Vianey: FOOD IS WHAT KEEPS ME AND ALLEN GOING.
Allen: IN A LOT OF WAYS, WE WERE MADE FOR EACH OTHER.
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 OVER-EATING, AND YOU'RE ACTING LIKE IT IS OUR FAULT.
I KNOW THAT I'M DYING.
I KNOW THAT I'M NOT GONNA MAKE IT.
WE NEED TO PUMP ON THE CHEST.
GET THE CRASH CART. GET THE CRASH CART -- NOW.
OKAY. CPR, GUYS! GO!
--Captions by VITAC-- www.vitac.com
CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS
Allen: MY LIFE FEELS LIKE A CONSTANT STRUGGLE
BECAUSE OF HOW BIG I AM.
EVERY DAY IS MISERY,
AND WHEN I GET UP IN THE MORNINGS,
I WAKE UP IN PAIN,
AND IT'S NOT JUST IN PARTS OF MY BODY -- IT'S EVERYWHERE.
AND IT GETS WORSE BY THE DAY, BECAUSE I KEEP GETTING BIGGER.
AND NOW IT'S SO BAD, IT'S HARD TO DO JUST ABOUT ANYTHING.
BUT THE HARDEST THING FOR ME IS I HAVE TO SLEEP ALONE NOW.
ME AND MY WIFE CAN'T BE IN THE SAME BED
BECAUSE OF HOW BIG WE BOTH ARE NOW.
SO I TRY TO DO WHAT I NEED, THEN GO AND HELP HER
BECAUSE HER WEIGHT HAS MADE IT DIFFICULT FOR HER,
AND IT TAKES A LOT MENTALLY AND PHYSICALLY TO PUSH MYSELF
TO GET OUT OF BED AND START MY DAY.
AND SHOWERING IS THE MOST DIFFICULT PART OF THE DAY.
IT'S THE MOST ACTIVE I HAVE TO BE,
AND I HAVE TO NOT ONLY BE UP FOR THAT LONG
BUT TRY TO REACH ALL THE AREAS OF MY BODY
TO WASH MYSELF UNDER ALL MY FOLDS
TO MAKE SURE I DON'T GET INFECTIONS.
SO I HAVE TO TRY TO DO THIS EVERY DAY,
AND THEN I HAVE TO DO IT FOR VIANEY, TOO,
SO I HAVE TO SAVE SOME OF MY ENERGY FOR THAT.
THE SECOND THE I START I FEEL LIKE
I'M STARTING TO HIT MY LIMIT, I'M DONE WITH MY SHOWER...
...AND I HAVE TO GO SIT DOWN AS SOON AS I CAN
TO TRY TO CATCH MY BREATH BEFORE I GET BACK UP.
BUT AT THIS POINT, I JUST WANT TO LAY DOWN
AND GO BACK TO SLEEP.
BUT I STILL HAVE TO GET DRESSED AND HELP VIANEY.
AND I KNOW, ONCE I GET DRESSED AND HELP VIANEY, WE CAN EAT,
SO I TRY TO GET MY SECOND WIND AND KEEP GOING.
-GOOD MORNING, BABY. -MORNING, NOW.
I'M EMBARRASSED THAT I HAVE TO HAVE ALLEN HELP ME LIKE THIS.
I'M PRACTICALLY BEDBOUND AT THIS POINT.
AND RIGHT NOW, I'M STAYING IN THE LIVING ROOM,
AND THIS IS LIKE MY BEDROOM,
AND THIS IS WHERE I AM ALL DAY AND ALL NIGHT.
I PRETTY MUCH DON'T GO ANYWHERE,
AND I DO JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING HERE.
I CAN'T MAKE IT ALL THE WAY TO THE BACK OF THE HOUSE,
AND THAT'S WHERE THE BATHROOM'S AT,
SO I USUALLY HAVE ALLEN BRING THE BASIN
WITH SOME WATER AND SOAP
AND GIVE ME, LIKE, A BATH HERE IN THE BED.
EVEN A COUPLE YEARS AGO,
WHEN I WAS GETTING CLOSE TO THE WEIGHT I AM NOW,
IT WAS STILL A MUCH BETTER LIFE
BECAUSE I COULD STILL GET UP AND DO THINGS
AND FEEL LIKE I WAS ALIVE.
BUT THOSE DAYS ARE OVER
BECAUSE OF MY BODY NOW AND HOW BAD IT IS.
NOW I'M JUST SOME HELPLESS PERSON
WHO CAN'T DO ANYTHING FOR HERSELF,
AND I HATE IT.
I JUST WISH IT WAS DIFFERENT.
BUT I KNOW, FOR THAT TO HAPPEN,
ME AND ALLEN WILL HAVE TO CHANGE THE WAY WE EAT.
BUT IT'S THE ONLY THING WE HAVE LEFT IN OUR LIVES
THAT BRINGS US ANY SORT OF HAPPINESS OR JOY,
AND IF WE DIDN'T HAVE FOOD IN OUR LIVES,
THEN I DON'T KNOW WHAT WE'D EVEN WAKE UP FOR.
YOU ALL RIGHT?YEAH. ALL RIGHT.
WE'LL GO COOK. OKAY, BABE.
ALL RIGHT.
THANK YOU.
YOU'RE WELCOME.
Allen: AFTER I'M DONE HELPING VIANEY AND SHE'S DRESSED,
WE CAN FINALLY EAT.
AND I START COOKING THE SECOND I CAN,
BECAUSE BOTH OF US BEEN WAITING TO EAT SINCE WE WOKE UP.
AND WHEN ME AND VIANEY ARE EATING,
IT'S LIKE WE'RE IN THIS COCOON WHERE WE ARE SAFE,
AND THERE'S NOTHING THAT CAN HURT US.
AND FOR THAT SHORT WHILE,
ALL THE PAIN IN OUR LIVES IS GONE.
THAT'S WHAT FOOD HAS DONE FOR ME SINCE I WAS REALLY YOUNG.
IT'S BEEN SAVING ME MY WHOLE LIFE.
MY LIFE STARTED OUT DIFFICULT.
MY MOM WAS 17 WHEN SHE HAD ME,
AND MY FATHER WASN'T PART OF MY LIFE
'CAUSE HE'D NEVER STAY AROUND.
SO, ASIDE FROM MY BROTHER WHO'S ONE YEAR YOUNGER THAN ME,
I WAS ON MY OWN A LOT, 'CAUSE MY MOM HAD A LOT OF WORK.
WHEN I WAS 2 YEARS OLD, I FELL DOWN SOME BASEMENT STAIRS
AND THEN CRACKED MY HEAD -- ALMOST DIED THAT NIGHT.
AND 'CAUSE OF MY ACCIDENT, I HAVE A SPEECH PROBLEM.
AND IT MESSED ME UP A LOT OF WAYS,
'CAUSE I FEEL LIKE IT KEPT ME FROM HAVING A LOT OF FRIENDS.
BUT WHEN I WAS 5, MY MOM GOT REMARRIED,
AND I GOT A NEW STEPDADDY WHO BECAME MY BEST FRIEND,
AND WE STARTED TO FEEL LIKE A NORMAL FAMILY
BECAUSE MY MOM DIDN'T HAVE TO WORK ALL THE TIME
AND COULD STAY HOME WITH US.
BUT WHEN I TURNED 10, MY MOM AND MY STEPDAD GOT A DIVORCE,
AND IT FELT LIKE I LOST MY BEST AND ONLY FRIEND.
I JUST WANTED TO STAY IN MY ROOM AND SLEEP ALL DAY,
'CAUSE I WAS SO SAD.
AND AS LONG AS I ATE, I STARTED TO FEEL BETTER.
SO I STARTED EATING ALL THE TIME.
SO THAT'S WHEN I STARTED TO PUT ON WEIGHT
AND GOT TO BE OVER 200 BY THE TIME I WAS 13.
I STARTED TO GET REALLY BIG,
AND THAT MADE MAKING FRIENDS EVEN HARDER
BECAUSE EVERYONE AT SCHOOL JUST STARTED MAKING FUN OF ME
AND CALLING ME ALL KINDS OF NAMES.
AND IT GOT SO BAD WHEN I STARTED HIGH SCHOOL,
I JUST STARTED SKIPPING ALL THE TIME,
SO MY TEACHER ACTUALLY CAME TO TALK TO MY GRANDMA
TO TELL HER THAT SHE THINK
I SHOULD JUST DROP OUT AT THAT POINT,
SO THAT'S WHAT I DID.
AFTER THAT,
FOOD WAS THE ONE THING THAT HELPED ME FEEL BETTER,
AND I KEPT GAINING.
AND AS I GOT IN MY 20s,
I WAS CLOSE TO BEING OVER 400 POUNDS THEN.
BUT MY LIFE WENT INTO A DIFFERENT DIRECTION FOR A BIT,
'CAUSE SOME OF THE KIDS I KNEW WHEN I WAS YOUNG
GRADUATED FROM HIGH SCHOOL AND DIDN'T GET JOBS
OR GO TO COLLEGE OR DO ANYTHING.
THEY WOULD JUST STAY HOME ALL DAY LIKE ME,
SO WE ALL STARTED HANGING OUT.
AND AS TIME WENT ON, WE STARTED GETTING IN TROUBLE
AND DOING STUFF LIKE STEALING CARS,
SO I GOT ARRESTED WHEN I WAS 21
AND SPENT ABOUT 18 MONTHS IN PRISON.
AFTER I GOT OUT, IT WAS REALLY HARD TO FIND A JOB,
SO I JUST WENT BACK TO EATING ALL DAY.
AND BY THE TIME I GOT IN MY 30s, I HAD GOTTEN OVER 500,
AND THAT WAS WHEN MY WEIGHT WAS SO BAD,
IT GOT HARDER TO DO THINGS,
SO MY LIFE JUST STARTED TO GO DOWNHILL.
THE ONLY GOOD THING THAT HAPPENED TO ME SINCE THEN
WAS MEETING VIANEY.
I STARTED GOING TO ONLINE DATING SITES
TO TRY TO MEET SOMEONE, AND I DID --
I MET VIANEY,
AND SHE'S BEEN THE BEST THING THAT EVER HAPPENED TO ME.
Vianey: I LOVED ALLEN'S PERSONALITY.
WHEN I MET HIM, HE WAS ALWAYS A VERY, VERY HAPPY PERSON,
VERY OUTGOING.
HE DIDN'T HAVE ANY HANG-UPS ABOUT HIS WEIGHT OR ANYTHING,
AND IT JUST MADE ME FEEL BETTER ABOUT MYSELF.
Allen: THE BIGGEST THING WE BONDED OVER WAS FOOD,
SO, IN A LOT OF WAYS,
WE JUST FELT LIKE WE WERE MADE FOR EACH OTHER.
AND WHEN I WAS 35, I ASKED HER TO MARRY ME,
AND SHE SAID YES, SO WE GOT MARRIED.
BUT I KNOW, AT THIS POINT,
FOOD IS STARTING TO TAKE MORE THAN IT GIVES, BECAUSE --
I DON'T KNOW WHAT I WEIGH,
BUT IT'S PROBABLY OVER 600 POUNDS,
SO WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING.
BUT GIVING UP FOOD SEEMS IMPOSSIBLE.
Allen: YEAH?
OH, YEAH. GIVE ME THE MONEY.
HERE'S THE MONEY.
ALLEN IS THE FIRST PERSON
THAT I'VE ACTUALLY BEEN ABLE TO HAVE ANY TYPE OF MEAL WITH,
BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE THERE'S NO JUDGMENT.
WE GIVE EACH OTHER THIS FREEDOM TO EAT WHAT WE WANT,
AND WE'RE BOTH JUST EATING AND BEING HAPPY TOGETHER,
AND WHEN I'M EATING,
I CAN FORGET ABOUT MY LIFE AND HOW MISERABLE IT IS.
SO FOOD IS WHAT KEEPS ME AND ALLEN GOING.
AND I KNOW, FOR ME, IT HELPED ME SURVIVE SO MUCH.
GROWING UP, FROM VERY EARLY ON,
THINGS WERE HARD BECAUSE OF MY MOM.
I HAVE ONE OLDER BROTHER, AND SHE WASN'T GOOD TO EITHER OF US.
MY MOTHER WAS ABUSIVE PHYSICALLY AND VERBALLY AND MENTALLY.
SHE WOULD HIT ME WITH BELTS AND CABLES, EXTENSION CORDS.
I MEAN, ANYTHING THAT SHE COULD STRIKE ME WITH, SHE WOULD.
AND AT THAT AGE, ALL THAT I COULD UNDERSTAND
WAS I WAS BAD, AND THAT'S WHY THIS WAS HAPPENING,
AND THAT'S WHEN I FIRST REALIZED THAT,
WHEN I WHEN I FELT SAD OR SCARED, I COULD GO TO FOOD.
IT WAS AN ESCAPE THAT MADE ME FEEL BETTER.
SO I STARTED TO EAT A LOT.
AND BY THE TIME I WAS 7,
I WAS A LITTLE OVER 70 POUNDS OR SO.
SO I WAS OVERWEIGHT THEN, BUT NOT A WHOLE LOT.
BUT WHEN MY WEIGHT GAIN STARTED,
IT CAUSED EVEN MORE PROBLEMS BETWEEN ME AND MY MOM,
BECAUSE SHE SEEMED LIKE SHE WAS JUST DISGUSTED BY ME,
AND SHE BECAME OBSESSED WITH MAKING ME LOSE THE WEIGHT.
