE GETS UPSET.
WHY DID WE EVEN NEED THIS?
I DON'T KNOW, MAN. YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?
SHE WANTED TO BRING IT.[ GROANS ]
Lacey: BECAUSE WHEN IT HAPPENS, IT MAKES ME FEEL JUST LIKE I DID
WHEN I WAS A KID WHEN MY MOM AND DAD ARGUED,
AND ALL I COULD DO TO HANDLE THE FEAR AND PAIN WAS EAT.
SO THIS HAS BEEN REALLY HARD.
-CAREFUL. -BE CAREFUL WITH IT.
RIGHT HERE.
-RIGHT HERE? -YEP.
-THERE'S GONNA BE A BIG COUCH. -LOCK IT UP.
MADE IT ALL THE WAY DOWN HERE WITHOUT EVEN A SCRATCH.
AWESOME.
TWO MORE MINUTES, I'LL BE READY TO GO AGAIN.
ALL RIGHT.
BOXES.
HERE YOU GO. THANK YOU.
SITTING ON HIS BUTT.
OH, GEEZ.
♪♪
ARE YOU GONNA HELP, OR WHAT?
DO YOU WANT ME TO HELP YOU IN MY HOSPITAL BED?
[BLEEP]
♪♪
CLOSET.
DAD, STOP!
♪♪
CHAD? Chad: WHAT?
DON'T SET HIM OFF.
Martha: IT'S TOO HOT OUT THERE.
HE GETS HOT-HEADED ANYWAY.HEY!
HEY! HERE, LET ME GET THAT.
STOP, RIGHT NOW!
NO, YOU STOP IT.YOU NEED TO CALM DOWN.
YOU NEED TO CALM DOWN.YOU CALM DOWN RIGHT NOW.
[BLEEP] TELL ME SOMETHING LIKE THAT, [BLEEP]
♪♪
Martha: I -- I GOT THE NEXT BAG, HONEY.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOT INTO HIM,
Steve: BUT ALL OF A SUDDEN HE'S A [BLEEP] [BLEEP]
Lacey: I'M STILL THANKFUL MY DAD'S HELPING ME DO THIS,
BUT I'M NOT GONNA LIE -- WHEN HE'S MAD,
IT MAKES IT REALLY HARD TO DO WHAT I'M SUPPOSED TO.
I HAVE SOLVED ALL OF OUR EATING ISSUES.
I'LL DO CHICKEN. I'LL DO ANY KIND OF CHICKEN.
ALL RIGHT, I'LL GET THAT.
COOL.
THIS ALL HAS CREATED A LOT OF FEAR AND DOUBT
ABOUT WHETHER I'M GONNA BE ABLE TO DO THIS AT ALL,
BECAUSE EXPERIENCING ALL THIS ANXIETY AND FEAR
WITH EVERYONE FIGHTING HAS MADE ME REALIZE
HOW MUCH FOOD HELPS ME TO MANAGE AND DEAL
WITH ALL THAT WHEN IT HAPPENS.
Martha: JUST SET IT DOWN -- DOWN ANYWHERES.
THE FOOD'S HERE, GUYS.
♪♪
THERE'S CHICKEN -- MORE CHICKEN.
-WOW. -UH-HUH.
-UH-HUH.
OH, YEAH.SO HELP YOURSELVES.
I WANTED TO GET MY LIFE BACK, BUT I'M TERRIFIED THAT I CAN'T
AND THAT I'M NOT READY FOR SURGERY,
BECAUSE IT'S GONNA TAKE AWAY SOMETHING I NEED
AND THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO ME.
AND IF I HAVE TO GIVE UP FOOD, I'LL GET TO A POINT
WHERE I JUST WON'T BE ABLE TO DEAL WITH THINGS.
AND IF THAT HAPPENS, I DON'T KNOW WHAT I'LL DO.
IT COULD BE REALLY BAD.
SO MOVING AHEAD MAY END UP BEING ONE OF THE BIGGEST MISTAKES
I'VE EVER MADE.
♪♪
AFTER WE GOT ALL MY STUFF MOVED IN HERE
AND I GOT SITUATED, MY DAD AND MY BROTHER HEADED BACK HOME.
I CALLED DR. NOW AND TOLD HIM ABOUT
HOW I'M STRUGGLING WITH HAVING SECOND THOUGHTS
ABOUT WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY, AND HOW MY FAMILY FIGHTING
AND ALL THE STRESS OF THAT MADE ME WONDER IF I COULD TRULY
GIVE UP WHAT HAS HELPED ME COPE MY WHOLE LIFE.
SO HE SAID HE'S CANCELING THE SURGERY,
AND HE WANTS ME TO GO SEE A PSYCHOTHERAPIST
BEFORE WE DECIDE TO DO ANYTHING ELSE.
BUT MY MOM IS REALLY UPSET, BECAUSE SHE FEELS LIKE
I'M RISKING MY ONLY CHANCE TO DO THIS.
AND SHE'S ALSO WORRIED IF I GO TO THERAPY THAT THEY'LL FIND OUT
THAT I SUFFER FROM BIPOLAR DISORDER,
AND SHE THINKS THAT COULD RUIN MY CHANCES TO GET SURGERY.
SO SHE WANTS ME TO AVOID TELLING THEM IF I GO,
BUT I'M NOT GONNA LIE.
