All language subtitles for My 600-lb Life S08E03

Woman: I KNOW I'M RUNNING OUT
OF TIME...

I'M JUST SO ANXIOUS.

...AND THERE HAS TO BE A WAY
FOR ME TO GET HELP.

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

I JUST WANT TO BE
A NORMAL PERSON.

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

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

I'M SCARED
IT'S GONNA BE TOO LATE.

IT HURTS.

Man:
I REFUSE TO STOP FIGHTING.

I HAVE TO DO THIS
FOR MY CHILDREN.

Bethany: I DON'T KNOW WHY
I DIDN'T LOSE ANYTHING.

IT JUST DOESN'T MAKE SENSE.

WHAT YOU'RE SAYING
IS WHAT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE.

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

CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY
DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS

Bethany:
I HATE MY LIFE.

I'M 40 YEARS OLD
AND OVER 600 POUNDS NOW,

AND I LITERALLY FEEL LIKE
I'M FALLING APART.

I'M LIVING IN CONSTANT MISERY

BECAUSE OF ALL THE PAIN
IN MY BODY THAT NEVER GOES AWAY.

AND I HAVE SORES
ALL OVER MY BODY

BECAUSE OF HOW
MY SKIN BREAKS DOWN

AND HOW THE FOLDS CHAFE
WHEN I MOVE AROUND.

BUT I CAN'T JUST TAKE IT EASY
AND DO NOTHING ALL DAY,

NO MATTER THE REASON,
BECAUSE I'M A MOM OF TWO KIDS.

ISABELLA IS MY OLDEST.

SHE'S 18.

AND MY YOUNGEST IS ZOWIE,
WHO'S 10.

MY HUSBAND TRIES TO HELP OUT,
BUT HE HAS TO WORK MOST DAYS.

ZOWIE, CAN YOU COME HERE
A MINUTE?

CAN YOU HELP ME
PUT MY SOCKS ON?

MM-HMM.

A LOT OF TIMES, THEY END UP
HAVING TO HELP ME,

AND I HATE THAT, BECAUSE
IT MAKES ME FEEL LIKE A BURDEN.

Zowie:
MY MOM REALLY STRUGGLES A LOT.

SHE CAN'T REALLY, LIKE, BEND
DOWN TO PUT HER SOCKS ON

'CAUSE SHE'S NOT THAT MOBILE.

SO, YEAH, I PUT MY MOM'S SOCKS
ON FOR HER.

I DON'T PUT A LOT
OF RESPONSIBILITY ON ZOWIE

BECAUSE SHE'S ONLY 10,

BUT IF I NEED HELP
FOR BIGGER THINGS,

I TRY TO RELY ON ISABELLA
TO HELP ME WITH THAT.

AND A LOT OF TIMES, I FEEL LIKE
I PUT HER IN THE POSITION

WHERE SHE ALMOST HAS TO BE
THE MOTHER IN THE FAMILY.

WHAT DO YOU WANT
FOR BREAKFAST?

I'M GONNA START WITH, LIKE,
A HONEY BUN AND A MUFFIN,

AND THEN IF YOU'LL MAKE ME,
LIKE,

SOME SCRAMBLED EGGS
AND SOME TOAST.

OKAY.

I WOULD SAY I'M THE MOTHER
OF THE FAMILY,

BUT I FEEL LIKE

I'M NOT A CONTRIBUTING MEMBER
OF THE FAMILY.

SO ISABELLA IS TAKING ON A HUGE
AMOUNT OF RESPONSIBILITY.

SHE'LL COOK, CLEAN,
AND TAKE ZOWIE TO SCHOOL.

SO SHE'S TAKING ON A LOT,
WHICH IS REALLY UNFAIR TO HER.

ISABELLA?
YEAH.

I WANT TO HAVE SOMETHING TO EAT
WHILE YOU'RE MAKING BREAKFAST.

OKAY.

I THINK I HAVE
A LOT OF THE RESPONSIBILITY

FOR THIS HOUSEHOLD.

I DO ALL THE COOKING,
I DO ALL THE CLEANING,

AND I MAKE SURE
ZOWIE'S FED AND BATHED.

I MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE
GROCERIES IN THE HOUSE.

SO, I MEAN, IT'S A LOT
OF PRESSURE PUT ON ME,

BUT I LOVE MY MOM,

AND I WILL DO ANYTHING FOR HER
NO MATTER WHAT.

ARE YOU READY FOR SCHOOL?Zowie: YEAH.

GET YOUR SHOES
AND YOUR BACKPACK.

I'M GONNA TAKE ZOWIE TO SCHOOL.

Bethany: OKAY.

BE GOOD.
I LOVE YOU GUYS.

LOVE YOU, TOO.BYE, MOM.

Bethany: I WISH I COULD DO MORE,
AND I WANT TO DO MORE.

BUT AS LONG AS I'M GAINING
WEIGHT AND EATING LIKE I DO,

I KNOW I'M NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO.

AND WHAT I CAN DO
IS JUST GONNA GET LESS AND LESS.

AND AS MUCH AS I HATE THAT,

I STILL CAN'T STOP EATING
LIKE I WANT.

HEY.
HEY.

FOOD'S HERE.

OKAY.

MY HUSBAND, SHELDON,
COMES HOME ON HIS LUNCH BREAK

TO BRING ME MY NEXT MEAL
SO I CAN KEEP EATING.

BETHANY SPENDS THE MAJORITY
OF HER TIME ON THE RECLINER.

I'M NOT HERE THROUGHOUT THE DAY,

BUT I KNOW SHE DOESN'T GO OUT,
SHE DOESN'T COOK,

AND WE'VE NEVER REALLY
FOUGHT HER ON IT

BECAUSE, YOU KNOW,
IF MAMA WANTS, MAMA GETS.

SO, I'M NOT GONNA TELL HER
HOW TO EAT.

I'M NOT GONNA TELL HER
HOW TO TAKE CARE OF HERSELF.

Bethany:
WE SOMETIMES EAT TOGETHER,

BUT I PREFER TO BE ALONE
WHEN I EAT

BECAUSE, TO ME, IT'S SUCH
A PERSONAL EXPERIENCE

THAT I RARELY WANT
ANY DISTRACTIONS FROM IT.

BUT AS LONG AS I CAN FOCUS
ON THE ENJOYMENT I'M HAVING,

I'M GOOD.

AND SHELDON KNOWS THAT,

SO WE DON'T TALK MUCH
WHEN I HAVE FOOD.

BUT ONCE I'M DONE, HE MAKES SURE
I HAVE ENOUGH TO HOLD ME OVER

UNTIL ISABELLA AND ZOWIE
GET HOME FROM SCHOOL.

AND THEN I USUALLY
EITHER KEEP EATING

WITH WHAT ISABELLA BRINGS ME

OR TWO OR THREE TIMES A WEEK,

I TAKE THEM
TO THE GROCERY STORE.

IT'S THE ONLY TIME
I EVER GO OUT,

AND I CAN'T HANDLE BEING IN
THE STORE WITH ALL THE WALKING,

SO I JUST STAY IN THE CAR.

AND EVEN THAT'S HARD ON MY BODY.

BUT WHAT'S GONNA BE
EVEN HARDER ON IT

IS IF I DON'T HAVE THE FOOD
AND SNACKS THAT I WANT.

SO NO MATTER WHAT, I'M MAKING
SURE WE'RE GETTING THOSE THINGS.

AND EVEN THOUGH
IT TAKES A LOT OUT OF ME,

IT'S EXCITING FOR ME,
BECAUSE I LOVE IT ALL.

MY MOM -- SHE USED TO BE ABLE
TO GO TO THE GROCERY STORE

AND AT LEAST RIDE
ON THE MOTORIZED CARTS.

AND NOW SHE'S GOTTEN
TO THE POINT

WHERE SHE WON'T EVEN
GET OUT OF THE CAR.

AND I FEEL LIKE IT'S HARD 'CAUSE
I WANT HER TO DO THESE THINGS,

AND SHE CAN'T.

BUT IF YOU TELL HER NO
AND YOU DON'T GO DO IT,

SHE'S JUST GONNA GET MAD
AND HATEFUL.

BUT IF I DO IT,
THEN I'M JUST PUTTING HER

IN A WORSE PLACE
THAN SHE'S ALREADY IN.

SO I FEEL LIKE I'M ENABLING HER
ALL THE TIME.

IF I COULD GO INSIDE
THE SUPERMARKET,

I WOULD JUST WANT
TO GET EVERYTHING

AND STAY THERE FOREVER,
BECAUSE FOOD IS MY HAPPY PLACE,

AND THERE'S NO BETTER FEELING

THAN BEING AROUND IT
AND EATING IT.

AND IF I COULD, I WOULD EVEN
TRADE SLEEP FOR FOOD.

AND THERE'S NEVER A MOMENT
IN MY LIFE OR EVER IN MY DAY

WHERE I'M READY TO STOP EATING,
SO I HAVE TO ALWAYS HAVE IT,

AND MY LIFE ISN'T RIGHT
IF I DON'T.

AND THAT'S THE WAY
IT'S BEEN FOR ME FOR A WHILE,

SINCE I WAS REALLY YOUNG.

FROM WHAT I REMEMBER, THINGS
WERE GOOD IN MY EARLY CHILDHOOD.

IT SEEMED PRETTY NORMAL FOR ME
AND HAPPY.

BUT MOST ALL THOSE
HAPPY MEMORIES FROM THEN

ARE WITH MY GRANDMOTHER,

BECAUSE MY PARENTS
WEREN'T AROUND MUCH.

MY DAD WORKED A LOT.

MY MOM WASN'T HOME VERY OFTEN.

SO MY GRANDMOTHER WAS KIND OF
THE ONE WHO RAISED ME,

AND SHE DEFINITELY ALWAYS
MADE SURE I WAS FED.

SHE WOULD MAKE THESE INCREDIBLE
MEALS FOR ME,

AND WE WOULD JUST EAT
AND HAVE A LOT OF FUN TOGETHER.

BUT AS I GOT OLDER,

MY GRANDMOTHER
COULDN'T KEEP TAKING CARE OF ME.

IT WAS TOO MUCH FOR HER.

AND WITH MY DAD ALWAYS TRAVELING
FOR WORK,

THAT LEFT MY MOM TO BE THE ONE
WHO WAS SUPPOSED TO RAISE ME.

BUT SHE HAD PROBLEMS
WITH MIGRAINES

THAT SHE WAS TAKING PAINKILLERS
FOR,

AND OVER TIME, SHE GOT
SEVERELY ADDICTED TO THEM

AND WAS CONSTANTLY STRUNG OUT
AND HIGH.

IT SEEMED LIKE IT JUST GOT OUT
OF CONTROL WHERE SHE WAS TAKING

A LOT OF PAIN MEDICATIONS
AND SHE WAS ASLEEP A LOT.

SO I WAS KIND OF RAISING MYSELF
DURING THAT TIME UNSUPERVISED,

AND I DIDN'T REALLY HAVE ANYBODY
TO STOP ME FROM EATING SWEETS

AND JUNK FOOD IF I WANTED THEM.

I ATE WHATEVER I WANTED.

SO I STARTED TO PUT ON
A LITTLE WEIGHT AROUND THEN.

BUT MY WEIGHT GAIN
STILL WASN'T OUT OF CONTROL.

BUT THINGS GOT REALLY BAD
WHEN I WAS 12.

THAT'S WHEN FOOD BECAME
THIS THING IN LIFE

LIKE IT IS NOW
WHERE I HAVE TO HAVE IT.

AND THE FIRST TIME I REMEMBER
THAT BEING HOW IT WAS

WAS WHEN MY MOM
TRIED TO COMMIT SUICIDE.

SHE TRIED TO TAKE A WHOLE BOTTLE
OF PAINKILLERS AT ONCE

AND END HER LIFE.

AND THAT NOT ONLY
TRAUMATIZED ME,

BUT AFTERWARD, I FOUND A LETTER,
AND IN IT,

SHE SAID I WAS THE REASON
SHE WANTED TO COMMIT SUICIDE.

I WAS DEVASTATED, AND THAT WAS
THE FIRST TIME

I REMEMBER HAVING THAT FEELING

WHERE I HAD TO HAVE SOMETHING
TO TAKE THAT PAIN AWAY,

AND FOOD DID THAT.

SO I STARTED PUTTING ON
A LOT OF WEIGHT

AND WAS UP CLOSE TO 300 POUNDS
BY THE TIME I WAS 13.

ALL I FELT LIKE I HAD WAS FOOD,

SO I FELT REALLY LONELY
DURING THAT TIME.

BUT AS I GOT INTO HIGH SCHOOL,
I STARTED MAKING FRIENDS,

SO FOR A LITTLE BIT, I FELT LIKE
MY LIFE WAS OPENING UP SOME.

I EVEN STARTED DATING SOMEONE,
AND THAT WAS NICE.

IT WAS EXCITING THAT I HAD
SOMEBODY THAT WANTED TO SAY

HE WAS MY BOYFRIEND.

BUT IT SEEMED LIKE EVERYTHING
QUICKLY TURNED.

THE BOY I STARTED DATING
WAS VERY ABUSIVE.

HE STARTED HITTING ME
AND THREATENING ME ALL THE TIME,

AND THEN HE ASSAULTED ME.

HE FORCED ME TO HAVE SEX.

WE KISSED
AND MADE OUT SOMETIMES,

AND SO HE DECIDED HE WANTED
TO GO FURTHER THAN THAT,

AND I DIDN'T, AND I TOLD HIM NO,
AND HE FORCED HIMSELF ON ME.

FINALLY, HE BROKE UP WITH ME,
AND I WAS SO RELIEVED,

BUT HE JUST KEPT THREATENING
MY LIFE AFTER THAT,

AND MY FRIENDS
STARTED THREATENING ME, TOO.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT HE TOLD THEM,
BUT I JUST DIDN'T CARE.

I JUST CUT OFF EVERYONE
IN MY LIFE AT THAT POINT

AND GOT REALLY DEPRESSED.

THE ONLY THING THAT COULD
HELP ME ESCAPE IT WAS FOOD,

SO I WAS JUST EATING MY WAY
THROUGH LIFE

AT THAT TIME AND GAINING.

SO I PUT ON ANOTHER 100 POUNDS
AFTER THAT

AND GOT UP TO THE 400s
BY THE TIME I WAS 15.

AND OVER THE NEXT
COUPLE OF YEARS,

MY DEPRESSION GOT WORSE,

AND WHEN I WAS 17,

ALL THE ANXIETY
OF EVERYTHING FINALLY GOT TO ME,

AND I STARTED HAVING
THESE PANIC ATTACKS.

SO MY PARENTS PUT ME
IN A TREATMENT FACILITY

FOR A LITTLE WHILE
TO DEAL WITH THAT.