MY MOM STARTED GIVING ME DIET PILLS,
EVEN THOUGH THEY WERE NOT PRESCRIBED
OR RECOMMENDED FOR CHILDREN TO TAKE.
SHE DIDN'T CARE.
SHE WAS GONNA GET ME TO BE SKINNY.
BUT THE HARDER SHE TRIED TO CONTROL ME,
THE MORE I'D FIND WAYS TO SNEAK FOOD,
AND I KEPT GAINING, AND THAT ULTIMATELY
WAS THE BIGGEST RIFT IN OUR RELATIONSHIP,
BECAUSE, EVENTUALLY, SHE GAVE UP AND JUST SEEMED TO SETTLE
INTO THIS DISGUST AND RESENTMENT OF ME.
SHE WAS ASHAMED OF HAVING A FAT DAUGHTER.
SHE DIDN'T WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW THAT I WAS HER DAUGHTER.
IT MADE ME FEEL UNWANTED, UNLOVED, REJECTED.
LIKE, IF MY OWN MOTHER COULDN'T LOVE ME,
I'M LIKE, "WHO CAN?"
TO WHERE I JUST NEEDED TO ESCAPE WITH FOOD MORE AND MORE,
AND I GOT TO 100 POUNDS BY THE TIME I WAS 8.
SO I WAS GAINING WEIGHT FASTER THEN,
BUT IT STILL WASN'T OUT OF CONTROL.
WHAT GOT IT TO THAT POINT HAPPENED WHEN I WAS 10,
BECAUSE AROUND THEN,
MY PARENTS RENTED ONE OF THE BEDROOMS IN OUR HOUSE
TO A MAN AND HIS TEENAGE SON,
AND HIS SON STARTED TELLING ME HE WAS GONNA RAPE ME.
I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO --
JUST ALWAYS FELT LIKE, IF I EVER TOLD MY MOTHER,
SHE WOULD GET MAD AT ME INSTEAD OF HIM,
SO I JUST KEPT IT TO MYSELF
AND LIVED IN THIS CONSTANT TERROR.
IT WAS REALLY, REALLY HARD TO LIVE IN YOUR OWN HOUSE
AND NOT FEEL PROTECTED.
AND OVER TIME, IT GOT WORSE BECAUSE HE STARTED TO DO THINGS
THAT CROSSED OVER INTO ACTUALLY MOLESTING ME.
SO I STARTED EATING MORE --
NOT JUST TO TRY TO ESCAPE HOW I FELT,
BUT I THOUGHT, MAYBE THE MORE I GAINED WEIGHT,
THE LESS ATTRACTIVE I WOULD BE,
AND I GOT TO BE OVER 200 POUNDS BY THE TIME I WAS 13.
AND IT GOT EVEN WORSE OVER THE NEXT COUPLE YEARS.
I WAS THANKFUL
BECAUSE THE MAN AND HIS SON MOVED OUT OF OUR HOUSE,
BUT MY MOM STARTED TO GET SICK.
MY MOM WAS DIAGNOSES WITH CIRRHOSIS OF THE LIVER,
AND THE DOCTORS -- THEY COULDN'T DO ANYTHING FOR HER
SO SHE DECIDED TO TRY TO GO TO MEXICO AND SEE A DOCTOR THERE.
I THINK MY MOM WAS AN ALCOHOLIC,
AND I JUST DIDN'T UNDERSTAND AS A KID
BECAUSE HER LIVER WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED
AND NOBODY COULD HELP HER.
SO SHE BASICALLY RETURNED HOME TO DIE.
I WAS 15 THEN AND CLOSE TO 400 POUNDS,
AND SHE WAS SO DISGUSTED WITH ME
THAT SHE JUST STOPPED TALKING TO ME,
AND THAT DEVASTATED ME.
EVEN THOUGH MY MOM HAD BEEN ABUSIVE TO ME,
I STILL LOVED HER,
AND I WAS UPSET MORE THAN ANYTHING
THAT SHE DIED WITHOUT US COMMUNICATING WITH EACH OTHER.
SO, AFTER THAT, I GOT REALLY DEPRESSED,
AND ALL I DID WAS EAT.
I PACKED EVEN MORE WEIGHT ON
TO THE POINT WHERE, BY THE TIME I FINISHED HIGH SCHOOL,
I WAS OVER 400 POUNDS.
I FELT LIKE GIVING UP ON LIFE.
AND, LIKE, NO MATTER WHAT,
I WAS NEVER GONNA GET PAST ALL MY DEMONS,
SO MY LIFE FOR THE NEXT FEW YEARS
PRETTY MUCH BECAME STAYING AT HOME AND EATING
AND GETTING BIGGER.
BUT WHEN I TURNED 25,
I DECIDED I WANTED TO TRY AND MEET SOMEONE.
I WAS TIRED OF BEING SO ALONE.
SO I PUT UP A PROFILE ON AN ONLINE DATING SITE,
AND I MET ALLEN, AND WE STARTED GETTING CLOSE REALLY QUICK.
I FELL IN LOVE WITH ALLEN, AND I JUST WANTED TO BE WITH HIM,
SO WHEN HE ASKED ME TO MARRY HIM, I SAID YES.
AND THIS IS OUR LIFE NOW.
FOR THE LAST SIX OR SEVEN YEARS,
ALL WE'VE DONE IS STAY HOME AND EAT.
SO WE BOTH CONTINUED TO GAIN
TO WHERE OUR MARRIAGE AND OUR LIVES
JUST REVOLVES AROUND FOOD.
BUT I WANT MORE THAN ANYTHING TO HAVE A NORMAL LIFE
AND TO BE ABLE TO GO OUT AND DO THINGS LIKE OTHER PEOPLE...
BECAUSE, WITH HOW BIG WE ARE,
WE CAN'T DO ANYTHING LIKE NORMAL COUPLES DO.
SO WHAT WE HAVE ISN'T EVEN A LIFE AT THIS POINT.
BUT AS LONG AS I'M EATING LIKE I AM AND GAINING,
THAT'S NEVER GONNA CHANGE.
HERE'S YOURS.
TOOK A LONG TIME.
AND I'M ONLY GETTING WORSE.
I'M 35 NOW, AND I'M PROBABLY OVER 600 POUNDS.
AND NOW I'M AT A POINT WHERE I CAN FEEL
MY BODY BREAKING DOWN MORE AND MORE EVERY DAY
TO THE POINT WHERE I KNOW
MY HEART OR MY LUNGS IS GONNA GIVE OUT SOON.
THE ONLY THING THAT SCARES ME MORE THAN THE THOUGHT OF DYING
IS THE THOUGHT OF LOSING ALLEN.
GETTING FULL, BABE?
GETTING THERE.
CAN I HAVE THAT SLICE?
OH, YOU WANT THIS SLICE?
THANK YOU, BABE. HERE.
WHOO-HOO -- THE SLICE.
Allen: I LOVE VIANEY, AND I'D DO ANYTHING FOR HER,
AND THE THOUGHT OF LOSING HER BREAKS MY HEART.
BUT I KNOW IF I DON'T CHANGE, I'M GONNA DIE.
WE BOTH HAVE HOPES AND DREAMS.
WE WANT TO HAVE A NORMAL LIFE
WHERE WE CAN HAVE KIDS AND BE A FAMILY.
BUT IT'S NOT GONNA BE POSSIBLE IF WE DON'T FIND HELP.
-TAKE ME A LITTLE NAP. -YOU CAN SLEEP.
AL. HMM?
THE QUESTION IS... WHAT?
...WHAT ARE WE GONNA HAVE FOR DINNER?
I DON'T WANT TO EAT FOR, LIKE, A WEEK.
YOU'RE LYING. YOU KNOW YOU'RE GONNA BE HUNGRY IN A MINUTE.
Allen: WE BOTH KNOW,
IF SOMETHING DOESN'T HELP US STOP WHAT WE'RE DOING,
THEN WE'RE GONNA KEEP EATING TILL IT KILLS US.
SO, NO MATTER WHAT IT TAKES, I'M READY TO FIND HELP
AND DO WHATEVER I CAN TO STOP THAT FROM HAPPENING.
Vianey: ME AND ALLEN HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT
HOW WE CAN DO SOMETHING TO TRY AND GET HELP
SO WE BOTH DON'T END UP DYING SOON BECAUSE OF OUR WEIGHT.
BUT THERE AREN'T A LOT OF OPTIONS FOR US TO GET HELP.
ONE OF THE ONLY ONES WE COULD FIND WAS DR. NOW.
HE'S PRACTICALLY THE ONLY PERSON WHO'S WILLING
TO DO WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY ON PEOPLE OUR SIZE.
SO WE DECIDED TO REACH OUT,
AND HIS OFFICE SET UP A TIME TO DO A VIDEO CALL.
AND IT'S TODAY, SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE ABOUT TO DO, BUT...
I'M REALLY NERVOUS TO TALK TO DR. NOW
BECAUSE WE NEED HIS HELP,
AND I'M HOPING THERE'S SOME OPTION THAT WE CAN GET IT.
WHAT IF HE DOESN'T WANT TO TAKE US AS HIS PATIENTS?
WE CAN'T DO THIS ON OUR OWN.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO IF HE DON'T TAKE US.
Allen: AS FAR AS I CAN SEE,
DR. NOW IS THE ONLY HOPE WE HAVE LEFT.
SO I'M HOPING HE SAYS THAT HE CAN HELP US TODAY.
NERVOUS.
Dr. Nowzaradan: HI. I'M DR. NOWZARADAN.
-HELLO. -HI. HI, DR. NOW.
I'M VIANEY.
AND I'M ALLEN.
WELL, NICE TO MEET YOU BOTH. WHERE ARE YOU ALL LOCATED?
WE'RE LOCATED IN CHICAGO.
ALL RIGHT.
SO, HOW MUCH YOU WEIGH?
I'M ALMOST 600 POUNDS.
600 POUNDS?
ALMOST.
I THINK YOU ARE PROBABLY A LITTLE BIGGER
THAN WHAT YOU THINK YOU ARE.
WELL, HOW MUCH ARE YOU ABLE TO WALK,
OR WHAT YOU CAN DO FOR YOURSELF?
I'M ALMOST BEDRIDDEN, DR. NOW,
BECAUSE THE ONLY TIME I GET UP IS TO WALK,
MAYBE, TO THE BATHROOM.
BUT I -- THAT'S THE ONLY THING I REALLY DO,
IS TO GET UP TO GO TO THE BATHROOM.
ALL RIGHT. HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN LIKE THAT?
I'VE BEEN LIKE THIS, DR. NOW,
FOR OVER A YEAR, MAYBE CLOSE TO TWO YEARS.
WHAT ARE YOUR EATING HABITS?
WELL, DR. NOW, I'M ADDICTED TO CARBS.
I CAN'T LET THE CARBS GO.
SO, IF YOU CAN'T LET CARBS GO, WHAT DO YOU EXPECT ME TO DO?
I DON'T KNOW, DR. NOW.
YOU DON'T KNOW, HUH?
WELL, WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR?
YOU ALREADY KNOW THAT YOU SHOULDN'T BE EATING CARBS
OR HIGH-CALORIE FOOD AT YOUR WEIGHT,
AND IT DOESN'T SOUND LIKE YOU HAVE ANY PLANS TO CHANGE THAT.
SO I DON'T GET IT --
WHY HAVEN'T YOU MADE THE CHANGES?
THAT'S THE BIG QUESTION.
I DON'T KNOW, DR. NOW.
I -- I'M READY NOW.
I WASN'T READY BEFORE TO MAKE ANY CHANGES.
OKAY. SO YOU THINK YOU'RE READY NOW.
BUT WHAT ABOUT YOU, ALLEN? HOW MUCH YOU WEIGH?
I WEIGHT PROBABLY OVER 600 POUNDS.
THAT'S A SAFE ASSUMPTION.
AND WHAT IS YOUR MOBILITY?
ALLEN -- HE CAN DO EVERYTHING.
HE CAN WALK. HE CAN DRIVE.
HE'S NOT AS BAD AS I AM.
SO, ALLEN, WHAT DOES YOUR EATING HABIT LOOK LIKE?
WELL, MY HABIT IS LIKE PIZZA AND ICE CREAM --
STUFF, YOU KNOW, STUFF LIKE THAT --
JUNK FOOD.
SO, YOU ENABLE EACH OTHER WITH YOUR UNHEALTHY LIFESTYLE
WHERE YOU BOTH HELP THE OTHER SLOWLY KILL THEMSELVES.
WELL, DR. NOW, FOOD IS ALL WE HAVE IN OUR LIFE.
WE -- WE, LIKE -- THAT'S WHAT MAKES US HAPPY.
WE DON'T HAVE ANY FRIENDS OR FAMILY OR ANYTHING,
SO WE EAT.
WELL, BOTH OF YOU ARE AROUND 600, 700 POUNDS,
AND YOU ALREADY KNOW
THAT YOU SHOULDN'T BE EATING ALL THOSE THINGS.
SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE GONNA GAIN
BY COMING TO HOUSTON,
BECAUSE WHAT IT SEEMS IS
THAT YOU TWO WANT SOME SORT OF MAGIC FIX,
BECAUSE YOU JUST EXPECT ME TO MAKE THE CHANGES FOR YOU.
BUT THE MATTER IS GONNA BE YOU CHANGING YOUR EATING HABIT.
YEAH.
AND IF YOU DON'T CHANGE THEM,
THERE'S NOTHING I CAN DO FOR YOU.
OKAY? YOU UNDERSTAND THAT?
