Original subtitles

Coliesa: ONE OF THESE DAYS, I'M REALLY JUST NOT GONNA WAKE UP.

MY KIDS ARE GONNA COME IN AND FIND ME DEAD.

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

I JUST WANT TO BE A NORMAL PERSON.

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

Woman #2: IF I DON'T MAKE A CHANGE NOW,

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

IT HURTS!

Woman #3: I REFUSE TO STOP FIGHTING.

I HAVE TO DO THIS FOR MY CHILDREN.

I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT I DID WRONG.

THEN LET'S HELP YOU TRY TO UNDERSTAND IT

INSTEAD OF CRYING AND THROWING A TANTRUM.

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

CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS

I'M GONNA FALL OFF THE BED.

NO, YOU'RE NOT.

Coliesa: I NEVER WOULD'VE THOUGHT

I WOULD'VE ENDED UP HERE IN MY LIFE...

...WHERE I'M SO BIG, MY SISTER HAS TO HELP ME OUT OF BED

AND HELP ME GO TO THE BATHROOM IN A BUCKET.

IT'S JUST HUMILIATING,

AND I HATE THAT I'VE DONE THIS TO MYSELF

AND LET THINGS GET THIS BAD.

BUT I HAVE NO CHOICE.

I HAVE TO HAVE HELP TO EVEN CLEAN MYSELF,

AND SO ME AND TWO OF MY DAUGHTERS

LIVE WITH MY SISTER MENDI AND HER DAUGHTER LILLY

SO MY SISTER CAN TAKE CARE OF ME

BECAUSE I JUST CAN'T DO IT ANYMORE WITH ALL OF THE WEIGHT

THAT'S ON MY BODY NOW.

COLIESA ISN'T ABLE TO TAKE CARE OF HERSELF FULLY IN ANY WAY.

I KNOW SHE NEEDS ME BECAUSE COLIESA'S KIDS WOULDN'T BE ABLE

TO TAKE CARE OF HER IF I WEREN'T HERE.

BUT I DON'T MIND BEING HER CARETAKER

BECAUSE I LOVE HER AND SHE'S FAMILY.

ARE YOU READY TO SHOWER?

YEAH, I'M READY TO GO TAKE A SHOWER.

ALL RIGHT.

Coliesa: TO CARRY THIS AMOUNT OF WEIGHT,

PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND THE PAIN.

IT -- IT HURTS.

I MEAN, IMAGINE BACKPACKING 600 POUNDS OF WEIGHT

EVERY DAY WITH EVERY MOVE THAT YOU MAKE.

YOUR KNEES HURT, YOUR BACK HURTS, YOUR NECK HURTS.

I ALREADY HAVE TO USE MY WHEELCHAIR IF I HAVE TO BE UP

FOR TOO MUCH MORE THAN A SHORT DISTANCE.

AND THE ONLY REASON I EVEN TRY TO GET OUT OF BED

IS TO TRY TO GET CLEAN

BECAUSE HYGIENE IS VERY, VERY IMPORTANT TO ME

BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE MY SIZE,

THEY DON'T SMELL TOO GOOD,

AND I'M NOT ABOUT TO STINK.

THERE'S ALSO RASHES THAT CAN DEVELOP WITH MY SKIN

IF I DON'T WASH UP EVERY COUPLE OF DAYS,

SO THIS IS SOMETHING I JUST HAVE TO PUSH MYSELF TO DO,

NO MATTER HOW HARD AND PAINFUL IT IS FOR ME.

CAN YOU GET UP?

Coliesa: AND IT'S PROBABLY THE HARDEST

AND MOST HUMILIATING PART OF MY DAY.

OKAY. I KNOW.

BUT I CAN'T STAND LONG

BECAUSE MY BACK STARTS LOCKING ON ME.

SO AFTER MAYBE JUST FIVE MINUTES,

I NEED TO GET OUT AND TRY TO GET BACK TO MY BED.

BECAUSE I'M JUST TOO EXHAUSTED TO DO MORE.

I'M JUST THANKFUL I HAVE MENDI

TO DRY MY SORES AND POWDER MY BOILS.

I'M JUST TOO BIG TO DO EVEN BASIC THINGS MYSELF ANYMORE,

AND THAT MAKES ME SAD

BECAUSE THAT SHOULDN'T BE MY FAMILY'S RESPONSIBILITY.

THEY HAVE TO HAVE A LIFE, TOO,

AND I CAN'T KEEP STOPPING EVERYBODY ELSE'S LIFE

JUST BECAUSE I LET MINE GET SO OUT OF CONTROL.

OHH. HELP ME, MENDI.

MM-HMM.

OHH! ALL RIGHT.

I'M GONNA GO START COOKING BREAKFAST.

ALL RIGHT. GET SADIE.

SADIE, COME HELP YOUR MAMA.

-OKAY. -WHAT...

ALL RIGHT. UM...

GET THE BLACK FLOWER THAT'S DOWN THERE.

-THIS? -NO, DOWN.

ALL RIGHT. UM...

Coliesa: MENDI CAN'T EVEN HANDLE EVERYTHING I NEED,

SO MY DAUGHTERS, HANNAH AND SADIE,

HAVE TO HELP ME OUT, TOO.

IT WEIGHS ON ME A LOT. IT REALLY DOES.

I JUST FEEL THAT MY KIDS DESERVE

FOR THEIR MOM TO GET BETTER.

Sadie: I FEEL LIKE MY MAMA DESERVES A NORMAL LIFE,

AND IT HURTS ME BECAUSE I JUST WANT HER TO DO BETTER

AND I WANT HER TO BE THERE FOR US.

CAN YOU BRING ME SOME COFFEE AND A SODA?

OKAY.

Coliesa: I WISH THINGS WASN'T LIKE THIS

AND THIS WASN'T MY LIFE NOW.

BUT IT IS, AND I HAVE TO FACE THAT.

THIS IS HOW IT IS FOR ME UNLESS I LOSE WEIGHT,

BUT TO DO THAT MEANS THAT I'D HAVE TO GIVE UP FOOD,

AND I DON'T KNOW HOW TO DO THAT

BECAUSE I LOVE FOOD WAY TOO MUCH AND I NEED IT.

IT'S WHAT MAKES MY DAYS BRIGHT, NO MATTER WHAT MY LIFE IS LIKE.

AND NOW EATING IS PRETTY MUCH ALL I DO.

EVERY OCCASION TRIGGERS ME TO WANT TO EAT.

I COULD BE HAPPY, AND I WANT TO CELEBRATE WITH FOOD.

I COULD BE SAD, AND I WANT TO SOAK THE SADNESS DOWN WITH FOOD.

I JUST CAN'T STOP EATING 'CAUSE I HAVE TO HAVE

THAT PEACE AND JOY IT GIVES ME,

SO I PUSH MYSELF TO EAT MORE AND MORE TO HAVE THAT.

-TAKE THIS TO THE KITCHEN. -OKAY.

-OKAY. -THANK YOU.

YOU'RE WELCOME.

OH, GOD.

AND THEN THERE ARE TIMES I EAT BEYOND WHAT MY BODY CAN HOLD,

SO I GET SICK.

JUST TO HAVE A LITTLE RELIEF WHEN I GET TO THAT POINT

AND TO FEEL BETTER

AND TO JUST ENJOY THE CONTENTMENT I HAVE AFTER I EAT,

BUT EVEN WHEN I GET TO THAT POINT,

IT'S NOT GONNA TAKE LONG FOR ME TO GET HUNGRY AGAIN

'CAUSE IF I DON'T KEEP EATING,

THEN I'LL LOSE THAT FEELING I HAD FROM IT.

HERE'S THE FOOD.

SO I DON'T KNOW HOW TO STOP.

AND I'VE NEVER KNOWN HOW TO STOP.

I'VE STRUGGLED WITH MY WEIGHT MY ENTIRE LIFE,

AND THAT STARTED BECAUSE FOOD WAS COMFORT FOR ME

WHEN LIFE GOT HARD,

AND THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF TIMES I NEEDED THAT

BECAUSE, GROWING UP, MY FATHER WAS AN ALCOHOLIC.

I HAVE FOUR BIOLOGICAL SIBLINGS,

AND WE WERE ALL TERRIFIED EVERY NIGHT

WHEN HE WOULD START DRINKING AND THEN GET ANGRY.

HE WAS A TOTALLY DIFFERENT PERSON WHEN HE WASN'T DRUNK.

AND HE WOULD MOSTLY TAKE IT OUT ON OUR MOM,

BUT MY MOM GOT CANCER WHEN I WAS 3,

AND SHE PASSED AWAY.

WHEN SHE DIED, MY DAD COULDN'T TAKE CARE OF ALL OF US,

SO WE WENT INTO FOSTER CARE,

AND I WAS SAD TO BE SEPARATED FROM MY SIBLINGS,

BUT MY FOSTER FAMILY, THEY WERE A GOOD FAMILY.

IT WAS JUST THEY WERE ALL SMALL,

AND I JUST HADN'T REALIZED UNTIL THEN

HOW MUCH BIGGER I WAS.

BY THE TIME I WAS SEVEN,

I WAS ABOUT 100, 110.

AND HOW I WAS EATING, THAT JUST GOT WORSE,

BECAUSE WHEN I WAS 8,

MY BIOLOGICAL FATHER STILL GOT TO TAKE ME

AND MY BROTHER FOR VISITS ON SOME WEEKENDS.

WELL, IN THE MIDST OF ANOTHER VISIT WITH HIM,

ONE OF MY COUSINS, HE WAS 19,

AND HE MOLESTED ME.

THANK GOD HE DIDN'T RAPE ME, BUT HE DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO.

I TRIED TO TELL EVERYONE, AND NOBODY BELIEVED ME.

BUT AFTER THAT HAPPENED TO ME, ALL I CARED ABOUT WAS EATING

AND BEING LEFT ALONE, SO I KEPT GAINING A LOT.

BY THE TIME I WAS 10 YEARS OLD, I WAS UP TO 160,

AND I WAS THANKFUL MY FOSTER MOM KEPT ME

FROM HAVING TO GO BACK TO MY DAD'S,

BUT THAT ONLY LASTED A COUPLE OF YEARS,

BECAUSE WHEN I WAS 12,

MY DAD GOT REMARRIED TO A 16-YEAR-OLD GIRL.

SO, HE CAME AND GOT ME AND MY BROTHER,

BUT I FOUND OUT LATER IT WAS BECAUSE

HE WANTED TO GET WELFARE CHECKS.

AND IT WAS LIKE ALL OF A SUDDEN I WAS BACK IN MY NIGHTMARE,

BUT IT WAS WORSE NOW BECAUSE OF MY STEPMOTHER,

'CAUSE SHE WAS HORRIBLE TO ME AND MY BROTHER,

AND SHE EXPECTED US TO CALL HER "MOM."

SO, WHEN I TOLD HER I WOULD NEVER CALL HER "MOM,"

SHE CAME UP TO ME AND SHE SLAPPED ME.

WE FOUGHT PRETTY GOOD.

WHEN MY DAD CAME IN AND HE SAW HOW BAD SHE WAS BEAT UP,

WELL, MY DAD, HE WAS DRUNK, AND HE SNATCHED ME UP.

WE RODE ABOUT FIVE MILES DOWN THE ROAD.

HE LEFT ME AT MY GREAT-UNCLE'S HOUSE,

RECENTLY OUT OF JAIL

FOR RAPING AND MOLESTING FOUR OF HIS GRANDCHILDREN,

KNOWING HE WAS GONNA RAPE ME,

AND SAID, "SINCE YOU WANT TO ACT LIKE A GROWN WOMAN,

I'M GONNA LET HIM TEACH YOU WHAT A GROWN WOMAN IS."

SO BAD.

AND AFTERWARDS, I SHOULD HAVE BEEN SENT TO A HOSPITAL,

BUT MY FATHER TRIED TO HIDE IT.

MY FACE WAS BEAT UP.

WELL, THE SCHOOL CALLED MY FOSTER MOM,

AND SHE CAME AND GOT ME,

BUT ALL THAT HAD HAPPENED TO ME JUST KIND OF STARTED TO SINK IN.

MY BIOLOGICAL DAD AND HIS UNCLE,

THEY TOOK SOMETHING FROM ME THAT I CAN NEVER GET BACK.

AND I LOST MY FAITH IN EVERYTHING AND EVERYONE,

AND ALL I BELIEVED IN THEN WAS FOOD.

MY WEIGHT GAIN NEVER REALLY STOPPED,

AND I GOT OVER 300 BY THE TIME I WAS 15.

AND I JUST KEPT GAINING,

BECAUSE I STARTED DATING A FRIEND OF MINE

I KNEW SINCE I WAS REALLY YOUNG WHEN I WAS 16.

AND I GOT PREGNANT AND HAD MY DAUGHTER, VICTORIA.

AND I GOT UP OVER 350

BY THE TIME I HAD HER WHEN I WAS 17.