BUT WHEN IT WAS TIME
FOR ME TO LEAVE,

I DIDN'T WANT TO GO HOME,
'CAUSE I KNEW

I WAS GONNA CONTINUE
TO HAVE THE PANIC ATTACKS,

AND I DIDN'T KNOW
WHAT THEY WERE.

I REALLY WAS SCARED.

AND SO I TOLD THEM
I DIDN'T WANT THAT,

AND MY DAD GOT REALLY UPSET

AND SAID THAT HE WOULD JUST SIGN
HIS RIGHTS OVER

AND THAT THE STATE
COULD HAVE ME.

AND MY GRANDMOTHER SAID,
"NO. WE'RE NOT GONNA DO THAT,"

THAT, "SHE CAN COME
LIVE WITH ME."

AND SO I MOVED OUT AND LIVED
WITH HER FOR ABOUT A YEAR.

BUT ONCE I GRADUATED
FROM HIGH SCHOOL,

I MOVED AWAY TO GO TO COLLEGE,

BUT THAT DIDN'T LAST LONG,
AND I DROPPED OUT VERY QUICKLY.

I MOVED BACK HOME AND GOT A JOB
AS A WAITRESS AT A PIZZA PLACE.

AND I THINK THAT WAS THE BEST
DECISION OF MY LIFE,

BECAUSE THAT'S HOW
I MET SHELDON.

Sheldon:
I HAD SEEN BETHANY WAITRESSING
AT A PIZZA PLACE.

I THOUGHT SHE WAS BEAUTIFUL
FIRST TIME I SAW HER.

THEN WHEN WE GOT TO TALKING,
I THINK IT WAS HER INTELLIGENCE,

MOSTLY, THAT DREW ME IN,
AND IT JUST CLICKED.

WE STARTED DATING, AND SIX
MONTHS LATER, WE WERE MARRIED.

SO, WE HAD OUR FIRST DAUGHTER
TOGETHER, ISABELLA,

WHEN I WAS 21.

AND WITH THAT PREGNANCY,
I PUT ON MORE WEIGHT.

SO I WAS JUST ABOUT
IN THE 500s THEN.

AND ONE OF MY BIGGEST REGRETS
I HAD

WAS DROPPING OUT OF COLLEGE,

SO I DECIDED TO ENROLL
AND START TAKING COURSES,

BECAUSE I JUST KIND OF
HAD THIS MOMENT OF, LIKE,

"I DON'T HAVE A CAREER.

I DON'T HAVE A JOB."

SO FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS,

I GOT REALLY FOCUSED ON EARNING
MY BACHELOR'S DEGREE.

BUT ONCE I GOT THAT,
AFTERWARDS, I KEPT GOING,

AND I GOT MY MASTER'S DEGREE
IN COUNSELING PSYCHOLOGY,

AND I ENDED UP SPECIALIZING
IN ADDICTION.

AND THEN I STARTED
MY OWN PRACTICE,

COUNSELING PEOPLE STRUGGLING
WITH DRUG AND ALCOHOL ADDICTION.

SO I WAS VERY FOCUSED
ON MY CAREER DURING THAT TIME,

AND IT WAS THE ONLY TIME
IN MY LIFE

THAT MY WEIGHT GAIN TAPERED OFF.

I DIDN'T LOSE MUCH,
BUT I DIDN'T GAIN A WHOLE LOT

FOR THOSE SIX YEARS.

BUT WHEN I WAS 27, WE DECIDED
TO TRY AND HAVE ANOTHER CHILD,

AND I HAD ZOWIE WHEN I WAS 28.

AND THE WEIGHT GAIN PICKED BACK
UP DURING THAT PREGNANCY.

AND THEN ONCE I HAD ZOWIE,

I SUFFERED FROM SEVERE
POSTPARTUM DEPRESSION,

WHICH WAS REALLY,
REALLY HARD FOR ME.

BUT ONCE AGAIN,
WHERE I FOUND SOLACE WAS FOOD.

SO THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS,
I JUST SHUT DOWN,

AND ALL I CARED ABOUT
WAS EATING.

AND THAT MADE IT HARD FOR ME
TO EVEN BOND WITH ZOWIE,

BECAUSE I STRUGGLED TO TAKE CARE
OF HER DURING ALL OF THIS.

SO I WOULD SAY I WAS
A VERY ABSENT PARENT

WHEN ZOWIE WAS AN INFANT.

I DIDN'T BOND WITH HER
UNTIL SHE WAS 2,

WHEN I STARTED TO COME OUT
OF THAT DEPRESSION SOME.

Isabella:
AFTER MY MOM HAD ZOWIE,
SHE DIDN'T WANT TO SEE ZOWIE.

NOT THAT SHE DIDN'T LOVE ZOWIE
OR THAT ZOWIE WASN'T HER CHILD,

BUT SHE JUST TENDED
TO STAY AWAY A LOT,

SO I HAD TO TAKE CARE OF HER.

BUT AFTER SHE WENT
THROUGH POSTPARTUM WITH ZOWIE,

MY MOM WAS VERY INVOLVED,

AND SHE BECAME VERY,
VERY ACTIVE WITH US.

IT WAS JUST OVER EIGHT YEARS AGO
THAT I STARTED TO FEEL LIKE

I GOT OVER THE SEVERE DEPRESSION
I HAD AFTER HAVING ZOWIE.

BUT I DON'T FEEL LIKE I'VE EVER
FULLY RECOVERED FROM THAT.

SO I'VE STRUGGLED WITH FEELING
DEPRESSED AND OVERWHELMED

TO THE POINT
THAT I HAVE ANXIETY ATTACKS

IF I'M NOT ABLE TO CALM DOWN.

AND FOOD IS THE ONLY THING
THAT CAN CALM ME DOWN,

SO I JUST EAT ALL DAY.

AND THAT'S PRETTY MUCH WHERE
I'VE BEEN AT FOR A WHILE NOW,

TO THE POINT NOW
WHERE MY LIFE IS CONSTANT EATING

WITH NOTHING TO LOOK FORWARD TO
BECAUSE EVERY DAY I GET BIGGER.

I FIGURE I HAVE A YEAR TOPS
BEFORE I'M TOO BIG TO GET UP.

AND I'M DOING THIS TO MYSELF,
AND I'M ONLY GETTING WORSE,

AND I CAN'T STOP.

Y'ALL FULL?

YOU WANT A BROWNIE?MM-HMM.

SO I JUST FEEL LIKE I'M MISSING
OUT ON MY FAMILY AND MY LIFE.

I'M TRADING IT ALL FOR FOOD,
AND THAT MAKES ME FEEL SO ALONE.

IT'S BEEN REALLY HARD.

EVEN THOUGH I HAVE GREAT FAMILY
AND I HAVE A SUPPORT SYSTEM,

I STILL FEEL LONELY
A LOT OF THE TIME

BECAUSE MY FOOD ADDICTION
MAKES ME FEEL LIKE

I'M ON THIS ISLAND ALL ALONE.

IT'S ALREADY TAKEN MY ABILITY
TO FUNCTION,

MY JOB, MY FAMILY,
JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING.

THE ONLY THING LEFT IS FOR IT
TO PHYSICALLY TAKE MY LIFE.

ARE YOU DONE?
YEAH.

I JUST HAVE, LIKE,
A COUPLE MORE BITES.

CAN YOU BRING ME A BROWNIE,
THOUGH?

HOW MANY?

JUST BRING ME THE BOX.

Isabella: I HOPE THAT MY MOM
CAN LOSE THE WEIGHT

AND BECOME HEALTHY
AND BECOME A HUMAN AGAIN.

AND I'VE TOLD HER
I WILL DO ANYTHING

FOR HER TO STAY ON TRACK.

IF THAT MEANS I HAVE TO LOCK
EVERY CABINET

WHEN I LEAVE THE HOUSE,
I WILL DO IT,

BECAUSE I NEED MY MOM.

I DON'T THINK I COULD KEEP GOING
IF I LOSE MY MOM.

BUT I ALSO DON'T THINK I WOULD
KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH MY LIFE,

BECAUSE MY LIFE REVOLVES AROUND
TAKING CARE OF MY MOM.

I LOVE MY MOM, AND MY MOM
IS MY BEST FRIEND,

BUT I CAN'T HANDLE IT ANYMORE.

I WOULD LOVE MY MOM
TO FEEL HAPPY AGAIN.

I JUST WANT HER TO HAVE ALL
THE THINGS THAT SHE HAD BEFORE,

LIKE STANDING FOR A LONG TIME.

SHE LOVED COOKING,
BUT NOW SHE CAN'T REALLY COOK.

SO I WOULD LOVE HER
TO HAVE THAT FREEDOM AGAIN.

Bethany:
I KNOW I'M RUNNING OUT OF TIME,

AND I CAN'T KEEP
GOING LIKE THIS,

BUT KNOWING THAT
STILL DOESN'T STOP ME,

BECAUSE WHEN THE CRAVINGS COME
AND I HAVE TO HAVE WHAT I WANT,

IT'S ALL I CAN THINK ABOUT.

I DON'T THINK ABOUT
HOW I'M GONNA DIE

AND HOW I'M GONNA LEAVE
MY GIRLS

WITHOUT A MOTHER
IF I DON'T STOP.

BUT I CAN'T LET THAT HAPPEN,
SO I KNOW AND BELIEVE

THERE HAS TO BE A WAY
FOR ME TO GET HELP.

HOW MANY OUTFITS
ARE YOU GONNA NEED?

PROBABLY FOUR OUTFITS.

I'VE DECIDED TO TRY
AND GO TO HOUSTON

TO SEE DR. NOW
AND GET HIS HELP.

I REACHED OUT TO HIS OFFICE
AND GOT AN APPOINTMENT SET,

AND IT'S TOMORROW.

SO I'M GONNA HEAD DOWN TODAY
BECAUSE IT'S A NINE-HOUR DRIVE

AND I DON'T THINK
I CAN DO THAT STRAIGHT,

SO I'M PROBABLY GONNA HAVE
TO BREAK IT UP

OVER A COUPLE OF DAYS.

THESE WORK FOR YOU?

SEE WHAT YOU GOT HERE.

YEAH. THAT'LL WORK.

BUT ULTIMATELY, I'M NOT SURE
HOW MY BODY'S GONNA HANDLE IT,

SO I'M REALLY NERVOUS
ABOUT DOING THIS.

I THINK THE FARTHEST
I'VE DRIVEN RECENTLY

IS THREE HOURS AT ONE TIME,
BUT NINE HOURS I HAVEN'T DONE.

SO I'M NOT SURE
HOW THIS IS GONNA GO,

AND THAT SCARES ME A LITTLE.

SHELDON AND ZOWIE
ARE GOING WITH ME,

BUT SHELDON
CAN'T HELP DRIVE AT ALL

BECAUSE HE HAS
AN EYE CONDITION

THAT MAKES IT DIFFICULT FOR HIM
TO DRIVE ON THE INTERSTATE.

SO I DON'T REALLY HAVE
AN OPTION.

I HAVE TO DO THE WHOLE DRIVE
MYSELF.

ISABELLA HAS A TEST AT SCHOOL,
AND SHE'S GRADUATING SOON,

SO I TOLD HER
SHE'S GONNA STAY HERE

AND FOCUS ON HER LIFE
FOR ONCE.

AND I'M GONNA TRY TO DO
WHAT I NEED TO GET HELP,

BUT I'M NOT GONNA LIE.

DOING THIS IS TERRIFYING TO ME.

WHAT'S WRONG?I'M JUST NERVOUS.

IT'LL BE OKAY, MOM.

IT'LL BE OKAY.

OH, I JUST NEVER LEAVE
THE HOUSE, SO IT'S JUST...

I KNOW.I'M JUST SO ANXIOUS.

DAD'S WITH YOU.I KNOW.

AND YOU'VE GOT ZOWIE.

I HAVE TO DO THIS.

IT'S GONNA BE FINE.

THERE'S A LOT OF FEAR
AND ANXIETY ABOUT, YOU KNOW,

AM I MAKING THIS TRIP
FOR NO REASON?

AM I TOO FAR PAST THE POINT
OF HIM BEING ABLE TO HELP ME?

THERE'S JUST A LOT OF QUESTIONS.

I'M GONNA BE OKAY.

I'M JUST GONNA SIT HERE
FOR A MINUTE

WHILE YOU GUYS
GET THE CAR LOADED.

I JUST, LIKE,
TRY TO GET MYSELF COLLECTED.

THIS IS REALLY STRESSFUL,

AND HOW I DEAL WITH STRESS
IS WITH FOOD.

AND SO IT'S IRONIC SOME
THAT I'M GONNA GET THIS HELP,

AND ALL I WANT TO DO RIGHT NOW
IS EAT.

BUT I WANT TO BE THERE
FOR MY FAMILY.

I NEED TO BE THERE
FOR MY DAUGHTERS, AND RIGHT NOW,

I'M NOT GONNA BE.

EVERYTHING'S READY?

I THINK WE'RE GOOD.
ARE YOU OKAY?

I'M REALLY SCARED,
BUT WE'RE GONNA DO IT,

AND IT'S GONNA BE GOOD.

FOOD IS GONNA KILL ME
IF I DON'T DO SOMETHING,

SO I HAVE TO HOPE
THIS IS GONNA WORK

AND THAT THERE'S A CHANCE,

'CAUSE I'M NOT READY
TO JUST GIVE UP

AND ACCEPT THAT FATE
FOR MY FAMILY.

BUT THIS IS ONE OF THE HARDEST
AND SCARIEST THINGS

I'VE EVER DONE IN MY LIFE.

IT'S WORTH IT TO ME TO GET THERE
AND MAKE A CHANGE

THAN TO STAY HERE
AND JUST DETERIORATE.

'CAUSE IF I JUST GIVE UP
AND STAY HERE,

MY BODY'S GONNA CONTINUE
TO GET WORSE.

SO NO MATTER HOW SCARY GOING OUT
INTO THE WORLD IS,

I CAN'T CHICKEN OUT AND QUIT.

I NEED TO DO THIS, AND I NEED TO
DO IT NOW BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE.

BUT THE FIRST THING I NEED TO DO
IS GET SOMETHING TO EAT.

I DON'T KNOW HOW ELSE TO DEAL
WITH HOW MY ANXIETY IS BUILDING,

AND I'M STARVING.

SO I REALLY NEED SOMETHING GOOD
TO HOLD ME OVER FOR A BIT,

BECAUSE I'M HOPING TO MAKE IT
A WAYS BEFORE WE STOP AGAIN.

YOU WANT YOUR FRIES NOW?MM-HMM.

KETCHUP.

MY PLAN IS TO TRY
AND GO 4 1/2 HOURS TODAY

AND THEN 4 1/2 HOURS TOMORROW,
BUT I'M JUST NOT SURE

HOW I'M GONNA EVEN HANDLE ONE
HOUR ON THE ROAD AT THIS POINT.

I JUST HOPE
IT'S NOT TOO HARD ON ME

AND I'M ABLE TO MAKE IT
TO DR. NOW IN TIME.