YES, DR. NOW, WE UNDERSTAND.
ALL RIGHT. CAN YOU STAND UP, PLEASE?
YEAH.
LET'S SEE, ALLEN...
ALL RIGHT.
OKAY.
YOU HAVE A LOT OF WEIGHT HANGING OFF YOUR ABDOMEN.
AND THAT CAN PULL DOWN AND PUT A LOT OF STRAIN ON YOUR ORGANS.
SO YOU NEED TO START LOSING THAT WEIGHT TO CHANGE THAT.
-OKAY. VIANEY, HOW ABOUT YOU? -YES.
CAN YOU STAND UP, PLEASE?
YEAH.
OKAY.
YOUR ABDOMEN IS EVEN MORE DISTENDED...
SO YOU BOTH NEED
TO START LOSING A LOT OF WEIGHT IMMEDIATELY
TO TURN YOUR SITUATION AROUND
BEFORE IT GETS ANY WORSE.
AND HOW WE'RE GONNA DO THAT IS
I'M GONNA SEND YOU SOME MATERIAL TO READ AND FOLLOW,
WHICH WILL BREAK DOWN A 1,200-CALORIE-A-DAY,
HIGH-PROTEIN, AND LOW-CARB DIET.
AND IF YOU FOLLOW THIS DIET,
THEN YOU'RE GONNA LOSE 50 POUNDS A MONTH -- AT LEAST.
THAT'S GOOD. OKAY?
OKAY.
AND I'M ALSO GONNA SEND BOTH OF YOU ON AN EXERCISE PLAN
TO START INCREASING YOUR ACTIVITY.
AND IF YOU ALL WANT MY HELP,
YOU NEED TO MAKE ALL THESE CHANGES NOW
TO SHOW ME THAT YOU'RE WILLING TO PUT IN THE WORK
INSTEAD OF HOPING THAT I'M GONNA DO IT FOR YOU
OR SURGERY'S GONNA BE A MAGIC SOLUTION.
WE UNDERSTAND. YEP.
BUT IF YOU'RE SERIOUS ABOUT DOING THIS
AND COMING DOWN HERE,
THEN YOU NEED TO CONSIDER MOVING HERE FOR THE LONG TERM
BECAUSE I HAVE A CONCERN ABOUT BOTH OF YOU COMING TO HOUSTON
BECAUSE YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO HANDLE
TRAVELING BACK AND FORTH LIKE THAT,
AND IT'S GONNA BE VERY RISKY FOR BOTH OF YOU.
SO I WANT YOU TO START LOSING WEIGHT BEFORE YOU DO THAT...
-OKAY. -OKAY.
...AND SEE IF WE CAN INCREASE YOUR MOBILITY TO THE POINT
THAT IT'S GONNA BE SAFE FOR BOTH OF YOU TO TRAVEL.
OKAY, DOCTOR. ALL RIGHT.
WE WANT TO TAKE THIS RISK. WE'RE SERIOUS.
YEAH. ALL RIGHT.
I'M NOT GIVING YOU ANY WEIGHT-LOSS GOALS,
SINCE I DON'T KNOW YOUR CURRENT WEIGHTS.
BUT WE'LL SET A CALL FOR A MONTH FROM NOW,
AND I'LL CALL THEN TO SEE HOW YOU'RE DOING.
AND WHEN THE BOTH OF YOU HAVE MADE IT
TO A SAFE ENOUGH PLACE TO FOLLOW DOWN HERE TO HOUSTON.
OKAY.
YES, DOCTOR.
OKAY, I'LL TALK TO BOTH OF YOU SOON.
AND IF EITHER OF YOU NEED ANYTHING IN THE MEANTIME,
GIVE ME A CALL, OKAY?
-OKAY. -OKAY.
BYE, DR. NOW. BYE-BYE.
BYE.
BYE-BYE.
LET'S DO IT.
LET'S CHANGE OUR LIVES.
AND WE CAN GO DOWN THERE.
YEAH.
GOT TO DO WHAT THE DOCTOR SAID.
Allen: THIS IS GONNA BE A LOT,
BUT I'M GONNA HAVE TO MAKE SURE WE DO THIS.
WE WON'T LIVE LONG IF I DON'T, SO WE HAVE TO GET THIS HELP,
NO MATTER HOW MUCH OF A STRUGGLE IT IS.
OVER THE PAST WEEK, ME AND VIANEY
HAVE BEEN GOING OVER DR. NOW'S DIET.
BUT GETTING HIS DIET WAS A BIT OF SHOCK
BECAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE WE HAVE TO GIVE UP EVERYTHING GOOD,
AND THAT'S JUST NOT WHAT WE WERE EXPECTING.
MY BIG CONCERN IS MOSTLY FOR VIANEY.
I'M WORRIED IF SHE'S FIRST TO GIVE UP EVERYTHING SHE LIKES
INSTANTLY OVERNIGHT
THAT SHE COULD GET REALLY DEPRESSED.
I'D SEEN THAT BEFORE WHEN SHE'S TRIED A DIET,
AND I DON'T WANT THAT TO HAPPEN AGAIN.
OKAY.
SO I'M GETTING US A LOT OF HIGH-PROTEIN OPTIONS.
I'M ALSO GETTING US SOME SNACKS
TO MAKE SURE THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN.
THAT WILL HELP US SLOWLY GET RID OF EVERYTHING
WE AREN'T SUPPOSED TO HAVE.
SO I'M GETTING JUST A HANDFUL OF THINGS
THAT WE CAN HAVE A LITTLE OF
ONCE WE HAVE A HEALTHY MEAL LIKE STEAK AND CHICKEN.
AND MY PLAN EVERY FEW DAYS WE LOSE A COUPLE MORE SNACKS
TILL WE'RE ONLY DOING WHAT'S ON THE DIET,
SO I FEEL LIKE THAT'S A SAFER PLAN
THAT WILL HELP US TO DO THIS.
AND WHEN WE HAVE OUR NEXT VIDEO CALL WITH DR. NOW,
WE ARE HOPING TO HEAR FROM HIM WE DONE ENOUGH
TO MAKE THE TRIP TO HOUSTON SAFELY,
BECAUSE WE BOTH KNOW WE DON'T HAVE A WHOLE LOT OF TIME
BEFORE OUR BODIES START GIVING OUT.
SO IF WE DON'T DO THIS AND GET WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY
BEFORE THAT HAPPENS,
THEN WE ARE NOT GONNA BE ALIVE MUCH LONGER,
SO OUR OPTIONS ARE DOWN TO DOING THIS OR DIE,
AND NEITHER ONE OF US IS READY TO DIE.
UM, WANT TO DO A COUPLE OF LAPS?
YEAH.
I'LL HELP YOU.
OKAY.
Allen: ME AND VIANEY HAVE BEEN WORKING HARD
TO MAKE THE PROGRESS WE NEED FOR THREE MONTHS,
BECAUSE DR. NOW --
HE WASN'T GONNA ALLOW US TO COME DOWN
UNTIL WE CAN AT LEAST WALK LIKE WE NEED TO
TO MINIMIZE THE RISK
OF ANYTHING BAD HAPPENING TO US ON THE ROAD.
AND VIANEY WAS REALLY STRUGGLING TO BE ABLE TO WALK MUCH,
BUT HER WORK PAID OFF.
ALL RIGHT, GO THAT WAY.
WE HAD OUR LAST VIDEO CALL WITH DR. NOW A WEEK AGO,
AND HE TOLD US THAT HE DOES THINK
WE'RE BOTH ABLE TO BE ACTIVE ENOUGH
TO MAKE THE TRIP DOWN TO HOUSTON,
BUT ONLY AS LONG AS WE'RE GONNA STAY DOWN THERE.
WE TOLD HIM WE WAS MORE THAN READY,
SO WE'RE EXTREMELY EXCITED RIGHT NOW
TO FINALLY MAKE THE MOVE AND EVEN GO DOWN THERE TODAY.
THAT'S IT. I'M TIRED.
WELL, YOU KNOW YOU'RE GONNA BE --
YOU'RE GONNA BE READY.
SO, WHAT ELSE DO WE NEED TO PACK UP, AL?
MY ROOM AND LITTLE BIT IN THE KITCHEN.
YEAH, I STILL HAVE TO GO THROUGH ALL THIS.
Vianey: I'M REALLY EXCITED THAT ME AND ALLEN
ARE FINALLY ABLE TO GO TO HOUSTON.
THANKFULLY, ALLEN'S COUSIN JUNIOR
AND ONE OF HIS CHILDHOOD FRIENDS, JOHNNY,
SAID THEY'D HELP US PACK UP,
THEN TO ALSO GO DOWN
AND HELP US GET MOVED INTO OUR NEW APARTMENT.
BUT IF THEY HADN'T,
I DON'T THINK WE'D BE EVEN BE ABLE TO GO TO HOUSTON,
BECAUSE JUST PACKING UP THIS PLACE IS A LOT
FOR JUST THE TWO OF US TO DO.
OKAY, WE GOT THE TRUCK.
WE'RE READY TO LOAD.
-YOU GUYS GOT THE TRUCK ALREADY? -YEAH.
-WE'RE READY TO -- -YEP, READY TO ROLL.
THAT'S YOU.
WE ALMOST HAVE EVERYTHING WE'RE GONNA NEED
FOR THE NEXT YEAR PACKED UP,
SO WE ARE ABOUT TO HEAD OUT.
SOME OF THE BIGGER STUFF
JUNIOR AND JOHNNY ARE GONNA PUT IN A STORAGE UNIT FOR US
WHEN THEY COME BACK.
I'M JUST A LITTLE WORRIED ABOUT HOW LATE IT IS
AND HOW VIANEY'S GONNA HANDLE BEING CRAMMED IN THE TRUCK
WHEN SHE'S THIS TIRED.
Y'ALL READY?
YEAH, I'M READY TO GO.
I'M READY TO GO.
ALL RIGHT, WELL, LET'S DO IT.
LET'S GO.IT'S TIME TO GO.
ALL RIGHT.
Vianey: I'M GLAD WE'RE FINALLY GETTING ON THE ROAD.
BUT I KNOW THIS ISN'T GONNA BE EASY FOR ME.
IT WOULD NORMALLY BE AROUND A 17-TO-18-HOUR TRIP,
BUT I KNOW I'M NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO SAY IN A CAR
FOR NEAR THAT LONG --
MAYBE JUST 3 TO 4 HOURS A DAY, DEPENDING ON HOW I FEEL.
SO I PLAN TO JUST TAKE A LITTLE BIT AT A TIME,
AND IF I GET TO A POINT WHERE I FEEL LIKE IT'S TOO MUCH
AND MY BODY IS STRUGGLING, THEN WE'LL HAVE TO STOP,
AND THAT'LL HAVE TO BE IT FOR THE DAY,
BECAUSE AS BAD AS I WANT TO GET THERE
AND DO DR. NOW'S PROGRAM AND GET MY SURGERY,
IT WON'T MATTER AT ALL
IF I END UP PUSHING MY BODY TO A BREAKING POINT
WHERE SOMETHING HAPPENS TO ME AND I DON'T EVEN MAKE IT.
WE'VE BEEN ON THE ROAD FOR A FEW HOURS, AND I'M DONE.
SO WE NEED TO STOP AND REST FOR THE NIGHT.
OHH. I DIDN'T THINK IT WAS GONNA BE THIS HARD.
MY LEGS HURT.
I CAN'T BE BENT LIKE THIS FOR HOURS AND HOURS.
CAN'T DO IT -- I CAN'T KEEP GOING.
I'M STARVING.
I GOT TO DO IT. I GOT TO EAT.
I NEED SOMETHING NOW.
I CAN'T WAIT.
BUT AFTER THAT, I NEED TO GET A ROOM AND LAY DOWN,
'CAUSE I'M TIRED EMOTIONALLY.
I JUST -- I'M DRAINED.
CAN I GET THE FAMILY MEAL, THE 16-PIECE?
GIVE ME FOUR FISH AND THE REST CHICKEN.
GIVE ME TWO FRIES AND TWO HUSH PUPPIES.
ALSO, COULD I GET A LARGE STRAWBERRY MILKSHAKE?
THAT'S ALL.
THANK YOU.
JUST WISH MY LIFE WAS DIFFERENT --
LIKE, I COULD JUST BE A NORMAL PERSON,
TO EAT -- LIKE, HAVE ONE LITTLE FISH THING.
IS THERE TARTAR SAUCE IN THERE?
-YES. -OKAY, THANK YOU.
Allen: VIANEY -- SHE'S IN A LOT OF PAIN.
HER LEGS ARE HURTING HER,
'CAUSE SHE CAN'T SIT A VERY LONG TIME.
NO MORE -- NO MORE DRIVING TONIGHT.
VIANEY -- SHE'S IN PAIN,
BUT I THINK SHE DID GOOD FOR THE FIRST DAY.
GIVE ME A HAND.
I NEED TO GET OUT.
-LET'S GO. -GET THE DRINKS IN.
Vianey: IT'S BEEN A LONG DAY,
A REALLY LONG, HARD, EXHAUSTING, TIRING DAY.
RIGHT NOW, I JUST WANT TO EAT.
I NEED TO EAT.
YOU HUNGRY?
MNH. I DON'T FEEL GOOD.
TOMORROW, WE HAVE TO GET BACK ON THE ROAD.
WE STILL HAVE A LOT OF DRIVING TO DO,
AND IF THE PAIN GETS TOO UNBEARABLE,
I KNOW I CAN MAKE SOME EXCEPTIONS
TO GET SOME FOOD TO HELP ME GET PAST IT.
