♪♪
Tiffany: I'M NOT READY TO DIE.
BUT I'M ALSO NOT READY TO GIVE UP FOOD,
SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT I'M GONNA DO.
♪♪
Woman: HE CAN'T STOP.
HE DOESN'T KNOW HOW.
Woman #2: IT'S TERRIFYING TO THINK THAT AT ANY MOMENT,
YOUR HEART CAN EXPLODE.
♪♪
Woman #3: I DON'T WANT TO DIE.
I HAVEN'T EVEN GOTTEN TO LIVE YET.
♪♪
WHY ARE YOU JUMPING ON MY CASE?!
YOU'RE OVEREATING, AND YOU'RE ACTING LIKE IT IS OUR FAULT!
I KNOW THAT I'M DYING.
I KNOW THAT I'M NOT GONNA MAKE IT.
♪♪
IT'S GONNA TAKE A LITTLE WORK PUTTING MYSELF FIRST.
THAT RESONATES WITH SO MANY PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN ABUSED.
--Captions by VITAC-- www.vitac.com
CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS
♪♪
EVERYTHING IN MY LIFE HAS BECOME SUCH A STRUGGLE
BECAUSE OF HOW BIG I AM NOW
AND ALL THE WEIGHT I HAVE ON MY BODY.
AND I'M OVERWHELMED WITH THE PAIN
THAT I HAVE TO ENDURE EVERY SINGLE DAY.
AND IT'S ONLY GETTING WORSE BECAUSE I'M AT THE POINT
WHERE I CAN'T EVEN GET OUT OF BED ON MY OWN.
HEY, BABE. CAN YOU COME HELP?
MY BOYFRIEND, AARON, HAS TO HELP ME WITH
AT LEAST GETTING UP AND STARTING MY DAY.
BUT ONCE I CAN GET GOING I'M STILL ABLE TO MANAGE,
BUT JUST BARELY.
-YOU READY? -YEAH.
ONE, TWO.
-THANK YOU. -ALL RIGHT.
-I'M GONNA HEAD TO WORK. -HAVE A GOOD DAY.
Aaron: ALL RIGHT.
♪♪
THE WHOLE WEIGHT OF MY BODY JUST PULLS DOWN ON ME,
MAKING IT SO HARD TO EVEN MOVE.
IT IS MISERABLE.
I HATE MY BODY.
IT'S JUST DISGUSTING, AND I HATE EVEN LOOKING AT IT.
WHEN I SEE MYSELF, I FEEL LIKE A FREAK.
AND IT MAKES ME FEEL HUMILIATED
EVEN WHEN NO ONE ELSE CAN SEE MY BODY,
BECAUSE I CAN SEE ALL THE PARTS OF ME
THAT DON'T EVEN LOOK LIKE A HUMAN,
ESPECIALLY MY STOMACH AND THE LYMPHEDEMA ON MY LEGS.
♪♪
AND IT REQUIRES ME TO DO A LOT
TO PREVENT THINGS FROM GETTING WORSE,
BECAUSE ALL THE HANGING AREAS OF MY BODY CHAFE
AND RUB AGAINST EACH OTHER WHEN THEY MOVE
TO THE POINT WHERE THEY BLISTER AND BLEED.
SO I HAVE TO CONSTANTLY CLEAN THOSE AREAS
BECAUSE WHEN IT HAPPENS, IT MAKES IT UNBEARABLE TO MOVE.
EVERYTHING IS A CHORE.
AND IF I'M NOT CAREFUL,
I COULD FALL AND SERIOUSLY HURT MYSELF.
AND IF I FALL, IT'S ALL OVER FOR ME.
THERE'S NO WAY I'D BE ABLE TO SURVIVE.
♪♪
BUT I KNOW THE ONLY REASON I'M IN THIS SITUATION
AND MY BODY IS LIKE THIS IS BECAUSE OF HOW I EAT.
IF I CHANGED THAT, THEN ALL THIS WOULD GET BETTER.
BUT AT THIS POINT, FOOD IS THE ONLY PLEASURE
I HAVE LEFT IN MY LIFE.
DESSERT IS MOSTLY WHAT I CRAVE,
AND SO MY FIRST CHOICE IS EITHER CAKE OR ICE CREAM.
NOTHING MAKES ME FEEL AS GOOD AS SUGAR DOES,
SO IT'S THE FIRST THING I HAVE EVERY DAY.
♪♪
AND THE SECOND I TAKE A BITE, ALL MY PAIN AND WORRY
FADE AWAY FOR JUST A MOMENT.
SO AS LONG AS I'M EATING, IT'S LIKE I'M INVINCIBLE.
NOTHING CAN HURT ME.
FOOD HELPS ME ESCAPE MY LIFE,
AND THAT'S THE WAY IT'S BEEN FOR ME FOR A LONG, LONG TIME NOW.
♪♪
I COME FROM A FAMILY OF LARGE PEOPLE,
ESPECIALLY MY DAD.
I THINK HE WAS AROUND 450 POUNDS WHEN I WAS A BABY.
SO FOOD WAS ALWAYS AROUND, AND WE WERE ALWAYS EATING
BECAUSE WHEN MY DAD WAS IN CHARGE,
YOU HAD TO BE PART OF THE CLEAN PLATE CLUB.
EVERYTHING HAD TO BE CLEANED OFF OF YOUR PLATE.
YOU COULDN'T LEAVE THE TABLE.
AND OFTENTIMES, HE WOULD PUT WAY TOO MUCH ON MY PLATE.
SO WE WERE ALWAYS EATING A LOT.
BUT I WAS THE ONE THAT ALWAYS SEEMED TO BE EATING THE MOST,
BECAUSE WHEN MY SISTER CAME ALONG A FEW YEARS AFTER ME,
MY PARENTS TRIED TO CURB HER EATING SOME
BECAUSE THEY SAW THE WEIGHT THAT I WAS ALREADY GAINING,
AND THEY TRIED TO CHANGE THAT FOR HER.
BY THE TIME I WAS 5,
I WAS ALREADY APPROACHING BEING 100 POUNDS.
I WAS JUST ALWAYS EATING A LOT OF UNHEALTHY FOODS,
ESPECIALLY SWEETS.
WHENEVER I FELL DOWN,
MY FAMILY WOULD GIVE ME A COOKIE OR A CANDY BAR.
AND THAT WAS ALWAYS TO CHEER ME UP,
SO I STARTED EATING TO FEEL GOOD.
AND I NEEDED THAT BECAUSE AS I GOT OLDER,
MY FAMILY STARTED TO STRUGGLE WITH SOME THINGS.
AS MY FATHER GOT BIGGER, HE STARTED TO WORK LESS
AND THAT BECAME A SOURCE OF FRICTION BETWEEN MY MOM AND HIM.
IT GOT TO A POINT WHERE WE HAD TO MOVE IN WITH MY GRANDMOTHER
JUST TO GET BY,
AND IT MEANT MY MOM HAD TO GO BACK TO WORK.
SO DURING ALL THIS WHEN MY PARENTS WERE FIGHTING,
THERE WAS ALWAYS FOOD TO MAKE ME HAPPY.
AND FOOD DID THE SAME FOR MY DAD AND MY GRANDMA,
BUT THAT CAUSED EVEN MORE CONFLICT BETWEEN MY PARENTS
BECAUSE MY MOM WASN'T HAPPY
AT HOW MY DAD AND MY GRANDMA FED ME.
I WOULD DESCRIBE MY FATHER'S COOKING STYLE
AS BUTTER FRIED IN BUTTER.
HE WAS TAUGHT BY HIS MOTHER AND HIS GRANDMOTHER,
AND EVERYTHING IS REALLY FATTY AND VERY SUGARY.
♪♪
TIFFANY'S WEIGHT DID CAUSE CONFLICT,
BUT IT WASN'T ALWAYS BECAUSE OF HER DAD.
IT WAS WHEN WE HAD TO LIVE WITH HIS MOTHER.
SHE ALWAYS HAD BIG CAKES
AND THEY WERE ALWAYS FEEDING HER.
AND THEN SHE'D FEED WHAT I FED HER,
AND THEN AT DESSERT TIME, EAT WHAT THEY WERE FEEDING HER.
I WAS 8 THEN, AND I HAD GOTTEN UP TO 170 POUNDS.
AND MY WEIGHT GAIN JUST GOT WORSE AS I GOT OLDER,
BECAUSE THINGS KEPT GETTING WORSE BETWEEN MY MOM AND MY DAD
AND I STARTED TO GET REALLY DEPRESSED,
AND ATE MORE TO DEAL WITH THAT.
MY DAD STARTED TO GET SO BIG HE WAS BECOMING IMMOBILE,
AND MY MOM WAS GETTING TO A BREAKING POINT WITH IT ALL.
SHE JUST GOT FED UP BECAUSE OF WHAT IT DID TO HER,
AND HOW HIS EATING HABITS AFFECTED ME
AS I GOT BIGGER AND BIGGER,
BECAUSE I WAS GAINING A LOT AT A VERY QUICK RATE
AND HIT 300 POUNDS WHEN I WAS 12.
BUT THAT'S AROUND WHEN THINGS GOT TO THEIR WORST POINT
BETWEEN MY DAD AND MY MOM.
THEY WERE CONSTANTLY ARGUING AND FIGHTING OVER THINGS.
AND I TOOK IT VERY HARD BECAUSE I HAD ALWAYS BEEN
A DADDY'S GIRL, AND THEN REALIZED
JUST HOW VERBALLY ABUSIVE
AND MANIPULATIVE MY FATHER COULD BE.
AND I STARTED TAKING MY MOM'S SIDE.
THAT'S WHEN HIS ANGER TURNED TO ME.
I WAS HEARTBROKEN BECAUSE WHEN IT COMES TO MY DAD,
I USED TO THINK HE WALKED ON WATER.
AND THEN WHEN I STARTED TO DEFEND MY MOM,
I REALIZED JUST HOW MEAN
AND HATEFUL OF A PERSON HE COULD BE.
HE CALLED ME ALL THESE NAMES, AND I STARTED TO BELIEVE HIM.
HE WOULD CALL ME A LITTLE [BLEEP]
HE WOULD CALL ME FAT [BLEEP]
HE WOULD CALL ME "THE LITTLE [BLEEP]"
IT WENT FROM BEING LIKE THE CENTER OF HIS WORLD
TO BEING JUST ANOTHER PIECE OF [BLEEP] DOWN THE WAY.
I HAD VERY LOW SELF-CONFIDENCE,
AND THAT JUST MADE WHAT LITTLE BIT I HAD LEFT DISAPPEAR.
SO I WENT FROM ADMIRING MY DAD
IN A MATTER OF A YEAR TO DESPISING HIM.
MY RELATIONSHIP WITH MY DAD NEVER REALLY RECOVERED.
SO THAT WAS A REALLY PAINFUL TIME, LOSING THAT RELATIONSHIP.
SO I JUST WENT TO FOOD WITH ALL OF THAT.
AND I PUT ON 200 POUNDS IN TWO YEARS,
AND WAS OVER 500 WHEN I STARTED HIGH SCHOOL AT 14.
MY HEALTH JUST CONTINUED TO GET MUCH WORSE FROM THERE,
BECAUSE MY LYMPHEDEMA ON MY LEGS
STARTED TO DEVELOP WHEN I WAS 16.
SO THAT WAS WHEN IT STARTED TO GET HARDER TO GET AROUND
AND STAY ACTIVE, SO I STARTED DOING A LOT LESS.
AND IT GOT SO BAD THAT I HAD TO DROP OUT OF SCHOOL,
AND THAT WAS HUMILIATING
AND I STARTED TO GET EVEN MORE DEPRESSED.
EVENTUALLY, WE FOUND AN ALTERNATIVE HIGH SCHOOL
THAT COULD ACCOMMODATE MY NEEDS.
AND I WAS ABLE TO GET MY HIGH SCHOOL DEGREE AND GRADUATE.
AND AT THAT POINT, I WAS AROUND 560.
I COULDN'T BELIEVE THAT MY WEIGHT WAS GETTING SO BAD.
I WAS 18, BUT I WAS STILL TRYING TO DO WHAT I COULD
TO HAVE A LIFE.
AND I DECIDED TO GO TO CULINARY SCHOOL,
AND I ACTUALLY DID WELL AND LOVED IT.
COOKING WAS A DREAM JOB FOR ME.
BUT MY WEIGHT GOT IN THE WAY OF THAT, TOO.
I WAS A COOK FOR A BANQUET AT A CASINO,
SO I COULDN'T GET AROUND FAST ENOUGH
TO GET THE FOOD OUT LIKE I NEEDED.
SO I LOST MY JOB.
AND AT THE SAME TIME, MY PARENTS SEPARATED.
SO IT JUST SEEMED LIKE MY WHOLE WORLD WAS IMPLODING,
AND I TURNED INTO A SHUT-IN FOR A WHILE
BECAUSE I WAS SO DEPRESSED.
AND I, OF COURSE, KEPT EATING.
I FELT LIKE THE ONLY THING I HAD WAS FOOD.
BUT WHEN I WAS 24, I WAS PLAYING A GAME ONLINE
WHICH I DID A LOT THEN AND I MET SOMEONE.
WE STARTED TALKING, AND THEN WE JUST KIND OF HIT IT OFF.
AND I KNEW THAT IF I WASN'T HONEST WITH HIM,
IT COULD RUIN EVERYTHING.