BUT AFTER I HAD MY OLDEST DAUGHTER,

I COULDN'T TAKE CARE OF HER -- I COULDN'T.

AND I WANTED HER TO HAVE A GOOD LIFE,

SO SHE STAYED WITH MY MOM.

I DROPPED OUT OF SCHOOL AND MOVED OUT AT 18,

BUT WHEN I MOVED OUT FROM MY FOSTER PARENTS',

I ENDED UP MEETING SOMEONE ELSE.

I MOVED IN WITH HIM, AND WE GOT MARRIED AFTER A YEAR.

I LOVED MY HUSBAND,

BUT HE TURNED OUT TO BE

VERY JEALOUS AND VERY ABUSIVE.

SO THE NEXT 10 YEARS OF MY LIFE,

I WAS EATING TO DEAL WITH THE ABUSE

AND GETTING BIGGER AND HAVING MY OTHER THREE KIDS.

YOU KNOW, I HAD MY SECOND CHILD, HANNAH, WHEN I WAS 23,

AND I WAS OVER 400 POUNDS THEN.

AND THEN I HAD MY THIRD CHILD WHEN I WAS 25.

I GAVE BIRTH TO CAITLIN, AND I WAS ABOUT 460 THEN.

BUT WHEN I WAS 29,

I HAD MY FOURTH CHILD, SADIE GAIL,

AND I WAS AROUND 500 POUNDS THEN.

BUT AFTER I HAD SADIE,

MY HUSBAND GOT ARRESTED AND FINALLY WENT TO JAIL,

AND THAT'S WHEN I FELT THAT I COULD FINALLY LEAVE HIM.

I PACKED THE KIDS UP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT

AND MOVED HERE TO LOUISIANA TO GET AWAY FROM HIM.

I WAS 30 WHEN I DID THAT, STILL OVER 500.

AND A YEAR LATER, WHEN I WAS 31, IS WHEN I MET MY FIANCé, MELVIN.

IT WAS ALMOST LIKE WE INSTANTLY FELL IN LOVE, YOU KNOW?

AND ME AND MY KIDS MOVED IN WITH HIM.

SO LIFE GOT BETTER FOR A WHILE.

BUT WHEN I WAS 39, IT GOT TO A BREAKING POINT

BECAUSE I HAD A HEART ATTACK THEN.

MY BROTHER WAS OVER VISITING AT THE TIME,

AND SO HE CALLED 911.

BY THAT TIME, THE AMBULANCE HAD MADE IT THERE,

MY HEART GAVE OUT, AND IT STOPPED.

AND WHEN THEY GOT ME O THE HOSPITAL,

I WAS TOO BIG TO DO SURGERY ON, SO THEY NEVER FIXED MY HEART.

AND I KNOW I WON'T SURVIVE ANOTHER HEART ATTACK

UNLESS I LOSE WEIGHT,

BUT I HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO DO THAT

BECAUSE SHORTLY AFTER THAT I LOST MELVIN.

HE GOT INTO A CAR WRECK AND DIDN'T SURVIVE,

AND THAT DEVASTATED ME,

BUT I DID WHAT I HAD TO DO TO GET THROUGH IT,

AND THAT WAS TO EAT SO I DIDN'T FALL APART.

NOW I SPEND THE MAJORITY OF MY TIME IN MY BED.

I'VE ALLOWED FOOD TO WASTE MY LIFE --

JUST THE HUNGER AND THE WANT AND THE CRAVE.

IT'S TAKEN OVER MY LIFE.

AND I'M EXHAUSTED.

I'M EXHAUSTED OF THIS LIFE. LIVING LIKE THIS IS NOT LIVING.

IF I DON'T LOSE THIS WEIGHT, I'M -- I'M GOING TO DIE.

I KNOW I'M GOING TO DIE.

BECAUSE I DO FEEL LIKE A TICKING TIME BOMB.

MY HEART COULD GIVE OUT AT ANY TIME.

I CAN FEEL THE WEIGHT WEIGHING ME DOWN.

IT'S LIKE MY BODY'S TRYING TO GIVE UP.

YOU KNOW, AND I CAN FEEL IT.

BUT I CAN'T GIVE UP. I HAVE TO BE HERE FOR MY KIDS.

IT'S HARD FOR ME TO SEE MY SISTER THE WAY SHE IS.

IT'S JUST REALLY SAD BECAUSE I KNOW

SHE EATS THE WAY SHE DOES BECAUSE SHE'S UNHAPPY

AND THE FOOD BRINGS COMFORT TO HER IN SOME WAY,

BUT COLIESA IS AT A BREAKING POINT,

MENTALLY, PHYSICALLY, EMOTIONALLY.

SHE JUST REALLY NEEDS HELP.

Coliesa: AND I HAVE TO FIND A WAY TO GET WHAT I NEED FROM FOOD

BECAUSE ONE OF THESE DAYS I'M REALLY JUST NOT GONNA WAKE UP.

MY KIDS ARE GONNA COME IN AND FIND ME DEAD.

SO I HAVE TO DO SOMETHING NOW

BEFORE THAT HAPPENS AND IT'S TOO LATE

'CAUSE IF SOMETHING DOESN'T HELP ME STOP EATING,

I'M NOT GONNA MAKE IT.

Coliesa: TODAY, I'M GOING TO SEE DR. NOW IN HOUSTON,

AND I'M PUTTING ALL MY HOPES ON GETTING HIS HELP,

BECAUSE THIS IS LITERALLY THE LAST CHANCE I HAVE

TO CHANGE THINGS BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE FOR ME.

IT'S GONNA TAKE SOMETHING LIKE

THREE TO FOUR HOURS TO GET THERE,

AND I'M MOSTLY WORRIED ABOUT THE PAIN

OF BEING IN A CAR FOR THAT LONG.

I HAVE SOME OF MY OLD PAIN PILLS

AND MY FOSTER SISTER, AMBER, AND MY DAUGHTER, HANNAH,

ARE GONNA BE THERE TO HELP ME.

BUT I'M GONNA DO MY BEST AND TRY TO DO WHATEVER I CAN

TO GET THROUGH THIS AND MAKE IT THERE,

'CAUSE I KNOW MY LIFE DEPENDS ON IT.

-HEY. -HEY.

WELL?

EVERYTHING'S RIGHT THERE. EVERYTHING'S READY TO GO.

HANNAH!

Amber: ALL RIGHT. SO... YOU GONNA WALK TO MY CAR?

NO, I CAN'T WALK THAT LONG.

-YOU CAN'T WALK THAT -- -I AIN'T TOOK MY MEDICINE.

WHAT MEDICINE HELPS YOU WALK?

THIS IS WHAT WE'RE GONNA TALK TO THAT DOCTOR ABOUT.

NO, WE AIN'T GONNA TALK TO THAT DOCTOR ABOUT THAT.

-BECAUSE YOU DON'T WANT TO DO -- -NO, WE AIN'T.

ALL RIGHT. I'M TIRED OF TALKING ABOUT IT. LET'S GO.

SO, I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND PUT THIS IN THE CAR.

HANNAH. MENDI, UM...

SO, ALL RIGHT. I'M GONNA GO UNLOCK MY CAR.

YEAH, YOU CAN...

JUST GO SLOW, HANNAH.

Coliesa: I KNOW THIS IS GONNA TAKE A LOT FOR ME TO DO,

BECAUSE THE PLAN IS TO JUST DRIVE STRAIGHT THERE

AND GET THERE TODAY,

WITH MY APPOINTMENT BEING THIS AFTERNOON.

SO IT'S GONNA BE A LONG TRIP FOR ME

THAT I HAVE TO PACE MYSELF FOR.

Mendi: I LOVE YOU.

Coliesa: TAKE CARE OF THE BABIES FOR ME.

THIS ISN'T GOING TO BE EASY,

BUT MY LIFE IS DEPENDING ON THIS.

SO NO MATTER WHAT IT TAKES FOR ME,

I'M DETERMINED TO GET TO HOUSTON

AND GET HELP TO TURN MY LIFE AROUND.

MY WEIGHT IS OUT OF CONTROL,

AND MY HEALTH IS FAILING, PRETTY MUCH.

THIS IS IT FOR ME.

IF THIS PROGRAM CAN'T HELP ME, WHO CAN?

Coliesa: OH, HELL NO. HOLD THIS, AMB.

Amber: HOLD ON. WHAT?

MY PAIN MEDICINE.

ALL THESE DAMN CANDIES, I CAN'T FIND MY DOGGONE PAIN MEDICINE.

-WELL, I'M ABOUT TO FLIP. -NO. DON'T DO IT. JUST STOP.

IT'S IN THERE, AND YOU'RE GONNA FIND IT.

-NO, IT'S NOT. -I'M SERIOUS RIGHT NOW.

-IT'S NOT. -ALL RIGHT.

WE'RE GONNA FIND IT RIGHT NOW.

-GIVE ME THIS PURSE. -NO.

I'M GONNA HOLD IT DOWN HERE SO YOU CAN LOOK IN IT.

Hannah: I THINK MENDI SAID SHE PUT IT IN YOUR, UM --

THE DUFFLE BAG.CALL MENDI.

Hannah: I THINK THAT'S WHAT MENDI SAID.

IT'S NOT IN HERE, IS IT?

NO, IT'S NOT IN THAT BAG, BUT IT'S PROBABLY IN THE TRUNK.

-IN ANOTHER BAG. -CHILL OUT.

I'M ABOUT TO CALL MENDI 'CAUSE I THINK THAT'S WHAT SHE SAID.

Amber: OHH.

-YOU FOUND IT? -NO!

Mendi: Hello?

Hannah: HEY, MAMA SAID, WHERE HER PAIN MEDICINE IS?

TELL HER MY HYDROCODONE IS NOT IN HERE.

SHE SAID IT HAS TO BE

BECAUSE YOU PUT THEM IN THERE LAST NIGHT.

WHICH WHERE?

THEY'RE NOT IN THIS NEW PURSE. I'M TELLING YOU NOW.

I JUST WENT THROUGH THE WHOLE PURSE. IT'S NOT IN HERE.

Hannah: TRY AND TALK TO HER.

MENDI.

GO LOOK ON MY BED. IT'S NOT IN MY PURSE, BRO.

MY HYDROCODONES IS NOT IN MY PURSE.

Hannah: THIS IS TOO MUCH DRAMA.

-OH. -OH, MY GOD.

-YES.

Mendi: YES, YOU LEFT THE WHOLE DAMN BOTTLE.

YOU COULD COME IN MY VAN, MENDI. YOU GOT MY KEYS.

damn it. I'm coming, then.

Coliesa: WELL, HURRY UP. THIS AIN'T COOL.

LIKE, WE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE THING.

HOW DID IT GET OUT OF MY PURSE? LIKE, REALLY?

YOU WERE PACKING MY PURSE!

OH, MY GOD.

THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS WHEN OTHER PEOPLE PACK YOUR STUFF.

Coliesa: WHAT?

STOP TALKING AND GET ON THE ROAD!

HERE.

I THOUGHT Y'ALL WERE DOING GOOD.

I THOUGHT WE WERE DOING GOOD. Y'ALL HAD EVERYTHING READY.

MY MEDICINE. I TOLD YOU I GOT TO HAVE MY MEDICINE.

THERE'S NO WAY THAT I CAN MAKE THAT TRIP WITHOUT THAT.

Coliesa: I'M REALLY TICKED OFF.

I THINK SOMEONE TOOK THEM OUT MY BAG,

BUT I JUST NEED THEM BECAUSE MY BACK'S HURTING BAD.

LUCKILY WE'RE ONLY 20 MINUTES AWAY FROM THE HOUSE STILL,

SO THIS SHOULDN'T TAKE LONG FOR HER TO GET THEM TO ME.

AND I CAN ALREADY FEEL THE PAIN SETTING IN, IN A BIG WAY,

SO I NEED TO TAKE MY PAINKILLERS BEFORE IT GETS TO A POINT

WHERE THEY WON'T EVEN HELP ME

AND THIS LONG TRIP WILL BE SOMETHING THAT I CAN'T HANDLE.

THAT'S HER.

-HOW DID THISHAPPEN?

-SHE'S GONNA BE MAD.

I LOVE YOU.

ALL RIGHT. Y'ALL CALL ME TONIGHT.

ALL RIGHT.

BYE. I LOVE YOU.

Coliesa: THANK GOD.

I KNOW I WOULDN'T HAVE MADE IT TO HOUSTON

WITHOUT SOMETHING TO HELP ME WITH THE PAIN,

BECAUSE THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN TOO MUCH FOR ME,

AND I'M JUST GRATEFUL I HAVE WHAT I NEED TO DO THIS.

BUT THIS HAS ALREADY BEEN REALLY STRESSFUL ON ME.

WE'RE ABOUT 10 MINUTES FROM DR. NOW'S CLINIC.