IT'S NOT THE BEST, BUT IT'S AN OPTION.
AND AT THIS POINT, I HAVE TO GET TO HOUSTON,
NO MATTER WHAT IT TAKES.
Allen: TODAY IS THE SECOND DAY ON THE HIGHWAY.
WE HOPE WE CAN GET OUT OF ILLINOIS TODAY.
Vianey: I DON'T SLEEP VERY GOOD.
MY LEGS WERE JUST HURTING, AND WE HAVE SO MUCH TO GO.
BUT TODAY, WE'RE GONNA TRY TO GO LONGER,
SO I HAVE TO TRY FOR SIX TO SEVEN HOURS.
ALLEN, I AM IN SO MUCH PAIN.
YOU IN PAIN, BABY?
MY LEG IS JUST HURTING ME SO BAD.
I'M, LIKE -- I'M JUST SO OVER IT ALREADY.
LIKE... I JUST WANT TO BE THERE.
FEELS GOOD TO BE OUT OF THE HOUSE,
BUT I'M IN TOO MUCH PAIN TO ENJOY IT.
THE ONLY THING THAT I HATE ABOUT THIS TRUCK
IS THAT MIDDLE THING, AL.
IT'S LIKE IF EVERYTHING WOULD HAVE BEEN FLAT,
I WOULD HAVE BEEN COOL WITH MY LEG, YOU KNOW?
YEAH. IT'S LIKE --
ALLEN.
WHAT? WHAT HAPPENED?
DID OUR MATTRESS FALL OFF?
WE GOT TO PULL OVER.
LET ME ASK JUNIOR.
WHAT HAPPENED, JUNIOR?
Junior: THE MATTRESS FLEW OFF THE BACK OF THE TRUCK.
MAN, WE LOST THE BED --
ALLEN, WE LOST -- WE LOST MY BED?
THE ONE WITH THE PLASTIC ON IT.
THAT WAS MY BED.
DAMN, MAN. MY BED.
I WOULD FLY--
I GUESS -- GUESS I WAS GOING TOO FAST.
IT WAS LIKE A PARACHUTE.
OHH, THAT WAS MY BED.
THEN IT WENT ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD.
WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO SLEEP ON NOW?
I DON'T HAVE A BED NOW.
I DON'T HAVE A BED.
WE'LL HAVE TO GET ONE.
WE CAN'T AFFORD NO BED.
I DON'T HAVE NO BED.
-I CAN'T SLEEP ON THE FLOOR. -OHH.
CAN YOU GUYS JUST MAKE SURE EVERYTHING DOESN'T FLY OFF?
YEAH, EVERYTHING ELSE IS --
EVERYTHING ELSE IS TIED UP IN THERE.
SHOULD WE STOP BY THE GAS STATION?
ALLEN WANTS TO STOP AT THIS GAS STATION
TO SEE IF THEY HAVE ANY TIE-DOWNS OR SOMETHING.
ALL RIGHT.
MY BED.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT I'M GONNA DO.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT I'M GONNA DO
WHEN I GET TO THE APARTMENT --
I DON'T HAVE NOWHERE TO LAY. I'VE...
I DON'T KNOW.
I MEAN, I THOUGHT I WAS DOING SOMETHING GOOD FOR US,
BUT IT'S LIKE -- NOW I'M LIKE,
"OKAY, SHOULD WE HAVE JUST STAYED IN CHICAGO, AND..."
YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE -- NOW I'M LIKE,
"IS THIS THE RIGHT THING? DID WE MAKE THE RIGHT CHOICE?"
AND I'M, LIKE, REGRETTING IT.
WE CAN'T AFFORD ANOTHER MATTRESS.
WE DON'T HAVE ANY MORE MONEY. WE'RE FLAT BROKE.
I NEED SOME CHOCOLATE.
I NEED SOMETHING TO JUST CALM ME DOWN.
MY NERVES ARE JUST ON EDGE.
RIGHT NOW, I'M SUPPOSED TO EAT HEALTHY.
I'M -- I JUST CAN'T DO IT RIGHT NOW.
I NEEDED MY COMFORT FOOD TO GET ME THROUGH THIS.
Vianey: WE'RE ON OUR FOURTH DAY,
AND WE HAVE TO MAKE IT
BEFORE THE APARTMENT BUILDING LEASE OFFICE CLOSES.
I HAVE TO GIVE THEM THE PAPERWORK THAT THEY WANT,
AND THEN I HAVE TO GIVE THEM MONEY ORDERS.
WE'RE JUST BARELY GONNA MAKE IT TO GET EVERYTHING TURNED IN
AND GET THE KEYS TO THE APARTMENT.
I WAS STARTING TO FEEL LIKE WE WERE NEVER GONNA MAKE IT HERE.
BUT I'M SO THANKFUL WE FINALLY DID.
OOH.
OH, MY LEGS.
THIS TRIP HAS BEEN EXHAUSTING,
AND I'M REALLY READY FOR IT TO BE OVER.
AND I'M HOPING THE PLACE IS NICE,
BECAUSE IT'S ONE OF THE ONLY PLACES
WE COULD FIND THAT WE COULD AFFORD.
AND I'M NERVOUS TO SEE WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE,
BUT I'M ALSO EXCITED TO BE HERE.
-HELLO. -HELLO.
-I HAVE MY MONEY ORDERS HERE. -OKAY. PERFECT.
AWARD LETTERS ARE -- THEY GOT PACKED, THE RECENT ONES,
BUT I HAVE THE...
YEAH.
NO, THE OTHER ONES GOT PACKED IN THE -- IN THE STUFF.
I KNOW.
Allen: OHH.
Woman: YEAH.
I GUESS, THEN, WE'LL STAY IN THE TRUCK.
I GUESS.
HOW MUCH IS IT? LIKE, YOU DON'T KNOW?
-YEAH. -ALL RIGHT.
SO, WE FINALLY MADE IT TO HOUSTON.
THE OFFICE CLOSES AT 5:30.
WE LITERALLY GOT THERE LIKE FIVE MINUTES AFTER,
AND WE DIDN'T GET THE APARTMENT.
I THOUGHT WE WERE GONNA GET THE APARTMENT, AND IT'S LIKE, NO.
I DIDN'T HAVE THE RIGHT FORMS THAT THEY NEEDED FOR THE INCOME,
SO IT DIDN'T PAN OUT THE WAY IT WAS SUPPOSED TO.
NOW WE CAME ALL THE WAY FROM CHICAGO,
AND WE HAVE NOWHERE TO STAY, NOWHERE TO SLEEP.
WE CAN'T AFFORD ANOTHER HOTEL.
WE DON'T HAVE ANY MORE MONEY.
WE'RE ALL SPENT.
AND I GUESS ME AND ALLEN ARE GONNA SLEEP IN THE PICKUP.
AND JUNIOR AND JOHNNY WILL SLEEP IN THE -- IN THE TRUCK.
WHAT HAPPENED?
WE DIDN'T GET THE APARTMENT.
Allen: 'CAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THE PROOF OF OUR INCOME.
IT'S PACKED UP IN THE U-HAUL SOMEWHERE.
-I'M SORRY, GUYS.
I UP. I MESSED UP.
I DON'T KNOW WHERE I PACKED THOSE THINGS,
AND I JUST --
I REMEMBER I HAD THEM IN -- I DON'T KNOW WHICH BOX,
AND THE OFFICE CLOSED, SO WE WON'T BE ABLE TO GET IT,
AND WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO SLEEP IN THE TRUCK.
I'M SORRY, GUYS.
I DON'T KNOW, JUNIOR.
WE CAN'T GO BACK TO CHICAGO.
WE'RE STUCK IN TEXAS, AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO.
Allen: WE HAVE TO WAIT TILL TOMORROW
TO GET THIS PAPER TO GET THE APARTMENT,
AND WE RAN OUT OF MONEY GETTING FOOD AND GAS
ON THE WAY DOWN HERE.
SOMETIMES, YOU JUST CAN'T CONTROL WHAT HAPPENS.
JOHNNY AND -- AND JUNIOR -- THEY'RE PROBABLY UPSET,
'CAUSE NOW WE DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO SEND THEM HOME.
I GUESS WE'RE NOT EATING, BRO.
HELLO.
Woman: Hey. What's going on?
MAN, WE'RE STUCK OUT HERE.
THEY DON'T HAVE NO MONEY, THE PLACE IS CLOSED,
SO WE GOT TO SLEEP IN A TRUCK.
I AM SO FURIOUS AND PISSED OFF RIGHT NOW,
YOU JUST DON'T KNOW.
-HELLO? -YES.
HI, MOM.
I AM...
STILL THE SAME .
I AM FUMING.
I GUESS THEY DID. I GUESS THAT'S ALL SPENT UP.
I GUESS THAT'S ALL GONE. YEP.
I BASICALLY JUST CAME OUT HERE FOR NO REASON.
I WANT TO WALK HOME OR, LIKE, KILL MYSELF,
BECAUSE I AM SO DONE WITH THIS.
Jason: Hello?
JASON.
Allen: HEY, JAY.Yeah?
SO, WE MADE IT. WE'RE OVER HERE IN TEXAS.
Oh, really? You're in Houston?
YEAH. RIGHT NOW WE'RE JUST --
WE'RE, LIKE, IN A LITTLE PREDICAMENT.
WE WEREN'T ABLE TO GET THE APARTMENT TODAY,
SO WE GOT TO BASICALLY BUNK OUT HERE IN --
IN THE PICKUP TILL THE MORNING.
MM-HMM. ALL RIGHT?
I don't know.
I really wish there was money
I could send you guys to -- guys get a room,
but I don't have any money myself.
WE ALREADY KNOW THIS, JAY.
All right, well
Go ahead and get off the phone with me
and conserve as much battery as you can
till tomorrow morning.
YEAH. ALL RIGHT, JAY.
-ALL RIGHT, JAY. -WE'LL TALK TO YOU LATER, THEN.
Vianey: I REALLY DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN RIGHT NOW.
IT'S JUST ONE THING AFTER ANOTHER.
IT'S, LIKE, JUST EVERYTHING THAT COULD GO WRONG WENT WRONG,
AND I WAS SUPPOSED TO GET JOHNNY AND JUNIOR BACK HOME,
TOO, LIKE --
AND I DON'T KNOW HOW TO GET THEM BACK HOME.
NOW I DON'T KNOW IF I MADE THE RIGHT CHOICE.
I JUST WANT HELP SO BAD FOR ME AND ALLEN.
I CAN'T BLAME ANYBODY BUT MYSELF, YOU KNOW?
EVERYTHING'S MY FAULT.
I'M JUST STRESSED TO THE POINT
I JUST DON'T WANT TO DEAL WITH IT ANYMORE.
I DON'T FEEL GOOD.
I'M TIRED.
I'M JUST, LIKE -- EVERYTHING'S JUST ALL MESSED UP.
SO, WHO NEXT?
I DON'T KNOW. LET'S SEE.
Vianey: LAST NIGHT WAS A REALLY HARD NIGHT
SINCE WE WEREN'T ABLE TO MOVE INTO OUR APARTMENT
BECAUSE THE MANAGEMENT OFFICE CLOSED
BEFORE WE COULD FIND OUR PAPERS.
BUT WE FOUND IT AND GAVE IT TO THEM THIS MORNING.
SO EVERYTHING FINALLY SORTED,
AND WE'RE ABLE TO START MOVING IN NOW.
AND I'M HOPING WE CAN GET EVERYTHING UNPACKED AND INSIDE
AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
OH, WOW. OOH, THAT'S A LITTLE TIGHT.
ARE WE EVEN GONNA BE ABLE TO GET IN THERE?
GOT TO WALK SIDEWAYS.
SIDEWAYS?IT'S, LIKE, THIS BIG.
OH, MAN.
CAN I EVEN FIT SIDEWAYS, THOUGH?
-CAN YOU? -HOLD ON.
YOU GONNA HAVE TO.
OH, MY GOD.
YEAH.
OH, MY GOD.
A LITTLE BIT MORE,
AND I WASN'T GONNA BE ABLE TO GET IN HERE.
OOH, THAT'S TIGHT.
WOW.
WELL, AS LONG AS I CAN GET IN THERE.
Allen: I WAS REALLY GLAD
THAT WE ARE ABLE TO MOVE IN OUR NEW PLACE NOW,
BUT I STILL HAVE TO MAKE SURE
THAT ME AND VIANEY CAN FIT EVERYWHERE THAT WE NEED.
BUT IF ALL THAT LOOKS GOOD,
I KNOW WE'RE GONNA NEED TO GET VIANEY IN BED QUICKLY
TO MAKE SURE SHE CAN REST BEFORE SHE STARTS TO GET REALLY TIRED.
Vianey: I CALLED DR. NOW YESTERDAY
WHEN I THOUGHT WE WERE GONNA BE ABLE TO MOVE IN,
SO HE SET AN APPOINTMENT WITH US FOR TOMORROW.
I'M EXCITED AND NERVOUS ABOUT IT AT THE SAME TIME,
BECAUSE WE'RE GONNA GET HELP, AND HOPEFULLY ME AND ALLEN
WILL GET APPROVED FOR WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY.
BUT I'M ALSO NERVOUS,
BECAUSE FOR THE FIRST TIME IN A LONG WHILE,
WE'RE GONNA SEE OUR WEIGHTS,
AND I'M NOT SURE I WANT TO SEE THAT.