SO I TOLD HIM HOW MUCH I WEIGHED.
I SHOWED HIM PICTURES.
AND HE STILL WANTED TO BE WITH ME.
SO OVER THE NEXT FEW MONTHS, WE GOT REALLY SERIOUS.
AND HE ASKED ME TO MOVE IN WITH HIM, AND I SAID YES.
SO I MOVED OUT OF MY MOM'S HOUSE AND IN WITH HIM,
AND WE'VE BEEN TOGETHER FOR THE PAST FIVE YEARS.
BUT IN THAT TIME, AARON HAS HAD TO BECOME MY CAREGIVER.
WITH EACH YEAR THAT'S PASSED,
I'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO LESS AND LESS.
SO I'M NOT ABLE TO WORK OR DO ANYTHING TO CONTRIBUTE
TO THE FINANCES, AND THAT'S NOW MADE AARON
HAVE TO TAKE ON TWO JOBS TO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT US.
SO I FEEL LIKE I'M TURNING OUT TO BE JUST LIKE MY DAD.
I AM DOING TO AARON WHAT MY DAD DID TO MY MOM.
AND SEEING HOW MY DAD'S HEALTH HAS DECLINED,
AND ALL THIS DUE TO THE WAY HE ATE,
I AM TERRIFIED THAT I'M GONNA END UP
IN THE SAME POSITION HE IS.
AND I'M WORSE NOW THAN I'VE EVER BEEN.
I'M 28, I'M AT LEAST 650 POUNDS,
AND NOT TOO FAR OFF FROM BEING BEDRIDDEN.
AT THIS POINT, I DON'T EVEN HAVE A LIFE.
I JUST SIT IN MY ROOM PLAYING VIDEO GAMES,
AND WATCH MOVIES AND TV SHOWS.
I'M LETTING MY WEIGHT DESTROY MY LIFE,
AND IT'S ONLY GETTING WORSE.
AND I'M SCARED SOON, IT'S GONNA GET TO A POINT
WHERE IT'S TOO MUCH FOR AARON AND HE'S GONNA LEAVE ME.
WE'RE ALREADY NOT REALLY BOYFRIEND AND GIRLFRIEND.
WE CAN'T BE INTIMATE.
AND I'VE TOLD HIM BEFORE, IF HE WANTED AN OPEN RELATIONSHIP
SO THAT THAT CAN HAPPEN,
I WAS OKAY AND I UNDERSTOOD, AND WE WOULD MAKE RULES.
AND HE DIDN'T WANT THAT.
BUT I DON'T WANT MY WEIGHT
TO COST ME MY RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM.
IT'S ALREADY BECOME A RIFT
IN THE ONLY OTHER CLOSE RELATIONSHIP I HAVE --
MY RELATIONSHIP WITH MY MOM --
BECAUSE IT GOT TO A POINT WITH HER
WHERE ALL SHE DID WAS GUILT ME ABOUT MY WEIGHT.
SO I DON'T TALK MUCH TO HER RIGHT NOW BECAUSE OF THAT.
SHE GOT ANGRY OVER SOMETHING I SAID TO HER
THAT WAS TOO BRUTALLY HONEST, APPARENTLY.
AND I JUST TOLD HER, "OKAY.
WHEN YOU'RE DONE THROWING YOUR DADDY TEMPER-TANTRUM,
YOU CAN CALL ME."
I KNOW HOW BAD IT IS NOW.
BUT I DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW I'D BEGIN TO GIVE UP THE WAY
I CONSTANTLY NEED FOOD AND WANT IT.
♪♪
-HEY. -HEY, WHAT'S UP?
-ARE YOU READY? -YEAH.
YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO HELP ME UP.
-ALL RIGHT. -MY HIP'S PRETTY BAD TODAY.
ONE, TWO, THREE.
TIFFANY AND I DATED ABOUT SIX MONTHS ONLINE
BEFORE WE MET IN PERSON.
WHEN I FIRST MET TIFFANY IN PERSON,
I WAS SHOCKED AT HOW BIG SHE WAS.
BUT I LOVED WHO SHE WAS,
SO I DIDN'T REALLY LET IT AFFECT ME.
I'M BARELY ABLE TO FUNCTION AND GET AROUND.
BUT IF I KNOW WE'RE GONNA GO SHOPPING
AND GET SOMETHING TO EAT,
I WILL PUSH MYSELF TO TRY AND GO OUT.
BUT I CAN BARELY FIT IN THE CAR NOW, AND I GET EASILY WINDED.
♪♪
SO IF I'M GONNA TRY AND SHOP, I HAVE TO GET A MOTORIZED CART.
AND IF WHERE WE GO DOESN'T HAVE ONE,
I'M NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO WALK THAT FAR.
♪♪
HOW YOU FEELING?
I HAVE HURTS.
DO THEY HAVE ANY OF THE SITTING CARTS AVAILABLE?
UM, I DON'T SEE ANYTHING.
ALL RIGHT.
SHOPPING FOR FOOD IS SOMETHING THAT I ABSOLUTELY LOVE.
ASIDE FROM EATING, IT'S MY FAVORITE THING TO DO.
I LIKE BUTTERSCOTCH.
AND IT FILLS ME WITH SUCH EXCITEMENT
WHEN I FIND WHAT I WANT.
BUT ALL THIS ACTIVITY TAKES A TOLL ON ME,
AND IT GETS TO BE SO HARD TO MOVE.
I KIND OF WANNA JUST GO SIT DOWN.
MY HIP HURTS REALLY BAD.
ALL RIGHT.
THANK YOU.
MY HIP AND MY LEGS ARE IN SO MUCH PAIN,
AND IT TAKES JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING IN ME
TO MAKE IT BACK TO THE CAR.
IT'S SO EXHAUSTING.
[ CAR HORN HONKS ]
[ HONKING CONTINUES ]
I'M SORRY, MISS. I AM HANDICAPPED.
I CAN'T WALK VERY FAST.
STUFF LIKE THAT HAPPENS ALL THE TIME WHEN I GO OUT.
PEOPLE EITHER STARE AND POINT AT ME,
OR THEY MAKE COMMENTS ABOUT HOW I'M IN THE WAY.
PEOPLE ARE REALLY BRUTAL AND JUDGMENTAL
WHEN YOU'RE MY SIZE,
AND THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW HARD IT IS
FOR SOMEONE LIKE ME TO DO THIS AND GET AROUND.
♪♪
I TRY TO IGNORE IT, BUT YOU NEVER REALLY GET USED TO IT.
♪♪
-HEY, BABE. -YEAH?
CAN YOU BRING ME THE COOKIES?
I NEED THOSE, PLEASE.
ALL RIGHT.
I'M STARVING.
♪♪
SO, I WAS THINKING ON THE WAY HOME,
WE COULD STOP BY AND PICK UP SOME FOOD.
-IS THAT OKAY? -YEAH, IF YOU'RE HUNGRY.
YEAH, I AM.
♪♪
Man: WELCOME TO MCDONALD'S. WHAT'LL IT BE TODAY?
CAN I GET THE DOUBLE QUARTER POUNDER MEAL, LARGE?
AN ORDER OF 20-PIECE NUGGETS, AS WELL?
COOKIES, AS WELL?
ALL RIGHT. $30.63 AT THE WINDOW, PLEASE.
THANK YOU.
HELLO.
♪♪
NO MATTER WHAT I EAT OR HOW MUCH I EAT, I NEVER SEEM TO GET FULL.
AND I WOULD EAT NONSTOP IF I COULD.
♪♪
I KNOW I EAT WAY TOO MUCH.
THE PROBLEM ISN'T UNDERSTANDING THAT.
IT'S NOT BEING ABLE TO CHANGE THAT.
AND THAT'S WHAT I'M SCARED ABOUT,
BECAUSE I FEEL ALL THE THINGS IN MY BODY
TELLING ME THAT I'M GETTING TO A POINT
WHERE I WON'T BE ABLE TO GO ON.
♪♪
I'M DONE, BUT I'M STILL HUNGRY.
-ALL RIGHT. -CAN YOU ORDER ME A PIZZA?
ALL RIGHT.
Aaron: MY BIGGEST FEAR FOR TIFFANY IS DEATH.
IT DEFINITELY IS A POSSIBILITY BECAUSE OF HER WEIGHT.
HER HEART COULD GIVE OUT AT ANY MOMENT,
AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT I FEAR.
SO I WANT TIFFANY TO LOSE WEIGHT NOT ONLY FOR HER LIFE,
BUT OUR RELATIONSHIP AS WELL.
BUT IF TIFFANY WANTS A SPECIFIC FOOD, I GET IT
BECAUSE I JUST -- I DON'T KNOW. I JUST WANT HER TO BE HAPPY.
♪♪
Tiffany: I'M NOT READY TO DIE.
I STILL HAVE DREAMS OF HAVING A FAMILY AND KIDS.
BUT I'M ALSO NOT READY TO GIVE UP FOOD,
SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT I'M GONNA DO.
BECAUSE AT THIS RATE, I KNOW THERE'S NO WAY
I COULD GO ON LIKE THIS MUCH LONGER
AND THAT I'M RUNNING OUT OF TIME.
♪♪
TODAY IS A REALLY BIG DAY FOR ME.
ME AND AARON ARE FLYING TO HOUSTON TO SEE DR. NOW
TO TRY AND GET THE HELP I NEED TO LOSE WEIGHT.
MY APPOINTMENT IS TOMORROW,
SO TODAY MY FOCUS IS JUST GETTING TO HOUSTON.
AND IT WILL BE THE FIRST TIME IN MY LIFE
THAT I'LL FLY ON A PLANE,
AND I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT TO EXPECT
OR IF I'M GONNA BE ABLE TO EVEN DO THIS.
BUT I KNOW I HAVE TO TRY.
...I'LL EVER BE ON AN AIRPLANE.
Aaron: YEAH.
YEAH, I'M KIND OF TERRIFIED 'CAUSE I'VE ALWAYS BEEN TOLD
THAT AIRPLANE BATHROOMS ARE REALLY SMALL.
'CAUSE I DID TAKE MY WATER PILL THIS MORNING,
AND THAT'S GONNA MAKE ME HAVE TO GO PEE.
♪♪
AARON CALLED THE AIRPORT TO FIND OUT THE BEST WAY TO DO THIS.
THEY DID TELL US WE CAN VALET THE CAR
SO I DON'T HAVE TO WALK FROM THE PARKING AREAS,
AND THEY'LL HAVE A WHEELCHAIR WAITING FOR ME.
ALL RIGHT.
I JUST HOPE IT'S BIG ENOUGH FOR ME.
-HELLO, MA'AM. -THANK YOU.
YOU'RE WELCOME, MA'AM.
OKAY.
THIS IS EXTREMELY EMBARRASSING.
THERE WE GO.
I FEEL LIKE EVERYONE'S JUST STARING BECAUSE OF HOW BIG I AM,
SO I JUST WANNA GET TO THE PLANE
AND GET THIS ALL OVER WITH AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
Man: SHE'S GONNA NEED AT LEAST TWO TICKETS.
ALL RIGHT.
-ALL RIGHT. -THANK YOU.
-YEAH. -OKAY, LET'S GO.
♪♪
I REALLY HOPE DOING THIS ISN'T A BIG MISTAKE.
I DON'T LIKE BEING AROUND CROWDS LIKE THIS,
AND I HAVEN'T BEEN AROUND THIS MANY PEOPLE IN MY ENTIRE LIFE.
THERE'S NOT A SINGLE PERSON
WHO ISN'T STARING OR GAWKING AT ME RIGHT NOW,
SO I'M REALLY QUESTIONING THIS WHOLE TRIP
AND DOING THIS.
OKAY.
-AWESOME. -YEAH, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
-THANK YOU. -YOU'RE WELCOME.
ALL RIGHT.
-ARE YOU READY? -YEAH.
I DON'T THINK I'M GONNA BE ABLE TO FIT IN ANY AIRPLANE BATHROOM,
AND I CAN'T HOLD IT THE WHOLE TIME.
BUT I'M NOT GONNA LET MYSELF HAVE AN ACCIDENT ON THE PLANE,
SO I NEED TO GO NOW.
Woman: SOUTHWEST FLIGHT 1281
IN THE FINAL BOARDING PROCESS FOR THIS FLIGHT.
AND NOW OUR PLANE IS BOARDING, SO THIS IS NOT GOOD.
♪♪
I'LL HAVE TO HOLD IT THE WHOLE WAY THERE,
AND I DON'T KNOW IF I CAN.
♪♪
THIS IS PRETTY MUCH MY NIGHTMARE SCENARIO,
SO I'M REALLY QUESTIONING THIS WHOLE TRIP
AND DOING THIS RIGHT NOW.
SORRY.
I'M ALREADY AN EMOTIONAL WRECK,
AND I'M NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO HANDLE MUCH MORE EMBARRASSMENT.
[ GRUNTS ]
MY FEET ARE A LITTLE ASLEEP.
♪♪
THIS IS SO STRESSFUL, SO MY ANXIETY'S THROUGH THE ROOF.
I'M JUST GLAD I HAVE AARON WITH ME TO HELP ME.
IT WAS EMBARRASSING TO HAVE TO GET TWO SEATS,
BUT I'M GLAD I HAVE THEM BECAUSE IT DOES HELP.
AND I KNOW ONCE I EAT, I'LL CALM DOWN AND FEEL BETTER.