Martha: ALL RIGHT. SO, WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO ABOUT THIS -- THIS PROBLEM?
I DON'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT.
NOW, DON'T GO RUNNING TO YOUR ROOM.
YOU DO THAT EVERY TIME.
LACEY, I'M NOT LETTING THIS GO,
SO YOU BETTER COME OUT HERE AND DISCUSS THIS WITH ME!
COME ON, LACEY.
LEAVE ME ALONE. FINE.
I'LL LEAVE YOU ALONE, LACEY, FOR A WHILE.
AND YOU HAVE TO RETHINK THIS.
DR. NOWZARADAN, PLEASE.
Siri: THE SECOND IS HOUSTON ON HERMANN PARK DRIVE.
HEY, SIRI.
WHY ARE YOU EVEN BOTHERING CALLING?
I NEED DR. NOWZARADAN'S OFFICE, PLEASE.
YOU'RE NOT CALLING THEM. YOU'RE NOT CALLING THEM.
ONE POSSIBILITY IS NOW'S HOME REMODELING.
YOU DON'T TELL ME WHAT TO DO.
THERE'S NO REASON TO!
I'VE ALREADY TALKED TO THEM!
I HAVEN'T.YOU DON'T NEED TO!
I ALREADY TOLD YOU WHAT THEY SAID.
IF YOU JUST LET ME SPEAK WITH HIM --
YOU'RE NOT LISTENING TO ME!
I NEED TO SPEAK WITH HIM BECAUSE...
HE'S NOT THE ONE YOU TALK TO.
...YOU NEVER [BLEEP] SHARE ANYTHING WITH ME!
I -- YOU ARE NOT LISTENING TO WHAT I'M SAYING.
I NEED TO KNOW IF YOU HAVE TO GET THIS RESOLVED
BEFORE YOU MOVE ON WITH YOUR SURGERY.
AND IF SO, I NEED TO KNOW HOW LONG IT'S GONNA BE.
I DO.
'CAUSE I AM NOT GONNA STAY IN THIS
[BLEEP] TOWN MORE THAN A YEAR.
WHAT ELSE DO YOU WANT ME TO DO?
I JUST NEED TO GO TO A PSYCHOLOGIST, MOM.
I WANT YOU TO NOT GO TO YOUR ROOM
AND ACT LIKE A [BLEEP] BABY.
I'M NOT.
AND I NEED TO KNOW ABOUT [BLEEP]
I TELL YOU. YOU DON'T HEAR ME!
YOU DON'T SHARE [BLEEP] WITH ME.
I TELL YOU EVERYTHING!
ONLY WHEN I NEED TO KNOW, YOU [BLEEP]
TELL ME [BLEEP] NO.
YOU DON'T LISTEN TO ME.
BULL[BLEEP]YOU DON'T HEAR ME.
YOU'RE NOT HEARING ME RIGHT NOW.
YOU DON'T HEAR ME RIGHT NOW!
GO -- GO MAKE YOURSELF SOME LUNCH AND LEAVE ME ALONE.
NO. YOU'RE NOT HEARING ME!
I WILL [BLEEP] CALL MYSELF.
STILL NOT HEARING ME.
THAT'S IT.
I WISH MY MOM WOULD JUST LEAVE ME ALONE.
SHE CAN'T JUST GIVE ME THE SPACE I NEED TO WORK THROUGH THIS.
I KNOW I'M GONNA GET TO A POINT WHERE I JUST CAN'T TAKE IT.
AND I'M GONNA END UP EITHER QUITTING
THE WHOLE PROGRAM ALTOGETHER,
OR JUST END UP GIVING INTO MY CRAVINGS
AND JUST EAT EVERYTHING I WANT.
AND IF I LET EITHER OF THOSE HAPPEN, IT'LL REALLY MEAN
I LOST MY CHANCE TO GET WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY.
I'LL END UP RIGHT BACK WHERE I WAS
BEFORE I STARTED ALL OF THIS.
SO I'M REALLY SCARED RIGHT NOW,
BECAUSE I'M CLOSE TO LETTING THAT HAPPEN.
♪♪
Lacey: MY MOM AND ME HAVE BEEN IN HOUSTON
FOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS,
AND I'VE BEEN REALLY STRUGGLING
WITH FEELING LIKE WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY
MAY NOT BE THE BEST DECISION FOR ME RIGHT NOW.
I'M JUST REALLY SCARED ABOUT GIVING UP THE POSSIBILITY
OF HAVING FOOD TO HELP ME COPE
WITH THE REALLY HARD THINGS WHEN THEY COME UP.
SO WITH ALL THAT, DR. NOW CANCELLED MY WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY
AND WANTED ME TO SEE A THERAPIST.
COME ON IN.
NICE TO MEET YOU.NICE TO MEET YOU.
HAVE A SEAT RIGHT IN THE CORNER.
OKAY.
♪♪
SO, I'M GLAD YOU'RE HERE.
ME, TOO.
SO, DR. NOW SENT YOU TO ME
TO HELP YOU UNDERSTAND
ALL THE PSYCHOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF THE SURGERY,
AND ESPECIALLY THAT NOTION
THAT YOU'RE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO USE THE FOOD
AS A STRATEGY ANYMORE TO DEAL WITH YOUR FEELINGS.