SO I KNOW PARTS OF IT AREN'T GONNA BE FUN,
BUT, OVERALL, I KNOW THIS IS GONNA GIVE US A CHANCE
TO SAVE OUR LIVES AND HAVE A FUTURE.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING ME AND ALLEN HAVE BEEN WANTING
FOR A REALLY LONG TIME.
ME AND ALLEN -- WE'RE HEADED TO SEE DR. NOW.
THIS IS GONNA BE OUR FIRST APPOINTMENT WITH HIM IN PERSON.
WE'VE BEEN WORKING HARD FOR ALMOST FOUR MONTHS NOW,
AND I KNOW WE'VE HAD SLIP-UPS.
BUT I'M REALLY HOPING THAT DR. NOW SEES
THAT ME AND ALLEN HAVE BOTH BEEN WORKING HARD.
VIANEY RODRIGUEZ AND ALLEN LEWIS.
Allen: I KNOW I'M BIGGER THAN VIANEY,
BUT I THINK SHE NEEDS THE HELP MORE.
I WANT HER TO GET IT MOST OF ALL.
BUT I HAVEN'T SEEN WHAT I WEIGH IN YEARS,
SO THERE'S THAT FEAR THAT I COULD SEE A REALLY BIG NUMBER.
I JUST WANT IT TO BE AS LOW AS POSSIBLE.
WOW.
THAT'S A LITTLE DISAPPOINTING,
BUT I'M HOPING VIANEY DOES A LOT BETTER THAN ME.
Vianey: I DON'T WANT TO SEE WHATEVER NUMBER'S GONNA COME UP FOR ME.
BUT I KNOW DR. NOW CAN'T TELL HOW I'M DOING WITHOUT IT,
SO THERE'S NO WAY AROUND IT.
I'M AT LEAST BELOW 600, BUT NOT BY MUCH,
SO MY WEIGHT'S STILL REALLY HIGH.
BUT THAT'S WHY WE'RE HERE, TO CHANGE THAT,
AS LONG WE'RE ABLE TO GET THE HELP WE NEED TODAY.
BECAUSE WITHOUT IT,
THOSE NUMBERS ARE JUST GONNA KEEP GETTING BIGGER.
-HELLO. -HELLO.
HOW ARE YOU ALL DOING?
-GOOD. -DOING GOOD.
SO, I'M GLAD YOU MADE IT HERE
AND THAT YOU ALL TOOK THE CHANCE AND MOVED DOWN TO HOUSTON.
YEAH. AND HOW WAS THE TRIP?
YEAH, IT WAS -- IT WAS HARD.
IT WAS HARDER ON ME, I THINK, THAN HIM.
-YEAH. -YEAH.
WELL, I'M GLAD YOU MADE IT SAFELY.
THANK YOU.
AND THAT WAS THE BIG CONCERN I HAD.
BUT THAT'S GOOD YOU MADE IT WITHOUT ANY ISSUES.
ALL RIGHT, GOOD.
LET'S START WITH ALLEN.
YOU'RE DOWN TO 648. YEAH.
SO, YOU WERE PROBABLY AROUND 670 TO 680 WHEN WE FIRST TALKED.
SO YOU'RE MAKING SOME PROGRESS, BUT HOW IS YOUR ACTIVITY?
GOOD SO FAR.
YOU'RE WALKING, DOING PRETTY GOOD WITH THAT?
YEAH.
OKAY, I WANT YOU TO KEEP THAT UP
AND TRY TO WALK A LITTLE MORE EVERY DAY
TO CONTINUE BUILDING YOUR STAMINA.
OKAY.
OKAY. ALL RIGHT.
VIANEY, YOU'RE DOWN TO 594,
SO YOU PROBABLY WERE AROUND 620 TO 630.
SO IT IS THE SAME DEAL AS WITH ALLEN --
IT'S PROGRESS, BUT NOT A LOT.
BUT HOW IS YOUR MOBILITY?
I CAN GET UP SOME NOW, BUT I CAN'T GO FAR STILL.
OKAY, IN ADDITION TO THE DIET,
GETTING MOBILE IS GONNA BE
THE MOST IMPORTANT THING YOU CAN DO FOR YOUR HEALTH.
ALL RIGHT. OKAY?
MM-HMM.SO I WANT YOU EVERY DAY
TO WORK ON GETTING UP AND WALKING,
AND THEN THE NEXT DAY, TRY TO GO FURTHER AND DO MORE.
OKAY? OKAY.
ALL RIGHT, GOOD.
I SEE YOU HAVE A DISTENDED ABDOMEN
AND SOME LYMPHEDEMA IN YOUR LEG.
DOES THAT GET IN THE WAY FOR YOU A LOT?
YES, ON MY LEFT LEG, AND THEN ALL THIS, LIKE, STOMACH,
AND THEN I HAVE, LIKE, A SORE HERE, TOO, SO...
WHAT IS IT -- ON YOUR STOMACH?
YEAH. THERE'S, LIKE, A SORE DOWN HERE THAT'S KIND OF --
I DON'T KNOW. IT'S, LIKE...
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN SEE...
ALLEN -- IT'S, LIKE, SOMEWHERE AROUND THERE.
THAT'S JUST THE WEIGHT OF THE FAT...
MM-HMM.
...INFECTING ALL THE SKIN CONTOUR.
AND LET'S SEE -- WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO REDUCE THE WEIGHT
SO WE CAN GET THAT FAT OFF OF IT, OKAY?
SO, LOSING WEIGHT WILL HELP THAT.
DO YOU BOTH STILL HAVE THE 1,200-CALORIE-A-DAY,
HIGH-PROTEIN, LOW-CARB DIET, RIGHT?
WE DO.
GOOD, BECAUSE YOU'RE GONNA COMPLETELY STICK TO THAT
FROM HERE ON OUT
AND ONLY EAT WHAT'S ON THE DIET.
ALL RIGHT.
OKAY? MM-HMM.
AND IF YOU DO ALL THAT,
YOU BOTH SHOULD BE ABLE TO EASILY LOSE AT LEAST 50 POUNDS
OVER THE NEXT MONTH,
SO THAT'S A GOAL I'M GIVING YOU.
AND WHEN YOU COME BACK, IF YOU HAVE DONE THAT,
THEN I'LL APPROVE YOU FOR WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY.
BUT IF YOU DON'T, THEN ONE OF YOU
WILL LIKELY BE BURYING THE OTHER ONE SOON.
YOU GOT THAT?YEAH, WE DO.
ALL RIGHT. ANY QUESTIONS?
NO.
ALL RIGHT, SEE YOU ALL SOON.
OKAY, THANK YOU. MM-HMM.
VIANEY AND ALLEN HAVE STARTED MOVING
IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, WHICH IS POSITIVE.
BUT THEIR WEIGHT LOSS SO FAR IS NOWHERE NEAR
WHERE IT SHOULD BE AT THIS POINT,
BECAUSE IF THEY WERE REALLY DOING THE DIET
FOR THE PAST THREE MONTHS LIKE THEY SHOULD HAVE,
THEY WOULD HAVE LOST OVER 150 POUNDS EACH BY NOW.
SO THEY BOTH STILL HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO TO SHOW ME
THAT THEY'RE WILLING TO WORK HARD
AND DO WHAT THEY NEED TO SUCCEED AT THIS.
BUT THEY DEVELOPED A UNIQUE DYNAMIC OVER MANY YEARS
THAT'S PARTICULARLY DYSFUNCTIONAL
WITH HOW THEY ENABLE EACH OTHER
IN A WAY THAT NOT ONLY ENCOURAGES
BUT SEEMS TO JUSTIFY THE OTHER'S UNHEALTHY BEHAVIOR
TO THE POINT WHERE THEIR RELATIONSHIP
IS NOW EXTREMELY CODEPENDENT ON FOOD,
AND CHANGING THAT IS GONNA TAKE A LOT OF WORK
FROM THEM AND US.
BUT THE FIRST STEP STARTS WITH THEM,
AND THEY HAVE TO SHOW US
THEY'RE NOT EXPECTING THE WORK TO BE DONE FOR THEM
AND THAT THEY'RE WILLING TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR LIFE
BY HITTING THEIR WEIGHT-LOSS GOALS.
Allen: THE GOAL THAT DR. NOW GAVE US BOTH SEEMS LIKE A LOT,
BUT I KNOW WE ARE WILLING TO DO WHATEVER WE NEED
TO BE ABLE TO MOVE AHEAD.
Vianey: DR. NOW STILL WANTS US TO LOSE MORE WEIGHT
AND HIT A GOAL
BEFORE HE THINKS WE'RE READY FOR WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY.
BUT AT LEAST HE'S GIVING US THIS CHANCE.
JUST KNOWING THAT
DR. NOW IS GONNA HELP ME TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT,
I FEEL LIKE IT'S GIVEN ME THAT MOTIVATION THAT I NEEDED,
SO I'M GONNA DO WHAT IT TAKES.
Vianey: ME AND ALLEN HAVE MADE A LOT OF BIG CHANGES
TO OUR WHOLE LIVES
WITH HOW WE EAT AND OUR ACTIVITY.
WE GOT RID OF ALL THE CARBS AND SUGARY STUFF IN THE APARTMENT,
SO THERE'S NO TEMPTATION AROUND US,
AND WE'RE COMPLETELY STICKING TO THE DIET.
HERE YOU GO.
THANK YOU, BABE.
ALL RIGHT.
AND WE'RE TRYING TO BE A SUPPORT TO EACH OTHER,
INSTEAD OF ENABLING EACH OTHER LIKE DR. NOW SAID.
SO I MOTIVATE HIM, AND HE MOTIVATES ME TO EXERCISE,
AND I'M FEELING CONFIDENT THAT, WHEN WE GO BACK,
WE'LL GET APPROVED FOR OUR WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERIES.
Allen: IT'S STILL IMPORTANT TO ME THAT WE DO THIS TOGETHER.
BUT WHEN I GO OUT TO RUN ERRANDS,
WHEN MY CRAVINGS GET REALLY BAD,
I GIVE IN A LITTLE
AND GET SOMETHING QUICK FROM A FAST-FOOD PLACE.
I KNOW I SHOULDN'T, BUT I'M TRYING THE BEST I CAN.
IT'S JUST SOMETIMES
I HAVE TO GET SOMETHING THAT I'M NOT SUPPOSED TO HAVE.
IT'S LIKE A ONCE-A-WEEK CHEAT DAY.
A LARGE ORDER OF THE NACHO CHEESE, THE STEAK.
AND I'D LIKE TO HAVE A HALF A BURRITO,
JUST WITH RICE AND CHEESE.
-JUST RICE AND CHEESE? -YEAH.
THAT'D BE IT.
ALL RIGHT.
THANK YOU.
I JUST HOPE IT DOESN'T MESS MY PROGRESS UP,
BECAUSE I WANT US BOTH TO GET APPROVED FOR SURGERY
AT THIS NEXT APPOINTMENT.
Vianey: ME AND ALLEN ARE HEADED BACK
TO SEE DR. NOW FOR OUR NEXT APPOINTMENT.
AND I'M SO NERVOUS,
BECAUSE WE'RE GONNA FIND OUT IF EITHER OF US HIT OUR GOALS.
Allen: I'M HOPING THAT ME AND VIANEY
BOTH GET APPROVED FOR SURGERY TODAY.
ALLEN AND VIANEY.
Allen: AT MY LAST APPOINTMENT I WAS AT 648,
AND DR. NOW'S GOAL WAS TO LOSE 50 POUNDS THIS PAST MONTH,
SO I HAVE TO BE UNDER 598 TODAY TO GET APPROVED FOR SURGERY.
THAT'S PROGRESS.
I DIDN'T MAKE IT TO MY WEIGHT GOAL,
SO I'M NOT SURE IF DR. NOW IS GONNA THINK IT'S GOOD.
Vianey: AFTER SEEING ALLEN'S WEIGH-IN.
I'M EVEN MORE NERVOUS NOW.
I WAS AT 594 AT MY LAST APPOINTMENT,
SO IF I LOST THE 50 POUNDS I NEED,
I'D BE BELOW 544 TODAY.
AND I'M PRAYING I'M AT LEAST NOT FAR OFF FROM THAT.
I CAN'T BELIEVE I LOST THAT MUCH.
I FELT LIKE I WAS DOING REALLY WELL,
BUT YOU JUST DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH.
SO SEEING THAT IS A BIG ENCOURAGEMENT.
BUT I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT MEANS
THAT WE BOTH DIDN'T HIT OUR WEIGHT-LOSS GOALS.
SO I'M STILL ANXIOUS
ABOUT HEARING WHAT DR. NOW IS GONNA SAY.
HELLO. HOW ARE YOU ALL DOING?
-HELLO. HI. -HEY.
ALL RIGHT.
SO, HOW IS EVERYBODY GETTING ALONG?
GOOD. I SEE THAT.
ALL RIGHT, SO, LET'S START WITH VIANEY.
TODAY, YOU'RE DOWN TO 526,
SO, OVER THE LAST MONTH, YOU LOST 68 POUNDS.
-YEAH. -GOOD.
THAT'S ALMOST 20 POUNDS A WEEK.
SO, I'M PROUD OF YOU, AND SINCE YOU DID SO WELL,
I'M GONNA APPROVE YOU FOR WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY.
Allen: YEAH, BABY.
THANK GOD. THANK YOU.
AS LONG AS YOU HAVE NO PROBLEM HAVING THE SURGERY FIRST.
OKAY. GOOD.
COOL. OKAY?