SO I DID IT, AND I'M PROUD OF MYSELF

FOR HOLDING IN THERE AND MAKING IT HERE.

BUT NOW I'M GETTING NERVOUS ABOUT SEEING HIM

AND FINDING OUT WHAT HE'S GONNA TELL ME

AND WHETHER OR NOT I'M GONNA HAVE HIS HELP.

I'M HOPING I'M NOT TOO SORE TO USE MY LEGS.

I JUST HAVE TO BE ABLE TO MAKE IT INTO MY WHEELCHAIR

AND STAND FOR MY WEIGH-IN,

BUT MY LEGS FEEL REALLY SWOLLEN, SO I'M A LITTLE WORRIED

I'M NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO DO IT.

OOH, MY FOOT.

WE'RE JUST GONNA DO THIS QUICK AND FAST.

-HERE. I NEED THIS. -LIKE, JUST DO IT.

JUST GET UP AND JUST DO IT. LIKE...

-MNH. -LEAN ON THE CHAIR.

-YOUR FOOT ASLEEP? -MM-HMM.

-JUST TWIST IN IT. -OOH.

LET ME PULL YOUR SHIRT DOWN IN THE BACK.

-OKAY. -YOU GOT IT. YOU GOT IT.

-YOU GOT IT. -OKAY.

-LET ME BACK IT UP. -OH, THANK YOU, JESUS.

YOU GOT IT. YOU DID GOOD.

DO YOU FEEL -- YOU FEEL TIGHT?

Amber: YOU'RE DOING GOOD, MAMA.

OKAY. THAT'S GOOD.

...PULL ON THE DOOR.

Amber: WELL, DON'T PULL TOO HARD DOWN ON IT. TAKE THE STEP.

COLIESA?

Coliesa: THIS HAS BEEN A HARD TRIP, MORE THAN I WAS EXPECTING,

AND I'M REALLY NERVOUS RIGHT NOW

BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT FROM ALL THIS.

I JUST NEED THIS TO GO WELL

SO I CAN GET THE HELP I DESPERATELY NEED

BECAUSE IF I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW WHAT I'M GONNA DO.

SO MY WHOLE LIFE IS DEPENDING ON THIS.

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

HOPING TO GET HIS HELP.

I'M HOPING THAT MY WEIGHT TODAY IS STILL AT LEAST AROUND 600

AND NOT HIGHER THAN THAT.

BUT MY WEIGHT GAIN'S BEEN OUT OF CONTROL FOR SO LONG,

I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT FROM THE SCALE.

Woman: 643.

OH, MY GOD.

IT COULD BE WORSE,

BUT IT'S STILL HIGH FOR WHAT I WAS HOPING.

-OKAY. -WHENEVER YOU'RE READY,

YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND GO TO ROOM FIVE.

Coliesa: MY BODY IS WORSE THAN IT'S EVER BEEN,

SO DR. NOW IS MY LAST HOPE,

AND I NEED HIS HELP NOW MORE THAN EVER.

-HELLO. -HELLO.

-HOW Y'ALL DOING? -ALL RIGHT AND YOU?

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

I'M COLIESA.

-COLIESA FROM LOUISIANA, HUH? -YES, SIR.

ALL RIGHT. AND WHO'S THIS YOUNG LADY WITH YOU?

-THIS IS MY DAUGHTER, HANNAH. -HANNAH. OKAY.

-AND THIS IS MY SISTER, AMBER. -AMBER, OKAY.

SO, TELL ME SOME MORE ABOUT YOURSELF AND YOUR SITUATION.

YOU ARE AT HOME WITH WHO ELSE?

IT'S MY SISTER MENDI,

MY DAUGHTERS, SADIE AND HANNAH.

OKAY. SO, DO YOU GET YOUR FOOD, OR SHE'S BRINGING IT TO YOU?

WELL, SHE BRINGS IT TO ME. SHE BRINGS IT TO ME...

SHE FUSSES AT ME.

DOES SHE GIVE YOU A BIG AMOUNT TO EAT

OR DOES SHE FORCE YOU TO EAT?

NO, SHE DON'T FORCE ME. I FUSS AT HER.

LIKE, IF SHE DON'T GIVE ME WHAT I WANT, I'LL GO GET IT.

LIKE, THAT'S WHAT I DO.

SO, WHAT DOES YOUR EATING HABITS LOOK LIKE?

UM...

CANDY, SODA. LOTS OF JUNK FOOD.

FRIED AND GREASY STUFF, TOO. AND I EAT A LOT AT LATE NIGHT.

OKAY. DO YOU SEE ANYTHING WRONG WITH THAT PICTURE?

YES.

ALL RIGHT. LET'S LOOK AT HERE. YOU HAVE A HEART PROBLEM.

CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE. YOU HAD THE STINT?

-NO. -NO?

THEY COULDN'T -- THEY NEVER PUT THE STINT.

I JUST HAVE 100% BLOCKAGE AT THE BOTTOM,

THE ARTERY AT THE BOTTOM.

OKAY. SO THAT'S A SERIOUS ISSUE.

YOU'RE ON A BLOOD THINNER?

MM-HMM.

AND YOU SMOKE?

WELL, I'M QUITTING. I'M IN THE PROCESS OF QUITTING.

LIKE, I HAVE A PATCH. I GOT ON NICOTINE PATCHES.

WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU'RE QUITTING?

LIKE, I'M QUITTING.

YOU'RE HERE TO BE HEALTHY, RIGHT?

MM-HMM.

SO MY SUGGESTION IS, YOU WANT TO BE HEALTHY,

YOU STOP SMOKING, QUIT THE PATCHES.

BECAUSE THEY'RE EQUALLY AS BAD AS SMOKING.

ACTUALLY, IN YOUR SITUATION,

IF YOU SMOKE, MAYBE BETTER THAN HAVING NICOTINE FROM PATCH.

-REALLY? -OKAY? YEAH.

BECAUSE YOU HAD A HEART ATTACK

AND YOU'RE USING NICOTINE,

WHICH IS DETRIMENTAL FOR CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE.

BY NOW, YOU'RE 41 YEARS OLD.

YOU SHOULD KNOW THAT CANDY IS NOT PART OF YOUR DIET.

YOU COME HERE AND SAY, "I DRINK SODA AND CANDY AND THEN SMOKE

AND HAD A HEART ATTACK

AND HAVE HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE, COPD AND BMI IS 90,

AND I WANT HELP."

I UNDERSTAND.

YOU SEE ANY PROBLEM WITH THAT PICTURE?

I DO.

OKAY. I'M GONNA GIVE YOU SOME STUFF TO READ,

AND THE DIET I'M GIVING YOU IS GOING TO LIMIT YOU

TO 1,200 CALORIES A DAY WITH A FOCUS ON PROTEIN

WITH ALMOST NO CARBS IN YOUR DIET.

AND START DOING SOME EXERCISE, OKAY?

SO THIS IS GONNA BE SOMETHING

THAT YOUARE GONNA HAVE TO DO THE WORK.

WE GIVE YOU THE ROADMAP OF WHAT YOU NEED TO DO

TO GET TO A HEALTHY PLACE,

BUT IF YOU DON'T CHANGE YOUR BEHAVIOR,

YOU'RE NOT GONNA BE SUCCEEDING FOR LONG-TERM.

-OKAY. -OKAY?

DO YOU THINK YOU CAN DO THAT?

-YEAH. -OKAY.

WELL, YOU KNOW, WITH YOUR HEART HISTORY,

HAVING A HEART ATTACK,

YOU KNOW YOU'RE NOT GONNA BE GOOD CANDIDATE

FOR WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY UNLESS YOU LOSE A LOT OF WEIGHT.

AND MAKE SURE THIS SURGERY IS GONNA BE SAFE.

SO BETWEEN THIS POINT AND THE POINT

THAT YOU'RE GONNA BE SAFE TO HAVE SURGERY,

I WANT YOU TO LOSE 100 POUNDS,

AND I WANT YOU TO DO THAT OVER THE NEXT TWO MONTHS.

BUT BECAUSE OF YOUR HEART AND HOW LITTLE TIME YOU COULD HAVE,

I WANT TO SEE YOU IN A MONTH TO MAKE SURE YOU'RE ON TRACK

AND LOSING AT LEAST 50 POUNDS IN THAT TIME.

OKAY? OKAY.

BUT BEFORE YOU MOVE AHEAD,

WE NEED TO LOOK AT ALL YOUR RECORDS,

SO WE'RE GONNA GET ALL YOUR RECORD FROM LOUISIANA.

WE'RE GONNA SEE WHAT YOUR HEART CONDITION IS,

WHAT POTENTIAL YOU GOT FOR SURGERY, OKAY?

BUT THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS FOR YOU TO GET

AS MUCH WEIGHT OFF OF YOU AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.

AND IF YOU DON'T LOSE 50 POUNDS IN THE FIRST MONTH,

THEN THERE'S NO POINT IN WASTING TIME

IF YOU DON'T WANT TO CHANGE YOUR LIFE.

BECAUSE YOUR BEHAVIOR TOWARD FOOD

IS GONNA BE TOTALLY UP TO YOU.

OKAY?

DO YOU KNOW THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE SLOW-DOWN AND STOP?

-NO. -OKAY.

IF I TAKE BASEBALL BAT AND START HITTING YOU,

YOU WANT ME TO STOP OR SLOW DOWN?

STOP.

OKAY. NOW YOU UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENCE, OKAY?

ALL RIGHT. SO, YOU HAVE ANY QUESTION, GIVE ME A CALL.

BUT WE'LL SEE YOU IN A MONTH, OKAY?

-SOUNDS GOOD. -ALL RIGHT.

-NICE TO MEET YOU GUYS. -YOU TOO.

NICE TO MEET YOU, TOO.

AND HAVE A GOOD TRIP BACK.

HEH. THANK YOU.

THE SITUATION WE HAVE WITH COLIESA

AND THE STATE OF HER HEALTH IS VERY CONCERNING.

HER BODY HAS ALREADY REACHED ITS BREAKING POINT ONCE.

AND IF SHE HAD ANOTHER HEART ATTACK,

THERE WILL LIKELY BE NOTHING

WE CAN DO TO BRING HER BACK FROM IT.

AND WITH HER SITUATION,

I'M REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT

SHE WOULD BE ABLE TO SURVIVE WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY.

SO AT THIS POINT, SHE'S AT A VERY DANGEROUS PLACE,

AND THE ONLY THING THAT IS GONNA GIVE HER

ANY CHANCE TO SURVIVE FOR LONG

TO REDUCE THE STRAIN ON HER SYSTEM AS SOON AS SHE CAN.

Coliesa: PART OF ME IS JUST, LIKE, REELING A LITTLE

FROM THE WEIGHT-LOSS GOAL THAT DR. NOW GAVE ME,

BUT I'LL READ HIS DIET,

AND I'LL DO WHAT I'M SUPPOSED TO DO

AND I'LL GIVE IT MY BEST, BECAUSE I WANT TO DO THIS.

AND I KNOW I WON'T SURVIVE ANOTHER HEART ATTACK

OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT UNLESS I START TO LOSE NOW.

SO I JUST HOPE WHAT I'M ABLE TO DO IS GOOD ENOUGH

AND THAT I MAKE IT TO THAT GOAL BY NEXT MONTH.

IT'S BEEN TWO WEEKS SINCE MY FIRST APPOINTMENT WITH DR. NOW,

AND I'M FEELING REALLY GOOD ABOUT MY PROGRESS

AND HOW I'M DOING.

-MENDI, I'M HUNGRY. -WHAT DO YOU WANT TO EAT?

I WANT THE TUNA FISH WITH A LITTLE SQUEEZE OF MUSTARD

AND THE ROMAINE LETTUCE. OKAY.

THE ONLY PROBLEM IS, I TWISTED MY ANKLE

TRYING TO DO THE EXERCISES AND GETTING UP AND WALKING,

SO I HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO DO THOSE.

AND I'VE BEEN STUCK ON THE COUCH AND IN BED A LOT.

BUT I'M DOING GREAT WITH MY DIET,

AND I'VE CUT BACK TO ONLY THREE MEALS A DAY

THAT ARE PORTIONED OUT AND FOCUSED ON PROTEIN.

AND MENDI HAS BEEN HELPING ME WITH THAT

AND MAKING THEM HOW I NEED.

SHE'S ALSO DONE A GOOD JOB MAKING THEM TASTY FOR ME,

EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE NOT THE GREASY FRIED MEALS THAT I LIKE.

HERE. TASTE THIS.

IT'S GOOD.

IT'S NOT BAD.

IT'S GOOD. I LIKE IT.

SO THAT CHANGE HASN'T BEEN THAT BAD FOR ME.

NOT NEARLY AS BAD AS I THOUGHT.

CAN YOU...GRAB MY FLAVOR PACKS?

I JUST NEED A BOTTLE OF WATER.

COME ON, SNOWY.