I NEED TO STOP AND GET SOME
FOOD, TAKE IT TO THE HOTEL...

GOOD IDEA.

...'CAUSE I JUST CAN'T BE
IN THIS CAR ANYMORE.

WE'VE JUST ABOUT MADE IT
TO THE HALFWAY POINT TO HOUSTON

AND AS FAR AS I WAS HOPING
TO GO TODAY,

AND ALL I WANT TO DO IS GET
SOMETHING TO EAT AND REST.

SO ONCE WE GET SOME FOOD,
WE'RE DONE FOR THE DAY

BECAUSE MY WHOLE BODY
IS IN A LOT OF PAIN,

ESPECIALLY MY BACK, LEGS,
AND KNEES,

AND I'VE NEVER REALLY PUT
THOSE PARTS OF MY BODY

THROUGH ANYTHING LIKE THIS.

SO THE PAIN WITH THEM
IS AGONIZING,

AND I'M DONE FOR THE DAY.

MY KNEE.

I KNOW WITH HOW BAD I FEEL THAT
TOMORROW'S GONNA BE EVEN HARDER,

AND THAT SCARES ME,

SO I'M FEELING
REALLY OVERWHELMED RIGHT NOW.

THIS IS JUST A LOT.

I KNEW IT WOULD BE.

BUT I'M STRUGGLING EVEN MORE
THAN I WAS WORRIED ABOUT.

OH, GEEZ.

AND WHAT I NEED TO FEEL BETTER
IS FOOD, BUT THAT'S THE PROBLEM.

SO IT'S MOMENTS LIKE THESE

THAT I FEEL LIKE I'M FIGHTING
A LOSING BATTLE.

YOU ALRIGHT?I'M OKAY.

I'M JUST UPSET.WHY?

I'M NOT GONNA TALK
ABOUT IT.

I'M JUST UPSET.

OKAY.

SO I JUST NEED TO EAT
AND GO TO BED,

AND HOPEFULLY TOMORROW
WILL BE A BETTER DAY.

ZOWIE,
DO YOU WANT YOUR FOOD?

ARE YOU HUNGRY?Zowie: YEAH.

I JUST HOPE I CAN MAKE IT THERE,
'CAUSE NO MATTER WHAT IT TAKES,

I HAVE TO GET TO HOUSTON
TO SEE DR. NOW.

I JUST REALLY HOPE HE HELPS
AND THIS IS ALL WORTH IT.

WE'VE MADE IT TO HOUSTON,

AND I'M JUST TRYING
TO HOLD IT TOGETHER.

BECAUSE OF MY PAIN AND NERVES
ABOUT SEEING DR. NOW,

I FEEL LIKE I'M GONNA HAVE
A PANIC ATTACK.

MY WHOLE BODY
IS IN SO MUCH PAIN,

MORE THAN IT HAS BEEN
IN A LONG TIME.

BUT I'M TRYING NOT TO EVEN
THINK ABOUT THAT RIGHT NOW,

BECAUSE I ALREADY HAVE
ENOUGH STRESSING ME OUT

WITH THE FACT THAT I'M ABOUT
TO FIND OUT MY CURRENT WEIGHT

AND THEN FIND OUT IF DR. NOW

IS EVEN GONNA BE ABLE
TO HELP ME OR NOT.

BETHANY.

IF I GET THE CHANCE
TO TURN MY LIFE AROUND,

THEN I HAVE HOPE.

BUT IF DR. NOW TELLS ME
HE CAN'T HELP ME,

THEN I HAVE NOTHING LEFT,
NO FUTURE OR CHANCE OR ANYTHING.

SO THE REST OF MY LIFE
AND EVERYTHING

ALL DEPENDS ON WHAT'S ABOUT
TO HAPPEN RIGHT NOW,

SO I'M TERRIFIED.

Bethany: I'M AT DR. NOW'S
FOR MY FIRST APPOINTMENT,

AND I REALLY DON'T WANT
TO FIND OUT WHAT I WEIGH NOW.

I JUST HOPE
IT'S NOT A SHOCKING NUMBER

THAT'S A LOT HIGHER
THAN I THOUGHT IT'D BE.

I KIND OF KNEW
I WAS PROBABLY IN THE 600s,

BUT IT'S STILL HARD TO SEE.

AND I'M EMBARRASSED THAT SHELDON
AND ZOWIE SAW THAT NUMBER,

BECAUSE THIS FEELS LIKE
IT MAKES IT REALER

TO MY WHOLE FAMILY FOR ME.

I'M JUST REALLY UPSET THAT
I LET MYSELF GET THIS BAD.

I'M NOT REALLY SURE WHAT
DR. NOWZARADAN IS GONNA SAY.

I MEAN, I HOPE THAT HE SAYS
THAT HE CAN HELP ME

AND THAT HE GIVES ME A CHANCE,
BECAUSE WITHOUT IT,

I DON'T KNOW
WHAT I'M GONNA DO.

HELLO.

HI.Zowie: HI.

HOW Y'ALL DOING?I'M GOOD. HOW ARE YOU?

ALRIGHT.
I'M DR. NOWZARADAN.

I'M BETHANY.NICE TO MEET YOU.

AND THIS YOUNG LADY?

I'M ZOWIE.NICE TO MEET YOU.

NICE TO MEET YOU.SHELDON.

NICE TO MEET YOU, TOO.

ALRIGHT.
WHERE Y'ALL COMING FROM?

OKLAHOMA.

OKLAHOMA.

THAT'S NOT TOO BAD
A DRIVE HERE.

SO WHAT BROUGHT YOU DOWN
TO HOUSTON?

YOU WANT TO LOSE
SOME WEIGHT?

YEAH.
I KNOW I REALLY NEED TO.

I'VE JUST KIND OF GOTTEN
TO THE POINT

THAT I CAN'T
DO ANYTHING ANYMORE.

I CAN'T STAND FOR VERY LONG.
I CAN'T WALK FOR VERY LONG.

EVERYTHING JUST HURTS NOW.

ALRIGHT. SO, HOW DID YOU
GET TO THIS POINT?

TELL ME WHAT'S WRONG
WITH YOUR EATING HABITS.

I EAT ALL THE TIME.

I EAT ALL DAY LONG AND EAT STUFF
I SHOULDN'T EAT,

LIKE JUNK FOOD AND SWEETS AND
ICE CREAM AND STUFF LIKE THAT.

WELL,
WHAT YOU'RE TELLING ME

IS YOU KNOW
YOU'RE DOING SOMETHING WRONG,

BUT YOU KEEP DOING IT.I KEEP DOING IT.

SO WHY IS THAT, THEN?

IT'S REALLY BECOME, LIKE,

THE WAY THAT I COPE
WITH DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY.

WHENEVER I EAT, I FEEL COMFORT,
SO WHEN I GET ANXIOUS,

WHICH HAPPENS A LOT,
THEN I WANT TO EAT.

SO YOU HAVE ANXIETY, YOU EAT,
YOU FEEL BETTER?

WELL, I MEAN, IT'S JUST KIND OF
A VICIOUS CYCLE

WHERE I FEEL BAD,
AND THEN --

BUT I FEEL GOOD
WHENEVER I EAT,

SO I'LL DO IT AGAIN AND AGAIN,
OVER AND OVER.

YOU FEEL LIKE
YOU'RE A COMPULSIVE EATER,

AND YOU CONVINCE YOURSELF
THAT YOU'RE ANXIOUS

AND YOU SHOULD EAT.

THAT'S NOT GONNA WORK FOR YOU,

AND IT SEEMS TO ME,
FROM WHAT YOU'RE SAYING,

YOU'RE JUST LOOKING
FOR A MAGIC SOLUTION.

NO, I'M NOT.

I'M HERE TO GET HELP
TO CHANGE THAT.

OKAY.

WELL, SURGERY IS GONNA TAKE AWAY
THE PHYSICAL...TO EAT,

BUT THERE IS
AN EMOTIONAL COMPONENT

THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED,
AS WELL.

OKAY.BUT IF YOU DON'T DO THAT,

IT'S ONLY GONNA BUY YOU
A SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME

BEFORE YOU CONTINUE TO GAIN
OR STRETCH YOUR STOMACH BACK OUT

TO UNDO YOUR SURGERY.

AND SO SURGERY
IS FAR FROM A QUICK FIX.

I GET THAT.

I HOPE SO.

SO WHO ELSE
IS IN THE HOUSEHOLD?

MY HUSBAND, ZOWIE, AND THEN
I HAVE ANOTHER DAUGHTER,

ISABELLA, WHO'S 18.

SHE COULDN'T BE HERE TODAY.

SO, DOES SHE HAVE
ANY WEIGHT PROBLEM?

SHE'S OVERWEIGHT.

SHE'S NOT AS HEAVY AS I AM,

BUT SHE HAS
SOME WEIGHT PROBLEMS, TOO.

AND YOUR YOUNGEST ONE, ALSO,
IS FACING SOME OF THAT, TOO.

YES.

BUT YOUR HUSBAND DOESN'T SEEM
TO HAVE A WEIGHT PROBLEM.

NO.
HE'S NEVER HAD A WEIGHT PROBLEM.

ALRIGHT.

WELL, DOES HE BRING YOU
HEALTHY FOOD?

NO.
ALRIGHT.

THEN IF THAT'S TRUE, YOU HAVE
CREATED AN UNHEALTHY DYNAMIC

WITH YOUR KIDS WHERE THEY'RE
EITHER ENABLING YOU

OR YOU INFLUENCE THEM.

EITHER WAY, IF YOU WANT
A DIRECTION CHANGE

FOR YOUR WHOLE FAMILY,

THEN IT NEEDS TO START WITH YOU,
AND IT NEEDS TO START NOW.

OKAY.

SO I'M GONNA PUT YOU
ON A 1,200-CALORIE-A-DAY

HIGH-PROTEIN
AND LOW-CARB DIET,

AND IT'S GONNA CUT YOUR EATING
BACK TO ONLY THREE TIMES A DAY.

OKAY.WHATEVER YOU EAT FOR 20 MINUTES.

THAT'S IT.
OKAY.

AND THEN I WANT YOU
TO PAY ATTENTION

FOR THE CALORIE CONTENT
OF WHAT YOU'RE EATING,

AND, ALSO, I WANT YOU
TO PAY ATTENTION

FOR THE TYPE OF FOOD
YOU'RE EATING.

OKAY.

AND THERE IS A LIST OF FOOD IN
THERE THAT YOU NEED TO AVOID.

OKAY.

IF YOU FOLLOW THIS DIET
THAT YOU NEED,

YOU SHOULD BE EASILY ABLE
TO LOSE 60 POUNDS

OVER THE NEXT TWO MONTHS.

HOW MUCH YOU CAN WALK
BEFORE YOU GET SHORT OF BREATH?

I MEAN, JUST LIKE, YOU KNOW,
15, 20 STEPS.

IT'S NOT VERY FAR ANYMORE.OKAY.

THAT'S ENOUGH TO START
EXERCISING LIKE YOU NEED.

SO I'M GONNA GIVE YOU SOME
EXERCISES TO START, TOO, OKAY?

OKAY.

BUT ALL I WANT FROM YOU
RIGHT NOW IS TO SHOW ME

THAT YOU CAN TAKE BACK
SOME CONTROL RIGHT NOW

AND THAT YOU'RE CAPABLE AND
WILLING TO DO THAT WORK, OKAY?

OKAY.

THEN WE CAN WORK WITH YOU
AND HELP YOU.

YOU THINK YOU CAN DO THAT?

YEAH. I THINK IT'S SOMETHING
I CAN DO.

I MEAN, I HAVE EXPERIENCE
WITH THAT

BECAUSE I USED TO BE
A COUNSELOR.

I DID ADDICTION COUNSELING,
SO DRUG AND ALCOHOL COUNSELING.

THAT'S GOOD EXAMPLE OF IRONY,

BECAUSE FOOD ADDICTION
AND ALCOHOL PRETTY THE SAME,

AND YOU WERE JUST COUNSELING
OTHER PEOPLE NOT TO DO IT,

AND YOU WERE DOING IT
YOURSELF.

YEAH, I WAS KIND OF
ONE OF THOSE

"PRACTICE WHAT I SAY,
NOT WHAT I DO" KIND OF THINGS.

LIKE THOSE PREACHERS THAT
THEY DO EVERYTHING WRONG,

AND THEY KEEP PREACHING
FOR THE PEOPLE, HUH?

MM-HMM.ALRIGHT. ANY QUESTIONS?

I DON'T THINK SO.

WELL, IF YOU THINK OF ANYTHING

OR IF YOU NEED ANYTHING,
LET ME KNOW.

OKAY.
ALRIGHT.

I'LL SEE YOU IN TWO MONTHS,

WHERE YOU HOPEFULLY HAVE LOST
60 POUNDS THEN.

I WILL.

ALRIGHT, NICE TO MEET YOU.IT'S NICE TO MEET YOU.

ALRIGHT.NICE TO MEET YOU.

ALRIGHT.THANK YOU, SIR.

I'LL SEE Y'ALL LATER, OKAY?YES, SIR.

ALRIGHT.
Y'ALL TAKE CARE.

YOU TOO.

THERE ARE A NUMBER OF FACTORS

THAT HAVE ME CONCERNED
ABOUT BETHANY RIGHT NOW,

THE BIGGEST BEING
THAT SHE SEEMS TO THINK

THAT THERE IS A MAGIC SOLUTION
OUT THERE

THAT IS GOING TO FIX HER WEIGHT
PROBLEM AND HEALTH ISSUES.

AND IF THAT'S THE CASE,
THERE'S NOT GONNA BE MUCH

WE CAN DO TO HELP HER.

BUT HOPEFULLY
SHE DECIDES TO START

MAKING THE CHOICES SHE NEEDS
AND DO THE HARD WORK

THAT IT'S GONNA TAKE
TO TURN HER SITUATION AROUND.

AND IF SHE DOES THAT AND HITS
HER WEIGHT-LOSS GOAL,

THEN WE WILL MOVE AHEAD
WITH THE NEXT STEP

OF WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY FOR HER.

BUT RIGHT NOW,
THE FOCUS IS ON HER ABILITY

TO TAKE THIS FIRST STEP

BY CHOOSING TO START TAKING
CONTROL OF HER SITUATION,

TO MAKE THIS CHOICE
TO START THIS PROCESS,

OR THERE WON'T BE ANYTHING
WE CAN DO TO HELP HER.

I'M FEELING EXCITED THAT
IT SOUNDS LIKE DR. NOWZARADAN

IS WILLING TO TRY TO HELP ME,

BUT I'M ALSO NERVOUS
ABOUT ALL THE HARD WORK

THAT I'M GONNA HAVE
TO PUT INTO THIS

AND ALL THE THINGS
I'M GONNA HAVE TO CHANGE.