BECAUSE WHEN YOU GO THROUGH THE SURGERY,
YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO USE FOOD...
RIGHT. ...UNLESS YOU START
STRETCHING OUT YOUR STOMACH.
DON'T WANT THAT.
SO YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO HAVE A REALLY --
A LONG, REDUNDANT LIST OF THINGS YOU CAN USE TO FILL IN,
BECAUSE YOU SIMPLY WON'T BE ABLE TO DO IT WITHOUT COMPROMISING.
UM, LET'S TALK ABOUT FOOD AS A COPING STRATEGY.
'CAUSE I'M GONNA KIND OF PRESUME...
MM-HMM.
...THAT THAT'S BEEN ONE OF YOUR COPING STRATEGIES.
IT HAS BEEN. OKAY.
HOW HAS FOOD BEEN A COPING STRATEGY FOR YOU?
UM, WELL, YOU KNOW, SUGAR WAS ONE OF THEM --
LIKE, THE MAIN ONE.
SO YOU'RE A SWEETS PERSON.
I AM A SWEETS PERSON.
OKAY.AT LEAST, I HAVE BEEN.
AND YOU'VE LOST SOME WEIGHT ALREADY, RIGHT?
YEAH.
SO WHAT -- WHAT'S FILLED IN FOR FOOD?
-UM, I MIGHT BE GAMING MORE. -OKAY.
SO YOU PROBABLY WANT TO COME UP
WITH A LONGER LIST OF ALTERNATIVE
COPING STRATEGIES. OKAY.
I'VE BEEN TRYING TO THINK OF SOMETHING ELSE TO DO,
BUT I HATE DOING THE WALKING THING.
WHAT IS IT MEDICAL DOCTORS TELL YOU YOU NEED TO DO?
WALK. YEAH, WALK.
I NEED TO WALK. OKAY.
SO ADDING SOME PHYSICAL ACTIVITY.
I'M TRYING TO THINK OF OTHER COPING STRATEGIES
YOU MIGHT HAVE.
I LIKE TO DO ART. OKAY.
SO SOME KIND OF HOBBY LIKE THAT.
MM-HMM.
YOU GET OUT OF THE HOUSE VERY MUCH?
NO, WE DON'T REALLY GO OUT VERY MUCH.
THERE'S A REAL VALUE TO BEING, I SAY, "IN PUBLIC."
MM-HMM.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE SOCIAL, JUST BEING IN PUBLIC --
EVEN WALKING THE AISLES OF A STORE.
YEAH, WE LIKE TO DO THAT.GOING TO A SHOPPING MALL.
THERE'S A HUGE SHOPPING CENTER HERE
THAT YOU COULD WALK FOR WEEKS IN AND NOT --
AND NOT REPEAT YOURSELF.RIGHT?
SO BEING IN PUBLIC SHOULD BE ONE OF YOUR GOALS.
OKAY. AND SO, LET'S TALK
ABOUT SOMETHING YOU COULD DO RIGHT NOW...
MM-HMM.
...THAT COULD GET YOU OUT AROUND OTHER PEOPLE.
OKAY.
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
I DON'T KNOW HOW TO BE OUT WITH OTHER PEOPLE.
WELL, YOU MENTIONED THE BOTANIC GARDENS, RIGHT?
YEAH. I'VE BEEN WANTING TO GO THERE.
OKAY.AND I JUST HAVEN'T GONE.
I WONDER IF YOU COULD DO THAT ONCE OR TWICE A WEEK.
OKAY. TWO OUTINGS A WEEK.
HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THAT?
EXCITED, ACTUALLY.
OKAY. GOOD!
SO, IT'S GREAT TO SEE YOU.YEAH.
I'M GONNA LET YOU OUT HERE.
OKAY, IF I CAN GET OUT OF HERE.
[ GRUNTS ]
GOT IT? YEP.
ALL RIGHT.IT WAS NICE MEETING YOU.
NICE TO MEET YOU, TOO.
TAKE CARE.
HI, MOM. YOU WANT TO GO?
UH, YEAH.
Lacey: I'M GLAD I FINALLY DID THIS.
IT WAS HARD AND A LITTLE SCARY, ESPECIALLY AT THE BEGINNING.
BUT I THINK IT WAS HELPFUL JUST TO BE ABLE TO VERBALIZE
SOME OF HOW I'M FEELING AND WHAT I'M STRUGGLING WITH.
I ALREADY REALIZED SOME OF THE THINGS WE TALKED ABOUT,
BECAUSE I KNOW I NEED TO FIND WAYS TO COPE
THAT DON'T INVOLVE FOOD.
ACTUALLY BEING ABLE TO DO THAT
IS WHAT I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT.
SO TALKING THROUGH SOME IDEAS AND SUGGESTIONS
OF HOW TO DO THAT WAS PROBABLY THE MOST HELPFUL.
EXCEPT FOR WALKING,
BECAUSE EXERCISE HAS NEVER BEEN THERAPEUTIC FOR ME.
SO FINDING A HOBBY SEEMS LIKE THE OPTION
WITH THE MOST POTENTIAL FOR ME.
BUT I'M NOT SURE HOW I FIND SOMETHING
THAT CAN ACTUALLY COMPETE WITH HOW IT FEELS TO EAT SOMETHING
THAT TASTES REALLY GOOD, AND HOW THAT MAKES ME FEEL.