♪♪
AND THERE'S NO WAY I'M GONNA BE ABLE TO FIT
IN THE ONE ON THE PLANE, SO I JUST HOPE I CAN MAKE IT.
♪♪
WE'VE BEEN FLYING FOR OVER FOUR HOURS,
AND THANKFULLY, WE'RE ALMOST THERE.
IT HASN'T BEEN AS RESTFUL AS I WAS HOPING,
BECAUSE I NEEDED TO GO TO THE BATHROOM THE WHOLE TIME.
SO IF I DON'T GET OFF AND INTO A BATHROOM SOON,
I'M GONNA HAVE AN ACCIDENT.
♪♪
ALL RIGHT.
OH, I'M GOOD.
Woman: YEAH.
♪♪
OKAY, I GOT IT.
I'M REALLY EMBARRASSED RIGHT NOW BECAUSE I HAD TO GO IN MY PANTS.
BUT NOW I NEED TO CLEAN UP AND CHANGE MY UNDERWEAR.
BUT THE SAD REALITY IS, THIS ISN'T THE FIRST TIME
THAT IT'S HAPPENED BECAUSE OF MY WEIGHT AND MOBILITY.
AND THAT IS HUMILIATING FOR ANY GROWN ADULT, TO --
TO HAVE TO CHANGE THEIR CLOTHES
BECAUSE THEY COULDN'T QUITE MAKE IT.
BUT THERE'S NOTHING I CAN DO ABOUT IT NOW,
EXCEPT TO MOVE ON AND GET TO WHERE I NEED.
♪♪
I'M COMPLETELY WIPED OUT AND EXTREMELY SORE,
AND I FEEL LIKE EVERYONE'S STARING AT ME AGAIN.
I FEEL LIKE THERE'S MORE PEOPLE JUDGING
IN THIS LESS-CROWDED AIRPORT THAN THERE WAS IN THE --
WHY'S THAT?
BECAUSE I'VE SEEN MORE PEOPLE STARE, LIKE --
YEAH.
Tiffany: THANKFULLY, WE DON'T HAVE BAGS TO GET
SINCE WE TOOK OUR ONLY LUGGAGE WITH US ON THE PLANE.
SO WE CAN JUST GO GET A CAB AND GET TO THE HOTEL,
AND I CAN REST
AND GET SOMETHING TO EAT BECAUSE I'M STARVING.
THE ONLY WORRY I HAVE NOW IS WHAT KIND OF VEHICLE
THEY HAVE WITH THE CABS,
AND IF I'M GONNA BE ABLE TO FIND ONE THAT I CAN FIT IN.
♪♪
OH, NO. YOU'RE FINE.
♪♪
THIS STILL LOOKS LIKE A TIGHT SQUEEZE.
♪♪
YEAH.
♪♪
THIS IS TIGHT, BUT I'M FITTING.
THAT WAS THE LAST BIG OBSTACLE,
SO I'M HOPING NOW WE CAN GET SOME FOOD AND THEN REST.
BUT I'M STARVING RIGHT NOW.
♪♪
ALL RIGHT. PERFECT.
♪♪
I THINK I'M GONNA GO FOR THE NUMBER ONE COMBO.
CAN I GET A NUMBER ONE COMBO, PLEASE?
A [BLEEP] MILKSHAKE.
[BLEEP] MILKSHAKE.
-LARGE. -LARGE. AND THEN,
CAN I GET AN ORDER OF THE THREE-PIECE CHICKEN STRIPS?
AND THE, CAN I GET A NUMBER TWO PLEASE, MEDIUM?
-ANYTHING ELSE? -THAT'LL BE IT.
THANK YOU.
Tiffany: I KNOW TOMORROW, MY LIFE WILL CHANGE.
AT LEAST, I'M HOPING IT WILL.
BUT IF DR. NOW SAYS HE CAN HELP ME
AND LETS ME DO HIS PROGRAM,
THEN THAT'LL PROBABLY MEAN
ALL BAD FOOD IS GONE FOR A WHILE.
AND THAT'S GONNA BE HARD.
BUT I'M PROUD OF MYSELF FOR WHAT I'VE DONE TODAY.
IT'S SUCH A HUGE ACHIEVEMENT FOR ME
TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THIS
AND MAKE IT ALL THE WAY TO HOUSTON.
AND HOPEFULLY, TOMORROW WILL BE START OF A NEW LIFE FOR ME,
AND I'LL FINALLY GET THE HELP I'VE NEEDED
TO TRY AND SAVE MY LIFE.
♪♪
Tiffany: I'M FEELING REFRESHED SOME.
GETTING A GOOD NIGHT'S SLEEP AFTER SUCH A LONG DAY
TRAVELING FELT REALLY GOOD.
BUT THAT'S JUST GONNA TAKE ME A LITTLE WHILE TO RECOVER FROM,
BECAUSE THAT WAS MORE MOVING AROUND I DID YESTERDAY
THAN I HAVE IN A REALLY LONG TIME.
BUT RIGHT NOW, ME AND AARON ARE HEADED TO SEE DR. NOW
FOR MY FIRST APPOINTMENT.
I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT I'M GONNA BE TOLD,
AND I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT'S GONNA COME UP
WHEN I STEP ON THAT SCALE.
SO ALL THAT'S REALLY SCARY.
TIFFANY BARKER?
FOR MY WEIGHT, I'M HOPING TO BE IN THE LOW- TO MID-600s.
I KNOW I'M AT LEAST THAT HIGH,
BUT I'M JUST HOPING I'VE MANAGED TO STAY IN THAT RANGE
AND THAT I HAVEN'T LET IT GET WORSE.
BUT AT THIS POINT, I'M REALLY NOT SURE WHAT TO EXPECT.
♪♪
THAT SUCKS.
♪♪
THAT'S DISAPPOINTING.
IT'S NEVER FUN TO SEE ANY BIG NUMBER COME UP ON A SCALE,
BUT IT'S ESPECIALLY HARD WHEN IT'S A NUMBER LIKE THAT.
I'M ASHAMED I'VE LET IT GET WORSE AND WORSE
TO WHERE MY WEIGHT IS THAT HIGH NOW.
SO I KNOW HOW BAD I NEED THIS HELP,
BECAUSE IF I DON'T FIND A WAY
TO GET THAT NUMBER TO START TO GO DOWN,
THEN IT'S GONNA BE REALLY BAD FOR ME.
[ KNOCKS ON DOOR ]
-HELLO. -HELLO.
HOW ARE Y'ALL DOING?
GOOD, HOW ARE YOU?
I'M JUST FINE.
ALL RIGHT, I'M DR. NOWZARADAN. AND YOU ARE TIFFANY?
-YES. -AND...?
-AARON. -AARON. MY BOYFRIEND.
ALL RIGHT. SO, TIFFANY,
YOU'RE HERE TO GET HELP WITH YOUR WEIGHT
BECAUSE YOU'RE AT 672 POUNDS.
-YEAH. -THAT PUT YOUR BMI
AT ALMOST 112.
NORMAL BMI IS 18 TO 25, SO THIS IS VERY HIGH BMI.
AND I'M SURPRISED YOU'RE STILL ABLE TO GET AROUND,
SO HOW MUCH YOU CAN WALK?
AS OF RIGHT NOW, I COULD WALK MAYBE FOR FIVE MINUTES.
AND YOU GET SHORT OF BREATH OR TIRED?
SHORT OF BREATH.
-AND ANY JOINT PAIN? -YES.
UM, I HAVE ARTHRITIS IN ONE OF MY HIPS.
-HMM. -AND MY KNEES
HAVE BEEN REALLY BAD LATELY.
THEY SHOULD BE. YOU PUT ALMOST 700 POUNDS ON THEM.
THEY AREN'T DESIGNED FOR THAT.
BUT WITH ALL THESE ISSUES,
YOU'RE VERY CLOSE TO BECOMING IMMOBILE SOON.
AND ONCE THAT HAPPENS AT YOUR SIZE,
YOU NEVER LIVE TOO LONG LIKE THAT.
OKAY?
SO, TELL ME ABOUT YOUR EATING HABIT.
UM, I AM DEFINITELY AN EMOTIONAL EATER.
I WILL GET REALLY SAD, AND I EAT QUITE A BIT.
AND, UM, I HAVE A BAD HABIT OF WAITING ALL DAY
AND THEN BINGE-EATING AT THE END OF THE DAY.
THAT'S NOT TRUE. YOU WOULDN'T BE THIS BIG
IF YOU WEREN'T EATING ALL DAY.
IT'S BECAUSE YOU DON'T COUNT ALL THE SNACKING UP TO THEN.
SO DON'T TRY TO TELL ME
WHAT YOU TELL EVERYONE ELSE, OKAY?
WHAT DO YOU SNACK ON?
I USUALLY HAVE CRACKERS OR YOGURTS,
AND SOME GRAPES THROUGHOUT THE DAY JUST 'CAUSE IT'S EASY.
I CAN GRAB IT AND SNACK ON IT.
YOU KEEP GRAPES IN YOUR ROOM?
SOUNDS HEALTHY.
WHAT YOU TELL ME, YOU SHOULD BE LIKE, 200 POUND.
SO WHERE'S THE EXTRA CALORIES COMING IN?
YOU'RE SURE IT'S NOT CANDY BARS, CHIPS, OR STUFF LIKE THAT?
UM, SOMETIMES, I GUESS.
NO GUESSING.
YOU KNOW IT'S MOST OF TIME,
BUT YOU'RE USED TO LYING ABOUT IT.
SO WHEN YOU EAT A MEAL, DO YOU EAT AT HOME, OR YOU EAT OUT?
FOR THE MOST PART, HE WILL GO GET SOMETHING FROM DRIVE-THROUGH
'CAUSE HE DOESN'T COOK.
HE'LL GO GET SANDWICHES OR BURGERS
OR SOMETHING, AND BRING IT HOME.
SO HE'S NOT HELPING YOU TO CHANGE YOUR EATING HABIT.
HE JUST GIVE YOU WHATEVER YOU WANT,
EVEN IF IT'S KILLING YOU,
JUST TO AVOID AN ARGUMENT WITH YOU?
-DOES THAT SOUND RIGHT? -YEAH.
IT'S -- IT'S EASIER NOT TO ARGUE WITH ME OVER IT.
SO THE DYNAMIC BETWEEN YOU TWO IS SOMETHING
THAT'S GONNA HAVE TO CHANGE FOR THIS TO WORK.
AND A LOT OF OTHER THINGS ARE GONNA NEED TO CHANGE NOW, TOO.
OKAY.
SO I'M GONNA GIVE YOU A 1,200-CALORIE-A-DAY,
HIGH-PROTEIN, LOW-CARB DIET
THAT I WANT YOU TO START ON TODAY.
-OKAY. -AND PART OF WHAT
I'M GONNA GIVE YOU IS A LIST OF FOOD TO AVOID
TO MODIFY YOUR EATING HABITS TO BE HEALTHY.
-YOU THINK YOU CAN DO THAT? -YES. I WOULD DO THAT ALREADY,
BUT WE HAVE A LIMITED INCOME
AND IT TENDS TO BE EXPENSIVE TO EAT HEALTHY
AND GET HEALTHY FOOD. IT'S JUST EASIER.
IT CAN'T BE MORE EXPENSIVE
THAN BUYING BURGERS AND FRIES AND THINGS.
YEAH, DEFINITELY NOT.
SO I'M READY. I CAN DO IT.
I REALLY HOPE YOU ARE, BECAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE
A LOT OF TIME TO PLAY GAMES WITH THIS.
SO NO MORE EXCUSES AND LIES ABOUT WHAT YOU'RE EATING.
AND YOU ALSO NEED TO START INCREASING YOUR ACTIVITY
TO BUILD UP YOUR STAMINA.
I WANT YOU TO START WALKING AT LEAST AN HOUR TOTAL EVERY DAY,
AND I'LL GIVE YOU SOME OTHER EXERCISES
YOU CAN DO SITTING DOWN.
-OKAY? -OKAY.
SO IF YOU DO ALL THIS AND LOSE 80 POUNDS
IN THE NEXT TWO MONTHS,
YOU WILL VERY EASILY HIT THAT GOAL
AND I'LL APPROVE YOU FOR WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY.
BUT IF WE DO WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY ON YOU,
THEN YOU'LL HAVE TO MOVE TO HOUSTON.
IS THAT GONNA BE ANY PROBLEM?
NO. THIS IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN WHERE I LIVE RIGHT NOW, SO...
OKAY. SO, IS HE GONNA BE ABLE TO MOVE WITH YOU, TOO?
-MM-HMM. -OKAY.
JUST AS LONG AS YOU STOP ENABLING HER, AARON.
SO NO MORE BRINGING HER FAST FOOD AND CANDY, YOU GOT IT?
OH, DEFINITELY, NO. WELL, AT THIS POINT,
IF SHE'S WILLING TO CHANGE, OBVIOUSLY, I'LL CHANGE AS WELL.
HONESTLY, IT'S JUST I DON'T WANNA ARGUE WITH HER.
I CAN'T WIN AN ARGUMENT WITH HER.
UM, SO...
I TELL PEOPLE IT'S A LOT LIKE ARGUING WITH A CRAZY PERSON
THAT DOESN'T KNOW THEY'RE CRAZY.
YOU CAN'T WIN THAT FIGHT.