AND I KNOW NONE OF THAT'S
GONNA BE EASY TO DO,

BUT I ALSO KNOW I HAVE TO DO IT
BECAUSE IF I DON'T,

THEN I FEEL LIKE I'M GOING
TO NOT BE HERE MUCH LONGER,

AND I CAN'T LET THAT HAPPEN.

SO NO MATTER WHAT,
I'M GONNA DO THIS.

IT'S BEEN ONE MONTH SINCE I SAW
DR. NOW AND CAME BACK HOME

AND STARTING TO MAKE THE CHANGES

I NEED TO COMPLY WITH DR. NOW'S
DIET AND EXERCISE ROUTINE.

SO I'VE BEEN FOCUSING ON PROTEIN
AND LOW-CALORIE FOODS...

...AND DOING SOME OF
THE MEAL PLANS IN DR. NOW'S DIET

THAT PORTION OUT
400-CALORIE MEALS.

BUT IT'S BEEN
A BIG ADJUSTMENT,

BECAUSE THEY DON'T TASTE
NEAR AS GOOD AS I'D LIKE,

SO I'M JUST TRYING
DIFFERENT MEALS

AND DIFFERENT OPTIONS TO SEE
WHAT I CAN FIND THAT I LIKE.

BUT SO FAR,
MOST OF IT'S PRETTY BLAND.

BUT WHAT I'VE ENJOYED MOST
ABOUT THESE MEALS

IS SPENDING TIME WITH ZOWIE,

BECAUSE SHE'S BEEN MY LITTLE
HELPER IN THE KITCHEN.

Bethany: DID YOU HAVE A GOOD DAY
AT SCHOOL TODAY?

Zowie: MM-HMM.WHAT ARE YOU LEARNING ABOUT?

LEARNING THE SCIENCE METHOD.

THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD?MM-HMM.

I'VE BEEN TRYING TO DO
ALL THE COOKING MYSELF

BECAUSE I DON'T WANT
TO KEEP FORCING ISABELLA

TO DO EVERYTHING.

AND SHE'S GRADUATING
HIGH SCHOOL SOON,

AND I WANT HER
TO START FOCUSING ON COLLEGE.

AND I KNOW IF SHE FEELS LIKE SHE
NEEDS TO STAY HERE AND HELP ME,

THEN SHE WON'T GO,

AND I DON'T WANT TO CAUSE HER
TO MISS OUT.

I NEED TO START DOING THINGS
ON MY OWN AGAIN,

AND I'M STARTING
WITH COOKING MY OWN MEALS.

THANK YOU FOR HELPING ME.

Zowie:
BELLA! BELLA!

ZOWIE.HI.

HI.
HEY, BELLA.

IT SMELLS GOOD IN HERE.

I'M MAKING CHICKEN
AND VEGETABLES.

YEAH. WITH GARLIC.

GARLIC?MM-HMM.

IT SMELLS GOOD.I WANT TO HELP.

YOU WANT TO HELP
MAKE PLATES?

YOU STAY HERE.

OKAY, I'LL STAY HERE.YOU JUST WATCH THE MAGIC, GIRL.

YOU GONNA PAMPER ME?

I'M STILL TOO SORE
TO DO MUCH OF THE EXERCISES

THAT DR. NOW GAVE ME,

BUT I'M HOPING
TO START DOING THOSE SOON.

RIGHT NOW, MY FOCUS
HAS MAINLY BEEN ON TRYING

TO ADJUST TO THE DIET
AS MUCH AS I CAN.

AND I THINK I'VE BEEN DOING WELL
WITH IT ALL

AND I'M MAKING SOME PROGRESS.

I JUST HOPE
IT'S AS ENOUGH AS I NEED.

BUT I GUESS I'LL FIND OUT
NEXT MONTH

WHEN I GO BACK
TO SEE DR. NOW.

ME AND SHELDON
ARE BACK IN HOUSTON

FOR MY NEXT APPOINTMENT,

AND THIS SECOND DRIVE DOWN

WAS ALMOST AS HARD
AS THE FIRST TIME.

SO I'M IN A LOT OF PAIN,
AND I'M MISERABLE RIGHT NOW.

BETHANY.

BUT I'M REALLY NERVOUS
TO BE BACK HERE

AND FIND OUT
WHAT PROGRESS I MADE.

DR. NOW
SAID I CAN'T GET SURGERY

UNLESS I HIT THE WEIGHT-LOSS
GOAL HE GAVE ME.

AND IF I DIDN'T, I DON'T KNOW
WHAT THAT'S GONNA MEAN

EXCEPT THAT I'M PROBABLY
NOT GETTING SURGERY.

SO I JUST REALLY HOPE
THAT MY PROGRESS IS ENOUGH.

Bethany: ME AND SHELDON
ARE BACK AT DR. NOW'S

FOR MY FOLLOW-UP APPOINTMENT

AND TO HOPEFULLY SHOW HIM

THAT I'M READY
FOR WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY.

AT MY LAST APPOINTMENT,
I WAS 608 POUNDS,

AND I HAD TO LOSE 60
OVER THE LAST TWO MONTHS

TO GET DOWN BELOW 548
FOR MY GOAL.

SO I'M JUST REALLY HOPING
THAT I MADE IT UNDER THAT

AND GOT TO WHERE
I'M SUPPOSED TO BE.

THAT'S A LITTLE DISHEARTENING.

I GUESS I'M JUST REALLY UPSET
THAT I DIDN'T MAKE MY GOAL.

I WANT TO BE ABLE TO DO
THE PROGRAM

AND GET THE SURGERY,
SO NOT MAKING THE GOAL MEANS

THAT I MIGHT NOT GET TO DO THAT,
SO IT'S JUST DISAPPOINTING.

I'M JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT,
LIKE, WHAT ELSE I COULD BE DOING

'CAUSE I FEEL LIKE
I HAVEN'T EATEN

HARDLY ANYTHING
FOR THE LAST TWO MONTHS,

S I CAN'T IMAGINE,
LIKE, NOT EATING

EVEN MORE THAN WHAT
I'VE ALREADY CUT BACK,

AND I'M SCARED THAT DR. NOW'S
GONNA BE UPSET WITH ME.

HELLO.

HI.HELLO.

HOW Y'ALL DOING?

GOOD. HOW ARE YOU?

I'M DOING GOOD.
THANK YOU.

ALRIGHT.
HOW WAS THE TRIP THIS TIME?

IT'S STILL A LONG TRIP.

A LONG TRIP.LOTS OF DRIVING.

WELL, THE TRIP IS NOT GONNA
GET ANY EASIER

IF YOU'RE NOT LOSING
MUCH WEIGHT,

BECAUSE I SEE
YOU ONLY LOST 14 POUNDS,

WHICH IS NOWHERE
NEAR YOUR GOAL.

SO WHAT THAT MEANS TO ME

IS THAT YOU MAY HAVE MADE
SOME SMALL CHANGES,

BUT YOU'RE STILL HOPING
FOR A MAGIC SOLUTION

SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO
ANY OF THE REALLY HARD WORK.

THAT'S NOT TRUE.

I'VE MADE A LOT OF CHANGES,
AND I'M WORKING HARD.

AND I KNOW I'VE STAYED
WITHIN THE 1,200 CALORIES,

AND I'M DOING WHAT I SHOULD
EVEN THOUGH IT'S HARD,

BUT I HAVEN'T CHEATED.

I'VE STUCK TO IT COMPLETELY
FOR THE LAST COUPLE MONTHS.

THAT ALL SOUNDS GREAT,
BUT IF THAT WERE ACCURATE,

YOU WOULD HAVE LOST A LOT MORE
THAN YOU DID

OVER THE PAST TWO MONTHS.

SO YOU'RE EITHER STILL
OVEREATING WITH YOUR MEALS

OR SNACKING ALL DAY OR BOTH,

AND YOU'RE STILL NOT IN CONTROL
LIKE YOU NEED TO BE.

AND UNTIL THAT CHANGES, THERE'S
NOTHING MORE WE CAN DO FOR YOU.

DO YOU UNDERSTAND THAT?

OKAY, BUT I REALLY AM
EATING HEALTHY.

OKAY. SO, RIGHT NOW,
WHAT YOU'RE EATING

FOR BREAKFAST,
LUNCH, AND DINNER?

FOR BREAKFAST, I DO
KIND OF LIKE A PROTEIN BAR,

AND THEN FOR LUNCH,
I DO A PROTEIN BAR

AND USUALLY, LIKE, MAYBE SOME
CHEESE OR SOMETHING WITH IT.

OKAY, BUT I WANT TO GET AWAY
FROM THAT PROTEIN BAR, OKAY?

THAT'S NOT THE HEALTHY.OKAY.

I WANT YOU TO STICK
TO NORMAL FOOD.

OKAY.SO FOR DINNER?

WE USUALLY MAKE SOMETHING
HEALTHY FOR DINNER,

LIKE I'LL HAVE --

LIKE THE OTHER DAY,

WE MADE CHICKEN WITH ZUCCHINI
AND SQUASH.

ONE DAY,
WE MADE CHICKEN AND SALAD.

MM-HMM. OKAY.

YOU'RE NOT REALLY BEING HONEST
WITH ME OR YOURSELF.

YOU'RE EATING MORE
THAN YOU'RE ADMITTING.

SO YOU ARE EITHER PLAYING GAMES
WITH ME OR YOURSELF.

AND UNTIL YOU MAKE
THE CHOICES YOU NEED,

THEN THERE'S NO WAY
YOU'RE GONNA BE ABLE

TO TURN YOUR SITUATION AROUND
AND GET BETTER.

AND YOU NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT,
OKAY?

OKAY.

I KNOW I'VE STAYED
WITHIN THE 1,200 CALORIES,

BUT MAYBE THE PROTEIN BARS
I HAD

HAD TOO MANY CARBS
OR SOMETHING.

YEAH.
THOSE ARE COMMERCIAL THINGS.

THEY DON'T LABEL THEM CORRECTLY,
AND YOU GET MISLED WITH THEM.

SO IT'S NOT UNDER 1,200 CALORIES
NO MATTER WHAT YOU THINK.

YOU GOT THAT?
YEAH. OKAY.

ALRIGHT.

SO, I'LL GIVE YOU TWO MORE
MONTHS TO LOSE 60 POUNDS

AND HIT THE GOAL
I GAVE YOU.

YOU THINK YOU CAN DO THAT?

WELL, I MEAN, I GUESS
IF I WERE TO LOSE THAT,

THEN MAYBE I'D BE ABLE
TO HAVE SURGERY.

WELL, IF YOU START
TAKING RESPONSIBILITY

FOR YOUR SITUATION

AND HIT THIS GOAL
BY YOUR NEXT APPOINTMENT,

THEN WE'LL GO FROM THERE.

OKAY.
ALRIGHT.

ANY QUESTIONS?

NO.

ALRIGHT.
I'LL SEE YOU IN TWO MONTHS.

THANKS.THANK YOU, SIR.

ALRIGHT.
TAKE CARE.

YOU TOO.

I'M DISAPPOINTED TO SEE
THAT BETHANY IS STILL CHOOSING

TO CONTINUE LIVING
IN THE FALSE HOPE

THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE
AN EASY FIX OR MAGICAL SOLUTION

TO SAVE HER
FROM HER SITUATION.

AND UNLESS THAT CHANGES,
THERE'S NOT MUCH WE CAN DO

TO HELP HER UNTIL SHE TAKES
RESPONSIBILITY LIKE SHE NEEDS.

BUT IF SHE DOESN'T SHOW THAT
INTENT AND DESIRE TO CHANGE,

THEN WE WON'T BE MOVING FORWARD

OR CONSIDER ANY WEIGHT-LOSS
SURGERY WITH HER.

Bethany: I'M VERY THANKFUL
THAT ONCE AGAIN,

I HAVE A CHANCE TO SHOW DR. NOW
I CAN DO THIS.

BUT AT THE SAME TIME,

IT'S DAUNTING TO THINK ABOUT
HAVING TO GO BACK HOME

AND NOT ONLY DO THIS
ALL OVER AGAIN,

BUT DO EVEN MORE THIS TIME.

SO IT'S JUST MUCH SCARIER
THIS TIME,

BECAUSE I KNOW THAT I'M PROBABLY
OUT OF CHANCES AFTER THIS,

AND THERE'S NO
MARGIN OF ERROR NOW.

SO I EITHER DO IT
OR I DON'T AND FAIL,

AND I CAN'T LET THAT HAPPEN.

THIS PAST MONTH
HAS BEEN A BIG ADJUSTMENT.

OVER THE LAST MONTH, I'VE TAKEN
A NO-HOLDS-BARRED APPROACH

TO KEEPING MYSELF TO DR. NOW'S
DIET AND EXERCISE PLAN,

BECAUSE I KNOW HOW IMPORTANT
IT IS TO DO THIS THIS TIME.

COULD YOU ALSO GET ME
A BOTTLE OF WATER?

MM-HMM.
OKAY.

THANK YOU.

SO WHATEVER IT TAKES FOR ME
TO DO IT, I'M DOING IT.

THE FIRST THING I DID WAS
I GOT RID OF ALL THE JUNK FOOD

AND TEMPTATIONS IN THE HOUSE.

BUT DOING THIS AND MAKING
THE CHANGES I NEED THIS TIME

HAS NOT BEEN EASY AT ALL,
AND I STILL HAVE WORK TO DO.

Bethany: PHEW.
I THINK I'M DONE.

Isabella: ME TOO.

I WAS TRYING TO DECIDE
WHAT I WANTED TO DO

FOR SOME EXERCISE TODAY.

I'M DOING BETTER SO FAR
THAN LAST TIME.

I'M ALSO WORKING HARD
TO BE ACTIVE

AND KEEP UP WITH THE EXERCISES
I'M SUPPOSED TO DO EVERY DAY.

I KNOW IT'S KIND OF HOT OUTSIDE,

BUT I WAS THINKING MAYBE JUST
DO LIKE A 10-MINUTE WALK.

I'VE REALLY ONLY BEEN ABLE
TO DO LIKE FIVE BEFORE,

BUT MAYBE
I'LL TRY TO DO 10 TODAY,

SINCE IT'S BEEN
ABOUT A WEEK OR SO.

MAKE SURE YOU BRING SOME WATER.
IT'S HOT.

I KNOW
IT'S HOT OUT THERE.

SO, I SEE WAYS
I'M GETTING BETTER,

BUT I'M NOT WHERE
I NEED TO BE YET.

MY PROGRESS IS SLOW,
BUT STEADY,

AND I'M GETTING BETTER
EVERY DAY,

AND THAT'S PROGRESS
I'M HAPPY ABOUT.

HEY.
STARTING MY 10 MINUTES.

OKAY.

AND I FEEL LIKE I HAVE
MORE ENERGY

THAN I'VE HAD
IN A LONG TIME.

PHEW.
IT'S HOT OUT HERE.