AND EVEN THOUGH I'M NOT ABLE TO DO MY WALKING EXERCISES,

I'M STILL DOING WHAT I CAN WITH MY UPPER BODY FROM THE CHAIR.

Mendi: COME ON, SNOWY.

Coliesa: SO I'M GETTING A GOOD WORKOUT TWICE A DAY WITH THAT.

AND I'M ALSO PROUD TO SAY

I'M NOT SMOKING OR USING PATCHES AT ALL ANYMORE.

AND I KNOW I'M MAKING A LOT OF PROGRESS.

SO ALL MY FEARS AND WORRIES ABOUT THE DIET

SEEM SILLY TO ME NOW, AND I'M KICKING BUTT AT THIS.

BUT NOW I EVEN THINK I HAVE A CHANCE

OF LOSING MORE THAN WHAT DR. NOW TOLD ME TO LOSE

AND HOPING WHEN I SHOW UP WITH A 60- OR 70-POUND WEIGHT LOSS

THAT HE'LL SEE HOW HARD I'M WORKING

AND TELL ME THAT I CAN GET WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY.

BECAUSE I KNOW WHEN I GO BACK, I'M GONNA NAIL THIS,

AND I CAN'T WAIT FOR THAT.

YEAH.

Coliesa: I'M BACK IN HOUSTON TO SEE DR. NOW

FOR MY SECOND APPOINTMENT TO SEE IF I REACHED MY GOAL.

COLIESA?

LAST TIME I WAS HERE, I WAS AT 643.

AND MY GOAL WAS TO LOSE 50 POUNDS IN A MONTH.

IF I MADE IT TO THE 50-POUND GOAL TODAY,

THAT MEANS I'LL BE UNDER 593.

616.

I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW I DIDN'T LOSE MORE.

I WORKED SO HARD, AND I'M JUST REALLY,

REALLY DISAPPOINTED RIGHT NOW.

-HELLO. -HELLO.

HOW ARE YOU ALL DOING?

-GOOD. -I'M GOOD.

-I'M UPSET. -WHY YOU UPSET?

BECAUSE I JUST --

I THOUGHT I DID WAY BETTER THAN WHAT I DID.

AND I'M JUST -- I TRIED.

NO, YOU DIDN'T, BECAUSE IF YOU TRIED,

YOU WOULD HAVE LOST MORE THAN HALF OF WHAT

YOU SHOULD HAVE AT THIS POINT.

SO YOU'RE STILL EATING FOUR TO FIVE TIMES WHAT YOU SHOULD.

DR. NOW, I WANT TO TELL YOU OFF SO BAD.

I'VE DONE EVERYTHING THAT YOU TOLD ME TO DO.

I DID MY 1,400 CALORIES. I DID EXERCISES.

I DON'T EVEN GO IN MY WHEELCHAIR NO MORE.

BUT YOU'RE ACTING LIKE I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING.

AND I COMPLETELY QUIT SMOKING.

AND I'M ALREADY UPSET ENOUGH AT MYSELF.

BUT DON'T SIT THERE AND TRY TO SAY

THAT I DID NOT DO WHAT YOU ASKED ME TO DO,

BECAUSE I DID.

OKAY. FIRST OFF, IT'S 1,200 CALORIES.

SO YOU'RE NOT LISTENING TO WHAT I'M SAYING

OR READING WHAT WE GAVE YOU.

SECOND, YOU MAY HAVE MADE SOME CHANGES YOU NEED,

BUT WHAT DOES IT MATTER IF YOU MADE CHANGES

IF IT'S NOT ENOUGH TO SAVE YOUR LIFE?

I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT I DID WRONG

BECAUSE I REALLY DID...

OKAY. WELL, YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU DID WRONG.

BUT LET'S HELP YOU TO UNDERSTAND IT

INSTEAD OF CRYING AND THROWING A TANTRUM.

WHEN YOU'RE OVER 600 POUND, IF YOU EAT PROPERLY,

YOU CAN EASILY LOSE 100 POUND IN A MONTH. OKAY?

IF I PUT YOU RIGHT NOW IN THE HOSPITAL ONE WEEK

AND PUT YOU ON 1,200-CALORIE DIET,

YOU GONNA LOSE ABOUT 30 TO 40 POUNDS IN ONE WEEK.

SO THIS IDEA THAT YOU ARE DOING GOOD AND YOU DIDN'T...

THEN WHAT CAN I DO DIFFERENT? BECAUSE I COUNTED MY CALORIES.

I -- IT'S LIKE I DON'T KNOW WHAT --

WHAT I DID SO WRONG.

YOU NEED TO UNDERSTAND,

YOU'RE STILL EATING MORE THAN YOU SHOULD.

OKAY? OKAY.

THE REALITY IS YOU SHOULD BE 180 POUND,

AND TODAY YOU ARE 616 POUNDS.

YOU HAVE BAD HEART, YOU HAVE BAD CORONARY,

AND YOU HAD A HEART ATTACK, RIGHT?

AND THE NEXT TIME, YOU'RE NOT GONNA SURVIVE THAT.

BUT AT THIS POINT, I THINK WITH WHERE YOU'RE AT

I DON'T WANT ALL THE TRAVELING TO COME HERE

TO PUT ANY MORE STRESS ON YOUR BODY.

SO WHAT IS YOUR POTENTIAL TO MOVE DOWN TO HOUSTON?

THAT'S WHAT -- I'M DOWN HERE FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS.

I'M LOOKING TO MOVE. LIKE, I'M LOOKING FOR A PLACE.

WE'RE STAYING UNTIL TOMORROW.

I GOT A COUPLE APPOINTMENTS TOMORROW

WITH APARTMENT COMPLEXES

TO TRY TO GO ON AHEAD AND GET MOVED.

OKAY. SO, HOW IS YOUR ACTIVITY?

OH, I'M DOING GOOD.

BECAUSE BEFORE, I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING.

LIKE, I LITERALLY JUST LAID AND WATCHED TV.

OKAY. SO YOU ARE MAKING BABY STEPS.

WE TO TAKE A BIGGER STEP,

PARTICULARLY WITH YOUR WEIGHT LOSS,

AND MAKE MORE PROGRESS

BECAUSE YOU'RE RUNNING OUT OF TIME.

AND THAT'S GONNA BE THE IMPORTANT THING.

YOU NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT.I AGREE. I AGREE.

OKAY? BUT I WANT TO SEE YOU AGAIN IN ONE MONTH.

AND I WANT YOU TO LOSE 50 POUNDS BY THEN, THIS TIME, OKAY?

-OKAY. -I GOT YOUR MEDICAL RECORDS,

AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THE STRAIN ON YOUR HEART

IS REDUCED SIGNIFICANTLY,

AND WORK TO MAKE SURE THE BLOCKAGE IS FULLY ADDRESSED

IF YOU'RE GONNA HAVE ANY CHANCE TO SURVIVE

FOR MUCH LONGER. OKAY?

OKAY.

-ALL RIGHT. ANY QUESTIONS? -NO, SIR.

OKAY? SO YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO TRY HARDER.

OH, I'M GONNA TRY HARDER THIS TIME, FOR SURE.

OKAY. ALL RIGHT.

SO I'LL SEE YOU AS SOON AS YOU MOVE DOWN.

ALL RIGHT. NICE TO SEE YOU. ALL RIGHT.

Dr. Nowzaradan: I'M GLAD TO SEE SOME PROGRESS FROM COLIESA,

BUT IT'S STILL FAR FROM WHERE IT NEEDS TO BE,

AND I THINK MOST OF HER CRYING AND EMOTION

IS AN ATTEMPT TO MANIPULATE HER SITUATION

AND MANIPULATE ME TO TRY AND GET ME TO FEEL SORRY FOR HER

INSTEAD OF HOLDING HER ACCOUNTABLE FOR HER CHOICES.

AND THAT IS A COMMON TACTIC FOR SOMEONE WHO IS 600 POUNDS

TO TRY AND STAY IN CONTROL OF THEIR SITUATION.

AND IF YOU DON'T GIVE IN, THEN THEY GET ANGRY AND DEFENSIVE.

THEY TRY AND MAKE YOU FEEL

LIKE YOU HAVE TO DIFFUSE THE SITUATION BEFORE THEY GET WORSE.

SO RIGHT NOW COLIESA IS STILL PLAYING GAMES WITH ME.

AND IF SHE DOESN'T WAKE UP SOON AND START MAKING MORE PROGRESS,

THEN SHE'S GONNA RUN OUT OF TIME.

SO SHE NEEDS TO START DOING WHAT SHE NEEDS NOW

BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE.

Coliesa: I'M A LITTLE UPSET BECAUSE I DISAPPOINTED DR. NOW

AND BECAUSE HE THINKS I'M NOT WORKING HARD ENOUGH

WHEN I KNOW HOW HARD I DID WORK TO DO THIS.

SO, HOPEFULLY, THIS MONTH, EVERYTHING WILL CHANGE

BECAUSE I'M GETTING MOVED DOWN TO TEXAS AND NEW ENVIRONMENT.

AND JUST START PUSHING MYSELF MORE.

AND WHEN I COME BACK, HOPEFULLY I'M OVER HIS MARK THIS TIME.

Coliesa: ALL RIGHT. NOW, THIS IS FINISHED.

EVERYTHING LOADS UP. EVERYTHING'S HOUSTON-BOUND.

TODAY, WE HAVE A LOT OF FAMILY AND FRIENDS THAT'S HELPING US

GET EVERYTHING WE NEED LOADED UP BECAUSE WE'RE MOVING TO HOUSTON.

ARE YOU GONNA BRING YOUR CURTAIN RODS?

Coliesa: YES, WE NEED THOSE CURTAIN RODS,

AND WE NEED THOSE LIGHT BULBS.

MENDI IS GOING SINCE SHE'S MY CARETAKER,

AND MY NIECE IS MOVING, TOO, SO THIS IS A BIG CHANGE FOR HER.

MY DAUGHTER, HANNAH, IS 18 NOW,

SO SHE'S GONNA STAY HERE WITH FAMILY

UNTIL SHE GETS A PLACE OF HER OWN.

THEN SADIE'S GONNA COME DOWN

AFTER WE GET HER TRANSFERRED IN A MONTH OR TWO.

SO THIS IS A CHANGE FOR ALL OF US,

JUST FOR ME TO GET HEALTHY.

YOU HAPPY I'M DOING THIS?

YES. BUT NOT REALLY. IT'S KIND OF SCARY.

-WHY? -'CAUSE THE ANESTHESIA STUFF.

BUT ARE YOU GLAD THAT I'M GONNA BE ABLE TO DO STUFF WITH YOU?

MM-HMM.

BECAUSE OF HOW MUCH THIS IS TAKING FOR EVERYONE TO DO,

IT'S HARD NOT TO SECOND-GUESS THIS ALL IN MY HEAD.

NOT JUST MY LIFE BUT WHAT MY FAMILY IS SACRIFICING FOR ME.

-OH, MY WEIGHTS. -HER WEIGHTS.

GET MY WEIGHTS.

SO I KNOW I HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT I DON'T FAIL,

AND I'VE BEEN TRYING TO WORK EVEN HARDER THIS TIME...

-UGH! -OHH!

MY KNEE.

...TO LOSE MORE LIKE DR. NOW WANTS

BECAUSE I REALLY WANT TO PROVE MYSELF TO DR. NOW

AND GET THE SURGERY I NEEDED MOST MY LIFE.

I KNOW THE IMPORTANCE OF DOING THIS AND GETTING THIS HELP,

AND THAT'S WHY I'M SO DEDICATED.

WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN

BY TRANSPLANTING OUR LIVES TO ANOTHER PLACE

SO I CAN HAVE THIS CHANCE TO CHANGE MY LIFE.

BUT I KNOW THIS IS ALL STILL GONNA COME DOWN TO ME

HITTING MY GOAL.

THIS IS ALL OR NOTHING FOR ME,

AND SO NO MATTER WHAT, I HAVE TO DO THIS,

OR THIS WILL ALL BE FOR NOTHING.

Coliesa: ALL RIGHT. HERE. HERE'S YOUR BABY BROOM.

WE'VE BEEN HERE IN HOUSTON FOR A COUPLE WEEKS NOW.

THE MOVE DOWN WASN'T TOO BAD

BECAUSE WE HAD A LOT OF HELP FROM FRIENDS AND FAMILY,

SO WE GOT EVERYTHING ALL SET UP PRETTY QUICK,

SO I'VE JUST BEEN ABLE TO FOCUS ON MY DIET

AND LOSING MORE WEIGHT FOR THE PAST COUPLE OF WEEKS.

-HEY! -HEY.

WHAT YOU DOING?

AND MY NIECE, BLAIR, MY SISTER AMBER'S DAUGHTER,

HAS COME DOWN TO HELP ME WITH MEAL PREPPING

AND MAKING SOME GOOD BUT HEALTHY OPTIONS

BECAUSE SHE'S REALLY HEALTH-CONSCIOUS

AND MAKES A LOT OF HEALTHY MEALS.