WELL, IF YOU WANT HER TO HAVE A CHANCE TO LIVE,
THEN YOU BOTH HAVE TO START DOING WHAT YOU NEED,
OR, TIFFANY, THERE IS NO WAY YOU'LL BE AROUND MUCH LONGER.
SO YOU NEED TO TAKE THIS SERIOUSLY.
OKAY.
ALL RIGHT, I'LL SEE YOU BOTH IN A COUPLE MONTHS.
ALL RIGHT. I LOOK FORWARD TO IT.
OKAY. NICE TO MEET YOU GUYS.
NICE MEETING YOU, TOO.
♪♪
I'M VERY CONCERNED ABOUT HOW SERIOUS TIFFANY ACTUALLY IS
ABOUT MAKING THE CHANGES SHE NEEDS.
IT'S NOT GOING TO BE LONG BEFORE SHE GAINS ENOUGH
TO MAKE IT TOO DIFFICULT TO GET AROUND,
AND SHE BECOMES BEDRIDDEN.
SO IT'S VERY IMPORTANT SHE START MAKING THE PROGRESS
SHE NEEDS NOW WITHOUT ANY MORE DELAY.
BUT THE FACT THAT SHE'S STILL LYING
ABOUT HER ACTUAL EATING HABITS
HAS ME CONCERNED THAT SHE'S NOT AS COMMITTED AS SHE CLAIMS
TO MAKING THE LIFE CHANGES SHE NEEDS TO DO THIS.
TO TAKE SUCH A LONG TRIP TO COME TO HOUSTON TO SEE ME
MEANS THERE IS DESIRE TO CHANGE.
BUT THE QUESTION IS, DOES SHE THINK SHE CAN PLAY GAMES,
AND THAT WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY
IS GONNA BE SOME SORT OF MAGIC PILL FOR HER?
BECAUSE IF THAT'S THE CASE,
THERE IS NO POINT ON DOING SURGERY ON HER
BECAUSE SHE WON'T BE SUCCESSFUL LONG-TERM.
BUT HOW DOES SHE DOES OVER THE NEXT TWO MONTHS
AND WHETHER OR NOT SHE HITS HER WEIGHT-LOSS GOAL
WILL SHOW ME ALL I NEED TO KNOW
AND WILL ANSWER THAT QUESTION FOR ME.
Tiffany: I THINK THE APPOINTMENT WITH DR. NOW WENT WELL.
I WAS SHOCKED TO FIND OUT HOW HIGH MY WEIGHT AND BMI IS.
AND I KNOW DR. NOW IS RIGHT.
IF I DON'T DO THIS, I COULD PASS AWAY SOON.
AND I DON'T WANT THAT TO HAPPEN,
AND I HAVEN'T EVEN BEEN ABLE TO BEGIN LIVING YET.
BUT IT'S A BIG GOAL THAT DR. NOW GAVE ME,
AND THE MOST DIFFICULT THING FOR ME IN THIS WHOLE PROCESS
IS DEFINITELY GOING TO BE NOT FREAKING OUT
AND TURNING TO FOOD.
I HAVE TO BE ABLE TO TELL MYSELF NO
AND STICK TO THAT.
MAKING THOSE CHANGES IS NOT GONNA BE EASY AT ALL,
SO I PLAN TO WORK REALLY HARD AT THIS AND DO THE DIET
AND EXERCISES LIKE I SHOULD,
AND WHATEVER ELSE I HAVE TO DO TO SHOW DR. NOW
I'M FULLY COMMITTED TO PUSHING MYSELF TO DO WHAT I NEED
TO GET WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY.
♪♪
IT HASN'T BEEN THE EASIEST MONTH, TRYING TO DO
DR. NOW'S DIET AND ALL THE EXERCISES.
BUT, I'VE BEEN DOING IT.
THERE HAVE BEEN TIMES WHERE I'VE STRAYED
AND HAD A FEW SWEET THINGS,
BUT THOSE HAVE BEEN VERY RARE EXCEPTIONS.
AND I'VE BEEN FOCUSING ON PROTEINS
AND STAYING AWAY FROM ALL THE CARBS,
BECAUSE I'M FULLY COMMITTED TO DOING WHAT I NEED
TO GET WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY
AND SHOWING DR. NOW THAT COMMITMENT
SO HE CAN SEE HOW READY I AM.
AND BECAUSE OF THAT, ME AND AARON
DECIDED TO MAKE THE MOVE TO HOUSTON NOW.
AND SO THAT WHEN HE APPROVES ME FOR SURGERY,
HE CAN SCHEDULE IT IMMEDIATELY.
AARON FOUND A RESTAURANT JOB DOWN THERE
THAT HE CAN START SOON,
AND HE ALSO FOUND A NEW APARTMENT
WE CAN AFFORD FOR THE YEAR.
SO ONCE WE GET PACKED, WE'RE PLANNING ON HEADING DOWN
TO OUR NEW HOME AND NEW FUTURE.
MY MOM AND MY SISTER AND MY COUSIN JASMINE
ARE ALL HERE HELPING US OUT.
WE STILL HAVE A LOT.
Lisa: KIND OF GETTING EXCITED?
UM...
YEAH, I'M EXCITED.
WELL, I'M EXCITED FOR YOU.
IT'S A LONG TIME COMING.
-YEAH. -SOMETHING YOU'VE NEEDED TO DO,
AND ME TELLING YOU WHAT TO DO JUST DOESN'T WORK.
NO, 'CAUSE THEN I DO THE OPPOSITE.
EXACTLY.
Lisa: RIGHT NOW, TIFFANY IS STUCK.
SO I'M REALLY HOPING AND PRAYING THAT SHE CAN HAVE THIS SURGERY
SO THAT SHE CAN HAVE THE LIFE SHE REALLY WANTS.
Tiffany: MY COUSIN JASMINE'S GONNA COME WITH US
TO HELP GET US THERE AND GET SETTLED IN,
BECAUSE IT'S TOO MUCH FOR AARON TO DO ON HIS OWN.
EVEN THOUGH I'M EXERCISING A LOT NOW,
I'M STILL NOT ABLE TO DO THAT MUCH TO HELP OUT.
-I WISH YOU LUCK. I LOVE YOU. -I LOVE YOU, TOO.
AND I WILL TALK TO YOU SOON.
GOOD LUCK. GOOD LUCK ON THE TRAVEL.
WELL, THANK YOU.
AND I HAVE TO SAVE WHAT ENERGY I DO HAVE,
BECAUSE THIS IS GONNA BE A LONG TRIP.
IT'S GONNA BE SOMETHING LIKE FIVE DAYS ON THE ROAD,
AND I'VE NEVER DONE THAT, ESPECIALLY AT MY SIZE.
SO IT'S GONNA BE A LOT FOR ME,
BUT I'M DOING AS MUCH AS I CAN TO HELP OUT
AND TRYING TO PREPARE MYSELF MENTALLY FOR THIS.
AS EXCITING AS IT IS TO BE GOING,
LEAVING MY FAMILY AND MY HOME IS A SACRIFICE AND IT'S NOT EASY.
BUT I KNOW IF I STAY HERE, I'M NOT GONNA HAVE A LIFE.
♪♪
SO MY ONLY FUTURE IS IN HOUSTON.
GOING THERE IS THE ONLY WAY I'M GONNA GET THE HELP I NEED.
I HAVE ONE MORE MONTH UNTIL MY FOLLOW-UP WITH DR. NOW
TO SHOW HIM HOW MUCH PROGRESS I'VE MADE.
BUT I THINK ONCE HE LEARNS I'VE ALREADY MADE THE MOVE DOWN,
THAT'LL GO A LONG WAY TO SHOW HIM
MY LEVEL OF COMMITMENT AND DEDICATION.
AND THEN, I SHOULD BE ABLE TO GET MY APPROVAL,
BECAUSE I'M READY TO LOSE ALL THIS WEIGHT
AND START MY NEW LIFE.
♪♪
-WE'RE HERE! -AAH.
Tiffany: AFTER A WEEK ON THE ROAD,
WE FINALLY MADE IT TO HOUSTON
AND I'M EXTREMELY TIRED AND SORE AT THIS POINT.
MY KNEES FEEL LIKE THEY'RE GONNA POP,
SO I'M JUST GONNA WAIT UNTIL AFTER YOU GUYS
GET SOMETHING IN THERE THAT I CAN SIT DOWN ON.
Jasmine: ALL RIGHT. JUST GIVE US A FEW MINUTES.
OKAY.
I'M RESTING IN THE CAR FOR A WHILE
TO GIVE AARON AND JASMINE SOME TIME
TO GET A PLACE FOR ME TO SIT SET UP,
BECAUSE I CAN'T GO IN AND SIT ON THE FLOOR.
♪♪
ASIDE FROM THE TRAVEL, IT'S ALREADY BEEN A REALLY LONG DAY
AND I JUST WANNA GET IN AND GET SETTLED, REST, AND EAT.
♪♪
BUT I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING IT ALL DONE,
AND I'M AT LEAST GLAD WE'RE FINALLY HERE.
I'LL CLEAR ALL THIS STUFF OFF,
AND I'LL HAND YOU DOWN THIS BOX SPRING.
OKAY.
WE HAVE A FRIEND WHO ACTUALLY LIVES HERE IN HOUSTON,
AND SHE'S MET UP WITH US TO HELP AARON AND JASMINE
GET ALL OUR STUFF IN.
I JUST WISH I WAS CAPABLE OF DOING MORE,
BECAUSE RIGHT NOW I'M ALREADY EXHAUSTED
AND STARVING AND I FEEL USELESS.
♪♪
HELLO, BEDROOM.
♪♪
-HEY, TIFFANY? -YEAH?
ARE YOU GONNA CHILL OUT IN THE CORNER?
-YEAH. -WHAT DO YOU WANNA DO?
WANNA GET SOME STUFF IN HERE BEFORE WE GO GET LUNCH, OR...?
UM, WHAT I'LL DO IS ORDER SOME FOOD TO BE DELIVERED,
AND Y'ALL CAN KEEP WORKING.
-OKAY. -OKAY.
I'LL GO TALK WITH AARON.
-OKAY. -I'LL BE RIGHT BACK.
I'M GONNA LOOK AND SEE WHAT KIND OF STUFF'S
IN THE AREA FOOD-WISE.
GO FOR IT.
I'M A LITTLE STRESSED OUT,
BECAUSE I CAN'T DO ANYTHING RIGHT NOW TO HELP
AND I FEEL KIND OF USELESS.
♪♪
-WHAT DID YOU GET? -IT'S LIKE A STEAK AIOLI.
♪♪
I HAVE A LITTLE OVER THREE WEEKS
UNTIL MY NEXT APPOINTMENT WITH DR. NOW,
AND I'M GONNA KEEP WORKING HARD UNTIL THEN.
EVEN BEING ON THE ROAD, I'VE BEEN STICKING TO THE DIET
AND TRYING TO GET SALADS AND HEALTHY FOOD WITH PROTEIN.
AND I'M GONNA MAKE SURE I'M DOING EVERYTHING I NEED
SO THAT I HIT MY GOAL,
BUT I'M FEELING REALLY GOOD AND CONFIDENT
ABOUT MY PROGRESS SO FAR.
AND IF I KEEP IT UP FOR THE NEXT FEW WEEKS,
I THINK I'LL BE IN A GOOD PLACE AND WHERE I NEED TO BE.
♪♪
ME AND AARON ARE BACK AT DR. NOW'S FOR MY FOLLOW-UP.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF I'M MORE NERVOUS OR EXCITED.
TIFFANY BARKER?
I THINK WHEN I TELL DR. NOW WE'VE MOVED TO HOUSTON,
THAT HE'LL SEE JUST HOW COMMITTED I AM.
AT MY LAST APPOINTMENT,
I WAS UP TO 672 AND DR. NOW
SAID I NEEDED TO LOSE 80 POUNDS OVER THE LAST TWO MONTHS.
SO IF I DID THAT, IT'LL PUT ME AT 592 TODAY.
♪♪
I WASN'T EXPECTING THAT.
I DON'T REALLY UNDERSTAND HOW THIS IS POSSIBLE.
A LITTLE DISCOURAGING, BUT STILL A LOSS.
AND I THINK THAT COMBINED WITH US MOVING HERE TO HOUSTON
WILL SHOW DR. NOW ENOUGH COMMITMENT
TO APPROVE ME FOR SURGERY.
♪♪
-HELLO. -HELLO.
-HOW YOU DOING? -I'M GOOD, HOW ARE YOU?
Dr. Nowzaradan: I'M DOING ALL RIGHT.
OKAY, TIFFANY.
OVER THE LAST TWO MONTHS, YOU ONLY LOST 26 POUNDS.
YOU'RE DOWN TO 646,
WHEN YOU SHOULD BE WELL UNDER 600 AT THIS POINT.
SO YOU'RE NOWHERE CLOSE TO YOUR GOAL.
DO YOU WANNA TELL ME WHAT HAPPENED?
I DID BREAK FROM THE DIET A FEW TIMES,
BUT I TRIED TO CORRECT IT
BY NOT EXCEEDING MY CALORIES FOR THE DAY.
ALL RIGHT. WELL, I SEE YOU'RE STILL LYING ABOUT HOW YOU EAT.
IF ANY OF WHAT YOU'RE SAYING WAS ACCURATE,
YOU WOULD HAVE LOST OVER 100 POUNDS IN THE LAST TWO MONTHS.