I STARTED WITH A ONE-MINUTE WALK
TWICE A DAY,

BUT NOW I'M UP TO THREE
10-MINUTE WALKS A DAY,

AND THAT'S A HUGE INCREASE.

SO I'M REALLY PROUD OF MYSELF,
AND ISABELLA IS, TOO.

SO I'M FEELING REALLY GOOD AND A
LOT MORE CONFIDENT THIS TIME

THAT I'M ON TRACK
AND HEADED WHERE I NEED TO BE.

BUT ULTIMATELY, I WON'T KNOW
IF IT'S ENOUGH

UNTIL MY NEXT APPOINTMENT,

SO UNTIL THEN, I'M GONNA KEEP
WORKING AS HARD AS I CAN,

BECAUSE I KNOW HOW IMPORTANT
IT IS I DO THIS.

MY WHOLE FUTURE AND EVERYTHING
I WANT FOR MY LIFE

IS ALL GONNA COME DOWN
TO GETTING THIS SURGERY.

SO THIS IS LIFE OR DEATH FOR ME,
AND I HAVE TO DO THIS NOW.

Bethany: ME AND SHELDON
ARE BACK AT DR. NOW'S

FOR MY THIRD APPOINTMENT,
AND I'M REALLY HOPING

THAT THIS ONE GOES BETTER
THAN THE LAST ONE.

BUT I'M EXTREMELY NERVOUS
ABOUT STEPPING ON THE SCALE

AND SEEING MY PROGRESS.

BETHANY?

AT MY LAST APPOINTMENT,
I WAS DOWN TO 594,

AND DR. NOW
SAID I HAD TO LOSE 60 POUNDS

OVER THE LAST TWO MONTHS AGAIN.

SO THAT MEANS I HAD TO BE BELOW
543 TODAY,

AND I'M REALLY, REALLY HOPING
I DID THAT.

THAT'S PRETTY GOOD.PRETTY GOOD.

I DID SO MUCH BETTER THIS TIME.

I'M REALLY RELIEVED AND PROUD
OF MYSELF FOR THAT LOSS,

AND I'M HOPING
IT'S CLOSE ENOUGH TO THE GOAL

FOR DR. NOW TO SEE HOW SERIOUS
I AM ABOUT SURGERY

AND HOW BAD I WANT IT

AND THAT I'M TAKING CONTROL
LIKE HE WANTED.

BUT IF HE DOESN'T,
I DON'T KNOW WHAT MORE I CAN DO,

AND I'M JUST REALLY HOPING
I'M GONNA GET APPROVED TODAY.

HELLO.
HI.

HOW Y'ALL DOING?GOOD. HOW ARE YOU?

GOOD.

ALRIGHT, SO,
TODAY YOU ARE DOWN TO 539.

YES.

SO YOU LOST 55 POUNDS
IN THE LAST TWO MONTHS.

WELL, I'M PROUD OF YOU

FOR WORKING TO START
TAKING CONTROL OF YOUR SITUATION

AND THE CHOICES YOU NEED.

THAT'S AN ENCOURAGING CHANGE
WITH YOU.

SO, YOU'RE FEELING
A LOT BETTER?

YEAH, I THINK SO.

HOW'S YOUR STAMINA?

WAS YOUR DRIVE DOWN TO HOUSTON
BETTER?

YES. IT WAS A LOT EASIER
GETTING HERE,

AND I CAN GET HERE
IN LESS THAN A DAY NOW.

GREAT. HOW ABOUT YOUR STAMINA
WITH OTHER THINGS?

HAS THESE BEEN AN IMPROVEMENT?

YEAH. I'VE BEEN ABLE
TO DO A LOT MORE

AND BE ABLE TO GET OUT
OF THE HOUSE AND GO DO THINGS.

THAT'S GREAT.

WELL, SINCE YOU DID THAT,
THEN WE'RE GONNA APPROVE YOU

FOR WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY.

REALLY?
OKAY?

SO EXCITED.

ALRIGHT, SO, I'M GONNA SET YOU
FOR NEXT MONTH. OKAY?

OKAY.

ALRIGHT.
SO, IN THE MEANTIME,

I WANT YOU TO CONTINUE
LOSING WEIGHT

AND STICK WITH YOUR DIET
AND LOSE ANOTHER 30 MORE POUNDS.

OKAY?
OKAY.

IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO DO THIS,

BECAUSE IF YOU DON'T,
BY THE DAY OF YOUR SURGERY,

WE WON'T MOVE AHEAD.

BECAUSE YOU NEED TO SHOW ME
YOU'RE STICKING WITH THIS, OKAY?

OKAY.AND AFTER SURGERY,

YOU'RE GONNA NEED
TO STAY IN HOUSTON

FOR AT LEAST A MONTH
BEFORE YOU GO BACK HOME

SO I CAN KEEP AN EYE ON YOU
UNTIL YOU'VE FULLY RECOVERED.

OKAY?
OKAY.

GREAT. SO, ANY QUESTION
REGARDING SURGERY?

WHICH KIND OF SURGERY
WILL I HAVE?

I THINK A SLEEVE GASTRECTOMY

IS GOING TO BE
BEST OPERATION FOR YOU.

OKAY.

BUT IT'S NOT GONNA SOLVE
ALL YOUR PROBLEM

AND FIX YOUR DRIVE TO EAT.

SO YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO COMMIT
TO START PSYCHOTHERAPY

AFTER YOU RECOVER FROM SURGERY
TO START TO DEAL

WITH THOSE ISSUES THAT AREN'T
PHYSICAL THAT DRIVE YOU TO EAT

IF YOU'RE GONNA HAVE A CHANCE TO
BE SUCCESSFUL IN THE LONG RUN.

THAT WORK FOR YOU?

YES.
ALRIGHT, GOOD.

JUST KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK,
AND I WILL SEE YOU SOON.

OKAY.
ALRIGHT.

THANK YOU.THANK YOU, SIR.

ALRIGHT.
WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT MONTH.

OKAY.

Dr. Now: I'M VERY HAPPY TO SEE
A TURNAROUND IN BETHANY

AND THAT SHE HAS
A WILLINGNESS NOW

TO START TAKING SOME OWNERSHIP
OF HER LIFE

AND ACCEPT THAT THIS ALL HAD
TO START

WITH HER DOING THE WORK
SHE NEED

TO TURN HER LIFE AROUND,

INSTEAD OF CONTINUING
TO PUT HER HOPE IN THE MAGIC FIX

SHE'S BEEN WAITING FOR.

SO RIGHT NOW,
I'M ENCOURAGED AT HER PROGRESS.

AND IF SHE CONTINUE TO LOSE WHAT
SHE NEEDS OVER THE NEXT MONTH,

WE WILL TAKE THE NEXT STEP OF
GIVING HER WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY.

BUT EVEN THOUGH SHE'S MAKING
A POSITIVE MOVE

IN THE DIRECTION SHE NEEDS,

THERE ARE SOME CORE ISSUES
BEHIND HER PATHOLOGICAL EATING

THAT SHE HAS TO LEARN
TO COPE WITH IN HEALTHIER WAYS

IF SHE'S GONNA HAVE A CHANCE
AT SUCCEEDING IN THE LONG RUN.

BUT AT LEAST RIGHT NOW,
SHE HAS MADE THE EFFORT

TO GIVE US A FOUNDATION
THAT WE CAN BUILD ON,

AS LONG AS SHE CONTINUES
THE DIRECTION SHE'S GOING

AND WORKING HARD
TO DO WHAT SHE NEEDS.

Bethany:
I'M REALLY EXCITED, AND I CAN'T
WAIT TO TELL ISABELLA AND ZOWIE,

BECAUSE I KNOW THEY'RE GONNA BE
JUST AS EXCITED AS I AM

THAT I DID IT.

I WISH MY SURGERY WAS SOONER

AND THAT I DIDN'T HAVE
TO WAIT A MONTH

TO HIT ANOTHER WEIGHT-LOSS GOAL.

BUT IF THAT'S
WHAT IT'S GONNA TAKE,

THEN I'LL KEEP AT IT AND DO IT,
BECAUSE GETTING THIS SURGERY

IS ONE OF
THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS

I CAN DO FOR MY LIFE
AND MY FAMILY'S LIFE.

AND JUST LIKE
THESE LAST TWO MONTHS,

I'LL DO WHATEVER IT TAKES
TO MAKE SURE IT HAPPENS.

I'M HERE AT THE HOSPITAL
FOR MY WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY.

EARLIER, DR. NOW CAME IN
TO CHECK MY WEIGHT

TO SEE IF I'D HIT
THE 30-POUND WEIGHT-LOSS GOAL,

AND I LOST 25 POUNDS,
AND I'M DOWN TO 514.

AND HE TOLD ME
I WAS CLOSE ENOUGH,

SO HE'S WILLING TO MOVE AHEAD
WITH MY SURGERY TODAY.

YOU GOT THIS.I KNOW.

IT'S JUST...

YOU GO BACK, YOU'RE GONNA GO TO
SLEEP, THEY'RE GONNA FIX YOU UP,

YOU'RE GONNA COME OUT,
YOU'RE GONNA WAKE UP --

EVERYTHING'S GONNA BE GOOD.OKAY.

YOU WANT TO GIVE HIM
YOUR GLASSES?

Bethany: I DON'T HAVE A FUTURE
WITH MY DAUGHTERS

AND MY HUSBAND WITHOUT THIS,

SO I SEE THIS SURGERY TODAY
AS KIND OF A REBIRTH FOR ME,

WHERE I'M STARTING A NEW LIFE

WITH A CHANCE TO HAVE EVERYTHING
I'VE ALWAYS WANTED.

AND THAT LIFE STARTS THE SECOND
I WAKE UP FROM THIS SURGERY,

AND I CAN'T WAIT FOR THAT.

Dr. Now:
TODAY, WE ARE ATTEMPTING TO DO

A GASTRIC SLEEVE PROCEDURE
ON BETHANY.

SHE'S BEEN ABLE TO STAY ON TRACK

AND LOSE ANOTHER 26 POUNDS
THIS PAST MONTH,

SO SHE'S SHOWN ME
THAT SHE'S APPLYING HERSELF

AND TRYING TO PUT FORTH
THE EFFORT SHE NEEDS

TO BE READY
FOR THIS NEXT STEP.

ALRIGHT.

SO WE ARE MOVING AHEAD
WITH HER TODAY,

BUT BETHANY IS STILL VERY
HIGH-RISK BECAUSE OF HER WEIGHT.

SO WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL
NOT TO PUT TOO MUCH STRAIN

ON HER BODY
DURING THE OPERATION.

AND IF WE START TO HAVE ANY
CONCERN THAT THAT'S HAPPENING

AND SHE'S GETTING TO A POINT
THAT IT'S UNSAFE,

THEN WE WILL HAVE TO STOP
THE OPERATION FOR HER SAFETY.

BUT IF WE ARE ABLE
TO COMPLETE IT,

WHAT THE SURGERY IS GONNA DO
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 HER
AN OPPORTUNITY

TO LOSE EVEN MORE WEIGHT,

SO THIS WILL BE
A VERY BIG HELP FOR BETHANY

AND AN IMPORTANT TOOL
TO HELP HER STAY ON TRACK

AND CONTINUE LOSING
LIKE SHE NEEDS.

Sheldon: I'M NERVOUS.
I'M SCARED.

I DON'T LIKE WAITING.
I DON'T SIT STILL WELL.

IT'S JUST NERVE-RACKING.

I DON'T KNOW HOW SHE'S DOING.

I'M HOPING SHE'S DOING WELL.

BUT SHE'S NEVER HAD SURGERY
BEFORE,

SO THAT'S A LITTLE SCARY.

BETHANY IS MY EVERYTHING.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT I'D DO
WITHOUT HER.

SO I AM DOING MY BEST
TO STAY POSITIVE.

I JUST HOPE
THAT EVERYTHING GOES SMOOTH

AND THERE'S NO PROBLEMS.

ALRIGHT.

THERE.
THAT'S HER STOMACH.

ALRIGHT.
ROOM LIGHT ON, PLEASE.

OKAY, ALL FINISHED.

ALRIGHT.

BETHANY'S SURGERY
WENT VERY WELL.

SHE HAD A VERY BIG STOMACH,

AND WE WERE ABLE
TO REDUCE IT BY 90%,

SO THAT'S GONNA HELP HER
TO CURB HER APPETITE

AND PREVENT HER FROM OVEREATING
IN ONE SITTING.

SO WE'LL GET HER TO RECOVERY

AND KEEP HER ON A LIQUID DIET
FOR A MONTH.

SHE WILL NEED TO STAY IN HOUSTON
DURING THAT TIME

TO MAKE SURE WE CAN ADDRESS
ANY ISSUES SHE MAY DEVELOP.

BUT IF SHE STAYS ON TRACK,
SHE SHOULD BE ABLE TO LOSE

AT LEAST 25 POUNDS
THIS NEXT MONTH,

AND THEN 15 POUNDS A MONTH

UNTIL SHE IS CLOSER
TO HER TARGET WEIGHT.

BUT WHEN SHE RECOVERS
FROM THIS OPERATION,

THE REAL WORK
IS GONNA START FOR HER,

BECAUSE THERE ARE
A LOT OF ISSUES

THAT WE'RE GONNA NEED TO ADDRESS
TO MAKE SURE SHE STAYS ON TRACK.

BECAUSE IF SHE DOESN'T CONTINUE
TO DO WHAT SHE NEEDS

TO ADDRESS THE CORE ISSUES
BEHIND HER PATHOLOGICAL EATING,

SHE CAN VERY EASILY START
TO STRETCH HER STOMACH BACK OUT

BY PUSHING HERSELF
TO OVEREAT.

BUT WE HAVE GIVEN HER A VERY
IMPORTANT TOOL TO HELP HER OUT,

AND WHAT SHE DOES WITH IT
FROM HERE IS ALL UP TO HER.

IT'S BEEN A LITTLE OVER A MONTH
SINCE MY WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY,

AND PHYSICALLY, I FEEL FINE.

BUT I'VE BEEN A LITTLE LONELY
THIS PAST MONTH.

HEY.HEY.

WE'RE BACK.

DID YOU FIND EVERYTHING
OKAY?

UH, NO. WE DID OKAY.

GOT SOME FRUIT FOR DESSERT

AND SOME GREEN BEANS AND SOME
POTATOES AND A CHICKEN.

SOUNDS GOOD.

I WISH I COULD HAVE SOME,
BUT...

THAT'S OKAY.

Betany: DR. NOW
WANTED ME TO STAY HERE

IN HOUSTON A LITTLE LONGER,

AND HE WANTS ME
TO START GOING TO THERAPY

BEFORE I GO BACK HOME,

BECAUSE I HAD MY ONE-MONTH
POST-OP FOLLOW-UP WITH HIM

A COUPLE OF DAYS AGO.

HE WAS CONCERNED THAT I ONLY
LOST 14 POUNDS FOR THE MONTH.