I KNOW YOU LIKE BROCCOLI, SO I GOT SOME BROCCOLI.

WE HAD TALKED ABOUT SALMON BEFORE,

SO I'M GONNA SHOW YOU THE WAY THAT I COOK IT.

-OKAY. -AND THEN SOME ASPARAGUS.

DR. NOW SAYS THIS IS A CHANGE THAT HAS TO LAST WITH ME,

SO I'M TRYING TO MAKE THIS A NEW WAY OF EATING

THAT I'M GONNA BE ABLE TO STICK WITH.

DO YOU WANT TO PUT YOUR CHAIR IN HERE SO YOU CAN WATCH?

Coliesa: I JUST DON'T WANT TO GET IN YOUR WAY.

YOU'RE GOOD HERE. ALL RIGHT.

THAT WAY, YOU CAN...

BUT I'VE BEEN SURPRISED ALL THE WAY

YOU CAN MAKE FOODS FLAVORABLE

WITHOUT BUTTER, SUGAR, AND FLOUR.

MAKES ME WISH I'D LEARNED THIS YEARS AGO

BECAUSE I MIGHT NOT BE IN THIS MESS WITH MY HEALTH

IF I HAD,

BUT I FIGURE IT'S BETTER LATER THAN NEVER

TO FINALLY GET THIS WEIGHT OFF OF ME

AND GET TO THE HEALTHY PLACE I NEED TO BE.

OKAY. NOW, HOW YOU EAT THIS THING?

DO YOU PUT HOT SAUCE ON IT? WHAT YOU DO?

HOT SAUCE?!

EAT IT. TAKE A BITE.

HOW FAR?

EAT IT! TAKE A BITE!

I TOLD YOU YOU HAD TO BITE IT.

WELL?

BUT WE'RE ALL BEING REALLY HEALTHY,

AND I FEEL CONFIDENT THAT THIS TIME

I'LL BE WHERE I SHOULD AND AT MY GOAL

WHEN I GO BACK TO DR. NOW,

AND THIS TIME I REALLY FEEL LIKE I'M GOING TO DO IT.

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

AND I'M HOPING FOR A BETTER WEIGH-IN TODAY

'CAUSE I THINK I DID GOOD.

I WORKED HARD AND DID EVERYTHING LIKE I SHOULD

EVEN BETTER THAN LAST TIME.

BUT IT'S STILL HARD NOT TO BE A LITTLE SCARED

OF WHAT THE SCALE'S GONNA SAY.

COLIESA?

AT THE LAST APPOINTMENT, I WAS DOWN TO 616.

AND MY GOAL WAS TO LOSE 50 POUNDS,

AND I'M REALLY HOPING I MADE IT.

IF I DID, THEN I'LL BE BELOW 567,

SO I'M HOPING FOR A NUMBER THAT'S LESS THAN THAT.

591.

Coliesa: I DON'T UNDERSTAND IT. I JUST DON'T.

BECAUSE I DID EVERYTHING I CAN.

AND IT WAS PRETTY MUCH THE SAME AS LAST TIME.

SO I JUST DON'T GET IT. AND I'M UPSET ABOUT IT.

I'M VERYUPSET.

COME IN.

-HELLO. -HELLO.

-HOW Y'ALL DOING? -HEY.

TIRED.

AND JUST TIRED FROM DOING A LOT OF WORK

AND MOVING AROUND OR WHAT?

-I MOVED TO HOUSTON. -OKAY.

WE GOT US A PLACE DOWN HERE.

WELL, I'M GLAD TO HEAR THAT, BUT MY BIG CONCERN

IS THAT YOU LOST A LITTLE LESS THAN LAST TIME,

SO YOUR WEIGHT LOSS IS ALREADY SLOWING,

AND YOU DIDN'T EVEN GET HALFWAY TO WHERE YOU NEEDED,

SO THAT'S NOT GOOD AT ALL.

BUT, DR. NOW, I CAN DO THINGS, LIKE, FOR MYSELF.

I CAN WIPE MYSELF NOW. YOU KNOW, I MEAN, I CAN --

MY STEERING WHEEL DON'T TOUCH MY BELLY ANYMORE.

I WAS EXPECTING TO HAVE LOST A LOT MORE WEIGHT THAN WHAT I DID.

YEAH, YOU'VE LOST 53 POUNDS FROM THE BEGINNING,

BUT YOU'RE LOSING ALMOST HALF OF WHAT YOU SHOULD LOSE.

AND ON TOP OF THAT, YOU TOLD ME YOU QUIT SMOKING AND THE PATCH,

BUT YOUR LAST BLOOD TEST SHOWED THAT'S NOT EXACTLY TRUE.

SO, TELL ME, ARE YOU STILL SMOKING?

DR. NOW, I'M NOT EVEN GONNA LIE TO YOU.

I'M NOT GONNA LIE TO YOU.

I DID GOOD ALL THE WAY UP UNTIL YESTERDAY.

COLIESA, JUST -- JUST PAY ATTENTION.

IT'S A HEART ATTACK OR YOUR LIFE. WHICH ONE?

I DON'T WANT EITHER, BUT IF I GO CRAZY,

THEN I'M GONNA BE...

-OKAY, OKAY, OKAY. JUST STOP. -I KNOW YOU, DR. NOW --

JUST PAY ATTENTION. JUST LOOK AT ME.

DON'T LOOK AT THE WALL. JUST LOOK AT ME. OKAY?

YOU ALREADY HAVE CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE,

AND NICOTINE IS WORST DRUG YOU CAN USE.

-OKAY. -OKAY?

SO THIS IS NOT FOR US.

IT'S FOR YOU. OKAY?

YOU FOLLOW WHAT WE TELL YOU, YOU'RE GONNA BE SUCCESSFUL.

YOU DON'T, YOU'RE GONNA HARM YOURSELF.

BUT AT THIS POINT, I'M NOT SURE

HOW WE CAN GET THROUGH TO YOU TO UNDERSTAND THAT,

SO I'M GONNA SEND YOU TO START PSYCHOTHERAPY,

AND MAYBE THEY CAN HELP GET THROUGH TO YOU.

AND IF YOU WANT TO LIVE, THEN CUT BACK ON YOUR OVEREATING

AND STOP USING NICOTINE PRODUCTS

AND LOSE 50 POUNDS OVER THE NEXT MONTH, OKAY?

-OKAY. -ALL RIGHT.

WE'RE GONNA DRAW YOUR BLOOD AND MAKE SURE EVERYTHING'S OKAY.

-OKAY. -WHEN WE GET YOUR LAB WORK,

IF THERE'S ANYTHING UNUSUAL, WE'LL CALL YOU, OKAY?

-OKAY. -ALL RIGHT.

-ALL RIGHT. -NICE TO SEE YOU.

ALL RIGHT. YOU TOO.

Dr. Nowzaradan: UNFORTUNATELY, COLIESA IS STILL TRYING TO PLAY GAMES

AND PUT ON AN ACT TO TRY AND DEFLECT

FROM TAKING ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR HER SITUATION,

BUT SHE'S VERY QUICKLY RUNNING OUT OF TIME.

SO I'M HOPING PSYCHOTHERAPY WILL START TO HELP

MAKE MORE OF A DIFFERENCE FOR HER,

BECAUSE IF SHE DOESN'T START

TO MAKE THE CHOICES SHE NEEDS VERY SOON,

THEN WE MAY HAVE TO START TAKING MORE DRASTIC MEASURES WITH HER

TO TRY AND SAVE HER LIFE BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE.

Coliesa: I DON'T FEEL DR. NOWZARADAN TRUSTS ME

WHEN I TELL HIM HOW HARD I'M WORKING.

I MAY HAVE SLIP-UPS, BUT I FEEL LIKE I'M HARDLY EATING.

THERAPY'S NOT GONNA CHANGE THAT.

SO I'M JUST REALLY UPSET RIGHT NOW.

AND I JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT MORE I CAN DO.

Coliesa: I'M HEADED TO THERAPY.

REALLY WOULD RATHER NOT BE DOING THIS RIGHT NOW,

BECAUSE OF HOW UPSET I AM FROM MY LAST APPOINTMENT,

BECAUSE OF HOW LITTLE I LOST AFTER I WORKED SO HARD,

BUT I'M COMMITTED TO DOING WHAT I HAVE TO

AND FACING WHATEVER I NEED NO MATTER HOW I FEEL,

IF IT'S GONNA BE A STEP TO GETTING SURGERY LIKE I NEED.

COME IN.

-MS. COLIESA? -HEY.

-HI. I'M LOLA. -HOW YOU DOING?

-GOOD. IT'S NICE TO SEE YOU. -YOU TOO.

ALL RIGHT.

SO, LET'S START OFF WITH YOU TELLING ME

A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOURSELF.

WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN STRUGGLING WITH

THAT GOT YOU TO THIS JOURNEY?

I MEAN, I'M NOT REALLY ALL THAT UNHAPPY.

YOU KNOW, I WENT THROUGH SOME THINGS,

BUT I TRY TO PUT IT IN MY MIND THAT IT JUST DIDN'T HAPPEN.

WELL, OFTENTIMES PEOPLE THAT HAVE SIGNIFICANT TRAUMA

DEAL WITH THINGS BY BURYING THOSE FEELINGS REALLY DEEPLY.

AND SO IT'S IMPORTANT THAT YOU SPEAK YOUR TRUTH, COLIESA.

UM, WELL, TO BE HONEST, UH,

I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN A FIGHTER.

I'LL PUT IT THAT WAY.

AND I ENDED UP BEATING MY STEPMOTHER.

I JUST FLASHED. UH-HUH.

WELL, WHEN MY DAD GOT HOME, MY BIOLOGICAL DAD,

SHE ACTUALLY TOLD HIM HE BETTER DO SOMETHING

BECAUSE EVIDENTLY I THINK I'M GROWN.

WELL, MY GREAT-UNCLE HAD JUST GOT OUT OF PRISON

FOR RAPING LIKE FOUR OR FIVE OF HIS GRANDCHILDREN,

AND, UM...

HE...

HE LOADED ME IN THE TRUCK.

YOUR FATHER LOADED YOU IN THE TRUCK?

AND DROVE ABOUT FIVE MILES DOWN THE ROAD.

AND HE PULLED UP TO A CAMPER.

I NEVER SEEN THE MAN BEFORE.

AND...

HE YANKED ME BY...

INSIDE THE CAMPER, AND HE SAID,

"SHE THINKS SHE'S A GROWN WOMAN.

SHOW HER WHAT GROWN WOMEN DO."

HE LEFT ME IN THERE...

HE RAPED ME.

THAT HAD TO BE DEVASTATING FOR YOU.

YOU DIDN'T DESERVE FOR THAT TO HAPPEN TO YOU.

AND, COLIESA, IT'S A MIRACLE

THAT YOU LIVED THROUGH SOMETHING SO HORRENDOUS.

SO HERE'S THE THING, THOUGH.

YOU HAVE TO START BELIEVING

THAT YOU ARE WORTHY OF RESPECT,

AND YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE

TO LOOK INTO THE MIRROR AND LOVE YOURSELF --

YOU RIGHT NOW...

AND 12-YEAR-OLD YOU, TOO.

YOU'RE RIGHT.

WHAT I'D LIKE FOR YOU TO DO

IS I'D LIKE FOR YOU TO WRITE A LETTER

TO YOUR 12-YEAR-OLD SELF,

AND TALK ABOUT THE WAYS

IN WHICH BEING TRAUMATIZED AND ABUSED

TRANSFORMED YOU IN LIFE.

-OKAY. -OKAY?

THANKS FOR COMING TODAY, COLIESA.

YOU'RE WELCOME. AND THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

Coliesa: I'M JUST REALLY EMOTIONAL RIGHT NOW,

AND I JUST WANT TO GO REST.

THAT WAS A LOT FOR ME, AND I'M JUST DRAINED.

AND I'LL THINK THROUGH IT ALL AND WHAT I'M GONNA DO LATER.

RIGHT NOW I JUST NEED TO GO HOME AND REST.

IT'S ONLY BEEN TWO WEEKS SINCE MY LAST APPOINTMENT,

BUT I'M BACK AT DR. NOW'S EARLY

BECAUSE HE WANTS TO RUN SOME TESTS ON ME.

FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS, I HAVEN'T BEEN FEELING GOOD,

AND I'VE HAD SHARP STOMACH PAINS,

AND I HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO USE THE RESTROOM THE WHOLE TIME.

SO I CALLED DR. NOWZARADAN AND TOLD HIM,

AND HE SAID HE WANTED ME TO COME IN TO BE SAFE.

THE FACT THAT DR. NOW WANTED ME TO COME IN AND DO TESTS

JUST MAKES ME WORRY -- IT COULD BE BAD.