I WANT HER TO GO FIRST.
WELL, THAT'S GOOD,
BECAUSE YOUR PROGRESS ISN'T AS GOOD, ALLEN.
YOU LOST LESS THAN HALF OF WHAT VIANEY DID,
SO YOU SEEM TO BE SNEAKING FOOD STILL,
AND THAT'S NOT GOOD AT ALL.
SO YOU NEED TO DECIDE
IF YOU'RE GONNA TAKE THIS SERIOUSLY LIKE VIANEY IS,
BECAUSE IF YOU DON'T, THEN THE NEXT ISSUE IS THAT
YOU'RE GONNA START TO MAKE HER STRUGGLE WITH HER PROGRESS,
AND THAT'S GONNA START CAUSING PROBLEMS
WITH YOUR RELATIONSHIP, TOO.
SO THAT WON'T BE GOOD, WILL IT?
NO, IT WON'T.
SO, WITH VIANEY'S SURGERY,
YOU'RE GONNA NEED TO HELP HER AND BE THERE FOR HER,
AND THAT'S GONNA TAKE SOME TIME.
SO I'M GONNA GIVE YOU TWO MONTHS
TO LOSE AT LEAST 80 POUNDS,
AND IF YOU DO THAT,
THEN I'LL APPROVE YOU FOR WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY.
IF NOT, THEN WE ARE NOT MOVING AHEAD WITH YOU, ALL RIGHT?
OKAY.
BUT, VIANEY, WE'RE GONNA SCHEDULE SOME TESTS ON YOU
TO MAKE SURE THAT ARE NO ISSUES
THAT PREVENT YOU FROM HAVING THE OPERATION.
AND IF EVERYTHING LOOKS GOOD WITH THAT
AND YOU'RE STILL MAKING PROGRESS WHEN YOU SHOW UP,
WE WILL MOVE AHEAD WITH YOUR WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY.
SOUNDS GOOD?
-MM-HMM. -YEAH.
ALL RIGHT, GREAT.
THEN, ALLEN, WORK TOWARDS YOUR GOAL
IF YOU WANT TO BE NEXT, OKAY?
ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU.ALL RIGHT.
ALL RIGHT.SEE YOU THEN.
ALL RIGHT.ALL RIGHT, SEE YOU.
Dr. Nowzaradan: I'M VERY HAPPY TO SEE THE PROGRESS
VIANEY'S MADE THIS PAST MONTH.
SHE'S DONE VERY WELL,
AND SHE'S TAKING HER SITUATION AS SERIOUSLY AS SHE NEEDS.
BUT ON THE OTHER HAND,
I'M VERY CONCERNED ABOUT ALLEN RIGHT NOW,
NOT ONLY BECAUSE OF HIS PROGRESS,
BUT WITH HOW THE DYNAMIC BETWEEN HIM AND VIANEY
IS GOING TO START TO SHAPE.
IF HE DOESN'T START TO TAKE THIS AS SERIOUSLY AS SHE IS,
BECAUSE, DOWN THE ROAD, HIS UNHEALTHY BEHAVIOR
IS GONNA LEAD HER TO STRUGGLE,
AND SHE WILL LIKELY START TO RESENT THAT.
SO THAT WILL LEAD TO CONFLICT BETWEEN THEM --
THEY'RE GOING TO START TO HAVE NEGATIVE EFFECTS
ON BOTH THEIR PROGRESS,
SO ALLEN NEEDS TO START DOING WHAT HE SHOULD NOW.
Allen: I'M REALLY, REALLY HAPPY
THAT VIANEY GOT APPROVED FOR WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY.
BUT I'M STILL EMBARRASSED ABOUT MY PROGRESS.
I KNOW I HAVE TO WORK A LOT HARDER
TO MAKE SURE I DO IT THIS TIME.
Vianey: I'M AT THE HOSPITAL FOR MY WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY,
AND I'M TERRIFIED RIGHT NOW.
I'M HERE ALONE BECAUSE ALLEN GOT SICK,
AND SO HE COULDN'T COME TODAY.
BUT I GOT HERE OKAY, AND DR. NOW WAS PLEASED
WITH THE WEIGHT LOSS I'VE HAD OVER THE LAST MONTH,
SO HE'S MOVING AHEAD WITH MY SURGERY TODAY.
I'VE WORKED HARD TO GET THIS SECOND CHANCE,
AND WITHOUT IT, I HAVE NO HOPE FOR A FUTURE AT ALL,
SO I HAVE TO GET THIS, NO MATTER HOW TERRIFIED I AM.
Dr. Nowzaradan:, TODAY WE'RE ATTEMPTING
TO PERFORM A GASTRIC SLEEVE ON VIANEY.
HER TESTS ALL LOOK GOOD,
AND SHE LOST ANOTHER 44 POUNDS OVER THE LAST MONTH,
PUTTING HER AT 482 POUNDS,
WHICH MEANS SHE'S UNDER THE 500 MARK
FOR THE FIRST TIME IN ALMOST 20 YEARS.
SO, SHE'S STILL MAKING GOOD PROGRESS,
AND SHE HAS PROVED TO ME
SHE'S READY TO HAVE THIS OPERATION TODAY.
BUT EVEN THOUGH VIANEY HAS LOST OVER 120 POUNDS,
AT THIS POINT, SHE'S STILL OVER 400 POUNDS...
WE CAN TURN THE ROOM LIGHT OFF.
...AND DOING ANY SURGERY ON A PERSON THIS SIZE
IS EXTREMELY HIGH RISK,
BECAUSE OF THE ENORMOUS STRAIN
THEIR BODY IS ALREADY UNDER WITH THEIR WEIGHT.
SO ANY ADDITIONAL STRAIN, NO MATTER HOW SMALL,
COULD PUSH THEIR BODY TO A POINT WHERE THERE'S TOO MUCH,
AND IT STARTS TO GIVE OUT.
SO IF THERE ARE ANY ISSUES THAT CONCERN US,
WE WILL HAVE TO STOP THE SURGERY EARLY.
BUT IF WE ARE ABLE TO SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETE
HER GASTRIC SLEEVE TODAY,
IT WILL HELP VIANEY TO STAY ON TRACK AS SHE NEEDS
AND LOSE EVEN MORE WEIGHT,
BECAUSE THE SLEEVE GASTRECTOMY IS AN OPERATION
THAT WILL REMOVE 80% TO 90% OF THE STOMACH,
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.
Woman: FLATTEN TABLE.
-WATCH OUT. -ROOM LIGHTS ON. ROOM LIGHTS ON.
WE NEED TO PUMP IN HER CHEST.
I DON'T FEEL A PULSE.
GET THE CRASH CART, GET THE CRASH CART NOW.
Man: OKAY, CPR, GUYS. GO.
I NEED AN ART-LINE, STAT!
EPI.
EPI AND ATROPINE ARE BOTH IN...
Man: OKAY.
ALL RIGHT.
WE'RE WORKING ON A-LINE OVER HERE.
OKAY.
ALL RIGHT, GET THIS OUT OF THE WAY.
I THINK WE HAVE TO...
COMPRESSIONS.
CHECK FOR A PULSE. CHECK FOR A PULSE.
-KEEP COMPRESSIONS! -I GOT YOU.
I'M GONNA TAKE A BLOOD PRESSURE.
YEAH. YEAH, OKAY.
Dr. Nowzaradan: WHILE ATTEMPTING TO DO
VIANEY'S GASTRIC SLEEVE PROCEDURE,
HER BODY STARTED TO STRUGGLE FROM THE STRAIN,
AND THEN HER CONDITION STARTED TO DECLINE RAPIDLY
UNTIL HER HEART STOPPED.
SO EVEN THOUGH ALL HER TESTS WERE GOOD PRIOR TO THE SURGERY,
THE STRAIN OF ALL THE WEIGHT SOMEONE THIS SIZE HAS ON THEM
MEANS THEIR BODY COULD HIT ITS LIMIT AT ANY POINT
AND START TO STRUGGLE LIKE THIS.
AND IN VIANEY'S CASE, HER PULMONARY SYSTEM
WASN'T ABLE TO HANDLE THE OPERATION RIGHT NOW.
SO WE IMMEDIATELY REVIVED HER AND STABILIZED HER,
AND RIGHT NOW, WE'RE WAKING HER UP
AND PULLING HER OUT OF ANESTHESIA
TO GET HER TO RECOVERY SO SHE CAN REST,
BECAUSE IT'S GONNA BE TOO RISKY
TO ATTEMPT TO COMPLETE HER OPERATION TODAY.
-CAN WE GET CARDIAC ENZYME? -YEAH.
WE'LL DO -- YEAH.
SHE'S STABLE. SHE'S STABLE.
YEAH, SHE'S STABLE.
-ORIENTATION IS GOOD. -PRESSURE IS GOOD.
ALL RIGHT. YOU DOING OKAY?
-MM-HMM. -ALL RIGHT.
WE HAD TO STOP THE OPERATION BECAUSE YOUR PRESSURE DROPPED
AND YOUR HEART STOPPED FOR A FEW SECONDS, OKAY?
MM-HMM.
YEAH. BUT WE DIDN'T THE SURGERY.
-NO? -NO.
BUT YOU'RE DOING OKAY.
WE HAD TO STOP THE OPERATION. OKAY?
YOU'RE GONNA BE ALL RIGHT.
OKAY?
ALL RIGHT?
ALL RIGHT, YOU'RE GONNA BE OKAY.
ALL RIGHT?
VIANEY, YOU'RE OKAY.
NOW, YOU KNOW, WE TALKED ABOUT THIS.
OKAY?
YOU'RE GONNA BE ALL RIGHT, OKAY?
WE JUST HAVE TO MAKE SURE EVERYTHING'S OKAY.
ALL RIGHT?
Dr. Nowzaradan: I KNOW VIANEY IS VERY DISAPPOINTED
THAT WE WEREN'T ABLE TO COMPLETE HER GASTRIC SLEEVE,
BUT THE RISK TO TRY AGAIN TODAY WOULD BE UNACCEPTABLE
SINCE IT'S CLEAR HER BODY'S ALREADY STRUGGLING.
THE ONLY REASON WE WERE EVEN ABLE
TO PULL HER OUT OF HER SITUATION WITHOUT ANY LASTING DAMAGE
IS BECAUSE WE WERE MONITORING HER VERY CLOSELY,
SO WE WERE ABLE TO REACT IMMEDIATELY.
BUT IF HER SYSTEM WAS PUSHED ANY FURTHER,
IT COULD HAVE BEEN TOO MUCH FOR HER,
AND SHE WOULDN'T HAVE MADE IT.
FOR YEARS, SHE HAD A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT
OF EXCESS WEIGHT ON HER BODY,
PUTTING A GREAT DEAL OF STRAIN ON HER WHOLE SYSTEM,
AND VIANEY IS AT A POINT
WHERE HER SYSTEM IS STARTING TO GIVE OUT.
SO IT'S GONNA TAKE MORE TIME
TO TRY AND BUILD HER HEALTH AND STAMINA BACK UP
BEFORE WE CAN ATTEMPT TO DO THIS OPERATION AGAIN.
SO IT'S VERY IMPORTANT WE WORK WITH VIANEY
TO HELP HER CONTINUE LOSING THE WEIGHT
TO NOT ONLY GET TO THAT POINT,
BUT TO ALSO REDUCE THE STAIN ON HER SYSTEM,
SINCE IT'S OBVIOUSLY AT ITS LIMIT
AND READY TO GIVE OUT ANY DAY
BECAUSE SHE NEEDS TO LOSE
AS MUCH WEIGHT OFF OF HER AS POSSIBLE
AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
BUT, UNFORTUNATELY, WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY
IS NOT AN OPTION FOR HER TO DO THAT RIGHT NOW.
I'M EVEN MAD THAT DR. NOW BROUGHT ME BACK.
LIKE, HE SHOULD'VE JUST LET ME GO.
BABY.
YOU'LL BE FINE.
Allen: VIANEY HAS BEEN HOME FROM THE HOSPITAL
ABOUT FOUR WEEKS NOW.
WHEN SHE CALLED ME AND TOLD ME WHAT HAPPENED TO HER,
I WAS SO SCARED, BUT I WAS TOO SICK TO GO TO HER,
AND DR. NOW KEPT HER THERE OVERNIGHT
TO MAKE SURE SHE DOESN'T HAVE ANY OTHER ISSUES.
BUT I JUST WANT TO BE WITH HER,
SO I WAS REALLY HAPPY WHEN SHE GOT BACK HERE.
BUT SHE'S BEEN REALLY SAD ABOUT NOT GETTING THE SURGERY.
I'LL GET YOU YOUR DINNER, OKAY?
Vianey: WHEN I WOKE UP AND FOUND OUT
I HADN'T GOTTEN THE SURGERY,
IT WAS LIFE-SHATTERING.
THAT'S ONE OF THE WORST AND MOST DEFEATING FEELINGS
I'VE EVER HAD.
I'M JUST REALLY STRUGGLING RIGHT NOW,
AND I DON'T KNOW HOW TO GET PAST IT.
I MISS MY CARBS.
I KNOW, BABY.
I'M SICK OF PROTEIN.
I FEEL LIKE I DON'T HAVE ANY MOTIVATION
TO BE ACTIVE OR TO DO THE DIET.
IT'S JUST TAKING EVERYTHING I GOT RIGHT NOW
TO KEEP GOING.
DR. NOW TOLD ME I HAD TO
BECAUSE MY HEART IS STARTING TO GIVE OUT
FROM THE STRAIN I'VE PUT ON IT FOR SO MANY YEARS.