HE SAID DURING THE INITIAL MONTH
AFTER SURGERY

I SHOULD HAVE LOST
CLOSER TO 25 POUNDS,

SO HE'S WORRIED
THAT MY EMOTIONAL ISSUES

ARE STARTING
TO SABOTAGE ME ALREADY.

I HAVEN'T REALLY BEEN ABLE
TO OVEREAT ANYTHING

SINCE I'VE BEEN ON LIQUIDS
MOST OF THE TIME,

SO I DON'T SEE
HOW THAT COULD BE POSSIBLE.

IF ANYTHING WAS AN ISSUE,
I THINK IT'S HOW LONELY

I'VE BEEN HERE IN HOUSTON
ON MY OWN.

THOUGH WHEN I FOUND OUT
I'D BE HERE A LITTLE LONGER

AND IT WOULD BE
OVER THE HOLIDAYS,

MY GIRLS CAME DOWN
TO SURPRISE ME

AND BE HERE
FOR THANKSGIVING TODAY,

AND THAT MEANT A LOT TO ME.

OKAY. NOW WE JUST WAIT
FOR IT TO COOK.

Bethany:
I'M NOT ABLE TO EAT MUCH,

AND I CAN'T REALLY HAVE
WHAT I NORMALLY DO.

BUT THEY STILL WANT TO HAVE
A FULL THANKSGIVING DINNER,

AND I TOLD THEM
THEY COULD DO THAT.

SO ISABELLA'S GONNA COOK
EVERYTHING FOR HER AND ZOWIE,

AND I'M JUST GONNA BE THANKFUL
TO BE WITH THEM,

EVEN THOUGH I'M NOT EATING.

Isabella: HMM?YOU DOING OKAY?

YEAH.

HEY, ZOWIE,
ARE YOU READY TO EAT?

YEAH.

WHAT DO YOU WANT
FOR DINNER?

I'LL JUST EAT SOME BROTH,

AND THEN MAYBE
I'LL HAVE A POPSICLE LATER.

OKAY.

WHAT ARE YOUTHANKFUL FOR?

WHAT AM I THANKFUL FOR?MM-HMM.

WELL, I'M THANKFUL THAT I HAD
WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY.

I'M THANKFUL
FOR UNICORNS.

YOU'RE THANKFUL
FOR UNICORNS?

Bethany: I'M NOT EVEN HUNGRY
FOR ANYTHING, REALLY.

THE ONLY THINK
I'M STRUGGLING WITH

IS WANTING TO TASTE SOME THINGS,

WHICH IS A REALLY WEIRD FEELING,

BECAUSE I'VE NEVER NOT BEEN
HUNGRY AND WANTED TO EAT.

SO I'M JUST NOT USED
TO THAT FEELING,

AND I HAD NO IDEA
SOMETHING LIKE THIS

WAS GONNA BE
PART OF THE PROCESS.

DR. NOW TOLD ME THAT I NEED
TO DEAL WITH MY EMOTIONS

BY GOING TO PSYCHOTHERAPY

AND GETTING A HANDLE
ON WHAT I'M STRUGGLING WITH.

BUT I HONESTLY DON'T SEE

HOW THERAPY'S GONNA SOLVE
OR FIX THAT,

SO IT'S THE ONLY THING THAT HAS
ME A LITTLE WORRIED RIGHT NOW.

BUT I'M TRUSTING
THAT THIS IS JUST A PROCESS

THAT'S GONNA TAKE TIME.

AT LEAST
THAT'S WHAT I'M HOPING.

Isabella:
HOW'S YOUR BROTH?

OH. WELL, YOU KNOW,
IT'S BROTH.

MY ONLY FEAR RIGHT NOW
IS THAT IT WON'T GET EASIER

AND WHAT THAT WILL MEAN
IF IT DOESN'T,

BECAUSE I'M WORKING HARD TO LOSE
WEIGHT AND TURN MY LIFE AROUND,

AND I DON'T WANT TO LET ANYTHING
MESS THAT UP.

I'M HEADED BACK FOR MY TWO-MONTH
POST-OP APPOINTMENT

WITH DR. NOW,
AND FOR THE MOST PART,

I FEEL LIKE
I'VE BEEN DOING WELL.

I'M STILL STRUGGLING
WITH SOME CRAVINGS,

BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN
I'VE GONE OFF THE DIET.

SO I'M NOT WORRIED
ABOUT MY WEIGH-IN.

THE ONLY THING I'M WORRIED

THAT DR. NOW'S
GONNA HAVE AN ISSUE WITH

IS THAT I DIDN'T END UP
MAKING IT TO PSYCHOTHERAPY

LIKE HE WANTED,
BECAUSE I DIDN'T FEEL LIKE

I COULD STAY IN HOUSTON
FOR LONGER.

I WAS REALLY THANKFUL MY GIRLS
CAME DOWN TO BE WITH ME,

BUT NOT BEING ABLE TO BE
A FAMILY

AT A TIME WHEN IT'S SUPPOSED TO
COME FIRST JUST SEEMED WRONG,

AND I HATED IT.

BETHANY?

I'D ALREADY BEEN IN HOUSTON
FOR OVER A MONTH,

SO WE DECIDED
JUST TO HEAD BACK EARLY.

AND I FIGURED I COULD MAKE IT UP
TO DR. NOW BY STAYING ON TRACK

AND HITTING MY GOAL
BY THIS APPOINTMENT

SO THAT HE COULD SEE
THAT I DON'T REALLY NEED THERAPY

TO ADDRESS ANYTHING
WITH MY WEIGHT LOSS.

AT MY LAST APPOINTMENT,
I WAS DOWN TO 500,

AND DR. NOW SAID

I SHOULD BE LOSING
AT LEAST 15 POUNDS A MONTH.

SO MY GOAL IS TO BE DOWN TO 484.

WOW.

THAT'S A LITTLE SURPRISING.

I DON'T SEE HOW THAT'S POSSIBLE.

I'VE STAYED ON THE DIET,
AND I'M NOT GIVING IN

TO ANY OF MY CRAVINGS,

SO THIS DOESN'T REALLY
MAKE SENSE,

AND I'M A LITTLE FRUSTRATED

BECAUSE THE SURGERY WAS SUPPOSED
TO MAKE EVERYTHING EASIER,

AND I DON'T FEEL LIKE IT IS
RIGHT NOW,

AND I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY.

I JUST HOPE DR. NOW
ISN'T TOO UPSET

AND THAT THIS APPOINTMENT
STILL GOES WELL.

HELLO!
Bethany: HI.

HOW Y'ALL DOING?

GOOD.
HOW ARE YOU?

GOOD.

ALRIGHT, SO, WE GOT YOU DOWN
TO THE 400s, FINALLY.

YEAH.
I'M EXCITED ABOUT THAT.

WELL, I'M GLAD YOU HIT
THAT MILESTONE,

BUT HERE'S MY CONCERN.

THE FIRST MONTH
AFTER YOUR SURGERY,

YOUR WEIGHT LOSS WAS UNDER
WHERE IT SHOULD BE.

AND NOW, A MONTH LATER,
IT'S SLOWED DOWN EVEN MORE,

TO WHERE YOU ONLY LOST 4 POUNDS
THIS PAST MONTH

WHEN YOU SHOULD HAVE LOST 15.

SO THIS IS
A VERY CONCERNING TREND,

ESPECIALLY SO SOON
AFTER SURGERY.

AND MY CONCERN IS THAT WE STILL
HAVE AN ELEMENT OF YOU

HOPING FOR A MAGIC FIX
WITH THIS SURGERY.

NO. THAT'S NOT TRUE.

THEN WHY DID YOU MISS
PSYCHOTHERAPY THIS LAST MONTH?

I MEAN, I JUST NEEDED
TO CATCH BACK UP ON SOME THINGS

SINCE I WAS GONE FOR A MONTH,
BUT I'M READY TO GO NOW.

OKAY. HERE'S THE DEAL.

IF YOU DON'T START DEALING

WITH THE EMOTIONAL
AND PSYCHOLOGICAL ISSUES

DRIVING YOU TO EAT, THEN YOU'RE
GONNA START GAINING AGAIN

IN A FEW MONTHS
AT THIS RATE.

SO WE'RE GONNA SCHEDULE THAT
AGAIN FOR YOU TO GO NEXT WEEK,

AND YOU'RE GONNA START
GOING TO PSYCHOTHERAPY

AT LEAST EVERY MONTH.

AND IF NOT, THEN WE'RE GONNA
HAVE A SERIOUS PROBLEM,

BECAUSE IT'S CLEAR THAT YOU ARE
STARTING TO FALL BACK

INTO THIS FALSE HOPE
AND MENTALITY

THAT THE SURGERY IS GOING
TO DO ALL THE WORK FOR YOU

AND BE THIS MAGIC SOLUTION,

WHEN WE HAVE EXPLAINED
HOW IMPORTANT IT IS

THAT YOU WORK
ON THE ISSUES YOU NEED

AND LEARN TO COPE
IN HEALTHIER WAYS

IF YOU'RE GONNA BE ABLE
TO DO THIS FOR THE LONG TERM.

YOU UNDERSTAND ME?YEAH.

I REALLY HOPE SO,
BETHANY.

BECAUSE IF YOU PLAY
ANY MORE GAMES RIGHT NOW,

THEN YOU CAN STRETCH
YOUR SLEEVE BACK OUT

AND START GAINING AGAIN.

AND ONCE THAT HAPPENS,
THAT WILL LIKELY BE IT FOR YOU.

WE WON'T BE ABLE TO HELP YOU
AT THAT POINT.

AND THEN IT'LL BE ONLY A MATTER
OF TIME BEFORE YOUR WEIGHT GAIN

LEADS TO YOUR BODY GIVING OUT.

SO YOU NEED
TO TAKE THIS SERIOUSLY

IF YOU DON'T WANT THAT
TO HAPPEN.

OKAY.
OKAY?

SO, WE'LL SEE HOW YOU DO
NEXT MONTH,

AND HOPEFULLY, YOU WILL START
TO GET BACK ON TRACK BY THEN.

BUT YOU HAVE TO MAKE SURE
YOU START PSYCHOTHERAPY

AND WORKING ON WHAT YOU NEED,
OR THAT'S NOT GONNA HAPPEN.

OKAY.
OKAY?

GREAT.
ALRIGHT.

GOOD LUCK.ALRIGHT. THANK YOU.

ALRIGHT.
I'LL SEE YOU ALL LATER.

BYE.

ALRIGHT.

Dr. Now:
MY CONCERN FOR BETHANY RIGHT NOW

IS THAT
WITH HER EMOTIONAL ISSUES

COMING TO THE SURFACE
AFTER SURGERY,

BETHANY IS CLEARLY STRUGGLING
WITH FALLING BACK

INTO WANTING A MAGIC SOLUTION
TO HER SITUATION.

AND IF SHE DOESN'T MAKE
THE CHOICES SHE SHOULD,

SHE COULD START TO VERY QUICKLY
STRETCH HER STOMACH BACK OUT

AND LOSE ALL THE PROGRESS
SHE HAS MADE.

SO RIGHT NOW,
IT'S VERY IMPORTANT

THAT SHE TAKES WHAT SHE NEEDS
TO DO VERY SERIOUSLY,

BECAUSE IF SHE CONTINUES
TO IGNORE

THE CORE ISSUES
BEHIND HER STRUGGLE,

THEN IT WILL ONLY BE A MATTER
OF TIME BEFORE SHE FAILS.

Bethany: THAT WENT BETTER
THAN I WAS AFRAID IT WOULD GO.

I'M DEFINITELY GONNA MAKE IT
TO THERAPY THIS TIME,

BECAUSE I DON'T WANT
TO DO ANYTHING

TO RISK UPSETTING DR. NOW

OR LETTING HIM THINK I'M NOT
GIVING THIS EVERYTHING I HAVE.

I'M JUST WORRIED THAT THERAPY'S
NOT GONNA DO MUCH

LIKE DR. NOW THINKS,

SO I'M SCARED
I'M GONNA HAVE TO BE THE ONE

THAT FIGURES IT OUT
BEFORE THINGS GET WORSE.

Bethany: RIGHT NOW,
I'M HEADED TO START THERAPY

WITH MY FIRST APPOINTMENT TODAY.

I WAS GONNA HAVE TO WAIT AROUND
IN HOUSTON

FOR THE APPOINTMENT DR. NOW
HAD SET UP FOR ME,

BUT I CALLED AND TOLD HIM

IT WOULD REALLY WORK
A LOT BETTER FOR ME

IF I HAD A THERAPIST
BACK IN OKLAHOMA I COULD SEE.

AND THANKFULLY,
HE SAID HE UNDERSTOOD THAT.

BUT I'M ONLY DOING THIS
FOR DR. NOW.

I KNOW HE THINKS
I HAVE EMOTIONAL ISSUES

BEHIND MY OVEREATING
BECAUSE I'M USING FOOD TO COPE,

AND I CAN SEE HOW THAT WAS TRUE
AT TIMES IN MY LIFE.

BUT I'M GOOD NOW,

AND I DON'T FEEL LIKE I HAVE
ANYTHING I NEED TO WRESTLE.

AND SO I'M NOT REALLY EXPECTING

TO GET MUCH OUT
OF DOING THIS TODAY.

HI, BETHANY.
COME ON IN.

OKAY.

COME ON IN AND HAVE A SEAT
ON THE COUCH.

HOW ARE YOU TODAY?I'M GOOD. HOW ARE YOU?

GOOD, GOOD.

SO, BETHANY, ONE OF THE THINGS

THAT I UNDERSTAND
THAT YOU KIND OF WANT TO WORK ON

IS TO GET SOME SKILLS FOR HOW
TO CONTINUE TO LOSE WEIGHT.

AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IS
IMPORTANT FOR US TO FIGURE OUT

IS WHY YOU FEEL LIKE
YOU ARE EATING A LOT.

AND SO WHAT KIND OF STRESSORS
REALLY GET YOU TO EATING?

I HAVE REALLY BAD ANXIETY.

I'VE HAD IT
SINCE I WAS ABOUT 14.

AND WHENEVER I GET OVERWHELMED,
I TEND TO JUST EAT.

OKAY. DID SOMETHING HAPPEN
WHEN YOU WERE 14?

YES.

I DON'T REALLY LIKE TO TALK
ABOUT IT, BUT I WAS --

I HAD AN ABUSIVE BOYFRIEND,
AND HE SEXUALLY ASSAULTED ME.

SO -- WHEN I WAS 14.OKAY.

SO I JUST KIND OF TRIED TO KEEP
IT TO MYSELF AND IGNORE IT,

AND THEN I STARTED
HAVING PANIC ATTACKS,

AND I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW
WHAT THEY WERE.

I REALLY THOUGHT I WAS DYING.RIGHT.

AND EVENTUALLY, I JUST GOT
SO FRUSTRATED

THAT I ATTEMPTED SUICIDE.