AND I KNOW WHAT HE SAID ABOUT HOW MY HEART IS

AND HOW IT COULD GO OUT AGAIN AT ANY MOMENT.

AND I'M HOPING THAT'S NOT PART OF WHAT'S GOING ON.

BUT I'M IN A LOT OF PAIN, SO I'M JUST REALLY SCARED

AND HOPING THAT EVERYTHING'S GOING TO BE ALL RIGHT.

-HELLO. -HELLO.

HOW Y'ALL DOING?

ALL RIGHT.

I'M NOT FEELING TOO GOOD TODAY, DR. NOW.

YES. THAT'S WHAT HAS ME CONCERNED RIGHT NOW.

WHEN DID YOU START NOT FEELING WELL?

HMM.

I HAVEN'T BEEN FEELING WELL A COUPLE OF DAYS, TO BE HONEST.

I'VE BEEN TRYING TO MAKE THE BEST OF IT,

BUT, LIKE, THE PAINS IN MY STOMACH'S GOTTEN REALLY BAD

AND IN MY BACK.

IT'S GOTTEN REALLY BAD, LIKE, IN THE LAST FEW --

ABOUT THREE DAYS.

BUT, UM, LIKE FEVERISH.

IT'S BEEN HAPPENING EVER SINCE YESTERDAY.

I'VE BEEN STARTING FEELING FEVERISH, LIKE, OFF AND ON.

AND WHERE IS THE STOMACH PAIN? WHICH AREA?

IT'S ALL -- MY WHOLE BOTTOM.

AND THE WHOLE PART?

THE WHOLE PART, AND THEN, LIKE, IT SHOOTS.

IT'S LIKE IT SHOOTS. IT JUST HURTS.

ALL OF IT'S SWOLE. IT'S SWOLE, SWOLE.

-HM. -IT JUST HURTS.

IT FEELS LIKE --

LIKE MY INTESTINES ARE ABOUT TO BUST,

WHAT IT FEELS LIKE.

YOUR ISSUES WITH THE BATHROOM --

IS THAT SOMETHING HAPPENING VERY OFTEN WITH YOU?

NO.

UM, I JUST --

SHE DID, LIKE, AN ENEMA -- ENEMA FLUSH

TO TRY TO HELP ME GO ABOUT A WEEK AGO,

AND VERY LITTLE CAME OUT.MM-HMM.

LIKE, VERY LITTLE.

AND I JUST -- I STILL HAVE NOT --

I'VE BEEN TRYING TO EAT, LIKE, HIGH FIBER,

YOU KNOW, LIKE GREEN BEANS, BROCCOLI.

MM-HMM. AND I STILL --

IT'S HURTING SO BAD. MY STOMACH IS SO SWOLE.

IT JUST -- I CAN'T USE THE BATHROOM.

I JUST DON'T FEEL GOOD AT ALL.

WELL, IF YOU'RE NOT FEELING GOOD AND YOU'RE HAVING ISSUES,

WE NEED TO GET YOU INTO EMERGENCY ROOM

AND THEY'LL CHECK SOME STUFF OUT AND MAKE SURE EVERYTHING'S OKAY.

ALL RIGHT? LET'S GET YOU OVER THERE.

AND THEN WE'LL FIGURE OUT NEXT STEPS FOR YOU

AND GET SOME MORE TESTS AND SEE WHAT'S GOING ON, OKAY?

-OKAY. -ALL RIGHT?

I'LL SEE YOU OVER THERE.

Dr. Nowzaradan: I AM VERY CONCERNED ABOUT COLIESA RIGHT NOW

BECAUSE IT IS A VERY REAL POSSIBILITY

HER HEALTH IS ABOUT TO START DETERIORATING RAPIDLY

AND GET TO A POINT HERE SOON

THAT WE WON'T BE ABLE TO BRING HER BACK FROM,

ESPECIALLY WITH THE POOR CONDITION OF HER HEART.

BUT MY BIGGEST CONCERN RIGHT NOW IS THE POSSIBILITY

THAT SHE MAY HAVE SOME SORT OF INTESTINAL BLOCKAGE

THAT MAY REQUIRE SURGERY...

TO PREVENT IT FROM BECOMING LIFE-THREATENING FOR HER.

BUT HER HEART MAY BE TOO WEAK

FOR HER TO SURVIVE ANY SORT OF OPERATION RIGHT NOW.

SO WE NEED TO GET HER TO THE HOSPITAL

AND START RUNNING TESTS TO DETERMINE WHAT WE NEED

AS SOON AS POSSIBLE

BECAUSE WE MAY HAVE A VERY SERIOUS SITUATION WITH HER.

Coliesa: I'M GETTING REALLY SCARED.

IT'S JUST SINKING IN THAT THIS COULD BE SOMETHING

THAT'S SERIOUS.

BECAUSE THE PAIN IS GETTING WORSE,

AND IT'S MAKING ME FEEL LIKE

IT'S MY BODY THAT'S STARTING TO GIVE OUT.

I'M TRYING TO TURN MY LIFE AROUND.

I JUST NEED MORE TIME TO DO THAT,

BECAUSE I'M MAKING PROGRESS AND GETTING BETTER.

BUT MY BIG FEAR HAS ALWAYS BEEN

MY BODY GETTING TO THE BREAKING POINT

DR. NOW SAID I WAS CLOSE TO.

SO I'M JUST PRAYING I HAVE MORE TIME

AND THIS ISN'T IT FOR ME.

BECAUSE IT JUST CAN'T BE.

Coliesa: I'M AT THE HOSPITAL WAITING TO GET TESTS DONE

BECAUSE I'M HAVING A LOT OF STOMACH PAIN.

I'VE HAD THE PAIN FOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS NOW,

AND I'M JUST PRAYING THAT IT'S NOTHING SERIOUS

THAT MY BODY CAN'T HANDLE, BUT I'M REALLY SCARED IT IS.

OKAY, COLIESA. WE GOT THE ROOM FOR YOU.

LET'S SEE IF WE CAN GET YOU BACK IN THE BED

AND CHECK TO SEE WHAT'S GOING ON, OKAY?

YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO GET UP TO GET OUT THIS DOOR.

...ABOUT THE DOOR.

Dr. Nowzaradan: WE HAVE COLIESA HERE AT THE HOSPITAL

TO TRY AND RUN SOME TESTS ON HER TO SEE WHAT'S GOING ON WITH HER.

SHE HAS SEVERE ABDOMINAL PAIN AND HASN'T BEEN ABLE

TO USE THE RESTROOM FOR A COUPLE WEEKS,

AND MY CONCERN IS THAT SHE COULD HAVE

SOME SORT OF INTESTINAL BLOCKAGE

THAT COULD START TO CUT OUT BLOOD FLOW IN THAT AREA

OR CAUSE A NUMBER OF OTHER ISSUES

THAT COULD BECOME LIFE-THREATENING FOR HER

IF WE AREN'T ABLE TO ADDRESS IT IN TIME.

BUT SHE MAY REQUIRE SURGERY TO DO THAT.

AND MY OTHER CONCERN IS THAT HER HEART MAY NOT BE

STRONG ENOUGH FOR HER TO SURVIVE ANY SORT OF OPERATION.

SO WE NEED TO RUN TESTS TO DETERMINE THAT, AS WELL.

BUT THE PRIORITY IS TO TRY AND DETERMINE

IF SHE HAS A BLOCKAGE OR NOT.

SO, WHERE IS YOUR STOMACH HURTING?

RIGHT THERE WHERE THE BONE IS.

-IN HERE? -YEAH.

HOW ABOUT HERE?

IT'S ALL RIGHT THERE.

ALL THIS. RIGHT HERE HURTS REALLY BAD.

OKAY.

AND IT'S, LIKE, REAL BAD IN MY LOWER BACK.

-OKAY. -LIKE ON THIS SIDE.

DR. NOW, IT HURTS SO BAD.

WHEN YOU PUSH RIGHT HERE, IT -- IT HURT RIGHT THERE.

OHH!

THIS HURT, TOO?

OHH!

HOW ABOUT THIS SIDE?

NOT AS BAD. IT'S TENDER.

BUT OVER HERE IT HURTS REAL BAD.

ALL RIGHT.

SO, YOU MAY HAVE A BOWEL OBSTRUCTION.

SCAR TISSUE FROM PREVIOUS SURGERY,

ADHESIONS CAN CAUSE THE OBSTRUCTION.

YOU HAVE A VERY HYPERACTIVE BOWEL SOUND

AND TENDERNESS IN THAT SIDE.

BUT THE PROBLEM IS THAT YOU'RE NOT GONNA FIT IN CAT SCAN

ENOUGH TO DO CAT SCAN. YEAH.

AND THAT'S THE ISSUE WE HAVE.

SO WE'LL SEE IF WE CAN GET SOME X-RAY

AND FIGURE OUT WHAT'S GOING ON.

OKAY? ALL RIGHT. WE'LL GET SOME TESTS DONE. OKAY?

OKAY.

COLIESA DEFINITELY HAS SOME SORT OF ISSUE

THAT WE NEED TO ADDRESS.

OKAY.

BUT IF THAT HAS TO BE DONE SURGICALLY,

THEN WE MAY HAVE A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION WITH HER,

SO IT'S VERY IMPORTANT WE DETERMINE THAT

AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.

AND HOPEFULLY WE'LL BE ABLE TO GET A CLEAR-ENOUGH IMAGE

WITH THE X-RAY TO DETERMINE THAT.

Dr. Nowzaradan: YEAH, AND I DON'T THINK WE'RE GONNA BE ABLE

TO SEE ANYTHING...

THE LAST ONE WE DID SHOWS...

Woman: MM-HMM.

OKAY. WELL, AT LEAST WE TRIED. THANK YOU.

UNFORTUNATELY, COLIESA HAS TOO MUCH FAT

TO DETERMINE IF SHE HAS ANY LEVEL OF BLOCKAGE

WE NEED TO DO SURGERY TO ADDRESS.

SO THE PRIORITY RIGHT NOW IS TO RUN TESTS ON HER HEART

TO SEE IF IT'S EVEN POSSIBLE TO TAKE HER INTO SURGERY

AND, IN THE MEANTIME,

TREAT HER WITH MEDICATION FOR HER BLOCKAGE,

HOPING THAT WILL RESOLVE THE ISSUE.

SO WE'RE GONNA ADMIT HER TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.

HI, COLIESA. YOU DOING BETTER?

OKAY.

UNFORTUNATELY, THE X-RAY ARE NOT CONCLUSIVE

BECAUSE WE CAN'T GET TO SEE VERY MUCH

BECAUSE OF YOUR BODY HABITS, OKAY?

SO WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND GET YOU ADMITTED.

WE GONNA START YOU ON SOME MEDICATION,

AND WE'LL FIGURE OUT IF...

GET YOUR BOWEL WORKING AGAIN. OKAY?

OKAY.

ALL RIGHT. HANG ON THERE. ALL RIGHT?

-ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. -MM-HMM. SURE.

WE HAVE A TRICKY SITUATION WITH COLIESA

BECAUSE SHE MAY REQUIRE SURGERY TO TREAT HER SITUATION,

BUT SHE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO SURVIVE SURGERY.

SO I'M HOPING HER HEALTH

ISN'T ABOUT TO START TO DECLINE RAPIDLY,

BECAUSE IN HER CONDITION SHE COULD VERY EASILY

GET TO A POINT WHERE HER BODY STARTS TO GIVE OUT

BECAUSE OF ANY NUMBER OF ISSUES.

SO WE'LL DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO ADDRESS HER SITUATION

AND TRY TO PREVENT THAT FROM HAPPENING.

BUT UNTIL WE ARE ABLE TO DETERMINE

WHAT'S GOING ON WITH HER

AND THE CURRENT CONDITION OF HER HEART,

IT'S TOO RISKY TO TAKE ANY STEPS

THAT COULD PUT MORE STRAIN ON HER BODY.

AND WE MAY HAVE A RACE AGAINST THE CLOCK

TO FIGURE IT OUT BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE.

Dr. Nowzaradan: YESTERDAY, WE HAD AN ISSUE WITH COLIESA,

WHERE I WAS CONCERNED THAT SHE MAY HAVE A BOWEL OBSTRUCTION

AND THAT COULD REQUIRE SURGERY TO ADDRESS.

SHE DID TURN OUT TO HAVE PARTIAL OBSTRUCTION

BECAUSE OF SCAR TISSUE FROM A C-SECTION

COMBINED WITH A POOR DIET,

BUT MEDICINE WAS ENOUGH TO TREAT IT.

BUT SHE'S CLEARLY STILL NOT EATING LIKE SHE CLAIMS.

SHE SHOULD HAVE LOST ANOTHER 15 TO 20 POUNDS IN THAT TIME

IF SHE WAS DOING THE DIET.

SO MY MAIN CONCERN NOW IS THAT COLIESA IS RUNNING OUT OF TIME.