BUT YOU'RE NOT EVEN CLOSE,
SO I'M NOT APPROVING YOU FOR WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY.
BUT WE ALREADY MOVED DOWN HERE SO THAT IT'S EASIER.
WELL, I APPRECIATE THAT.
BUT JUST BECAUSE YOU MOVED HERE
DOESN'T MEAN YOU'RE GETTING SURGERY AT ALL.
IF YOU WANNA MOVE AHEAD, YOU CAN DO WHAT I TOLD YOU.
DO THE DIET AND LOSE THE WEIGHT.
AND OVER THE NEXT TWO MONTHS,
LOSE THE 80 POUNDS YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO LOSE.
-YOU GOT IT? -YES.
GREAT, BECAUSE YOU'RE RUNNING OUT OF TIME.
SOME OF THE TESTS WE'VE DONE
SHOW YOU HAVE SOME ISSUES LIKE GALLSTONES.
WE CAN ADDRESS THAT WHEN WE DO WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY.
BUT IF YOU HAVE GALL BLADDER ATTACK BEFORE THEN,
AND WE'RE FORCED TO DO SURGERY ON YOU NOW
WHILE YOU'RE OVER 600 POUNDS, YOU'LL BE RISKING YOUR LIFE.
SO YOU EITHER DO WHAT YOU NEED NOW,
OR THERE IS NOTHING WE'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO DO FOR YOU.
-OKAY? -YEAH.
HOW 'BOUT YOU, AARON?
ARE YOU HELPING SUPPORT HER BY NOT BRINGING HER FOOD?
RECENTLY, WE HAD A TALK.
AND HE TOLD ME HE WOULD TRY AND CHANGE,
AND HE'S SAYING NO A LOT MORE, WHICH IS GOOD.
I'M TRYING NOT TO PUT HIM IN THAT SITUATION
WHERE HE HAS TO SAY YES OR NO,
AND I'M JUST TRYING TO NOT PUT HIM
IN AN UNCOMFORTABLE SITUATION.
WHY DON'T YOU LET HIM SPEAK FOR HIMSELF?
ONE SIGN OF A BULLY IS TO SPEAK FOR THE OTHER PERSON.
SO, AARON, YOU'RE STILL BRINGING HER FOOD?
AND IS SHE STILL GETTING UPSET IF YOU DON'T?
IT'S DEFINITELY CAUSED A LOT OF ARGUMENTS BETWEEN US.
BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE TIMES
WHERE I'LL BE LIKE TRYING TO AVOID AN ARGUMENT.
SO I'LL SAY YEAH.
SO TWO DIFFERENT STORIES.
AARON SEEMS TO BE THE MORE HONEST ONE.
BUT IT DOESN'T SOUND LIKE MUCH HAS CHANGED.
YOU'RE BULLYING HIM, AND HE'S STILL FEEDING YOU,
SO YOU BOTH HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO.
BUT YOU NEED TO FIGURE IT OUT NOW,
BECAUSE IF YOU DON'T, IT COULD COST YOU YOUR LIFE.
♪♪
Dr. Nowzaradan: I WAS REALLY DISAPPOINTED TO SEE THE RESULT
OF TIFFANY'S LACK OF EFFORT OVER THE LAST TWO MONTHS.
SHE'S BEEN GIVEN A CHANCE TO SAVE HER LIFE AT A TIME
WHEN SHE'S ALREADY CLOSE TO HER BREAKING POINT.
BUT SHE'S STILL PLAYING GAMES,
LYING TO ME ABOUT HER EATING HABITS,
AND NOT TAKING THE DIET AND ANY OF THIS SERIOUSLY.
AND IF SHE DOESN'T WAKE UP SOON AND START DOING WHAT SHE NEEDS,
THEN SHE'S GONNA RUN OUT OF TIME.
AND THERE'LL BE VERY LITTLE ANYONE CAN DO TO HELP HER
AFTER HER BODY GETS TO THAT POINT,
BUT THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN.
RIGHT NOW, THE ONLY WAY TO CHANGE THAT OUTCOME
IS FOR HER AND AARON TO START DOING WHAT THEY NEED.
♪♪
Tiffany: I'M REALLY UPSET.
THE APPOINTMENT DIDN'T GO ANYWHERE CLOSE
TO HOW I THOUGHT IT WOULD GO,
SO THIS IS ALL JUST VERY FRUSTRATING AND DISCOURAGING.
BUT I HAVE TO HAVE THIS HELP 'CAUSE I HAVE TO LOSE WEIGHT.
SO EVEN THOUGH I FEEL LIKE I'VE ALREADY DONE A LOT,
I'LL TRY TO WORK HARDER BECAUSE I KNOW MY LIFE
AND EVERYTHING IS RIDING ON DOING THIS.
AND IF I FAIL AT THIS,
IT WON'T JUST MAKE MOVING HERE AND ALL WE'VE DONE POINTLESS.
IT'LL MEAN I'VE LOST THE ONLY CHANCE I HAVE TO GET HELP.
♪♪
Tiffany: AFTER MY LAST APPOINTMENT A FEW WEEKS AGO,
I WAS FRUSTRATED AND UPSET.
I TOOK THE FACT I DIDN'T GET APPROVED HARD.
BUT I'VE BEEN TRYING TO NOT LET THAT GET TO ME,
AND WORK EVEN HARDER THIS TIME.
BUT IT'S BEEN A LITTLE BIT OF A STRUGGLE
BECAUSE I DON'T FEEL LIKE I HAVE ALL THE SUPPORT I NEED,
BECAUSE I DON'T THINK AARON IS FULLY UNDERSTANDING
HOW HARD THIS IS FOR ME.
HE GOT SOME HEALTHY STUFF FOR ME THAT'S ON MY DIET,
BUT ALSO GOT A LOT OF OTHER STUFF FOR HIMSELF
THAT'S A HUGE TEMPTATION FOR ME TO BE AROUND.
LOOK AT THIS.
IT'S A BIT RIDICULOUS.
SO, I'VE GOT BOXED RICE,
WHICH YOU PUT BUTTER AND MILK IN THIS,
AND I'M NOT SUPPOSED TO DO THAT.
I'VE GOT STUFFING.
THERE'S MUFFIN MIX IN HERE.
THERE'S MACARONI AND CHEESE.
AND I JUST TRY AND AVOID THIS ALTOGETHER,
BECAUSE 98% OF WHAT'S IN HERE IS NOT MINE
AND 98% OF WHAT'S IN HERE IS NOT OKAY FOR ME TO BE EATING.
SO I JUST LEAVE THIS ENTIRE CABINET ALONE.
I COME OVER HERE.
AND IN THE FREEZER, I'VE GOT MY MEATS LIKE GROUND TURKEY.
I'VE GOT CHICKEN BREASTS.
AND THEN, THESE ARE MINE.
THESE ARE SUGAR-FREE POPSICLES.
THEY'RE ONLY 15 CALORIES EACH,
SO WHEN I AM CRAVING SOMETHING SWEET, THIS IS MY GO-TO
INSTEAD OF A CHOCOLATE BAR
OR INSTEAD OF GUMMY BEARS OR THINGS LIKE THAT.
BUT RIGHT NEXT TO THAT HAPPENS TO BE A CONTAINER OF ICE CREAM.
AND LUCKILY, I HAVE HAD SELF CONTROL
'CAUSE THIS ONE LITTLE CONTAINER OF ICE CREAM HAS BEEN HERE
SINCE I'VE MOVED IN, AND I HAVE NOT TOUCHED IT.
IT'S NOT FAIR TO MAKE HIM HIDE HIS STUFF.
♪♪
I'M TRYING REALLY HARD.
AND I'VE MADE A SPECIFIC EFFORT TO START EXERCISING AGAIN.
I WILL DO LEG LIFTS.
SOMETIMES I'LL DO SIT-UPS
WHILE SITTING ON THE BED, THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND I FEEL LIKE I'M GETTING STRONGER,
BECAUSE I CAN DO A LITTLE MORE EVERY DAY.
AND I'M REALLY TRYING,
BECAUSE I HAVE TO GET WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY.
IF I DON'T, I'M SCARED I WON'T GET ANOTHER CHANCE.
♪♪
YESTERDAY, MY STOMACH STARTED TO HURT.
AND NOW IT'S JUST EXCRUCIATING.
SO I CALLED DR. NOW AND TOLD HIM WHAT WAS GOING ON,
AND HE TOLD ME TO COME TO THE HOSPITAL IMMEDIATELY
AND THAT'S HE'S WORRIED IT'S A GALL BLADDER ATTACK,
SINCE HE KNOWS I HAVE GALLSTONES.
BUT I CONFESSED TO HIM THAT I'VE KNOWN
I'VE HAD THEM FOR YEARS
BUT NO DOCTOR COULD OPERATE ON ME
AND REMOVE MY GALL BLADDER,
AND THAT I'D HAD A LOT OF GALL BLADDER ATTACKS BEFORE.
I WAS JUST NEVER AS WORRIED ABOUT THEM UNTIL HE TOLD ME
HOW CLOSE I AM TO ONE LITTLE THING
PUSHING MY BODY TO ITS LIMIT AND KILLING ME.
I JUST DIDN'T TALK ABOUT IT BEFORE
BECAUSE I DIDN'T WANT DR. NOW
TO HAVE ANY REASON TO DELAY MY WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY.
BUT I KNOW THAT WASN'T SMART,
AND DR. NOW WASN'T TOO HAPPY ABOUT THAT.
BUT I'M REALLY SCARED NOW,
AND I HOPE I HAVEN'T PUSHED MYSELF TOO HARD.
♪♪
Dr. Nowzaradan: IT'S UNFORTUNATE THE TIFFANY DIDN'T SHARE EARLIER
HOW LONG SHE'S BEEN SUFFERING FROM GALL BLADDER ATTACKS.
SHE DOESN'T SEEM TO BE TAKING ANY ASPECT OF HER SITUATION
AND CONDITION SERIOUSLY, BECAUSE IF A GALL BLADDER ATTACK
IS SEVERE ENOUGH, IT CAN BE VERY DANGEROUS FOR HER.
BUT WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE ACTUAL CAUSE
OF HER STOMACH PAIN IS RIGHT NOW,
SO WE'RE GOING TO DO AN ULTRASOUND
TO CHECK HER GALL BLADDER
AND AN ENDOSCOPY TO SEE IF THERE ARE ANY OTHER ISSUES
SUCH AS ULCERS THAT COULD BE CONTRIBUTING TO HER PAIN.
BECAUSE IF SHE HAS BEEN IGNORING SYMPTOMS LIKE THIS FOR A WHILE
AND LEFT A LOT OF THINGS UNTREATED
FOR EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME,
THEN THERE COULD BE A NUMBER OF THINGS THAT ARE ABOUT
TO BECOME LIFE-THREATENING TO HER.
SO WE NEED WORK FAST TO IDENTIFY ALL THE POSSIBLE ISSUES
THAT SHE'S SUFFERING FROM,
SO WE CAN ADDRESS THEM BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE.
♪♪
Dr. Nowzaradan: YESTERDAY, TIFFANY CAME IN
WITH SEVERE STOMACH PAIN.
AND SHE REVEALED TO US SHE'S FREQUENTLY HAVING
GALL BLADDER ATTACKS FOR A WHILE NOW
AS A RESULT OF GALLSTONES SHE HAS DEVELOPED.
SO WE'VE DONE SOME TESTS AND DETERMINED THAT SHE WAS,
IN FACT, HAVING A GALL BLADDER ATTACK.
BUT LUCKILY, IT WASN'T THAT SERIOUS.
SO SHE'S BEEN ABLE TO RECOVER
AND HER STOMACH PAIN AS GONE AWAY
AFTER WE GAVE HER SOME MEDICATION,
BUT IT'S VERY IMPORTANT WE REMOVE HER GALL BLADDER
BEFORE SHE HAS A MORE SEVERE ATTACK.
HOWEVER, HER WEIGHT IS STILL TOO HIGH
FOR IT TO BE SAFE FOR US TO DO ANY OPERATION ON HER.
SO HER ONLY OPTION IS TO LOSE WEIGHT BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE.
BUT UNFORTUNATELY, WE GOT HER WEIGHT EARLIER TODAY
AND SHE HASN'T MADE THE PROGRESS SHE SHOULD HAVE AT THIS POINT.
AND I'M CONCERNED THAT SHE'S NOT GONNA MAKE IT MUCH LONGER
IF SHE DOESN'T START TO DO WHAT SHE NEEDS.
♪♪
-HELLO. -HI, TIFFANY.
-HOW ARE YOU TODAY? -ALL RIGHT. YOU DOING BETTER?
-YEAH. -YOUR STOMACH FEELING ALL RIGHT?
-YEAH. -ALL RIGHT.
Dr. Nowzaradan: SO, YOU WERE HAVING A GALL BLADDER ATTACK,
BUT IT WASN'T SEVERE.
SO THANKFULLY, IT WAS JUST A BIT OF A FLARE-UP.
BUT IT'S VERY IMPORTANT WE REMOVE YOUR GALL BLADDER
BEFORE YOU HAVE AN ATTACK THAT IS MUCH WORSE,
BECAUSE IF IT GETS TO THAT STAGE,
IT COULD BE DEADLY FOR YOU.