BUT I'M NOT GIVING UP.
I'M STILL HOLDING ON TO THE HOPE IN CAN FIGURE THIS OUT
AND GET PAST THIS,
BECAUSE I KNOW IF I GIVE UP, THEN IT'S ALL OVER FOR ME.
♪♪
OVER THE LAST FEW WEEKS,
THINGS HAVEN'T REALLY GOT MUCH BETTER FOR ME.
AFTER GOING TO THERAPY,
I'VE BEEN TRYING TO FIND SOMETHING
THAT WILL HELP ME START TO COPE WITHOUT GOING TO FOOD.
BUT MY MOM GOT FED UP WITH ME, SINCE I STILL DON'T FEEL READY
TO MOVE AHEAD WITH WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY.
SO LAST WEEK, SHE MOVED BACK HOME TO MICHIGAN,
SO I'M ON MY OWN.
AND I FEEL LIKE I MOVED OUT HERE AWAY FROM EVERYTHING I KNOW,
JUST TO END UP LIVING LIKE I WAS BEFORE.
EXCEPT NOW, I'M TRYING MY HARDEST NOT TO EAT STUFF
I SHOULDN'T, AND THAT'S MAKING IT ALL EVEN HARDER.
SO I'M FEELING REALLY DISCOURAGED,
AND I HONESTLY DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH LONGER
I CAN KEEP GOING LIKE THIS
BECAUSE IT'S ONLY GETTING HARDER.
AND I KNOW I'M GETTING CLOSE TO GIVING IN.
AND ONCE I DO THAT, IT'LL MEAN I MESSED UP THE ONLY CHANCE
I HAVE TO SAVE MY LIFE.
♪♪
Lacey: THE PAST MONTH OR SO HAS BEEN UP AND DOWN FOR ME.
AFTER MY MOM LEFT, I STRUGGLED A BIT WHERE I GAVE IN
AND HAD SOME THINGS THAT WEREN'T HEALTHY
BUT TASTED GOOD, JUST TO TRY AND FEEL BETTER.
AND I DID FOR A LITTLE BIT.
BUT AFTERWARDS, I STARTED TO FEEL DISGUSTED WITH MYSELF.
SO I'M TRYING HARDER.
DR. PARADISE SAID
I NEEDED TO FIND OTHER WAYS AND OUTLETS
TO HELP DEAL WITH MY EMOTIONS.
SO A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, I STARTED PAINTING.
AND I'VE BEEN TRYING TO EXPRESS MY CREATIVITY
AND DO THIS AT LEAST ONCE A DAY,
AND I WOULD SAY IT DOES FEEL THERAPEUTIC IN SOME WAYS.
AND THE BIGGEST THING IS THAT IT'S GIVEN ME HOPE AGAIN,
THAT IT'S ACTUALLY GONNA BE POSSIBLE FOR ME
TO FIND OTHER THINGS
AND WAYS TO COPE INSTEAD OF FOOD.
BUT I STILL KNOW I HAVE A LONG WAY
TO GO TO GET TO THAT POINT.
IT JUST FEELS REALLY GOOD TO BELIEVE I CAN DO THIS AGAIN.
♪♪
I'M FINALLY MOVING AHEAD WITH WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY.
I SPENT THE PAST COUPLE OF MONTHS
FINDING OTHER WAYS TO DEAL WITH MY EMOTIONS,
AND I'VE BEEN ABLE TO WORK PAST THAT FEAR
THAT I WON'T HAVE WHAT I NEED WHEN THINGS ARE HARD.
SO I CALLED DR. NOW AND I TOLD HIM
THAT I'M READY TO MOVE AHEAD.
BOTH MY MOM AND DAD ARE DOWN HERE TO BE WITH ME TODAY,
AND I'M THANKFUL FOR THAT.
BUT I TOLD THEM THERE IS TO BE ABSOLUTELY
NO FIGHTING RIGHT NOW.
YOU OKAY?
YEP, I'M FINE.
YOU'RE NOT OKAY?
IT'S GONNA BE OKAY.
WHAT TIME IS IT?
I HOPE SO.IT'S GONNA BE OKAY.
I CAN'T EVEN --
I'M SORRY I'M SO EMOTIONAL.
NO. YOU'RE OKAY.
IT'S FINE.
I'M REALLY HAPPY FOR THIS DAY, BUT I'M REALLY SCARED, TOO.
I'M NERVOUS TOO, BUT I -- IT'S GONNA BE OKAY.
I CAN FEEL IT. -OKAY.
WE'LL LEAVE YOU ALONE.
OKAY.
♪♪
Lacey: MY FEAR WAS THAT REPLACING WHAT FOOD DOES FOR ME
JUST WASN'T POSSIBLE.
BUT I'VE BEEN ABLE TO WORK PAST THAT FEAR,
SO I KNOW I'M READY FOR THIS,
BECAUSE THIS IS THE TOOL I NEED TO SAVE MY LIFE.
AND IF I DON'T MOVE AHEAD TODAY,
I DON'T THINK I'M GONNA GET ANOTHER CHANCE AFTER ALL THIS.
SO IT'S NOW OR NEVER, AND I'M READY FOR IT.