SO I'M PUSHING MYSELF AS HARD AS I CAN TO STAY MOTIVATED,
BUT IT'S HARD BECAUSE I FEEL,
NO MATTER HOW HARD I WORK AND WHAT I'M ABLE TO DO,
IN THE END, I'M JUST CONDEMNED TO LIVE LIKE THIS
UNTIL MY WEIGHT ENDS UP KILLING ME,
AND I CAN'T DO THAT.
TASTED LIKE CRAP TO ME.
Allen: ME AND VIANEY ARE HEADED BACK TO SEE DR. NOW
FOR OUR NEXT APPOINTMENT
AND TO FIND OUT IF WE ARE BOTH STAYING ON TRACK
LIKE WE NEED.
ALLEN AND VIANEY.
I CALLED DR. NOW,
AND HE TOLD ME THAT I NEEDED TO HAVE LOST 120 POUNDS
SINCE MY LAST APPOINTMENT,
AND I WAS 620 POUNDS THEN.
SO I SHOULD BE BELOW 500 TODAY IF I DID THAT.
Woman: 487.
487, BABY.
THAT'S GOOD.
YEAH.
Vianey: I'M HAPPY FOR ALLEN.
BUT I DON'T THINK MY PROGRESS IS GONNA BE AS GOOD AS HIS.
WHEN I WENT TO THE HOSPITAL TWO MONTHS AGO,
I WAS AT 482,
AND DR. NOW TOLD ME THAT,
SINCE I HAD LOST SO MUCH WEIGHT UP UNTIL THAT POINT,
THAT I ONLY NEED TO LOSE 30 POUNDS EACH MONTH,
SO THAT MEANS I NEED TO BE 422 TODAY IF I HIT MY GOAL.
-I THOUGHT I GAINED. -NO.
THAT'S DISAPPOINTING.
PART OF ME IS HAPPY.
I'M AT LEAST STILL LOSING.
BUT I DON'T THINK DR. NOW'S GONNA SEE IT THAT WAY.
HELLO.
-HELLO. -HI.
HOW YOU ALL DOING?
-GOOD. -ALL RIGHT, GREAT.
SO, LET'S SEE HOW YOU'RE ALL DOING TODAY.
WHO'S FIRST?
ALLEN.
ME. YOU CAN DO ME. ALL RIGHT.
ALL RIGHT, ALLEN, LET'S START WITH YOU.
SO, AS OF TODAY, YOU MADE IT DOWN TO 487.
YEAH.
YOU'RE LOST 133 POUNDS OVER THE LAST THREE MONTHS.
WOW! THAT'S GOOD.
I FEEL GOOD, TOO.
I'M IMPRESSED.
SO IT LOOKS LIKE YOU'RE FINALLY SERIOUS ABOUT THIS.
SO, CAN YOU TELL THE DIFFERENCE?
YEAH, I CAN -- I CAN TIE MY SHOES AND STUFF NOW,
SO, YEAH.
YOU FEELING MUCH BETTER WITH THE...
YEAH, I FEEL A LOT BETTER AND STUFF, YEAH.
SUPER. GREAT.
ARE YOU GETTING ALONG BETTER AND WALKING AROUND
AND ABLE TO DO MORE NOW?
-YEAH. -ALL RIGHT, THAT'S GREAT.
WELL, YOU'RE READY FOR YOUR WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY.
YEAH, I'M READY.
OKAY. YOU'RE DOING GREAT, SO WE'RE GONNA APPROVE YOU,
AND I'M GONNA SET YOU UP FOR ONE MONTH FROM NOW
WITH THE SAME DEAL AS VIANEY.
YOU NEED TO KEEP LOSING AND MAKE GOOD PROGRESS.
IF YOU DO THAT AND ALL YOUR TESTS ARE GOOD,
THEN WE WILL MOVE AHEAD WITH YOUR OPERATION.
IF NOT, THEN WE WILL CANCEL IT.
YOU GOT IT?
YES, SIR, I DO.
ALL RIGHT, GREAT.
SO, DOING GOOD -- STICK WITH YOUR DIET
AND DON'T GET TOO COMFORTABLE NOW, OKAY?
I'M NOT. ALL RIGHT.
SO, THIS YOUNG LADY -- HOW ARE YOU DOING, TOO?
I'M OKAY.
ALL RIGHT.
HOW IS YOUR ACTIVITY DOING?
I'M TRYING TO MOTIVATE MYSELF, DR. NOW.
I HAVEN'T REALLY PROCESSED EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENED.
I'M A LITTLE BIT DEPRESSED ABOUT IT.
I CAN'T BELIEVE I DIDN'T GET THE SURGERY.
LIKE, I'M STILL -- I'M UPSET ABOUT THAT.
I UNDERSTAND THAT.
BUT YOU CAN'T LET THAT AFFECT YOUR PROGRESS,
BECAUSE YOU ONLY LOST 18 POUNDS OVER THE LAST TWO MONTHS,
WHICH IS NOT A LOT AT ALL.
SO AS HARD AND DISAPPOINTING AS THINGS ARE,
YOUR ONLY CHOICE IF YOU WANT TO DO THIS
IS TO LOSE MORE WEIGHT --
AT LEAST AROUND 100 POUNDS BEFORE THE STRAIN IN YOUR SYSTEM
IS REDUCED ENOUGH TO MAKE MORE OF A DIFFERENCE.
I KNOW IT SOUNDS LIKE A LOT, BUT YOU TO HELP YOU DO THAT,
I'M GONNA START YOU GOING TO PSYCHOTHERAPY.
SO I'LL SET YOU UP FOR THAT IN A FEW DAYS.
OKAY.
AND IF YOU STICK WITH IT, I PROMISE YOU,
WE'LL BE ABLE TO DO YOUR SURGERY.
OKAY, COOL.
THAT'S WHAT I WAS DEPRESSED ABOUT.
I WAS THINKING I'LL NEVER HAVE IT, SO...
NO, YOU'RE GONNA BE FINE AS LONG AS YOU KEEP LOSING WEIGHT.
OKAY. I FEEL A WHOLE LOT BETTER NOW.
I TOLD YOU HE'S NOT GONNA GIVE UP ON YOU.
DR. NOW, I THOUGHT I'M DOOMED TO BE THIS FAT GIRL FOREVER.
NO. LIKE, THIS IS IT.
THIS IS HOW I'M GONNA DIE, IN THIS BODY.
YOU'RE DOING GREAT.OKAY.
I'M PROUD OF ALL YOUR PROGRESS,
SO KEEP IT UP, AND YOU'LL BE FINE.
OKAY. THANK YOU.
I'LL SEE YOU ALL LATER.
ALL RIGHT. SEE YOU.
Dr. Nowzaradan: IT'S GREAT TO SEE ALLEN
STARTING TO MAKE THE PROGRESS HE NEEDS NOW.
AFTER THE LAST APPOINTMENT, I WAS VERY WORRIED ABOUT HIM,
BUT HE HAS TURNED THINGS AROUND,
AND I'M PROUD OF HIM FOR TAKING THE INITIATIVE
AND WORKING HARD
TO LOSE AS MUCH AS HE DID OVER THE LAST THREE MONTHS.
BUT WITH THE DROP IN VIANEY'S PROGRESS,
SHE'S NOW MY BIG CONCERN
BECAUSE HER SYSTEM CANNOT AFFORD
TO TAKE A LOT MORE STRAIN FOR MUCH LONGER,
AND LOSING WEIGHT IS THE ONLY THING
THAT WILL START TO ALLEVIATE THAT
ENOUGH TO PREVENT HER HEART FROM GIVING OUT SOON.
SO IT'S VERY IMPORTANT WE KEEP HER ON TRACK,
BECAUSE, IF SHE STARTS TO GAIN AGAIN,
IT COULD BE TOO MUCH FOR HER BODY TO HANDLE.
BUT, HOPEFULLY, PSYCHOTHERAPY
WILL BE ABLE TO HELP HER START TO COPE
WITH HOW SHE FEELS IN HEALTHIER WAYS.
Allen: I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT GETTING MY SURGERY.
I JUST WISH VIANEY WAS GETTING IT, TOO.
AND IF I CAN TRADE PLACES WITH HER, I WOULD.
Vianey: EVEN THOUGH MY PROGRESS WASN'T THAT GREAT,
I FEEL GOOD ABOUT THE APPOINTMENT TODAY.
HEARING DR. NOW SAY
HE GUARANTEES I'LL GET WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY
AS LONG AS I KEEP LOSING
WAS REASSURING TO HEAR,
SO I FEEL A LITTLE BETTER.
AND I'M REALLY HAPPY FOR ALLEN.
BUT I KNOW I HAVE A LOT OF HARD WORK
AND SOME CATCHING UP TO DO, BECAUSE I'M DONE WITH THIS LIFE,
AND I'M REALLY READY FOR THAT NEW ONE.
DR. NOW SET UP MY FIRST PSYCHOTHERAPY APPOINTMENT,
SO THAT'S WHERE I'M AT NOW.
AND I'M NOT SURE WHAT TO EXPECT FROM IT,
BUT I THINK IT'LL FEEL GOOD TO DO THIS.
I KNOW MY EMOTIONS PLAY A PART IN MY EATING,
AND SO IF THIS IS SOMETHING I NEED TO DO
TO LOSE WHAT I NEED AGAIN, THEN I'M WILLING TO DO IT.
-VIANEY. -HI.
HI. I'M LOLA.
Vianey: HI.
IT'S A PLEASURE TO MEET YOU.
AND WHENEVER YOU'RE READY, YOU CAN COME RIGHT ON BACK
AND HAVE A SEAT ANYWHERE YOU'RE COMFORTABLE.
OKAY.
AND YOU'LL JUST GO STRAIGHT ON BACK THERE.
OKAY, VIANEY.
TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOURSELF.
WHAT WAS YOUR LIFE LIKE WHEN YOU WERE GROWING UP?
WELL, I DON'T HAVE, LIKE,
TOO MANY HAPPY MEMORIES ABOUT IT.
SO, IT SOUNDS LIKE CHILDHOOD WAS A ROUGH TIME FOR YOU.
YEAH, IT WAS.
I MEAN, MY MOM -- SHE WAS PRETTY ABUSIVE.
I MEAN, I WENT THROUGH A LOT OF BEATINGS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
DID ANYONE EVER INTERVENE ON YOUR BEHALF?
MY DAD NEVER KNEW.
VIANEY, IN WHAT WAYS DID THE EXPERIENCE
OF BEING ABUSED BY YOUR MOTHER
CHANGE YOU IN THE WAY YOU FELT ABOUT YOURSELF, YOUR LIFE?
WELL, I MEAN, TO THIS DAY,
I JUST FEEL LIKE, BECAUSE OF MY WEIGHT,
I'M NOT GOOD ENOUGH.
LIKE, IT WAS KIND OF LIKE THIS -- THIS PROPHECY
THAT MY MOM WOULD TELL ME.
SHE WAS LIKE, "YOU'RE GONNA GROW UP
TO BE THIS OBESE PERSON THAT LAYS IN BED,
AND YOU'RE GONNA WEAR BEDSHEETS FOR CLOTHES
BECAUSE YOU WON'T FIND CLOTHES THAT FIT YOU,"
AND SHE WAS RIGHT.
LOOK WHERE I'M AT NOW.
YOU KNOW, VIANEY, I'M HONESTLY VERY SORRY
THAT YOU HAD TO GO THROUGH THAT AND ENDURE THAT,
BUT YOUR MOTHER DIDN'T HAVE PSYCHIC POWERS.
SHE CRIPPLED YOU.
SHE STUNTED YOUR DEVELOPMENT
AND YOUR ABILITY TO DREAM.
YEAH, AND NOW THAT I'M DOING THIS WEIGHT-LOSS THING,
IT'S LIKE EVERYTHING'S KIND OF LIKE
COMING TO THE SURFACE WITH HER,
AND I DIDN'T GET TO SAY GOODBYE TO HER.
THE LAST TIME I'D SEEN HER, SHE DIDN'T SAY GOODBYE.
YOU KNOW, VIANEY, I THINK IT'S TIME
FOR YOU TO WRITE YOUR MOTHER A GOODBYE LETTER
TO SAY ALL THE THINGS
YOU WISH YOU WOULD HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SAY
ALL THOSE YEARS AGO.
YEAH.
SO, VIANEY, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR COMING TODAY.
THANK YOU.
YOU'RE WELCOME, AND I HOPE TO SEE YOU AGAIN REAL SOON.
ALL RIGHT.
I'LL SEE YOU AGAIN REAL SOON.
OKAY.
OHH.
IT'S HARD TO GET UP.
Vianey: THAT WASN'T EASY,
BUT IT WAS REALLY INSIGHTFUL FOR ME.
AND I KNOW THIS IS JUST THE FIRST STEP
TO START TO COPE WITH THINGS
IN BETTER WAYS INSTEAD OF WITH FOOD.
BUT DOING WHAT LOLA SAID SO I CAN GET TO THAT POINT
IS GONNA BE SOME OF THE HARDEST STUFF
I'VE EVER HAD TO DO.
BUT I'M READY TO WORK AS HARD AS I CAN
OVER THE NEXT FEW MONTHS
TO TRY TO LOSE THE 100 POUNDS
THAT DR. NOW SAID I NEED TO GET SURGERY AGAIN,
BECAUSE I KNOW THE REWARD FOR DOING THAT WILL BE
I GET TO HAVE A FUTURE
AND THE LIFE I'VE WANTED AND DREAMED OF
FOR ALMOST ALL MY LIFE.