SHE GOT LUCKY THIS TIME,

BUT IF SHE EXPERIENCES ANY SORT OF MEDICAL EVENT

THAT PUTS STRAIN ON HER BODY, SHE'S NOT GONNA MAKE IT.

-HEY, COLIESA. -HEY, DR. NOW.

HOW ARE YOU TODAY?

WAY BETTER THAN YESTERDAY.

AND HOW IS YOUR STOMACH PAIN?

UM, IT'S BETTER. IT FEELS A LOT BETTER ACTUALLY.

SO WE NEED TO SORT OF BE CAREFUL.

YOU HAD A PARTIAL BOWEL OBSTRUCTION

FROM THAT SCAR TISSUE THAT YOU HAD.

ARE YOU STILL HURTING HERE? NOT ANYMORE? OKAY.

BUT THIS IS ALSO A RESULT OF A POOR DIET

THAT HAS A LOT OF CARBS IN IT THAT DON'T DIGEST,

SO THAT'S ANOTHER ISSUE WE NEED TO ADDRESS.

BUT WE RESOLVED THE ISSUE FOR NOW,

AND I'M GLAD YOU'RE FEELING BETTER.

SO YOU NEED TO WATCH YOUR DIET

AND MAKE SURE THAT YOU DON'T EAT

A LOT OF STUFF THAT WON'T DIGEST THAT WELL, LIKE CARBS.

I'M NOT. I PROMISE, DR. NOW.

EH, COME ON, COLIESA. IT'S BEEN THREE MONTHS,

AND YOU STILL HAVEN'T LOST ENOUGH WEIGHT WITH YOUR DIET,

AND YOU HAVE A BAD HEART, BAD CORONARY.

IF WE HAD TO DO SURGERY ON YOU FOR THIS ISSUE

OR ANY OTHER ISSUE YOU DEVELOP, THEN THAT'LL BE IT FOR YOU

BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT GONNA TOLERATE THIS SURGERY,

YOU'RE NOT GONNA BE SURVIVING THE OPERATION.

AND THE ONLY WAY TO CHANGE THAT IS TO LOSE WEIGHT,

AND YOU HAVE TO BE PROACTIVE IN LOSING WEIGHT.

I'M TRYING MY HARDEST, AND I HAVEN'T EATEN MUCH

IN THREE MONTHS NOW.

WELL, LET ME MAKE IT CLEAR FOR YOU.

FOR YOUR HEIGHT AND YOUR BODY, YOU HAVE EATEN THE FOOD

THAT BELONG THE NEXT FOUR YEARS AHEAD OF TIME.

SO IF YOU DON'T EAT FOR FOUR YEARS, YOU'RE GONNA COME EVEN,

AND ALL THAT EXTRA CALORIE

IS STORED IN THE FORM OF FAT IN YOUR BODY.

AND YOU NEED TO TAP ON THAT EXTRA CALORIE

AND USE THAT INSTEAD OF THE FOOD.

AND THE PRIORITY IS FOR YOU TO LOSE SOME WEIGHT RAPIDLY

BECAUSE YOUR WEIGHT IS VERY DANGEROUS.

AND I THINK AT THIS POINT

WE HAVE TO TAKE A MORE DRASTIC STEP TO SAVE YOUR LIFE.

BECAUSE THE NEXT TIME YOU HAVE SOMETHING LIKE THIS,

YOU'RE LIKELY NOT GONNA BE THIS LUCKY.

SO THE PLAN IS TO KEEP YOU HERE ON A CONTROLLED DIET,

TO GET YOUR WEIGHT DOWN TO THE POINT

WHERE THERE'S ENOUGH STRAIN OFF YOUR HEART

FOR YOU TO SURVIVE WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY

AND THEN PERFORM THAT TO TRY AND GIVE YOU MORE TIME TO WAKE UP,

BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT GONNA SURVIVE MUCH LONGER LIKE THIS.

-YOU REALIZE THAT. -MM-HMM.

BUT AT THIS POINT, WE HAVE TO TAKE

A MORE EXTREME APPROACH TO SAVE YOUR LIFE.

AND WE ARE ALSO GONNA PUT YOU

IN A CARDIAC REHAB EXERCISE PLAN

AND MEDICATION TO GET YOUR HEART TO THE POINT

THAT YOU'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO TOLERATE ANESTHESIA AND SURGERY.

-OKAY. -OKAY?

AND THAT'S NOT GONNA BE EASY FOR YOU,

BUT YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO TRY IT BECAUSE

THAT'S THE ONLY WAY YOU GOT TO COME OUT OF THIS CONDITION.

-OKAY? -OKAY.

ALL RIGHT. SO, I'LL COME BY AND CHECK ON YOU AGAIN SOON.

AND WE'LL START ALL THAT.

-OKAY. -OKAY?

Dr. Nowzaradan: AT THIS POINT, I DON'T THINK

COLIESA IS GONNA SURVIVE MUCH LONGER,

UNLESS WE GET HER TO A HEALTHY PLACE IMMEDIATELY.

SO IF WE PUT HER ON A CONTROLLED DIET

AND GET HER WEIGHT DOWN TO WHERE THERE IS ENOUGH

STRAIN OFF HER HEART FOR HER TO SURVIVE WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY,

IT MIGHT GIVE US MORE TIME TO WAKE HER UP

TO START DOING WHAT SHE NEEDS, INSTEAD OF PLAYING GAMES

AND ACTING LIKE SHE'S WORKING HER HARDEST,

WHEN SHE'S ONLY MAKING SMALL CHANGES AND WASTING MORE TIME.

SO THIS IS OUR LAST-DITCH EFFORT

TO SAVE HER LIFE BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE.

Coliesa: I KNOW HOW BAD MY HEALTH IS,

AND I KNOW MY HEART CAN'T TAKE MY WEIGHT FOR MUCH LONGER.

BUT I'M TRYING TO LOSE IT ALL. I REALLY AM.

I'M STILL NOT EATING ANYWHERE NEAR LIKE I WAS,

AND DR. NOW JUST DOESN'T SEEM TO SEE THAT.

SO IT'S FRUSTRATING, BUT, YOU KNOW,

AS MUCH AS I DON'T LIKE THE IDEA

OF BEING IN HERE FOR LONGER FOR TESTS,

FOR DIET OR WHATEVER, IF THIS HELPS ME GET BETTER

AND GET THE WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY, THEN I'LL DO IT.

IT'S BETTER THAN HEARING, "I CAN'T HELP YOU AT ALL

BECAUSE YOU'VE HAD A HEART ATTACK."

SO IT GIVES ME HOPE.

YOU KNOW, IT STILL GIVES ME -- AT LEAST IT GIVES ME HOPE

THAT ONCE I LOSE THIS WEIGHT,

I'LL BE IN THE RUNNING TO GO ON AHEAD AND HAVE MY SURGERY.

I'M GETTING WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY TODAY.

I WAS VERY SURPRISED AND JUST SHOCKED

WHEN DR. NOW CAME IN AND TOLD ME THAT CARDIOLOGY

HAD CLEARED ME FOR SURGERY, BECAUSE THEY SAID MY HEART

WAS HEALTHY ENOUGH WITH ALL MY WEIGHT LOSS.

I COULDN'T BELIEVE THAT HAPPENED,

THAT FINALLY OUR DREAM IS COMING TRUE.

I MEAN, I'M NERVOUS, BUT IT ACTUALLY FEELS GREAT.

HEY, MY BABY.

TWO OF MY DAUGHTERS AND MY GODDAUGHTER

CAME DOWN FROM LOUISIANA,

AND SO THAT CALMED A LOT OF MY NERVES

BECAUSE I WAS JUST SO HAPPY TO SEE MY BABIES.

-LOVE YOU. -WE LOVE YOU.

EVERYTHING'S GONNA BE ALL RIGHT.

I LOVE YOU, TOO. YOU'RE GONNA BE FINE.

I'M, LIKE, SO SCARED.

LET'S GO. LET'S GO.

Woman: IT'S TIME.

Coliesa: I WORKED AS HARD AS I COULD TO GET MY LIFE BACK,

GETTING SURGERY LIKE I NEED.

IT'S SOMETHING THAT I'VE BEEN TRYING TO DO FOR A LONG TIME,

SO I'M READY TO MOVE AHEAD.

I DO FEEL LIKE THIS IS THE BEGINNING OF A NEW FUTURE

FOR US -- A NEW US.

SO I'M NERVOUS, BUT I'M STILL CONFIDENT.

AND I BELIEVE THAT GOD HAS A PLAN FOR ME

AND THAT I'M GONNA COME OUT THIS SURGERY

AND I'M GONNA ROCK IT.

Dr. Nowzaradan: TODAY WE'RE ATTEMPTING TO DO A GASTRIC SLEEVE ON COLIESA.

SHE'S BEEN IN HOSPITAL FOR THREE WEEKS ON A CONTROLLED DIET,

AND WE GOT HER WEIGHT DOWN ANOTHER 64 POUNDS.

SO SHE'S DOWN TO 526 NOW, AND IT WAS ENOUGH

TO GET HER HEART STRONG ENOUGH FOR CARDIOLOGY

TO CLEAR HER FOR SURGERY.

SO THAT IS A BIG POSITIVE STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION FOR HER,

AND THE HOPE IS THAT THIS OPERATION WILL HELP

KEEP HER GOING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION

LONG ENOUGH TO GET HER TO START TAKING MORE RESPONSIBILITY

FOR HER SITUATION TO DO WHAT SHE NEEDS,

BECAUSE WHAT THIS OPERATION DOES IS THAT IT REMOVES

80% TO 90% OF HER STOMACH,

LEAVING A SMALL, NARROW TUBE THAT LOOKS SIMILAR TO A SLEEVE.

THIS LIMITS THE AMOUNT OF FOOD

THAT THE PATIENT CAN EAT AT ONE TIME

AND ALSO CHANGES THE PATIENT'S METABOLISM

SO THEY FEEL LESS HUNGRY.

SO THIS OPERATION WILL GIVE THEM AN OPPORTUNITY

TO LOSE EVEN MORE WEIGHT.

SO THIS CAN BE AN IMPORTANT TOOL FOR COLIESA

IF SHE USES IT LIKE SHE NEEDS TO KEEP MAKING PROGRESS.

BUT AS ALWAYS,

DOING AN OPERATION ON ANYONE HER SIZE IS VERY HIGH-RISK,

SO WE ARE GOING TO KEEP A CLOSE EYE ON HOW SHE'S DOING.

AND IF AT ANY POINT THERE IS ANY CONCERN

THAT HER SYSTEM HAS TOO MUCH STRAIN ON IT,

WE MAY NEED TO END THE OPERATION EARLY.

Blair: THE SURGERY FOR COLIESA MEANS THAT SHE CAN HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY

TO LIVE AND EXPERIENCE THINGS

THAT SHE'S NEVER EXPERIENCED BEFORE.

AND I'M PROUD OF HER FOR TAKING THIS CHANCE

TO REALLY TAKE AHOLD OF HER LIFE.

BUT I AM VERY ANXIOUS ABOUT COLIESA

BEING UNDER THIS AMOUNT OF ANESTHESIA FOR THIS LONG.

AND I'M ALSO TRYING TO KEEP EVERYTHING TOGETHER,

AS FAR AS THE FAMILY GOES

AND TRYING TO KEEP EVERYBODY POSITIVE.

SO I'VE JUST BEEN REALLY ANXIOUS ABOUT A LOT OF DIFFERENT STUFF.

PULL IT OUT. PULL IT OUT.

THERE. THAT'S HER STOMACH.

ALL RIGHT. ROOM LIGHT ON.

OKAY. ALL FINISHED.

ALL RIGHT. COLIESA'S SURGERY WENT VERY WELL.

WE WERE ABLE TO GET HER SLEEVE GASTRECTOMY DONE

AND GET EVERYTHING LOOKING GOOD.

NOW WE'RE GONNA GET HER TO RECOVERY

AND SEE IF WE CAN GET HER TO REST

AND BE UP LATER ON AND WALK

AND GET HER SOME LIQUID.

WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO GET HER HOME IN A COUPLE DAYS,

AND THEN FOR THE NEXT MONTH, SHE'LL BE ON A LIQUID-ONLY DIET,

WHERE SHE SHOULD LOSE ANOTHER 30 POUNDS.

AND THEN AFTER THAT, SHE SHOULD HAVE NO PROBLEM

LOSING AT LEAST 20 POUNDS A MONTH

UNTIL SHE GETS CLOSE TO HER TARGET WEIGHT.

BUT WE DID THIS OPERATION TO SAVE COLIESA'S LIFE

BECAUSE HER BODY WASN'T GONNA BE ABLE TO TAKE THE STRAIN

OF ALL THE WEIGHT THAT'S ON HER FOR MUCH LONGER,

ESPECIALLY HER HEART.