BUT A BIG PROBLEM IS YOUR WEIGHT AND YOUR CURRENT CONDITION
MAKES DOING ANY SURGERY ON YOU TOO RISKY.
AND IT'S EXTREMELY IMPORTANT
THAT YOU UNDERSTAND HOW SERIOUS THIS IS.
OKAY.
YOU SAY "OKAY," BUT SO FAR, YOU HAVEN'T DONE THAT.
YOUR NEXT APPOINTMENT IS ONE WEEK FROM NOW,
AND YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO LOSE 80 POUNDS BY THEN.
BUT WHEN WE CHECKED YOUR WEIGHT EARLIER TODAY,
YOU WERE ONLY DOWN TO 627.
YOU'VE ONLY LOST 19 POUNDS IN ALMOST TWO MONTHS.
SO, WHAT IS YOUR EXCUSE?
UM, I THOUGHT I WAS WORKING REALLY HARD, SO I DON'T KNOW.
NO, YOU DIDN'T. YOU JUST THINK YOU CAN KEEP PLAYING GAMES.
YOUR FAMILY MAY BUY THAT, BUT DOESN'T WORK ON ME.
SO HERE'S YOUR CHOICE.
WE'RE GONNA SEND YOU HOME TODAY,
AND I WANT YOU TO LOSE 80 POUNDS
OVER THE NEXT TWO MONTHS AGAIN
SO WE CAN GET YOU UNDER 600 AND DO SURGERY ON YOU.
IF YOU DO THAT, WE'LL DO WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY
AND REMOVE YOUR GALL BLADDER.
BUT IF YOU DON'T, THEN YOU'RE ROLLING THE DICE
AND RUNNING OUT OF TIME.
SO IF YOU DON'T WAKE UP, THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WILL HAPPEN.
AND THEN THAT'LL BE IT FOR YOU.
YOU GOT IT?
LOUD AND CLEAR.
I WILL MOST DEFINITELY KEEP LOSING WEIGHT.
FOR YOUR SAKE, I HOPE SO
BECAUSE THIS IS YOUR LAST CHANCE.
OKAY. I UNDERSTAND.
OKAY. IF YOU NEED ANYTHING OR YOUR STOMACH HURTS AGAIN,
GIVE ME A CALL.
♪♪
Dr. Nowzaradan: I'M HOPING TIFFANY TRULY UNDERSTANDS
HOW DANGEROUS IT IS FOR HER TO KEEP GOING LIKE THIS.
SHE COULD HAVE ANOTHER GALL BLADDER ATTACK ANY DAY,
AND IF IT IS MORE SEVERE,
THERE IS A GOOD CHANCE SHE WON'T MAKE IT.
AND FOR US NOT TO BE ABLE TO ADDRESS THAT
BECAUSE OF HER WEIGHT WHEN SHE'S BEEN GIVEN
THE OPPORTUNITY TO CHANGE THAT IS UNACCEPTABLE.
BUT HOPEFULLY, THIS WAS A WAKE-UP CALL FOR HER
AND SHE WILL START TO TAKE THIS SERIOUSLY.
BUT IF SHE DOESN'T, THEN THERE IS A GOOD CHANCE
SHE WON'T BE AROUND FOR MUCH LONGER.
♪♪
SINCE I GOT BACK FROM THE HOSPITAL A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO,
I'VE GOTTEN AS SERIOUS AS I CAN ABOUT WHAT I NEED TO DO.
I KNOW HOW CLOSE I'VE GOT TO SOMETHING
REALLY BAD HAPPENING TO ME BECAUSE OF HOW LONG
I'VE LET MY HEALTH GO, AND I'VE IGNORED SOME THINGS.
AND I DON'T WANT A SCARE LIKE THAT AGAIN.
SO I'VE TAKEN EVERYTHING I'M DOING UP A NOTCH.
WITH MY EXERCISES, I'VE GOTTEN A TRAINER.
I'M NOT REALLY A HUGE FAN OF THE GYM,
SO AARON'S BEEN TAKING ME TO MEET HIM IN THE PARK
SO I CAN WORK OUT THERE.
TIFF!
-HOW ARE YOU? -WHAT'S UP?
YOU CAN ALL GO AHEAD AND HAVE A SEAT IF YOU WANT.
TODAY WE'RE TRYING BOXING, WHICH WILL BE NEW FOR ME.
BUT I FEEL LIKE I'M READY.
READY TO GET EXCITED? WE'RE ABOUT TO PUMP UP.
ALL RIGHT.
GO AHEAD AND GET IN THAT FIGHTING POSITION.
THERE WE GO, NICE.
NOW I WANT YOU TO THROW ME SOME JABS.
ALL RIGHT, BOOM.
NICE. CROSS.
LET'S GO, JAB.
KEEP THAT FORM UP. KEEP THAT FORM UP.
CROSS. LET'S GO.
FINAL ROUND!
ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR!
LET'S GO, TIFF, GET AGGRESSIVE!
NICE. NICE.
NICE, NICE, NICE, NICE.
I'M PROUD. I'M PROUD!
-THANK YOU. -YOU DID IT.
-YOU EXHAUSTED? -YEAH.
YOU DID THE DANG THING, GIRL!
-YOU DID IT! -THANK YOU.
YOU DID IT!
IT'S BEEN EXCITING, GETTING OUT AND BEING MORE ACTIVE.
CLAP IT ON OUT. ALL RIGHT.
-I'M GONNA SEE Y'ALL TOMORROW. -HAVE A GOOD NIGHT.
Y'ALL HAVE A GREAT ONE.
IT WAS HARD TO START.
BUT NOW THAT I'VE TAKEN THAT FIRST STEP IN DOING IT,
IT'S NOT AS BAD AND I'M STARTING TO LIKE IT.
SO I FEEL REALLY GOOD --
BETTER THAN I HAVE IN A LONG TIME.
I'M ALSO WORKING REALLY HARD ON MY DIET.
I'M STARTING TO HAVE A LOT MORE ENERGY,
AND I FEEL LIKE I'M REALLY LOSING A WHOLE LOT
BECAUSE I'VE COMPLETELY CUT OUT ALL THE BAD STUFF FROM MY DIET.
AND I'M NOT MAKING ANY MORE EXCUSES.
♪♪
I'M NOT EATING ANY MORE CARBS OR SWEETS RIGHT NOW,
SO I'M FOCUSING ON LOW-CALORIE AND HIGH-PROTEIN OPTIONS.
JASMINE HAS ALSO COME BACK DOWN TO SUPPORT AND HELP ME DO THIS.
SO, HOW'D YOUR WORKOUT GO TODAY?
IT WENT PRETTY GOOD.
THE ONLY HARD PART IS THERE WAS A LOT OF PEOPLE THERE,
AND THAT WAS KIND OF INTIMIDATING.
MM-HMM.
I HAVE ONE MORE MONTH BEFORE MY NEXT WEIGH-IN,
AND I'M GONNA MAKE IT COUNT.
I HAVE NO OTHER OPTIONS.
I EITHER DO THIS NOW, OR THIS NEXT APPOINTMENT
ISN'T GONNA GO THE WAY I WANT
AND THINGS ARE GONNA TAKE A REALLY BAD TURN FOR ME.
♪♪
ME AND AARON ARE HEADED TO DR. NOW'S
FOR MY NEXT APPOINTMENT AND WEIGHT-CHECK.
AND TO SAY I'M NERVOUS IS AN UNDERSTATEMENT.
IT'S MORE LIKE I'M FREAKING INSIDE,
AND I'M JUST TRYING TO STAY CALM ON THE OUTSIDE.
I'VE WORKED HARDER THESE LAST TWO MONTHS
THAN I THINK I HAVE MY WHOLE LIFE.
BUT EVERY TIME I'VE GONE TO AN APPOINTMENT,
I'VE LOST FAR LESS THAN I THOUGHT I DID.
SO AS CONFIDENT AS I AM ABOUT HOW I APPLIED MYSELF,
IT'S HARD FOR ME NOT TO BE ABSOLUTELY SCARED OUT OF MY MIND
BECAUSE I KNOW FAILURE TODAY MEANS I'M DONE.
♪♪
TIFFANY BARKER?
DR. NOW WON'T KEEP ALLOWING ME TO DO HIS PROGRAM
AFTER SO MANY TIMES WHERE I DIDN'T LOSE WHAT I NEEDED.
SO IF THE NUMBER THAT COMES UP RIGHT NOW IS NOT WHERE I NEED,
THEN THAT'LL MEAN I'VE LOST THIS CHANCE
AND THE ONLY HOPE I'D HAD LEFT TO SAVE MY LIFE.
♪♪
Tiffany: ME AND AARON ARE AT DR. NOW'S,
AND I'M ABOUT TO FIND OUT
IF I HIT MY GOAL OR IF I FAILED AGAIN.
SO I'M REALLY STRESSED OUT.
TIFFANY BARKER.
Tiffany: THE LAST TIME I HAD MY WEIGHT CHECKED
WAS AT THE HOSPITAL TWO MONTHS AGO.
AND DR. NOW TOLD ME I HAD TO LOSE 80 POUNDS IN THAT TIME.
SO THAT MEANS I NEED TO BE BELOW 547 POUNDS TODAY.
♪♪
THANK YOU.
I'M RELIEVED TO SEE SUCH A BIG WEIGHT LOSS.
BUT IT'S NOT QUITE AS MUCH AS I WAS SUPPOSED TO LOSE.
AND EVEN THOUGH IT WAS CLOSE, IT HAS ME SCARED,
BECAUSE I HAVE NO IDEA
IF DR. NOW IS GONNA THINK IT'S GOOD ENOUGH
AND APPROVE ME FOR SURGERY
OR TELL ME IT'S NOT ENOUGH AND I'M DONE.
♪♪
-HELLO. -HELLO.
HOW ARE YOU ALL DOING?
GOOD. HOW ARE YOU?
DOING ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU.
SO, TODAY, YOU'RE DOWN TO 555 POUNDS,
ABOUT 8 POUNDS SHORT OF YOUR GOAL.
BUT, AT THE SAME TIME,
YOU MADE MORE PROGRESS IN THE LAST TWO MONTHS
THAN YOU DID IN THE FIRST FIVE COMBINED.
SO THAT'S POSITIVE.
AND I THINK IT SHOWS THAT
YOU'RE FINALLY TAKING THIS MORE SERIOUSLY.
SO I'M APPROVING YOU FOR WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY, OKAY?
AWESOME. THANK YOU.
BUT HERE'S THE DEAL --
I'M GONNA SET YOU UP FOR TWO MONTHS FROM NOW,
AND I WANT YOU TO SHOW ME
THAT YOU'RE GONNA KEEP MAKING PROGRESS IN THAT TIME
AND STICK TO DOING WHAT YOU NEED.
OKAY.
AND I WANT YOU TO GET TO UNDER 500 POUNDS,
AND IF, THE DAY OF SURGERY,
YOU COME IN HERE NOT UNDER 500 POUNDS,
WE'RE GONNA CANCEL YOUR SURGERY.
-OKAY. -ALL RIGHT.
ANY QUESTIONS?
NO QUESTIONS.
ALL RIGHT, I'M HAPPY TO SEE THE PROGRESS YOU'RE MAKING,
AND AS LONG AS YOU KEEP AT IT,
WE WILL FINALLY MOVE AHEAD WITH YOUR WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY
AND REMOVE YOUR GALLBLADDER
SO YOU WON'T SUFFER FROM ANY MORE ATTACKS WITH THAT.
SOUND GOOD?AWESOME.
THANK YOU.ALL RIGHT.
I'LL SEE YOU LATER.THANK YOU.
NICE TO SEE YOU BOTH, OKAY?
NICE TO SEE YOU, TOO.
ALL RIGHT.
♪♪
IT'S SCARY AND AWESOME AT THE SAME TIME.
[ CHUCKLES ] YEAH.
I'M VERY HAPPY TO SEE TIFFANY'S RECENT PROGRESS,
ESPECIALLY AFTER SHE STRUGGLED FOR SO LONG.
IT SEEMS THE CLOSE CALL WITH HER GALLBLADDER ATTACK
WAS WHAT SHE NEEDED TO FINALLY WAKE UP AND TAKE THIS SERIOUSLY.
BUT SINCE IT TOOK HER SO LONG TO GET TO THIS POINT,
I NEED TO MAKE SURE HER RECENT AMBITION AND DRIVE
WASN'T JUST A TEMPORARY PUSH TO GET APPROVED
AND THAT SHE'S WILLING TO SIT WITH IT.
SO, IF SHE GETS UNDER 500 BY HER SURGERY DAY,
THEN THAT WOULD BE ENOUGH TO SHOW ME
THAT SHE'S TRULY READY
TO TAKE THIS NEXT STEP OF GETTING WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY.
♪♪
Tiffany: I'M SO EXCITED RIGHT NOW.
AND I'M GONNA DO EVERYTHING I CAN
TO MAKE SURE MY SURGERY DOESN'T GET CANCELED.
THAT WOULD BE DEVASTATING TO ME.
I'D FEEL LIKE I FAILED MYSELF AND LET EVERYONE DOWN.
SO I'M GONNA MAKE SURE I KEEP AT IT AND WORK HARD
TO SHOW DR. NOW
THAT I'M DEFINITELY READY TO DO EVERYTHING I NEED
TO MAKE SURE MY WHOLE WEIGHT-LOSS JOURNEY
IS A SUCCESS.