Allen: IT'S THE DAY OF MY SURGERY,
AND I AM EXCITED IT'S HERE.
THEY GOT MY WEIGHT A LITTLE EARLIER WHEN I GOT HERE,
AND I LOST ANOTHER 28 POUNDS.
SO I'M AT 459, SO DR. NOW SAID I'M READY.
I KNOW I'M IN GOOD HANDS, AND IF I DON'T DO THIS,
I'M NOT GONNA HAVE MUCH OF A LIFE, ANYWAY.
SO I'M READY TO TAKE THIS LEAP AND HAVE THIS OPERATION TODAY.
Vianey: I THINK I'M MORE SCARED FOR ALLEN
THAN I WAS FOR MYSELF,
AND I'M PRAYING REALLY HARD FOR HIM
AND THAT THERE ARE NO ISSUES LIKE THERE WERE WITH MINE.
I KNOW YOU'RE SCARED, BUT IT'S GONNA BE OKAY.
I'LL TAKE CARE OF YOU, ALLEN.
NOTHING BAD'S GONNA HAPPEN TO YOU.
Woman: HOLD ON.
Allen: I KNOW THIS SURGERY'S GONNA BE LIFE-CHANGING FOR ME,
BECAUSE OF HOW IT'S GONNA HELP ME LOSE EVEN MORE WEIGHT.
BUT PART OF ME FEELS BAD
THAT I'M HAVING IT FIRST BEFORE VIANEY,
'CAUSE I WANT TO KNOW IF SHE'S GONNA BE OKAY.
SO AFTER I RECOVER FROM THIS, I'M GONNA MAKE IT MY MISSION
TO HELP HER DO WHATEVER SHE NEEDS
TO GET TO WHERE SHE CAN GET IT AGAIN
AND HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY, TOO.
'CAUSE I'M DOING THIS TO LIVE LONGER WITH HER.
AND EVEN THOUGH I'M TAKING THIS STEP TODAY,
I'M ONLY DOING IT 'CAUSE I HAVE FAITH
SHE'S GONNA GET IT, TOO, HERE SOON,
AND WE'RE BOTH GONNA DO THE JOURNEY TOGETHER,
'CAUSE THE ONLY FUTURE I WANT IS ONE WITH HER.
SO THAT'S WHY I HAVE NO DOUBT I'M READY FOR THIS.
SO I'M EXCITED ABOUT THE LIFE THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE HERE SOON
AND ALL THAT THERE IS WAITING FOR ME.
SO ONCE I DO THIS, I'M GONNA WAKE UP TO A WHOLE NEW WORLD,
AND I CAN'T WAIT.
Dr. Nowzaradan: WE ARE ATTEMPTING TO PERFORM
A GASTRIC SLEEVE ON ALLEN TODAY.
HE'S DONE WELL OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS,
AND HE'S SAYING ON TRACK LIKE HE NEEDS,
SO HE'S READY TO TAKE THIS STEP AND GET WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY.
BUT JUST LIKE WITH VIANEY, ALLEN IS STILL VERY HIGH-RISK
BECAUSE THERE'S STILL A GREAT DEAL OF EXCESS WEIGHT
PUTTING A LOT OF STRAIN ON HIS WHOLE BODY.
SO IT WILL HELP TO MAKE SURE
THAT HE DOESN'T DEVELOP ANY CONCERNING ISSUES,
BUT WE WILL HAVE TO STOP THE OPERATION IF HE DOES
TO MAKE SURE HIS BODY DOESN'T GET PUSHED BEYOND ITS LIMIT.
BUT, HOPEFULLY, THERE WON'T BE ANY ISSUES,
AND WE'LL BE ABLE TO GIVE HIM THIS WEIGHT-LOSS TOOL
TO HELP HIM CONTINUE TO MAKE MORE PROGRESS.
Vianey: RIGHT NOW IT'S KILLING ME TO SIT HERE
AND NOT KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON,
AND I'M JUST WORRIED.
OBVIOUSLY, I DON'T WANT ANYTHING LIKE WHAT HAPPENED TO ME
TO HAPPEN TO HIM,
BECAUSE ALLEN MEANS THE WORLD TO ME.
HE'S EVERYTHING TO ME,
AND IF I LOST HIM, I DON'T KNOW WHAT I WOULD DO.
OKAY.
-ALL RIGHT.
YOU CAN TURN THE ROOM LIGHT ON.
OKAY, ALL FINISHED.
ALLEN'S SURGERY WENT WELL TODAY.
WE DIDN'T ENCOUNTER ANY ISSUES,
SO WE WERE ABLE TO COMPLETE HIS OPERATION.
WE REMOVED ABOUT 80% OF HIS STOMACH.
AND THIS ALLEN'S STOMACH THAT WE TOOK OUT
AND FILLED WITH WATER TO SHOW THE SIZE.
WHEN THE FOOD GETS IN THE STOMACH,
IT EXPANDS AND HOLDS A LOT OF VOLUME.
WHEN WE TAKE IT OUT IN THE LABS,
IT LOOKED VERY SMALL,
BUT THAT'S ESSENTIALLY THE STOMACH WE TOOK OUT.
SO NOW WE WILL GET HIM TO RECOVERY,
AND HE CAN REST,
AND AFTER A FEW DAYS, HE WILL BE ABLE TO GO HOME,
AND THEN HE'LL BE ON LIQUID DIET FOR A MONTH.
SO HE SHOULD BE ABLE TO LOSE AT LEAST 35 POUNDS IN THAT TIME.
THEN, AFTER THAT, HE SHOULD LOSE AT LEAST 25 POUNDS A MONTH
UNTIL HE GETS CLOSE TO HIS TARGET WEIGHT,
BUT ONLY IF HE STICKS TO WHAT HE NEEDS.
BECAUSE IF ALLEN PUSHES HIMSELF TO OVEREAT,
THEN HE CAN START TO STRETCH HIS STOMACH BACK OUT,
AND OVER TIME, IT'S POSSIBLE FOR HIM
TO GET IT BACK TO THE SIZE IT WAS BEFORE SURGERY.
SO THIS WILL HELP ALLEN START TO LOSE A LOT MORE WEIGHT.
BUT WHETHER HE MAINTAINS IT WILL DEPEND ON
WHETHER HE STARTS TO GIVE IN TO TEMPTATION AT SOME POINT
AND WHAT CHOICES HE MAKES THEN.
BUT WE'VE GIVEN HIM
A VERY IMPORTANT AND EXTREMELY HELPFUL TOOL
TO KEEP HIS PROGRESS GOING FOR NOW.
AND, HOPEFULLY, IT WON'T BE TOO LONG
BEFORE WE ARE ABLE TO DO THAT FOR VIANEY, AS WELL.
Vianey: I'VE BEEN STAYING STEADY ON TRACK WITH MY WEIGHT LOSS,
AND DR. NOW SAYS, IF I KEEP IT UP,
I'LL BE READY TO GET WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY AGAIN IN A FEW MONTHS.
I'VE KEPT GOING TO LOLA,
AND I'M DOING THE THERAPY TESTS SHE GIVES ME.
AND TODAY, WHAT I'M DOING IS WRITING A LETTER TO MY MOM.
BUT DOING THIS IS A LOT HARDER THAN I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE,
BECAUSE IT DIGS UP A LOT.
BUT I GUESS THAT'S THE POINT.
YEAH, THAT WORKS. WE CAN PUT IT IN THERE.
WHEN YOU'VE SPENT A LIFETIME BURYING THINGS,
YOU END UP HAVING TO DIG THEM UP TO FACE THEM.
BUT I KNOW I HAVE TO DO IT
IF I WANT TO MAKE THE PROGRESS I NEED.
SO I'M NOT BACKING DOWN, NO MATTER HOW PAINFUL IT IS.
RIGHT HERE, BABY.
SO...
"DEAR MOM, IT'S BEEN 20 YEARS SINCE I LAST SPOKE TO YOU.
BEFORE YOU DIED, YOU STOPPED TALKING TO ME BECAUSE I WAS FAT.
I FELT REJECTED.
I GREW UP FEELING ASHAMED AND GUILTY.
I HAD A HORRIBLE CHILDHOOD, AND I BLAME YOU FOR IT.
YOU TORTURED ME WITH DIETS
AND MADE ME DEVELOP AN EATING DISORDER.
YOU KILLED MY HOPES AND MY DREAMS.
YOU SAID I WOULD NEVER BE LOVED OR GET MARRIED
OR BECOME A MOTHER BECAUSE I WAS FAT.
I WON'T LET YOU OR THE PAST HOLD ME BACK ANYMORE.
I ALWAYS WANTED YOU TO LOVE ME,
BUT I REALIZE NOW THAT I HAVE TO LEARN TO LOVE MYSELF.
I HOPE, AT THE END, YOU FOUND FORGIVENESS FOR YOUR SINS
AND YOUR SOUL IS RESTING IN PEACE.
IF YOU ARE IN HEAVEN, I WILL SEE YOU AGAIN ONE DAY.
YOUR DAUGHTER, VIANEY."
Allen: I'VE BEEN REALLY PROUD OF VIANEY,
AND IT'S MY MISSION RIGHT NOW
TO MAKE SURE SHE GETS WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY
AS SOON AS SHE CAN.
IT'S HELPED ME A LOT,
SO I'M MAKING A LOT OF PROGRESS,
AND I JUST WANT THAT FOR VIANEY.
I LOVE HER SO MUCH,
AND I CAN'T WAIT TO GET TO WHERE WE BOTH NEED TOGETHER.
Vianey: TODAY, ME AND ALLEN ARE GOING ON A DATE.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE A PICNIC IN THE PARK,
WHICH IS SOMETHING WE WOULD HAVE NEVER BEEN ABLE TO DO
OR EVEN CONSIDERED A YEAR AGO.
SO, THINGS ARE GOING REALLY WELL,
AND IT'S JUST INCREDIBLE
WHAT WE'RE ABLE TO DO EACH DAY NOW.
BUT AS PROUD OF THAT AS I AM,
THE THING I'M MOST THANKFUL FOR RIGHT NOW
IS MY EMOTIONAL GROWTH.
ONE OF THE BIG TESTS THAT LOLA GAVE ME WAS TO WORK ON INTIMACY,
BECAUSE SOME OF THE THINGS FROM MY CHILDHOOD
LEFT A LOT OF THAT PAIN AND FEAR,
AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'VE NEVER HAD
IN OUR WHOLE RELATIONSHIP.
SO THIS PAST YEAR HASN'T ONLY STARTED GIVING ME A NEW LIFE,
BUT IT'S GIVEN ME HOPE
THAT THE LIFE ME AND ALLEN CAN HAVE NOW
WILL BE THE ONE WE'VE ALWAYS DREAMED OF.
Allen: I'VE BEEN REALLY LOVING LIFE.
I FEEL GREAT, AND I'M FINALLY IN THE 300s,
WHICH IS A WEIGHT I NEVER THOUGHT I'D BE DOWN TO AGAIN.
I WOULD NEVER HAVE IMAGINED
WE'D BE DOING WHAT WE ARE RIGHT NOW,
AND EVERY DAY, IT GETS BETTER AS WE LOSE A LITTLE BIT MORE.
SO I CAN'T WAIT FOR TOMORROW AND ALL THE DAYS AFTER THAT...
HERE YOU GO. YOU CAN DO THAT.
...BECAUSE I KNOW I GET TO DO THEM WITH THE WOMAN I LOVE
WHO IS MY WHOLE MOTIVATION FOR DOING ALL THIS.
SO I CONSIDER MYSELF BLESSED.
I LOVE MY LIFE NOW,
SO I'M NOT GONNA LET A SINGLE THING
MESS THAT UP FOR BOTH OF US, NO MATTER WHAT.
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
I'M JUST HAPPY.
ME, TOO, BABY.
WE'VE BEEN TOGETHER 10 YEARS, AND WE NEVER WENT ON A DATE.
NO.
BUT HERE WE ARE, BABY.
IT JUST MAKES ME THINK
OF ALL THE YEARS WE WASTED, YOU KNOW?
I'M HOPING THE NEXT 10 YEARS
WE'LL MAKE IT DIFFERENT, YOU KNOW?
IT'S GONNA BE BETTER.
WE'LL HAVE LOTS OF DATES.
LET'S EAT.
MM.
Vianey: AT MY LAST APPOINTMENT,
DR. NOW TOLD ME HE THINKS I'M READY
TO TRY TO HAVE WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY AGAIN.
HERE'S YOUR CUP. MAKE SURE YOU MEASURE IT OUT.
BUT HE SCHEDULED IT FOR TWO MONTHS FROM NOW,
AND I NEED TO KEEP LOSING AND GET UNDER 350.
AND I'M LESS THAN 20 POUNDS AWAY FROM THAT,
SO I DON'T THINK I'M GONNA HAVE A PROBLEM MAKING THAT.
AND I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT, AS LONG AS WE HAVE EACH OTHER
AND WE'RE DOING THIS TOGETHER,
WE WILL BE ABLE TO DO ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING WE NEED
TO MAKE OUR GOALS
AND GET THAT LIFE
WE BOTH HAVE DREAMED OF TOGETHER
ALL OF OUR LIVES.
AND I KNOW WE BOTH ABSOLUTELY CAN'T WAIT FOR THAT,
AND WE'RE EXCITED TO SEE WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS FOR US.