♪♪
Dr. Nowzaradan: TODAY, WE ARE ATTEMPTING TO DO
A GASTRIC SLEEVE OPERATION ON LACEY.
AFTER GETTING APPROVED FOR SURGERY ALMOST FOUR MONTHS AGO,
LACEY STARTED STRUGGLING
WITH SOME EMOTIONAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL ISSUES
THAT SHE NEEDED TO WORK THROUGH FIRST.
LET'S START.
AND THANKFULLY, SHE NOT ONLY MADE SOME PROGRESS WITH THAT,
BUT STILL CONTINUED TO LOSE AND IS DOWN TO 505 TODAY.
ALL RIGHT. ROOM LIGHT OFF.
SO IT IS ENOUGH TO SHOW ME SHE CAN STAY CONSISTENT
AND NOT COMPLETELY GIVE IN WHEN SHE'S STRUGGLING.
AND I HAVE NO DOUBT SHE'S READY FOR THIS STEP TODAY.
BUT THE FACT THAT LACEY'S STILL AROUND 500 POUNDS
MAKES ANY SURGERY FOR HER VERY HIGH-RISK,
BECAUSE HER WEIGHT COULD BE TOO MUCH FOR HER
ALREADY STRUGGLING SYSTEMS.
SO WE'RE GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT HER BODY
IS NOT BEING PUSHED TOO HARD TO THE POINT
WHERE SHE COULD DEVELOP A LIFE-THREATENING ISSUE,
OR WE MAY HAVE TO END THE SURGERY.
BUT OUR GOAL IS TO COMPLETELY PERFORM A GASTRIC SLEEVE ON HER.
AND WHAT THAT OPERATION DOES FOR HER
IS REDUCE THE STOMACH BY 90%,
LEAVING A SMALL, NARROW TUBE THAT LOOKS SIMILAR TO A SLEEVE.
SO THE PATIENT'S FOOD INTAKE IS PHYSICALLY LIMITED,
AND THE PATIENT IS LESS HUNGRY.
SO THIS OPERATION WILL GIVE THEM AN OPPORTUNITY
TO LOSE EVEN MORE WEIGHT.
Steve: I'M REALLY NERVOUS AND SCARED FOR LACEY,
BECAUSE IT IS SURGERY AND I FEAR UNFORESEEN CIRCUMSTANCES
ARE ALWAYS POSSIBLE.
BUT THE BENEFIT OF THIS IS GOING TO OUTWEIGH THE RISKS.
SO HOPEFULLY, SHE'LL BE OKAY.
AND I JUST HOPE THIS IS OVER FAIRLY QUICKLY.
Dr. Nowzaradan: GO AHEAD, AND JUST GRADUALLY TAKE IT OUT.
OKAY. CAN YOU TURN THE ROOM LIGHT ON?
OKAY. ALL FINISHED.
LACEY'S SURGERY WENT VERY WELL.
THERE WERE NO SIGNIFICANT ISSUES,
AND WE WERE ABLE TO SAFELY PERFORM A GASTRECTOMY ON HER.
SO NOW WE GET HER TO RECOVERY,
AND SHE'LL BE ABLE TO GO HOME IN A COUPLE OF DAYS.
FOR THE NEXT MONTH, SHE'LL BE ON LIQUID DIET.
AND SHE SHOULD BE ABLE TO LOSE AT LEAST
35 POUNDS DURING THAT TIME.
AND AFTER THAT, SHE SHOULD LOSE AT LEAST 25 POUNDS A MONTH
UNTIL SHE GETS TO WITHIN 100 POUNDS
OR SO OF HER TARGET WEIGHT.
SO THIS SURGERY IS AN IMPORTANT TOOL
THAT WILL HELP HER A GREAT DEAL,
BY PREVENTING HER PHYSICAL DRIVE TO EAT RIGHT NOW.
BUT IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT BEFORE SHE ENCOUNTERS
A SITUATION WHERE SHE STARTS TO STRUGGLE AGAIN,
WE MAKE SURE SHE CONTINUES GOING TO HER PSYCHOTHERAPIST
TO WORK ON ALL THE EMOTIONAL ISSUE
THAT STILL PLAY A SIGNIFICANT ROLE
IN HOW SHE USES FOOD FOR COMFORT.
IF SHE DOESN'T, AT SOME POINT IN THE FUTURE,
HER EMOTIONAL STRUGGLES
WILL EVENTUALLY LEAD TO START TO GIVE IN
TO HER DESIRE TO ONCE AGAIN GO TO FOOD TO DEAL WITH IT ALL.
AND IF THAT HAPPENS, OVER TIME SHE WILL STRETCH HER STOMACH
BACK OUT TO UNDO THIS OPERATION.
AND THEN AFTER THAT, IT WILL ONLY BE A MATTER OF TIME
BEFORE HER WEIGHT LOSS WILL STOP
AND SHE WILL START TO REGAIN IT ALL.
SO LACEY STILL HAS TO CONTINUE TO WORK HARD AND ADDRESS
HER CORE ISSUES BEHIND HER EATING,
IF SHE WANTS ANY CHANCE AT ALL
TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN THE LONG RUN.
♪♪
Lacey: IT'S BEEN A LITTLE OVER A MONTH SINCE MY SURGERY,
AND I FEEL LIKE I'VE BEEN DOING WELL.