♪♪
I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS DAY IS FINALLY HERE.
AND I'M SO PROUD OF MYSELF FOR NOT GIVING UP
AND MAKING IT TO THIS POINT.
I'VE WORKED SO HARD.
AND WHEN DR. NOW GAVE ME ANOTHER GOAL
TO GET UNDER 500 BY TODAY,
I LOST ANOTHER 64 POUNDS,
AND I'M DOWN TO 491.
SO HE SAID HE'S MOVING AHEAD WITH MY SURGERY TODAY.
AND I'M REALLY EXCITED TO HAVE THIS CHANCE
TO GET SOMETHING I'VE NEEDED AND WANTED FOR SO LONG.
-HEY. -HI.
-HOW'S IT GOING? -GOOD. GOOD.
[ SIGHS ]
MY MOM FLEW IN, TOO, TO BE HERE WITH ME TODAY.
AND HAVING ALL THEIR LOVE AND SUPPORT RIGHT NOW
IS A HUGE ENCOURAGEMENT.
AND IT MAKES ME WANT TO DO EVEN MORE
AND WORK EVEN HARDER FOR THEM AND FOR ME.
I'M EXCITED FOR YOU.
[ CHUCKLES ]
Tiffany: I'M EXCITED TO GET IT OVER WITH,
WAKE UP, HEAL, AND GET MY LIFE TOGETHER.
[ LAUGHS ]
-ALL RIGHT. -OKAY.
SO, GOOD LUCK, AND WE'LL SEE YOU AFTER SURGERY.
ALL RIGHT. LOVE YOU.
OKAY. LOVE YOU, TOO.
BYE.
♪♪
Tiffany: I AM A LITTLE NERVOUS,
BECAUSE DR. NOW SAID I'M STILL HIGH-RISK.
BUT IT IS SO WORTH THE DANGER JUST TO GET MY LIFE BACK.
EVENTUALLY, I WANT TO BE ABLE TO HAVE KIDS,
AND THIS IS GOING TO HELP ME GET TO THAT POINT.
SO, AS AFRAID AS I AM OF WHAT COULD GO WRONG TODAY,
IT'S FAR LESS THAN THE FEAR I HAVE
OF WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN TO ME IF I DON'T GET THE SURGERY.
SO I'M READY FOR THIS.
♪♪
Dr. Nowzaradan: TODAY, WE ARE ATTEMPTING TO DO
A GASTRIC SLEEVE ON TIFFANY.
SHE'S TAKEN A WHILE TO START MAKING PROGRESS.
BUT SHE'S FINALLY DOING WHAT SHE NEEDS,
SO SHE'S READY FOR THIS STEP TODAY.
WE ARE ALSO PLANNING ON REMOVING HER GALLBLADDER...
THE OPERATION IS WITH HER GALLSTONES.
LIGHT OFF.
♪♪
AND THAT WILL ALSO BE A GREAT HELP TO HER.
BUT TIFFANY HAS PUSHED HER BODY CLOSE TO ITS LIMIT
FOR A VERY LONG TIME.
SO SHE HAS HAD A LOT OF STRAIN ON HER SYSTEM.
AND WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL NOT TO DO ANYTHING TO ADD TO THAT,
BECAUSE SURGERY IS VERY HIGH-RISK FOR SOMEONE HER SIZE.
SO IF THERE IS ANYTHING THAT CONCERNS US,
WE HAVE TO END THE OPERATION EARLY.
BUT, HOPEFULLY, IT WON'T COME TO THAT,
BECAUSE IT'S VERY IMPORTANT
TIFFANY HAVE HER GALLBLADDER ADDRESSED
AND HAVE THIS GASTRIC SLEEVE,
BECAUSE THIS PROCEDURE IS GOING TO BE A VERY IMPORTANT TOOL
TO HELP HER TO CONTINUE TO LOSE THE WEIGHT
FOR THE LONG TERM, LIKE SHE NEEDS,
BECAUSE WHAT THIS OPERATION DOES IS REDUCE THE STOMACH BY 90%,
LEAVING A SMALL, NARROW TUBE THAT LOOKS SIMILAR TO A SLEEVE.
SO THE PATIENT'S FOOD INTAKE IS PHYSICALLY LIMITED.
SO THIS OPERATION WILL GIVE THEM AN OPPORTUNITY
TO LOSE EVEN MORE WEIGHT.
♪♪
WAITING FOR TIFFANY IS KIND OF NERVE-RACKING,
JUST 'CAUSE YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT COULD HAPPEN.
IT'S A LOT OF RISK,
'CAUSE THERE COULD BE A LOT OF COMPLICATIONS WITH THIS SURGERY.
BUT TIFFANY IS A REALLY STRONG PERSON.
AND I JUST HOPE SHE COMES OUT ALIVE.
♪♪
LET'S SEE IF WE CAN PUT THAT ON THE BACK TABLE.
[ MONITORS BEEPING ]
♪♪
-YOU DID IT. -OKAY.
CAN YOU TURN THE ROOM LIGHT ON?
♪♪
OKAY. ALL FINISHED.
ALL RIGHT, TIFFANY'S SURGERY WENT VERY WELL.
WE SUCCESSFULLY REMOVED HER GALLBLADDER
AND PERFORMED A GASTRIC SLEEVE WITHOUT ANY ISSUES.
SO THIS WAS A VERY SUCCESSFUL OPERATION.
SO, WE'LL GET HER TO RECOVERY,
AND SHE'LL BE ABLE TO GO HOME IN A COUPLE DAYS.
SHE'LL BE ON A LIQUID DIET FOR ONE MONTH,
AND IN THAT TIME, SHE SHOULD LOSE ANOTHER 35 POUNDS.
THEN, ONCE SHE GOES BACK ON SOLID FOOD,
SHE SHOULD BE ABLE TO LOSE AT LEAST 20 POUNDS A MONTH
UNTIL SHE GETS TO HER TARGET WEIGHT.
BUT WITH HOW SHE STRUGGLED TO GET TO THIS POINT,
IT'S CLEAR THAT SHE HAS A LOT OF EMOTIONAL ISSUES
THAT ARE AT THE CORE OF HER PATHOLOGICAL EATING
THAT WE NEED TO START TO ADDRESS
NOW THAT SHE HAS HAD WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY.
SO, AS SOON AS SHE'S RECOVERED,
WE'RE GONNA SEND HER TO PSYCHOTHERAPY
TO START WORKING ON THOSE ISSUES.
AND IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT WE DO THAT, BECAUSE IF WE DON'T,
THEN IT WILL ONLY BE A MATTER OF TIME
BEFORE TIFFANY STARTS TO GO BACK TO FOOD FOR COMFORT
AND, OVER TIME, STRETCHES HER STOMACH BACK OUT
AND STARTS TO GAIN AGAIN.
AND ONCE THAT HAPPENS,
THE PROBABILITY OF GETTING HER BACK ON TRACK
WILL BE LESS THAN 1%.
SO IT'S VERY IMPORTANT WE PREVENT THAT FROM HAPPENING.
♪♪
Tiffany: TODAY, AARON IS DROPPING ME OFF
AT THE THERAPIST DR. NOW WANTS ME TO START SEEING.
IT'S BEEN A MONTH SINCE MY WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY,
AND I'M DOING WELL.
AND WHAT'S SURPRISING TO ME NOW WAS HOW LITTLE I CAN EAT
BEFORE I GET REALLY FULL.
BUT DR. NOW TOLD ME,
IF I'M NOT CAREFUL AND I PUSH MYSELF TO OVEREAT,
I COULD END UP BASICALLY UNDOING THE SURGERY,
IF I DON'T ALSO GET MY DRIVE TO EAT UNDER CONTROL EMOTIONALLY.
SO THAT'S WHY IT'S IMPORTANT I DO WHAT I'M DOING TODAY
AND START THERAPY.
♪♪
-TIFFANY? -HI.
HI. I'M LOLA.
NICE TO MEET YOU.NICE TO MEET YOU.
AND WHENEVER YOU'RE READY, YOU CAN GO RIGHT ON IN.
ALL RIGHT.
AND JUST HAVE A SEAT WHEREVER YOU'RE COMFORTABLE.
♪♪
SO, THANKS FOR JOINING ME TODAY, MISS TIFFANY.
THANK YOU.
WHY DON'T YOU TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOURSELF
AND WHAT LIFE WAS LIKE WHEN YOU WERE GROWING UP?
I'M FROM WASHINGTON STATE.
AS A KID, WE WERE VERY POOR.
SO WE LIVED OFF OF FOOD STAMPS
FOR MOST OF MY CHILDHOOD, OFF AND ON UNTIL --
SO LIFE WASN'T NECESSARILY AN EASY ROAD FOR YOU.
NO. NO.
DO YOU HAVE ANY LINGERING RESENTMENTS
BECAUSE OF HOW YOU GREW UP?
SOMETIMES, I THINK ABOUT, IF MY DAD
WASN'T SO VERBALLY ABUSIVE TOWARDS MY MOM...
HE WAS A STAY-AT-HOME DAD.
HE WAS A SELF-EMPLOYED MECHANIC, AND MY MOM WORKED.
SO SHE WAS WORKING ALL DAY.
SHE WOULD COME HOME.
AND THEY WOULD ARGUE A LOT.
AND I STARTED TO REALIZE THAT HE, UM,
HE WASN'T THE BEST PERSON TOWARDS HER.
MM-HMM.
AND AS I BECAME A TEENAGER,
I REALLY STARTED TO DEFEND HER,
BECAUSE SHE WAS WORKING TWO FULL-TIME JOBS.
AND WHEN I STARTED TO DEFEND MY MOM,
I REMEMBER BEING CALLED
ALL SORTS OF PROFANITIES AND NAMES AND...
I'M SORRY YOU HAD THAT EXPERIENCE.
AND I HOPE THAT YOUR PARENTS RECOGNIZE
WHAT AN EXTRAORDINARY YOUNG WOMAN THEY HAVE,
BECAUSE I NOTICE
THE WAY YOU HAVE REMAINED RESPECTFUL OF YOUR PARENTS.
I CAN SEE THE WAY YOU'VE HANDLED YOURSELF,
THAT THAT MEANS A LOT TO YOU.
IT'S LIKE, NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS,
I ALWAYS FEEL LIKE, IF IT'S SOMEBODY CLOSE TO ME,
I HAVE TO PROTECT THEM,
NO MATTER WHAT THEY'VE DONE TO ME.
"I HAVE TO PROTECT THEM,
NO MATTER WHAT THEY'VE DONE TO ME" --
THAT RESONATES WITH SO MANY PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN ABUSED,
BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT ABUSE CREATES --
A BURDEN OF SECRECY, A BURDEN OF SHAME,
WHERE YOU HAVE TO STAND UP FOR THE PERSON THAT ABUSED YOU.
BUT I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT YOU DIDN'T DESERVE
THE THINGS YOU'VE EXPERIENCED,
BUT YOU WALKED THROUGH THAT EXPERIENCE WITH COURAGE,
AND NOW YOU'RE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF IT.
OKAY.
SO, TIFFANY, TELL ME A LITTLE BIT
ABOUT THE RELATIONSHIPS IN YOUR LIFE RIGHT NOW.
MY MOST SIGNIFICANT RELATIONSHIPS
ARE PROBABLY WITH MY BOYFRIEND.
WHAT'S HIS NAME?
HIS NAME IS AARON.
AND DID HE ACCOMPANY YOU HERE ON YOUR WEIGHT-LOSS JOURNEY?
YES, HE DID.
AND WHAT'S THAT BEEN LIKE FOR Y'ALL?
IN THE BEGINNING, IT WAS A CHALLENGE,
JUST BECAUSE I WAS TRYING TO GET HIM TO EAT HEALTHIER,
AND HE DIDN'T WANT TO
AND HE WAS BRINGING FOOD IN THE HOUSE
HE SHOULDN'T HAVE BEEN.MM-HMM.
AND ME, HAVING LITTLE SELF-CONTROL,
I WOULD EAT THE STUFF THAT I WASN'T SUPPOSED TO.
AND IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT, ON A WEIGHT-LOSS JOURNEY,
FOR YOUR SUPPORT SYSTEM TO BE JUST THAT -- SUPPORT.
OKAY.
JUST LIKE YOU HAVE TO ASK YOURSELF
IF WHAT YOU'RE PUTTING INTO YOUR BODY IS HEALTHY FOR YOU,
YOU HAVE TO ASK YOURSELF
IF WHAT YOU'RE INVESTING YOUR EMOTIONAL ENERGY IN
IS HEALTHY FOR YOU.
OKAY.
SO, I WANT TO TALK ABOUT SOME HOMEWORK.
OKAY.
HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH YOUR BOYFRIEND.
MM-HMM.
AND I WANT THE TWO OF YOU TO TALK ABOUT
WHAT YOU WANT THE RELATIONSHIP TO LOOK LIKE,
BECAUSE IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT --
THE POINT YOU'RE AT IN YOUR LIFE RIGHT NOW,
YOU HAVE TO START DEFINING
WHAT THINGS ARE GOING TO LOOK LIKE.
IN REGARDS TO YOUR FATHER, TIFFANY,
I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU TO MAYBE WRITE DAD A LETTER.
AND I WANT IT TO JUST BE A REFLECTION
OF WHAT YOU FEEL IN YOUR HEART
REGARDING HOW HIS BEHAVIORS SHAPED YOUR LIFE
AND THE PERSON THAT YOU ARE TODAY.