I DIDN'T REALLY WANT
TO KILL MYSELF,

BUT I FELT LIKE MAYBE
THAT WOULD GET ME SOME HELP.

AND EVENTUALLY, THEY PUT ME
INTO, LIKE,

AN INPATIENT FACILITY
FOR CHILDREN.

AND SO I STAYED THERE
PROBABLY A WEEK OR TWO.

MM-HMM.

AND I DID HAVE
SOME COUNSELING AFTERWARDS

FOR A LITTLE WHILE,
AND, BUT --

DO YOU FEEL LIKE THAT HELPED?YEAH, I DO.

OKAY.
YEAH.

BUT YOU STILL HAVE
THE ANXIETY.

I DO.

SO, I KIND OF WANTED
TO DIG A LITTLE DEEPER

AS TO, YOU KNOW, WHAT MIGHT BE
CONNECTED TO YOU OVEREATING

AND STRESS EATING.

SO, HAVE YOU HAD OTHER THINGS
HAPPEN BEFORE YOU WERE 14

THAT WERE VERY DISTURBING
FOR YOU, UNCOMFORTABLE?

WELL, WHEN I WAS ABOUT 12 OR 13,
MY MOTHER ATTEMPTED SUICIDE.

OKAY, OKAY.

TELL ME A LITTLE BIT MORE
ABOUT THAT.

WELL, SHE HAD TAKEN
A BUNCH OF PILLS.

SO THEY TOOK HER BY AMBULANCE
TO WICHITA,

TO THE HOSPITAL THERE.

YOU KNOW,
AND WHILE THEY WERE GONE,

I FOUND SOME KIND OF LETTER
THAT SHE HAD WRITTEN.

SHE HAD BASICALLY BLAMED ME
IN HER LETTER

THAT SHE, YOU KNOW --

BASICALLY JUST WROTE IN THIS
LETTER THAT SHE HATED ME.

SO I ALWAYS WONDER IF SHE
DIDN'T JUST KIND OF RESENT

THAT SHE HAD ME.

AND I NEVER REALLY SAID
ANYTHING ABOUT THE LETTER.

I JUST KIND OF PUT IT AWAY
AND NEVER BROUGHT IT UP.

SO, NOBODY ELSE KNOWS ABOUT
THE LETTER

EXCEPT FOR YOU AND MOM?

I THINK SO.
I MEAN, AS FAR AS I KNOW.

I DON'T THINK MY DAD
EVER SAW IT, THAT I KNOW OF.

THAT'S KIND OF A SECRET,
ISN'T IT?

YEAH, IT IS.

BUT, I MEAN,
I THINK IT'S MORE --

FOR ME, IT'S HEALTHIER TO SET
LIMITS WITH MY MOM, SO --

OKAY.
YEAH.

AND SO, DO YOU THINK
THAT TALKING TO YOUR MOM

ABOUT THAT LETTER
WOULD BE ONE OF THOSE LIMITS

THAT YOU'VE SET THAT
YOU DON'T WANT TO CROSS, OR --

YEAH. I MEAN...

I MEAN, I CAN SEE
WHERE IT COULD BE HELPFUL,

BUT IT'S NOT A BOUNDARY I WANT
TO CROSS WITH MY MOM RIGHT NOW.

SO YOU DON'T FEEL LIKE
THAT LETTER

IS SOME SECRET
LOOMING OVER YOUR HEADS?

I DON'T FEEL LIKE THAT.
I REALLY DON'T.

OKAY. ALRIGHT.

WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

ALRIGHT.WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT TIME.

THANK YOU.MM-HMM.

OOPS. SORRY.

Bethany: THAT WENT
LIKE I THOUGHT IT WOULD.

AND AS MUCH AS I APPRECIATE
SOMEONE GIVING ME THEIR EAR,

DOING THIS TODAY DIDN'T MAKE
MUCH DIFFERENCE AT ALL FOR ME.

BUT I'M WILLING
TO KEEP DOING THIS

AS LONG AS DR. NOW WANTS ME TO.

MY ONLY CONCERN IS THAT
THE MORE TIME THAT'S WASTED

FOCUSING ON THINGS
THAT AREN'T GONNA HELP ME,

THE LESS TIME
I HAVE TO FIGURE OUT

WHAT'S REALLY GOING ON

AND WHY I'M STRUGGLING
LIKE I AM,

EVEN THOUGH I HAD SURGERY.

AND I'M SCARED THAT IF I DON'T
FIGURE IT OUT SOON,

IT'S JUST GONNA KEEP
GETTING WORSE,

AND I DON'T KNOW IF I'M GONNA BE
ABLE TO HANDLE THAT.

Bethany: HEY, ZOWIE.HI.

HOW WAS SCHOOL?

GOOD.

HOW WAS YOUR DAY?

GOOD.

Bethany: THIS PAST MONTH
HAS BEEN A LITTLE ROUGH

BECAUSE I'VE BEEN STRUGGLING
WITH FEELING DEPRESSED.

I THINK I'LL GET A SNACK.YOU WANT A SNACK?

MM-HMM.
OKAY.

MAYBE DAD CAN HELP YOU.

YEP.

IT'S JUST STILL BEEN HARDER
THAN I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE,

AND IT'S NOT GETTING EASIER,

BECAUSE IT'S LIKE I'VE LOST
SOMEONE IMPORTANT TO ME,

LIKE A REALLY GOOD FRIEND
IS OUT OF MY LIFE NOW.

AND I'M SAD AND LONELY
AND SCARED,

AND I JUST WANT TO GET PAST
FEELING ALL OF THAT.

IT JUST DOESN'T SEEM FAIR.

WHAT'S MAKING IT EVEN HARDER NOW
IS THAT I FEEL LIKE

I'M SURROUNDED BY A LOT
OF THINGS THAT I CAN'T HAVE

AND THAT ARE TEMPTING ME
EVERY DAY.

IT'S JUST THAT IN THE BEGINNING,

MY WHOLE FAMILY
WAS PULLING FOR ME

AND HELPING ME TO DO THE DIET.

AND THEY STILL ARE,
BUT IT'S NOT LIKE IT WAS THEN,

WHEN WE CLEARED OUT THE HOUSE

AND WE WERE TRYING TO EAT
100% HEALTHY.

AND I FEEL LIKE IT'S BACK
TO THE SAME OLD, SAME OLD,

SO IT'S JUST ANOTHER THING

THAT'S NOT WHAT
I THOUGHT IT WAS GONNA BE.

AND SO I JUST FEEL LOST
RIGHT NOW -- COMPLETELY LOST.

AND THAT ALSO MAKES ME SCARED,

BECAUSE I KNOW I CAN'T KEEP
GOING LIKE THIS IF I DO.

IT'S GONNA GET REALLY BAD SOON,

SO I HAVE TO GET A HANDLE
ON THIS

AND FIGURE IT OUT
BEFORE I START TO LOSE CONTROL.

AND IF I DON'T FIGURE
THIS OUT SOON,

THEN I DON'T KNOW
WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN.

Bethany:
I'M BACK FOR ANOTHER APPOINTMENT
WITH DR. NOW.

I ALSO HAD MY SECOND THERAPY
APPOINTMENT A FEW WEEKS AGO,

SO DR. NOW SHOULD BE HAPPY
I'M DOING THOSE.

BUT LIKE I'VE BEEN SAYING,

IT'S NOT REALLY HELPING ME
AT ALL.

THINGS OVERALL HAVEN'T REALLY
GOTTEN EASIER OR BETTER,

BUT I'VE BEEN PUSHING MYSELF
TO DO BETTER THIS TIME.

BETHANY?

I HAVEN'T GIVEN IN
TO ANY OF THE CRAVINGS,

SO I'M HOPING
THAT MY WEIGHT LOSS IS CLOSER

TO BEING BACK ON TRACK THIS TIME
THAN IT WAS LAST TIME.

AT MY LAST APPOINTMENT
TWO MONTHS AGO,

I WAS DOWN TO 496,

AND DR. NOW SAID
I'M SUPPOSED TO BE LOSING

AT LEAST 15 POUNDS A MONTH,

SO THAT MEANS I NEED
TO BE BELOW 466 TODAY

IF I'M WHERE I SHOULD BE.

AND I'M REALLY HOPING I AM.

I'M REALLY UPSET,
AND I DON'T GET IT.

WITH HOW HARD I'M TRYING,
THIS DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE,

AND IT DOESN'T SEEM FAIR,

BECAUSE IT'S SUPPOSED
TO GET EASIER

AFTER WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY.

BUT IT'S NOT,
SO SOMETHING HAS TO BE WRONG.

I'M GOING TO THERAPY,
SO IT CAN'T BE

THE EMOTIONAL ISSUES
LIKE DR. NOW THINKS.

BUT HE'S PROBABLY NOT GONNA
LISTEN TO ME ABOUT IT.

ALL HE'S GONNA CARE ABOUT
IS THAT I DIDN'T HIT HIS GOAL

AND JUST GO OFF OF THAT
INSTEAD OF LISTENING TO ME.

HELLO!

HI.HELLO.

HOW Y'ALL DOING?

WE'RE GOOD. HOW ARE YOU?GOOD.

I'M DOING GOOD.

ALRIGHT, SO, BETHANY,
IT IS A LITTLE OVER FOUR MONTHS

SINCE YOUR WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY,

AND YOU ALREADY STARTED
GAINING AGAIN.

SO OBVIOUSLY, THAT'S A REALLY
BAD SITUATION WE HAVE WITH YOU.

SO, YOU WANT TO TELL ME
WHAT'S GOING ON

AND WHY YOU'RE PUSHING YOURSELF
TO EAT

WHAT YOU SHOULDN'T BE AGAIN?I DON'T KNOW.

I'M STICKING TO THE SHEET THAT
YOU GAVE ME OF WHAT NOT TO EAT.

SO, I'M EATING, LIKE, REAL FOOD,
LIKE YOU TOLD ME TO.

SO I DON'T KNOW
WHY I DIDN'T LOSE ANYTHING.

I DON'T THINK THE SURGERY'S
WORKING LIKE IT SHOULD.

IT JUST DOESN'T MAKE SENSE.

WHAT YOU'RE SAYING
IS WHAT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE.

LET ME EXPLAIN SOMETHING
TO YOU.

YOU STARTED OUT
HOPING IN A MAGIC FIX,

AND THEN YOU APPLIED YOURSELF
AND TOOK CONTROL

FOR A FEW MONTHS, UNTIL YOU GOT
WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY,

AND THEN YOUR EMOTIONAL ISSUES
CAME TO THE SURFACE.

AND DEALING WITH THAT
IS REALLY HARD STUFF,

AND NOW YOU'RE HOPING
IN A MAGIC FIX FOR THAT.

AND UNTIL YOU TAKE
YOUR PSYCHOTHERAPY SERIOUSLY

AND DO WHAT YOU NEED WITH THAT,
THIS TREND AND DIRECTION

YOU'RE HEADED
IS GONNA CONTINUE.

AND IF THAT HAPPENS,
YOU'RE NOT GONNA MAKE IT.

SO YOU HAVE A VERY IMPORTANT
CHOICE TO MAKE --

WHETHER YOU WANT TO TURN
YOUR LIFE AROUND OR MAKE EXCUSES

AND END UP
EATING YOURSELF TO DEATH.

YOU GOT IT?
I GUESS.

SO YOU NEED TO KEEP GOING
TO THOSE APPOINTMENTS

AND DO WHAT YOU NEED TO DO
BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE.

YOU GOT THAT?
YEP.

BUT BEFORE YOU GO BACK HOME,
I WANT TO DO AN ENDOSCOPY.

SO WE CAN DO THAT AND SEE
IF WE CAN GET SOME BIOPSY

OF YOUR STOMACH
AND SEE HOW THINGS ARE.

BECAUSE WITH HOW FAST
YOU'RE GAINING AFTER SURGERY,

I'M VERY CONCERNED
YOU MAY ALREADY BE

STRETCHING YOUR STOMACH
BACK OUT.

SO I'M GONNA SCHEDULE YOU
TO DO THAT TOMORROW,

AND WE'LL SEE WHAT'S GOING ON
WITH YOUR STOMACH.

OKAY.

OKAY, WE'LL SET YOU UP
FOR THE ENDOSCOPY

AND SEE IF EVERYTHING'S OKAY
WITH THAT.

OKAY?
OKAY.

ALRIGHT.
I'LL SEE YOU BOTH SOON.

OKAY. THANKS.OKAY. THANK YOU.

ALRIGHT.

Dr. Now: BETHANY
IS STARTING TO HEAD DOWN

A VERY UNFORTUNATE
AND DANGEROUS PATH.

WHEN A PATIENT
HAS THEIR PHYSICAL DRIVE TO EAT

SUPPRESSED
WITH WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY,

THEY SHOULD BE ABLE TO START
TO SEE MORE CLEARLY

THE PSYCHOLOGICAL AND EMOTIONAL
COMPONENTS BEHIND THEIR EATING.

BUT BETHANY IS REFUSING
TO FACE THE REALITY

OF WHAT'S BEHIND A LOT
OF HER DRIVE TO EAT,

AND UNLESS SHE MAKES THE CHOICES

TO STOP AVOIDING
THE EMOTIONAL ISSUES

SHE NEEDS TO DEAL WITH
WITH PSYCHOTHERAPY,

HER SITUATION
IS ONLY GONNA GET WORSE

AS SHE STARTS TO GAIN MORE
AND MORE OF HER WEIGHT BACK.

BUT RIGHT NOW, MY MAIN CONCERN
IS IN DETERMINING

IF SHE STARTED TO STRETCH
HER STOMACH BACK OUT,

SINCE SHE'S ALREADY GAINING
SO SOON AFTER SURGERY.

BECAUSE IF SHE HAS, IT'S
POSSIBLE SHE COULD HAVE STARTED

TO DAMAGE THE AREA
AROUND HER SUTURES,

WHICH WILL CAUSE COMPLICATIONS
FOR HER.

ANY STRETCHING OF HER STOMACH
WILL BE REALLY BAD,

BECAUSE IF SHE'S PUSHING HERSELF
TO OVEREAT AGAIN ALREADY,

THEN WE DON'T HAVE MUCH TIME
TO TURN HER SITUATION AROUND

BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE.

Bethany: I DON'T EVEN KNOW
WHAT TO THINK RIGHT NOW

WITH WHAT DR. NOW IS SAYING.

THIS IS GETTING EVEN SCARIER,

AND I'M REALLY HOPING
NOTHING IS WRONG

AND THAT WHAT HE'S WORRIED ABOUT
HASN'T HAPPENED.

BUT IF THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG,

I JUST HOPE
IT'S NOT SOMETHING SERIOUS

OR ANYTHING THAT'S GONNA
MAKE DOING THIS EVEN HARDER,

BECAUSE I DON'T THINK
I'D BE ABLE TO TAKE

ANY MORE SETBACKS RIGHT NOW.