AFTER THE SURGERY, DR. NOW TOLD ME I HAD TO HAVE
SOMEONE AROUND TO STAY WITH ME
AND HELP ME IF I WAS GONNA GO BACK TO MY APARTMENT.
BUT MY MOM TOLD ME HOW LONG IT TOOK ME TO MOVE AHEAD
WITH THIS SURGERY WASN'T PART OF THE DEAL.
BUT MY DAD SAID HE WANTED TO DO IT AND BE THERE FOR ME,
AND IT'S BEEN REALLY NICE HAVING THIS TIME WITH HIM.
BUT HE HAS TO GO BACK IN ABOUT A WEEK,
NOW THAT I'M FULLY RECOVERED,
BUT I'M TALKING TO MY MOM TO SEE IF SHE'LL JUST AGREE TO SPEND
A FEW MONTHS DOWN HERE WITH ME SO I CAN HAVE SOMEONE,
LIKE DR. NOW SAYS.
I HAD ANOTHER APPOINTMENT WITH DR. PARADISE,
AND WHAT HE TALKED TO ME ABOUT
WAS STARTING TO ADDRESS THE THINGS
THAT FIRST LED ME TO USING FOOD AS A WAY OF DEALING WITH THINGS.
SO I KNOW I NEED TO TALK TO BOTH MY DAD AND MY MOM ABOUT THAT.
BUT I FEEL LIKE THINGS ARE SO GOOD BETWEEN US RIGHT NOW
THAT I DON'T WANT TO RUIN IT.
YOU WANT ME TO TAKE THAT?
Steve: SURE.
DR. NOW AND DR. PARADISE BOTH KEEP TELLING ME
THAT I'LL START TO GAIN AGAIN IF I DON'T GET AT THESE THINGS,
AND I'M GONNA TRY TO WORK UP THE COURAGE TO DO WHAT I NEED
BECAUSE I'VE BEEN GIVEN A CHANCE TO TURN MY LIFE AROUND.
AND I CAN'T LET MYSELF STOP SHORT,
OR I'M GONNA END UP MESSING THIS ALL UP.
AND I CAN'T LET THAT HAPPEN.
-WHAT'S ON YOUR MIND? -NOTHING.
I JUST, UH --
I'M --
I --
SO, IN THERAPY,
I TALKED ABOUT WHEN I WAS YOUNGER AND YOU AND MOM --
MOM WORKED A LOT, YOU WORKED A LOT.
YES. YEAH.
AND THE POINT IS THAT, I WAS ALONE
AND I HAD TO MAKE THE DECISIONS ON MY -- MYSELF.
AND I MADE MYSELF FEEL BETTER BY EATING FOOD,
'CAUSE I WAS ALONE A LOT.
I FELT ALONE A LOT.
THOSE ARE THINGS THAT I CARRIED WITH ME FROM MY CHILDHOOD.
AND AS AN ADULT, I'M TRYING TO LET THEM GO AND JUST MOVE ON.
AND IT CHANGES ME.
IT'S GONNA CHANGE YOU AND I,
SO WE CAN CHANGE INTO SOMETHING BETTER TOO.
SO...
YOU KNOW, I DIDN'T KNOW THAT HAD AN IMPACT ON YOU.
WELL, IT'S --
MAYBE I WASN'T THERE AS YOU GREW UP.
AND, YOU KNOW, BASICALLY AS YOU GOT BIGGER, YOU KNOW, I --
I HATE TO SAY, BUT, YOU KNOW, IT WAS ALMOST...
EMBARRASSING TO GO OUT IN PUBLIC.
MM-HMM.
I FELT ALWAYS THAT WE WERE -- YOU KNOW, WE WERE GAWKED AT.
MM-HMM.
AND YOU KNOW, LIKE A FREAK SHOW...
DEFINITELY.
...YOU KNOW, TYPE THING. SO THEN, YOU KNOW, I WITHDREW.
YOU KNOW, MAYBE AS IT WENT ON, THAT'S WHY I WASN'T THERE,
SO I WOULDN'T HAVE TO CONFRONT THAT OR DEAL WITH THAT.
YEAH.
BUT YET, I DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO FIX THE PROBLEM.
RIGHT.
YOU KNOW, I'M THE GUY THAT ALL MY LIFE,
I'VE HAD THE ANSWERS TO HOW TO FIX THIS, HOW TO FIX THAT.
AND YOU KNOW, THE -- THAT WAS ONE PROBLEM
THAT I, YOU KNOW, I WAS NEVER ABLE TO FIX.
THAT HAS -- THAT HAS OCCURRED TO ME...
MM-HMM.
...THAT I -- I WASN'T ALWAYS THERE.
I WAS -- I WAS, UH, TOO BUSY IN MY OWN WORLD,
YOU KNOW, DOING MY OWN -- YOU KNOW?
I DON'T LIKE TALKING ABOUT IT BECAUSE IT'S IN THE PAST.
I AGREE.AND THINGS ARE DIFFERENT NOW.
YOU'RE WHERE YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE NOW.
I AM.
AND YOU DO EVERYTHING THAT YOU CAN FOR ME NOW.
I'M JUST GLAD THAT I'VE BEEN ABLE TO BE A PART OF THIS --
MOMENTS, YOU KNOW, WHAT YOU JUST WENT THROUGH
AND WHAT YOU'RE GOING THROUGH AND CONTINUE TO GO THROUGH.