OKAY?
DO YOU THINK YOU CAN DO THAT?
I THINK I CAN.
IT'S GONNA TAKE A LITTLE WORK PUTTING MYSELF FIRST.
YEAH?
JUST BECAUSE I'M NOT USED TO IT.
-[ CHUCKLES ] BUT... -BUT?
[ BREATHES SHARPLY ] I'M DEFINITELY GONNA TRY.
[ CHUCKLES ]
YOU JUST HAVE TO KEEP TRYING.
IT'S HARD WORK, BUT YOU JUST HAVE TO FOCUS
ON WHAT YOU WANT FOR YOU.
OKAY? THANK YOU, MISS TIFFANY.
THANK YOU.
♪♪
OKAY, I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU NEXT TIME.
I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU, AS WELL.
-HAVE A GOOD DAY. -BYE.
Tiffany: THAT WAS A LOT.
AND, TO BE HONEST, I'M NOT SURE HOW I FEEL,
BECAUSE IT FELT GOOD TO TALK ABOUT SOME OF THAT,
BUT I HADN'T REALIZED HOW MUCH MY RELATIONSHIP WITH MY FATHER
HAS AFFECTED ME AND HOW THAT CONNECTS TO MY EATING.
BUT I DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW I'D BE ABLE TO REACH OUT TO HIM.
AND THINKING ABOUT DOING THAT MAKES ME REALLY ANXIOUS.
BUT I KNOW IF I DON'T START DOING THESE THINGS,
THEN THERE'S A GOOD CHANCE
I'LL END UP TRYING TO USE FOOD FOR COMFORT AGAIN.
AND IF I CAN'T FIGURE IT OUT,
I KNOW THAT THE FINAL OUTCOME WILL BE
THAT I REGAIN ALL THE WEIGHT
AND END UP RIGHT BACK AT WHERE I STARTED BEFORE ALL THIS.
♪♪
Tiffany: THIS PAST MONTH
HAS BEEN A BIT OF A STRUGGLE, EMOTIONALLY.
THANKFULLY, MY WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY
IS STILL PREVENTING ANY CRAVINGS OR BIG TEMPTATIONS TO OVEREAT
OR EAT STUFF I SHOULDN'T.
SO MY WEIGHT LOSS HAS STAYED ON TRACK.
AND I'M WORKING HARD TO KEEP IT THAT WAY
BY TRYING TO DO ALL THE HOMEWORK LOLA GAVE ME.
I'VE BEEN JOURNALING TO START TO TRY AND PROCESS
SOME OF MY FEELINGS.
AND THAT HAS HELPED.
WHAT I'VE BEEN ABLE TO SEE MORE
IS HOW MUCH OF WHAT DROVE ME TO FOOD REVOLVES AROUND MY DAD.
SO, BECAUSE OF THAT,
OUT OF ALL THE BIG STEPS I NEED TO TRY AND TAKE,
I DECIDED TO TRY AND TALK TO MY DAD.
IT TOOK ME A BIT TO WORK UP THE COURAGE TO CALL HIM,
BUT WHEN I DID, IT DIDN'T GO SO WELL
AS SOON AS I BROUGHT UP ANY OF THE PAST.
HE HUNG UP ON ME.
[ RINGING]
Woman: YOU HAVE REACHED THE VOICEMAIL BOX --
[ BEEPS ]
AND NOW HE'S NOT EVEN ANSWERING MY CALLS.
SO, WHAT I'VE DECIDED TO DO IS MAKE A VIDEO
WHERE I TELL HIM HOW HE MADE ME FEEL
WHEN I WAS YOUNGER.
I TALKED TO LOLA ABOUT MY IDEA,
AND SHE SAID TO STAND UP FOR MYSELF
AND LET THIS STUFF OUT.
SO THAT'S WHAT I'LL DO.
♪♪
HEY, DAD.
SO, I WENT TO THERAPY,
AND A LOT OF THE THINGS WE TALKED ABOUT
HAD TO DO WITH MY RELATIONSHIP WITH YOU --
HOW MUCH YOU AND MOM FOUGHT,
HOW THE THINGS YOU SAID AND DID HURT NOT JUST MOM,
BUT IT WAS HURTING CHANDRA, AND IT WAS HURTING ME.
AND ALL THIS STUFF REALLY SHAPED THE PERSON I AM.
I JUST WANTED YOU TO KNOW HOW THAT AFFECTED ME
SO THAT WE CAN MOVE PAST IT
AND I CAN ACCEPT YOU AS MY DAD AGAIN.
I GENUINELY WANT OUR RELATIONSHIP
TO MEAN SOMETHING AND BE GOOD AND HEALTHY
SO THAT, WHEN I HAVE KIDS,
YOU CAN BE AN AMAZING GRANDFATHER.
I LOVE YOU. BYE.
♪♪
I'VE ALWAYS DREAMED OF THE POSSIBILITY
OF HAVING MY RELATIONSHIP WITH MY DAD RESTORED ONE DAY.
SO I HOPE HE TRIES AND HE PLAYS THE VIDEO,
BECAUSE I LOVE HIM,
AND MY LIFE HAS ALWAYS FELT INCOMPLETE WITHOUT HIM.
BUT ALL I CAN DO RIGHT NOW IS WAIT AND SEE HOW IT GOES.
BUT EVEN IF IT DOESN'T GO LIKE I HOPE,
THIS WAS THE FIRST BIG STEP I NEEDED
IN A LONG JOURNEY I HAVE AHEAD
TO START DEALING WITH WHAT I NEED
TO TAKE BACK CONTROL OF MY LIFE.
♪♪
THANK YOU.
YOU READY TO GO?
YEAH. SWEET.
I'M FEELING REALLY GOOD.
IT'S OFFICIALLY COMING UP ON A YEAR
SINCE I STARTED MY WEIGHT-LOSS JOURNEY.
AND, SO FAR, I'VE LOST 257 POUNDS.
AND I THINK A BIG PART OF WHY I'VE BEEN ABLE TO STAY ON TRACK
IS THAT I'M NOT BACKING DOWN FROM DOING THE THINGS
LOLA SAID I NEED TO BE FACING
SO I CAN START TO TAKE BACK CONTROL OF MY LIFE.
I SENT THE VIDEO TO MY DAD,
BUT I STILL HAVEN'T HEARD BACK FROM HIM.
BUT, FOR NOW, I CAN ONLY WORK ON WHAT I CAN CONTROL.
I STARTED HAVING SOME IMPORTANT CONVERSATIONS WITH AARON
ABOUT WHETHER THIS IS A RELATIONSHIP
WE'RE BOTH FULLY INVESTED IN
AND WHERE WE WANT TO DO.
AND THAT'S BEEN A BIG STEP THAT I'M PROUD OF, TOO,
BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE IT OPENED A DOOR FOR BOTH OF US.
AND WE'VE KEPT THE CONVERSATION GOING.
SO, WHAT ARE YOU THINKING ABOUT, BABE?
YOU KNOW, WE REALLY HAVE COME A LONG WAY.
WE REALLY HAVE. YEAH.
ABOUT A YEAR AGO, I USED TO FEEL
MORE LIKE YOUR CAREGIVER THAN ANYTHING.
I DIDN'T FEEL LIKE WE WERE A COUPLE WHATSOEVER.
YEAH. I WAS JUST --
JUST BEING THERE TO HELP YOU, AND THAT'S PRETTY MUCH IT.
AND NOW YOU'RE ACTUALLY STARTING TO BE
A LITTLE MORE INDEPENDENT, WHICH IS COOL.
I LIKE THAT.
ONE OF THE THINGS I REMEMBER YOU TELLING ME
AND ONE OF THE BIG DECIDING FACTORS
FOR ME TO GET THE SURGERY WAS --
YOU DIDN'T SEE US HAVING A FUTURE
-UNLESS I LOST THE WEIGHT. -YEAH.
AND I DO WANT TO EVENTUALLY MARRY YOU AND HAVE KIDS.
DO YOU STILL SEE THAT AS A POSSIBILITY NOW?
I DO. I DEFINITELY DO SEE THAT AS A POSSIBILITY NOW.
YEAH. I LOVE YOU, BABE.
I LOVE YOU, TOO.
♪♪
Tiffany: AS NERVOUS AS I WAS TO DO IT,
I'VE REALLY ENJOYED THIS LEVEL OF COMMUNICATION BETWEEN US.
AND IT FEELS LIKE ALL THE STUFF I'VE BOTTLED UP INSIDE OF ME
IS FINALLY ABLE TO COME TO THE SURFACE
IN A WAY THAT DOESN'T OVERWHELM ME OR TAKE CONTROL OF ME.
AND IT'S ALL HELPING ME START TO FIND MYSELF AGAIN.
♪♪
AND I'M LOVING IT.
IT'S BEEN SO LONG SINCE I SAW MYSELF
AS A FUN PERSON AND NOT JUST SOME MISTAKE.
I HAVEN'T SAT BEHIND THE WHEEL OF A CAR
SINCE I WAS LIKE 14.
WELL, IF YOU REALLY WANT TO TRY, WE CAN GO RIGHT NOW.
I JUST FEEL LIKE I'M READY TO TRY.
ALL RIGHT. YOU NEED HELP UP?
NO, I GOT IT. ALL RIGHT.
REMEMBER, I'VE LOST WEIGHT. I CAN DO STUFF NOW.
MM. [ SNIFFLES ]
I'M BECOMING INDEPENDENT, AND THE MORE I LOSE,
THE MORE I'M ABLE TO DO.
I CAN WALK FURTHER THAN I HAVE IN SUCH A LONG TIME.
AND I'M ABLE TO GO OUT AND DO SO MUCH MORE.
BUT THE BIGGEST THING I'VE WANTED TO DO IS DRIVE.
BECAUSE OF MY SIZE AND MY LYMPHEDEMA,
BY THE TIME I WAS A TEENAGER,
I NEVER GOT THE CHANCE TO LEARN HOW TO DRIVE
BECAUSE I COULDN'T FIT BEHIND THE STEERING WHEEL.
SO I'M REALLY HOPING I'M GETTING CLOSE
TO BEING ABLE TO FIT IN THE DRIVER'S SEAT.
ONCE I'M ABLE TO DO THAT, IT WILL MEAN
I WON'T HAVE TO DEPEND ON ANYONE TO TAKE ME ANYWHERE.
IT'S LOOKING A LITTLE TIGHT. WHAT IF I DON'T FIT?
JUST TRY IT.
IF YOU DON'T FIT, YOU DON'T FIT.
ALL RIGHT.
WELL, BE CAREFUL.
[ KEYS JINGLING ]
BABE, LOOK.
I'M GONNA BE RUNNING YOU OFF THE ROAD ANY DAY NOW.
-[ LAUGHS ] -WHOO!
♪♪
I WAS SO SCARED I WAS GONNA LOSE THIS CHANCE.
BUT TO BE WHERE I'M AT NOW, WITH ALL I'M STARTING TO DO,
IS SUCH AN INCREDIBLE FEELING.
SO THERE'S NO WAY I'M GONNA LET MYSELF SLOW DOWN,
BECAUSE I KNOW THERE'S SO MUCH WAITING FOR ME
JUST AROUND THE CORNER.
♪♪
I KNOW MY JOURNEY ISN'T EVEN CLOSE TO BEING OVER
AND THAT I'VE ONLY LOST A LITTLE OVER HALF THE WEIGHT
I NEED AT THIS POINT.
BUT DR. NOW SAYS, IF I KEEP UP MY CURRENT RATE OF PROGRESS,
THAT I'LL BE READY FOR MY FIRST REMOVAL OF EXCESS SKIN
IN A FEW MONTHS...
♪♪
...AND THAT HE'LL START
BY TAKING OFF SOME OF MY LYMPHEDEMA,
WHICH HE SAID COULD BE UP TO 30 POUNDS.
SO THAT ALONE IS GONNA BE LIFE-CHANGING.
ALL RIGHT. [ CHUCKLES ]
I'M ALIVE. YOU'RE ALIVE.
I THINK -- I THINK THAT'S A GOOD THING.
Aaron: SINCE THE SURGERY, TIFFANY HAS LOST ENOUGH WEIGHT
FOR HER TO MOVE AROUND MORE,
AND I FEEL REALLY GOOD ABOUT IT.
I FEEL LIKE EVERYTHING WE'VE DONE HAS BEEN WORTH IT.
AND I'M REALLY PROUD OF TIFFANY.
I'M REALLY EXCITED BECAUSE TIFFANY MEANS EVERYTHING TO ME.
I JUST WISH MY HIPS AND MY KNEES WERE BETTER
SO THAT THIS PART WAS EASY.
[ BREATHING HEAVILY ]
Tiffany: I KNOW THERE ARE SO MANY GOOD THINGS FOR ME JUST UP AHEAD.
I CAN SEE IT ALL ON THE HORIZON,
AND I BELIEVE I CAN GET THERE NOW.
I JUST HAVE TO KEEP WORKING ON WHAT I NEED INSIDE OF ME
TO MAKE A LASTING CHANGE ON THE OUTSIDE.
AND IF I DO THAT, BEFORE I KNOW IT,
I'M GONNA FINALLY BE WHO I WANT.
AND I CAN'T WAIT.
HIGH FIVE.
GOOD JOB. THANK YOU.