Dr. Now: TODAY, WE ARE DOING
AN ENDOSCOPY ON BETHANY.

WE'RE PUTTING A SMALL CAMERA
DOWN HER ESOPHAGUS

INTO HER DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
TO TAKE A LOOK INSIDE TO SEE

IF SHE'S STARTED TO STRETCH
HER STOMACH BACK OUT.

ALRIGHT.

FOR HER TO START GAINING
LIKE THIS SO SOON AFTER SURGERY,

IT'S VERY LIKELY SHE HAS STARTED
PUSHING HERSELF

TO OVEREAT A LOT IN ONE SITTING.

BUT IF SHE IS ALREADY DOING THAT
AT THIS POINT,

IT'S GOING TO BE
A VERY BAD SIGN,

BECAUSE ONCE SHE GETS TO THAT
POINT AND THAT STARTS TO HAPPEN,

IT WON'T TAKE HER LONG
TO UNDO HER GASTRIC SLEEVE

AND REGAIN ALL HER WEIGHT.

AND AFTER THAT,
THERE WILL LIKELY BE NOTHING

WE CAN DO TO HELP HER,
BECAUSE THERE WILL BE NO POINT

IN DOING A REVISION ON HER
TO FIX HER SLEEVE

IF SHE'S SHOWN US
THAT ULTIMATELY,

SHE'S NOT WILLING
TO CONTINUE TO DO

WHAT SHE NEEDS
TO LOSE THE WEIGHT

AND KEEP IT OFF
FOR THE LONG RUN.

SO, IF THERE IS ANY SIGN

THAT HER STOMACH
IS BEING STRETCHED BACK OUT,

IT WILL MEAN OUR WINDOW
TO GET BETHANY BACK ON TRACK

AND DOING WHAT SHE NEEDS
IS EVEN SHORTER,

OR AT THE POINT WHERE SHE'S
GOING OFF THE RAILS SO FAST

THAT WE WON'T BE ABLE
TO STOP HER.

WE'RE DONE.

ALRIGHT, THE GOOD NEWS IS
THAT BETHANY'S WEIGHT GAIN

IS HAPPENING
BECAUSE SHE'S EATING

A LITTLE BIT ALL DAY
AND NOT IN ONE SITTING,

SO SHE HASN'T STARTED STRETCHING
HER STOMACH BACK OUT.

AND THAT'S VERY GOOD.

BUT THE BAD NEWS IS
THAT SHE'S STILL GAINING

BECAUSE SHE'S FALLING BACK
INTO OLD HABITS

AND TRYING TO USE FOOD TO COPE
TO DEAL WITH HER EMOTIONS.

SO WE HAVE MORE TIME TO TRY
TO GET BETHANY BACK ON TRACK.

BUT THE ONLY THING THAT IS GONNA
GET HER TO THAT POINT

AND HELP HER DO THAT
IS PSYCHOTHERAPY,

BECAUSE SHE HAS TO START
TO WORK ON THOSE ISSUES

AND COPING IN HEALTHIER WAYS.

IF SHE DOESN'T, THEN IT WILL
JUST BE A MATTER OF TIME

BEFORE SHE STARTS
TO UNDO HER SURGERY

AND LOSE ALL THE PROGRESS
SHE'S MADE.

AND IF THAT STARTS TO HAPPEN,

SHE'S GOING TO VERY QUICKLY
END UP IN A PLACE

WHERE WE WON'T BE ABLE
TO HELP HER

AND SHE RUNS OUT OF TIME

AND ENDS BACK
WHERE SHE STARTED --

OVER 600 POUNDS
AND FACING AN EARLY DEATH.

Bethany:
ME AND MY FAMILY ARE ON OUR WAY
TO MEET MY PARENTS FOR DINNER.

A FEW WEEKS AGO, WE THOUGHT
MY MOM WAS HAVING A HEART ATTACK

BECAUSE SHE SUDDENLY STARTED

TO HAVE SOME REALLY BAD
CHEST PAINS.

THANKFULLY, IT TURNED OUT
TO BE SOME OTHER ISSUES

AND IT WASN'T A HEART ATTACK,

AND THIS IS THE FIRST NIGHT
SINCE THEN

THAT SHE FEELS WELL ENOUGH TO GO
OUT AND SPEND SOME TIME WITH US.

SO NEEDLESS TO SAY,
IT'S BEEN A HECTIC MONTH.

LAST TIME I SAW DR. NOW
WAS THE ENDOSCOPY,

AND IT WENT WELL, I GUESS.

HE DIDN'T FIND ANY ISSUES,
AND HE SAID EVERYTHING

LOOKS FINE
WITH MY SLEEVE SURGERY

AND THAT THERE'S NOTHING WRONG
WITH IT.

Keith: HELLO.HOW YOU DOING?

GOOD.
HOW ARE YOU GUYS?

GOOD.Robin: YOU GONNA SIT OVER HERE?

YOU WANT TO SIT
BY GRANDMA?

SO, HE STILL THINKS
I NEED TO FOCUS ON THERAPY,

AND THE REASON
I'M STRUGGLING SO MUCH

IS STILL BECAUSE
OF UNRESOLVED ISSUES

HE THINKS I NEED TO ADDRESS,
BUT I JUST DON'T AGREE.

AND I FEEL LIKE AT THIS POINT,
HE'S NOT LISTENING TO ME...

HOW ARE YOU DOING
AFTER YOUR...

OH, ALRIGHT.

STILL A LITTLE SORE.
STILL A LITTLE TENDER, BUT --

MM-HMM.

THEY SAY GET UP AND MOVE AROUND.YEAH, I KNOW.

THAT'S WHAT THEY TELL ME,
TOO, AFTER SURGERY.

...OR REALLY UNDERSTANDING

WHAT I'M GOING THROUGH
AND WHAT I NEED.

AND IT'S JUST GETTING TOO HARD
TO CONSTANTLY RESIST

ALL THE CRAVINGS WHEN I HAVE
TO LIVE IN A WORLD

WHERE I'M ALWAYS SURROUNDED
BY THINGS I WANT,

ESPECIALLY WHEN
THE WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY

HAS DONE NOTHING IN THE END
TO HELP ME WITH THAT AT ALL.

CHILI, AND I GUESS THE SIDE
SALAD, TOO, WITH THAT.

Waitress: OKAY.THANK YOU.

IT'S DIFFICULT
TO TRY TO GO OUT TO EAT

AND THEN TRY TO FIND
SOMETHING THAT I CAN HAVE.

Bethany: THIS IS JUST NOWHERE
NEAR HOW I THOUGHT I'D BE,

BECAUSE THE SURGERY WAS SUPPOSED
TO BE THE TOOL I NEEDED

TO HELP ME LOSE
EVEN MORE WEIGHT.

IF IT'S NOT GOING TO DO THAT,

THEN I DON'T KNOW
WHY I'M DOING ALL THIS,

AND SO I'M STARTING TO THINK
I'D BE BETTER OFF

TRYING TO FIGURE OUT
WHAT TO DO ON MY OWN.

SO I'M MORE SCARED THAN EVER,

BECAUSE I'M TRYING MY HARDEST
AND IT'S STILL NOT GOOD ENOUGH.

NOTHING I'M DOING, INCLUDING
THERAPY, IS EVEN HELPING.

I'VE HAD MORE APPOINTMENTS,

AND THE FOCUS
IS ALWAYS TALKING TO MY MOM,

WHEN I'VE SAID 1,000 TIMES

I'VE ALREADY MOVED PAST THAT
IN MY LIFE

AND MY RELATIONSHIP WITH HER,

AND I'M NOT EVEN GONNA DARE
RISK UPSETTING HER

WHEN SHE'S STRUGGLING
WITH HER OWN HEALTH ISSUES.

SO I'M STARTING TO FEEL
LIKE NOTHING'S GONNA HELP ME

AND THAT THIS IS ALL HOPELESS,

AND I JUST DON'T KNOW
WHAT I'M GONNA DO.

AND AT THIS POINT, I'M JUST NOT
SURE IF I CAN KEEP DOING THIS,

AND I'M REALLY SCARED
BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO FAIL.

I WAS SUPPOSED TO BE BACK
IN HOUSTON

FOR MY NEXT DOCTOR'S
APPOINTMENT LAST WEEK,

BUT I MISSED IT,
AND I ASKED DR. NOW

IF I COULD DO A CALL
TO TELL HIM WHY.

I'M JUST NOT SURE IF I CAN KEEP
PUTTING MYSELF THROUGH ALL THIS

IF THIS IS HOW IT'S GONNA BE

AND IF I'M NOT
GONNA GET THE HELP I NEED.

I DESPERATELY WANT TO SUCCEED

AND TO LOSE THE WEIGHT
AND GET MY LIFE BACK,

BUT THE WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY
DIDN'T END UP

WORKING LIKE I NEEDED
AND EXPECTED IT.

SO IN THE END,
AS MUCH AS I WANT TO CHANGE,

IF I'M NOT GETTING THE TOOLS
I NEED TO DO THAT,

THEN I DON'T SEE THE POINT.

SO BECAUSE OF THAT,
I'M READY TO TELL DR. NOW

I DON'T PLAN
ON CONTINUING WITH HIS PROGRAM,

AND I JUST HOPE
HE UNDERSTANDS THAT.

I DON'T WANT TO LET HIM DOWN,
BUT I CAN'T KEEP DOING THIS.

IT'S JUST TOO HARD.

HI, BETHANY.
HOW YOU DOING?

I'M DOING OKAY.
HOW ARE YOU?

I'M DOING FINE, THANK YOU.

SO, YOU MISSED
YOUR APPOINTMENT,

AND YOU WANTED THIS CALL,
SO WHAT'S GOING ON?

Bethany: WELL, I WANTED
TO TALK TO YOU TO TELL YOU

THAT THIS IS A LOT HARDER
THAN I THOUGHT

AND I'M NOT SURE IF I CAN
CONTINUE WITH YOUR PROGRAM.

THERE'S ALWAYS FOOD AROUND,
AND IT'S DIFFICULT TO RESIST.

I JUST THOUGHT THE SURGERY WOULD
HELP TAKE AWAY THE CRAVINGS.

I SEE.

BUT YOU WERE
VERY SPECIFICALLY TOLD,

MORE THAN ONCE,
THAT THE SURGERY WON'T DO THAT.

SO YOU HAVE TO DEAL WITH

THE OTHER EMOTIONAL
AND PSYCHOLOGICAL ISSUES

DRIVING YOU TO EAT
TO HAVE ANY CHANCE

TO BE SUCCESSFUL
IN LONG TERM.

I DON'T AGREE WITH THAT,

BUT I APPRECIATE
THE HELP GETTING ME THIS FAR.

AND I'M TRYING TO DO
EVERYTHING I NEED TO DO,

BUT IT'S HARDER THAN I THOUGHT,

AND I DIDN'T REALIZE
EVERYTHING IT WAS GONNA TAKE.

WELL, IF YOU TRUST SOMEONE TO DO
THE REALLY HARD WORK FOR YOU

AND YOU'RE LOOKING
FOR A QUICK FIX,

THEN YOU'RE NOT GONNA FIND IT,
AND YOU'RE RUNNING OUT OF TIME.

BUT YOU NEED TO UNDERSTAND,
AT YOUR AGE AND YOUR WEIGHT,

YOUR BODY IS GONNA VERY QUICKLY
BE AT THE BREAKING POINT,

AND THAT'LL BE IT FOR YOU.

DO YOU UNDERSTAND?

YES, I UNDERSTAND.

I DON'T THINK YOU DO.

I JUST CAN'T DO IT.

IT'S BEEN REALLY HARD
JUST DEALING WITH CRAVINGS.

AND I APPRECIATE ALL YOUR HELP,
BUT THIS IS WHAT I HAVE TO DO.

ALRIGHT, BETHANY.

LET ME KNOW IF YOU WANT US

TO ARRANGE ANYTHING
IN OKLAHOMA FOR YOU.

BUT I WOULD ADVISE YOU

TO AT LEAST KEEP GOING
TO THERAPY OVER THERE,

AND WE WILL CONTINUE
TO PROVIDE THAT.

BUT ULTIMATELY,
I THINK IT'D BE BEST

IF YOU CONTINUED
WITH THE PROGRAM

AND DO WHAT YOU NEED
BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE.

OKAY.
I'LL THINK ABOUT IT.

ALRIGHT, BETHANY.

I WISH YOU GOOD LUCK,
AND WE'LL BE IN TOUCH.

IF YOU NEED ANYTHING,
LET ME KNOW, OKAY?

OKAY. BYE, DR. NOW.

BETHANY'S CHOICE AT THIS POINT
IS OBVIOUSLY VERY UNFORTUNATE.

BUT THE REALITY IS
THAT SHE'S BEEN LOOKING

FOR A QUICK FIX TO HER SITUATION
THE WHOLE TIME,

AND SHE'S NOT WILLING
TO PUT IN THE WORK

TO DEAL WITH WHAT SHE NEEDS
TO SAVE HER LIFE.

BUT SHE'S PLAYING A VERY RISKY
GAME AT THIS POINT,

BECAUSE IT'S ONLY GOING TO BE
A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE HER BODY

STARTS TO BREAK DOWN
MORE THAN IT ALREADY HAS.

AND ONCE SHE GETS TO THAT POINT,
HER HEALTH IS GOING TO START

TO DECLINE RAPIDLY
UNTIL IT'S TOO LATE FOR HER.

BUT HOPEFULLY, SHE WAKES UP
AND DECIDES TO START DOING

WHAT SHE NEEDS
BEFORE THAT HAPPENS.

IF SHE DOES, WE'LL BE HERE
WAITING TO HELP HER.

BUT UNTIL THEN,
SHE'S RISKING HER LIFE,

AND IT COULD END
VERY BADLY FOR HER.

Bethany:
MAKING THIS CHOICE ISN'T EASY,

BUT I'M NOT GETTING WHAT I NEED
OUT OF THE PROGRAM,

BECAUSE THE SURGERY
DIDN'T HELP LIKE I NEEDED IT.

SO I FEEL LIKE MY ONLY HOPE
IS FINDING ANOTHER WAY,

EVEN THOUGH I DON'T KNOW
WHAT THAT WAY IS.

I'LL CONSIDER WHAT DR.
NOW SAID,

BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY,
I'M RUNNING OUT OF TIME.

AND IF I'M GONNA HAVE ANY CHANCE
TO SAVE MY LIFE,

I FEEL LIKE I HAVE TO BE ABLE
TO WALK AWAY FROM WHAT I KNOW

ISN'T WORKING TO HAVE
ANY CHANCE AT FINDING WHAT WILL.

AND I'M NOT GONNA STOP
UNTIL I FIND IT,

BECAUSE I STILL PLAN
ON LOSING THE WEIGHT

AND GETTING THE LIFE
I WANT FOR ME AND MY FAMILY,

NO MATTER HOW HARD IT IS
OR WHAT IT TAKES.