I'M GLAD YOU'RE THERE WITH ME.
YOU CALL, I COME RUNNING.
THAT'S RIGHT.
♪♪
YOU KNOW I LOVE YOU.
I LOVE YOU.I LOVE YOU, TOO.
I LOVE YOU, BABE.
♪♪
Lacey: I STARTED TAKING A PAINTING CLASS.
AND I WANT TO CONTINUE TO LEARN HOW TO DO IT BETTER,
AND LEARN WAYS I CAN IMPROVE MY PAINTING SKILLS
SO I CAN CONTINUE TO EXPRESS MYSELF
AND PUT MY FEELINGS INTO THE ART I MAKE.
-HI. -HI.
Woman: ALL RIGHT. WELCOME TO BOARD & BRUSH.
ANYTHING YOU NEED, DON'T BE AFRAID TO ASK ANY QUESTIONS.
Lacey: BEFORE MY DAD LEFT,
I WAS ABLE TO WORK UP THE COURAGE
TO HAVE A DEEPER CONVERSATION WITH HIM.
AND I HAVE TO SAY, I WAS SURPRISED
AT HOW GREAT IT FELT TO LET OUT SOMETHING
THAT I HAVE BEEN HOLDING IN FOR OVER 20 YEARS.
SO I'M FEELING REALLY GOOD AND CONFIDENT RIGHT NOW.
I KNOW I STILL HAVE A LONG WAYS TO GO ON MY WEIGHT-LOSS JOURNEY.
BUT EACH DAY IS ANOTHER STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
I'M GETTING OUT THERE AND STARTING TO LIVE LIFE
AND MEET NEW PEOPLE.
AND BEING IN PUBLIC IS NOT AS BAD AS I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE.
Woman: I THINK YOU'RE READY.
LET'S SEE IT.
OKAY. ALL RIGHT.
SO, YOU'RE GONNA PEEL STRAIGHT UP.
TAKE A DEEP BREATH.
THIS IS THE, LIKE, NERVE-WRACKING PART.
OH, GOD. IT'S OKAY.
THERE YOU GO. THERE YOU GO.
I'M STARTING TO HAVE SOME EXCESS SKIN IN PLACES
THAT'S BOTHERING ME, SO MY NEXT BIG GOAL IS TO TRY
AND LOSE ENOUGH TO GET APPROVED FOR MY FIRST SKIN REMOVAL.
I HAVE MY NEXT APPOINTMENT IN A MONTH.
AND I'M HOPING THAT MAYBE,
I'LL EVEN BE ABLE TO GET APPROVED THEN.
SO I'M WORKING HARD RIGHT NOW TO STAY ON TRACK
AND LOSE AS MUCH AS I CAN BY THEN.
GOOD JOB! HIGH FIVE!
♪♪
TODAY, I'M BACK TO SEE DR. NOW FOR MY NEXT APPOINTMENT,
AND SEE HOW MUCH I'VE LOST OVER THE LAST TWO MONTHS.
LACEY?
AT MY LAST APPOINTMENT A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO,
I WAS DOWN TO 469.
AND DR. NOW SAID I SHOULD BE LOSING
AT LEAST 20 POUNDS A MONTH, IF I STAY ON TRACK.
SO THAT MEANS I SHOULD BE DOWN TO 429 TODAY.
♪♪
THAT'S NOT AS LOW AS IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE,
BUT IT'S NOT TOO FAR FROM MY GOAL.
AND I'M STILL LOSING A GOOD AMOUNT,
SO I'M FEELING PRETTY GOOD ABOUT THAT NUMBER.
AND HOPEFULLY, DR. NOW IS, TOO.
-HELLO. -HI.
HOW ARE YOU TODAY?GOOD, HOW ARE YOU?
I'M GOOD, THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT.
TODAY, YOU'RE DOWN TO 435 POUNDS.
SO THAT IS AN AVERAGE MONTHLY WEIGHT LOSS OF 17 POUNDS.
YES.
SO IT'S A LITTLE BIT LOW, BUT NOT BAD.
MM-HMM.
HOW HAS LEARNING TO COPE WITH YOUR EMOTIONS
IN HEALTHY WAYS BEEN GOING?
VERY WELL.
UM, I'M DOING A LOT BETTER THAN I THOUGHT I WOULD.
I MEAN, IT'S NOT EASY, BUT I'M RELEARNING EVERYTHING.
SO I FEEL GOOD ABOUT THAT.OKAY.
THAT'S GOOD, BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT THE AMOUNT
YOU'RE LOSING TO GET ANY LOWER.
SO YOUR FOCUS RIGHT NOW NEED TO BE
ON CONTINUING TO DEAL WITH YOUR EMOTIONAL ISSUES.
SO MAKE SURE THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN, OKAY?
OKAY.
AND WORK TO GET BACK UP
TO LOSING 20 POUNDS A MONTH RIGHT NOW.
YOU GOT IT? YEP.
BUT OTHERWISE, YOU'RE DOING GREAT.
YOU LOST 256 POUNDS IN AROUND A YEAR,
WHICH IS A GOOD AMOUNT.
YEAH. HOW DOES IT FEEL?
AWESOME. THAT'S GREAT.