BUT IF COLIESA DOESN'T START DOING WHAT SHE NEEDS,

THIS IS ONLY GONNA BE A TEMPORARY FIX FOR HER.

BUT IF SHE CONTINUES TO OVEREAT AND PUSHES HERSELF TO EAT FOOD

LIKE SHE HAS, THEN SHE COULD STILL START TO GAIN WEIGHT.

AND THEN IT STRETCHES HER STOMACH BACK OUT

UNTIL SHE UNDOES HER SURGERY.

SO THIS ISN'T GOING TO BE A MAGIC FIX FOR COLIESA,

AND WE STILL HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO WITH HER

TO GET HER TO WHERE SHE NEEDS.

SO WHAT HAPPENS FROM HERE AND WHETHER OR NOT COLIESA MAKES IT,

IT'S STILL UP TO HER AND ALL DEPENDENT

ON THE CHOICES SHE MAKES.

Coliesa: IT'S BEEN JUST A MONTH SINCE MY WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY,

AND I'M FEELING PRETTY GOOD ABOUT HOW I'M DOING.

IT'S A LIFESTYLE CHANGE,

BUT THAT IS WHAT I SIGNED UP FOR,

IS TO CHANGE MY LIFE.

SO I AM LIQUID DIETING...

AND DOING EVERYTHING ON POINT SINCE I WAS IN THE HOSPITAL.

I GO WALK OUTSIDE, JUST TRYING TO CHALLENGE MYSELF

AND JUST DO BETTER, TRY HARDER,

TO GET WHERE I GOT TO GET TO FURTHER MY JOURNEY.

I JUST PUSH MYSELF AS FAR AS I CAN PUSH MYSELF.

THAT'S ALL I CAN DO.

OHH. I GOT IT.

I GOT THIS. I GOT THIS.

I...GOT...THIS...RIGHT...

HERE!

THAT IS FURTHER THAN I HAVE EVER WALKED IN LIKE 10 YEARS.

SO I MADE IT TO THE GOAL TODAY,

AND I FELT REALLY GOOD, AND IT SEEMS LIKE EVERY DAY

IT JUST KEEPS GETTING A LITTLE BIT MORE.

I GET TO DO A LITTLE BIT MORE AT A TIME, YOU KNOW,

AND I'M JUST GETTING STRONGER.

I CAN'T WAIT FOR MY NEXT APPOINTMENT TO SEE DR. NOW

IN A COUPLE OF DAYS TO SHOW HIM MY PROGRESS.

AND IT'S PRETTY MUCH THE FIRST TIME

I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING ON THE SCALE.

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

AND SHOW DR. NOW MY PROGRESS.

HOPEFULLY, I'VE LOST THE WEIGHT THAT HE WANTED ME TO LOSE

AND I JUST CONTINUE ON THE JOURNEY.

COLIESA?

Coliesa: FOR MY WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY,

I WAS JUST ABOUT 525,

AND DR. NOW TOLD ME

I NEED TO LOSE 30 POUNDS IN THE FIRST MONTH.

AND IF I DID, I'D BE BELOW 500

FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE I HAD MY FOURTH CHILD, SADIE GAIL.

AND I'M REALLY HOPING FOR THAT.

OOH! OOH! OOH!

Coliesa: OKAY.

I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT, AND I'M PROUD OF MYSELF,

AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO FINDING OUT WHAT DR. NOW

IS GONNA SAY NOW BECAUSE I WANT TO BE ONE OF THE PEOPLE

THAT HE'S PROUD OF TO, YOU KNOW, STAY UNDER HIS CARE

AND CONTINUE TO LOSE WEIGHT.

-HELLO. -HEY, DR. NOW.

-HOW Y'ALL DOING? -ALL RIGHT.

GOOD. ALL RIGHT.

SO YOU'RE UNDER 500 POUNDS

FOR THE FIRST TIME IN A LONG TIME, HUH?

-I KNOW!

OKAY. GREAT. ANY ISSUES? ANY PROBLEM?

NO.

SO NO STOMACH PAIN AND ALL THAT STUFF?

-NOPE. -OKAY. GOOD.

SO, AT THIS POINT, YOU CAN GO BACK ON SOME SOLID FOOD.

AND I THINK YOU'RE DOING OKAY.

JUST STICK WITH THE DIET

AND MAKE SURE YOU TAKE YOUR VITAMINS

AND INCREASE YOUR ACTIVITY.

AND LET'S SEE HOW WE DO IN A COUPLE OF MONTHS.

-OKAY. SOUNDS GOOD. -OKAY?

BUT WE'RE GONNA SET SOME MORE APPOINTMENT FOR YOU

TO GO BACK TO PSYCHOTHERAPY AGAIN AND START THAT UP AGAIN.

BECAUSE AFTER SURGERY, YOU MAY HAVE NO PHYSICAL HUNGER,

BUT YOU MAY HAVE PSYCHOLOGICAL HUNGER

AND CRAVING THAT YOU HAVE TO DEAL WITH IT.

YEAH.

BUT FROM HERE ON OUT, YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO LOSE

AT LEAST 20 POUNDS A MONTH UNTIL YOU GET IN THE MID-200s

AND CLOSE TO YOUR TARGET WEIGHT, OKAY?

OKAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH.

YOU'RE WELCOME. OKAY.

SO I'LL SEE YOU IN A MONTH,

AND IF YOU NEED ANYTHING BEFORE THEN, LET ME KNOW.

BUT YOU'RE HEADED IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, SO JUST KEEP IT UP.

WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH, DR. NOW.

ALL RIGHT. YOU'RE WELCOME.

AND I WILL MAKE YOU PROUD, I PROMISE YOU.

WELL, I'M GLAD TO HEAR THAT.

NICE TO SEE YOU. Y'ALL TAKE CARE.

I'LL SEE YOU LATER, OKAY? ALL RIGHT.

-THANK YOU, DR. NOW. -YOU'RE WELCOME.

HIGH FIVE. HIGH FIVE.

Coliesa: YOU KNOW, I'M REALLY EMOTIONAL

BECAUSE ALONG THIS ENTIRE JOURNEY

I'VE KEPT SAYING

THAT GOD HAS A PLAN AND HAS MADE THIS HAPPEN.

AND I'M JUST SO GRATEFUL THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED FOR ME.

DR. NOW IS JUST, LIKE, MY OWN PERSONAL ANGEL.

I FEEL LIKE BECAUSE OF GOD AND BECAUSE DR. NOW,

I'M GONNA HAVE A LIFE.

RIGHT NOW, WE HAVE COLIESA HEADED IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.

SO FAR, SHE LOST ABOUT 150 POUNDS OF HER BODY

FROM WHEN SHE STARTED TO NOW, SO THAT'S VERY POSITIVE,

SINCE IT'S HELPING TO RELIEVE THE STRAIN

SHE HAS HAD ON HER WHOLE SYSTEM

AND HELP AVOID HER BODY FROM GETTING TO A BREAKING POINT.

BUT THE BIG QUESTION IS IF WE'RE GONNA GET HER

TO WHERE SHE'S GONNA MAINTAIN THAT FOR THE LONG TERM,

AND PSYCHOTHERAPY IS GOING TO PLAY A BIG ROLE IN THAT,

TO DEAL WITH THE EMOTIONAL ISSUES

SHE HAS BEHIND HER OVEREATING.

RIGHT NOW, THINGS ARE LOOKING OPTIMISTIC WITH HER,

SO I'M HOPEFUL WE'RE GONNA GET HER TO WHERE SHE NEEDS

TO BE ABLE TO TURN HER LIFE AROUND AND MAINTAIN THAT.

BUT WE STILL HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO GET HER TO THAT POINT.

Coliesa: TODAY WE ARE GOING SHOPPING

BECAUSE MY NIECE, BLAIR, IS GETTING MARRIED.

AND SO WE'RE GOING TO LOOK FOR MY DRESS FOR HER WEDDING,

WHICH BEFORE I WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN ABLE TO EVEN FIT INTO ONE.

-THERE YOU GO. -SO THAT'S, LIKE, PRETTY COOL.

IT ACTUALLY FEELS GREAT,

FITTING IN MORE CLOTHES THAN I USED TO.

I ACTUALLY FIT IN A 3X THE OTHER DAY.

I FIT PANTIES NOW. I USED TO COULDN'T FIT IN PANTIES.

I CAN DRESS A LITTLE BIT MORE IN STYLE.

I FEEL PRETTIER.

BUT WE'LL SEE.

WHERE ARE THE PLUS-SIZE DRESSES?

THEY ARE LOCATED RIGHT THROUGH HERE.

-OKAY. -I JUST HOPE I CAN DO THIS,

AND I'M A LITTLE NERVOUS TO FIND SOMETHING.

OKAY. HERE'S A LACE ONE.

-NOW YOU'RE TALKIN'. -YOU LIKE THIS ONE?

YOU'RE TALKIN'. COME HERE. LET ME SEE.

Coliesa: I'VE BEEN ON A BATTLE WITHIN MYSELF,

AND I'M JUST READY TO GET MY LIFE BACK.

I'M EXCITED.

I'VE WAITED A LONG TIME FOR THIS CHANCE TO FIND A DRESS.

LADIES, I FOUND A 28. WOULD THAT WORK?

-YES. -YOU FOUND A 28?!

-OHH! IT'S CUTE! -OH, IT'S NAVY BLUE!

Blair: THANK YOU!

Coliesa: BUT FIRST I HAVE TO SEE IF I CAN FIT.

I'M A LITTLE UPSET BECAUSE I STILL HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO.

I STILL HAVEN'T GOTTEN ENOUGH WEIGHT DOWN TO WHERE I CAN FIT

COMFORTABLY IN ANY OF THESE DRESSES RIGHT HERE.

YEAH, I'M GETTING THERE.

THIS IS JUST HARD AND FRUSTRATING,

BUT I HAVE TO REMIND MYSELF I'M DOING GOOD WITH ALL OF THIS

AND I'M MAKING A LOT OF PROGRESS.

IT JUST GIVES ME MORE OF A WILL TO WANT TO WORK HARDER.

IT MAKES ME NOT EVEN WANT TO TRY ON DRESSES

UNTIL I DROP MORE WEIGHT. YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING?

I CAN UNDERSTAND THAT.

AND, I MEAN, I'M SO EXCITED ABOUT YOUR WEDDING.

I MEAN, WE DO HAVE A LOT OF MONTHS STILL UNTIL YOUR WEDDING,

WHICH MEANS I GOT TO BUST MY BUTT TO LOSE THE WEIGHT.

YEAH. YEAH.

Coliesa: DR. NOW SAID I NEED TO KEEP HANGING IN THERE,

SO I'M GOING TO THERAPY.

SO, I'M STILL DOING THAT,

AND SHE'S BEEN HELPING ME WITH MY ISSUES

BECAUSE I HAD A LOT I NEEDED TO LET OUT.

I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S GONNA HELP MY WEIGHT LOSS,

BUT I KNOW LOLA'S RIGHT ABOUT SOME OF THESE THINGS.

AND I NEED TO DEAL WITH THINGS TO HEAL,

SO THAT'S WHAT I'M DOING HERE TODAY.

I'M TALKING TO MYSELF, AS A KID WHEN I WAS 12.

AS WEIRD AS IT SOUNDS, AFTER ALL THAT HAPPENED TO ME THEN,

I JUST REALIZED I STILL HADN'T RECOVERED MUCH AND HEALED.

SO I KNOW THE IMPORTANCE OF DOING THIS.

IT'S JUST GONNA BE HARD AND TAKE A LOT FROM ME.

MY LIFE IS SOMETHING I'VE WANTED TO ESCAPE A LOT OF TIMES,

AND THAT WEIGHS ON ME A LOT.

THERE WERE TIMES IT WASN'T BAD,

AND THERE WAS TIMES WHERE THINGS WERE REALLY BAD,

BUT I JUST WISH IT WERE DIFFERENT FOR HER.

I WISH I COULD TAKE MYSELF BACK AND CHANGE THINGS, BUT I CAN'T.

BUT I'M THANKFUL I GOT GOOD NEWS.

I'M TRYING TO TURN MY LIFE AROUND.

IT'S BETTER LATER THAN NEVER.

AND FINALLY GET THIS WEIGHT OFF OF ME.

AND I'M ALSO PROUD TO SAY

I'VE COMPLETELY KICKED MY NICOTINE HABIT,

AND I WANT TO SHARE THAT WITH MYSELF AND HOW I'M DOING.

SO IT'S LIKE I'M A ROLLER COASTER

WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO WHAT MY LIFE HAS BEEN LIKE.

I'M HAPPY, BUT THEN I'M SAD. THEN I'M LIKE A HAPPY SAD.

SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN,

BUT I FEEL LIKE I'M DOING BETTER THAN EVER.

AND I HAVE HIGH HOPES I'LL GET TO WHERE I NEED SOON,

AND I CAN'T WAIT FOR THAT.