SO YOU'RE GETTING THERE, BUT DON'T LET UP
OR GET TOO COMFORTABLE,
BECAUSE YOUR GOAL WEIGHT IS 150 POUNDS.
-REALLY? -YES.
OOH.
THAT IS WHERE YOU NEED TO BE FOR YOUR HEIGHT.
OKAY.
SO WE'VE STILL GOT 285 POUNDS TO GO.
A LONG WAY TO GO.
SO YOU ARE ONLY AT THE HALFWAY POINT
IN YOUR WEIGHT-LOSS JOURNEY.
BUT IF YOU STAY ON TRACK, WE CAN HAVE YOU TO YOUR TARGET
WITHIN THE NEXT NINE TO TEN MONTHS.
SOUNDS GOOD?
THAT'S CRAZY.
THE NEXT BIG STEP FOR YOU WILL BE REMOVING EXCESS SKIN,
AND WE'LL SEE WHERE YOU NEED US TO ADDRESS
THAT MOST ONCE YOU GET BELOW 350.
OKAY.
I CAN SEE SOME OF IT STARTING TO HANG AROUND YOUR ABDOMEN.
LET ME TAKE A LOOK AND SEE HOW IT'S PULLING ON YOU RIGHT NOW.
OKAY.
SO YOUR STOMACH IS WHAT WE CALL "TWO-TIERED,"
THE UPPER PART AND LOWER PART.
YEP. [ LAUGHS ]
HOW'S THE LOWER PART HOLDING UP WHEN YOU STAND UP,
AND DOES IT PULL A LOT ON YOU?
DO YOU WANT TO SEE? YOU WANT ME TO STAND UP?
YEAH, GO AHEAD AND SHOW ME.
IT'S GONNA START TO GET VERY PAINFUL,
SO YOU NEED TO KEEP WORKING HARD.
AND ONCE YOU LOSE AROUND 80 MORE POUNDS, WE WILL REMOVE THAT
AND IT WILL BE ANOTHER 20 TO 30 POUNDS OFF OF YOU.
OKAY.
ALL RIGHT, LACEY. YOU'RE DOING GREAT.
YOU'VE GONE FROM ONE OF THE HIGHEST BMI I HAVE SEEN AT 122,
AND NOW IT'S 77. YEAH.
AND THAT'S MUCH BETTER, SO KEEP IT UP.
THANK YOU.
DID YOUR MOM MAKE IT BACK DOWN TO STAY WITH YOU
AND HELP YOU OUT LIKE YOU NEED?
YES, SHE DID. THAT'S GREAT.
TELL YOUR MOM I SAID HELLO.
OKAY, I WILL.
AND I'LL SEE YOU SOON.
OKAY, I'LL SEE YOU.
ALL RIGHT. BYE, DOC.
BYE.
Dr. Nowzaradan: I THINK LACEY IS DOING WELL.
HER WEIGHT LOSS IS A LITTLE BIT LOWER THAN WHAT IT SHOULD BE,
WHICH MEANS THERE'S STILL SOME SIGNIFICANT EMOTIONAL STRUGGLES
THAT SHE NEED TO ADDRESS.
BUT AS LONG AS SHE'S DOING THAT AND FACING WHAT SHE NEEDS,
I FEEL CONFIDENT THAT WE CAN GET HER
TO HER TARGET WEIGHT HERE SOON.
Lacey: I'M FEELING REALLY POSITIVE RIGHT NOW.
MY PLAN IS TO KEEP WORKING HARD AND DOING ALL THE THINGS
I NEED TO COMPLETELY HIT MY GOAL.
I HAVE A LOT OF THINGS I STILL NEED TO FACE
AND WORK THROUGH TO MAKE SURE I STAY ON TRACK.
BUT OF HOW FAR I'VE COME,
I'M MORE DETERMINED AND MOTIVATED THAN EVER TO MAKE SURE
I GET THERE.
♪♪
I'VE STARTED A MORE CONSISTENT EXERCISE ROUTINE
THAT INVOLVES GOING ON A HIKE OUTSIDE EVERY DAY.
AND IT'S ACTUALLY BECOME SOMETHING I LOOK FORWARD TO,
BECAUSE IT'S A TIME WHEN I CAN CLEAR MY HEAD
AND JUST GET CENTERED.
THIS REALLY RELAXES ME.
I REALLY ENJOY TAKING IN THE SCENERY,
AND FOR SOME REASON, THAT JUST PUTS MY WORRIES AWAY.
THE WHOLE JOURNEY SO FAR HAS NOT BEEN WHAT I EXPECTED AT ALL.
BUT I'M STARTING TO LOVE MY LIFE NOW
AND HOW IT'S COMPLETELY CHANGED OVER THE LAST YEAR,
AND I'M WORKING TO BREAK ALL THE BAD HABITS I HAD.
IT ISN'T EASY, BUT I THINK I'M DOING PRETTY GOOD WITH IT.
MAKING PROGRESS.
I'VE HAD ASPIRATIONS AND DREAMS FOR MY LIFE.
I WANT TO GET A JOB, AND ONE DAY FIND LOVE.
I'VE BEEN GIVEN A SECOND CHANCE AT LIFE.
AND NO MATTER WHAT, I'M GONNA KEEP MOVING AHEAD TO A FUTURE
I NOW BELIEVE IN.