All language subtitles for My 600-lb Life S08E13

Dominic: THE SCARIEST THING
ABOUT BEING HOMELESS

IS THE UNCERTAINTY
OF EVERYTHING.

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.

WE'RE HOMELESS RIGHT NOW.
WE'RE LIVING IN OUR VAN.

-BOTH OF YOU?
-YES, IN THE VAN.

THAT'S GOING TO BE A
DIFFICULT SITUATION TO TREAT.

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

CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY
DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS

Dominic: I NEVER THOUGHT MY LIFE
WOULD END UP LIKE THIS.

I FEEL I AM IN A NIGHTMARE
BECAUSE MY LIFE IS SUCH A MESS

RIGHT NOW IN SO MANY WAYS.

BUT MY LIVING SITUATION
AND HEALTH

ARE MY TWO BIGGEST STRUGGLES
RIGHT NOW

BECAUSE THEY'RE THE WORST
THEY'VE EVER BEEN,

AND I JUST FEEL LIKE
MY WORLD HAS FALLEN APART.

ME AND MY BROTHER LIVE IN MY VAN

BECAUSE WE'RE HOMELESS AND MY
SIZE MAKES MY SITUATION HARDER

BECAUSE OF HOW I STRUGGLE NOW
TO FIT PLACES AND DO THINGS.

HOW DID YOU SLEEP?

ALL RIGHT. LITTLE PAINFUL.
MY HIP IS BOTHERING ME.

I HAD TO READJUST.

I REALLY WANT
TO TAKE A SHOWER.

IT'S BEEN AWHILE.

WE HAVE ENOUGH MONEY
FOR A ROOM?

YEAH, I THINK WE MIGHT,

BUT LET'S GET SOMETHING
TO EAT FIRST.

LET'S GO.

Dominic:
IT'S NOT VERY EASY TO GO TO
SLEEP IN A VAN ON THE STREETS.

THERE'S ALWAYS PEOPLE AROUND,
OTHER HOMELESS PEOPLE,

ADDICTS, AND THEN WE ALSO GOT
TO KEEP A LOOKOUT FOR COPS.

WE DON'T WANT TO GET IN TROUBLE
OR YOU KNOW, HAVE THEM TELL US

THAT WE CAN'T BE HERE ANYMORE.

WHAT HELPS ME FORGET ABOUT THAT
AND ALL MY TROUBLES IS FOOD,

AND MY LIFE REVOLVES AROUND
EATING AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.

HI, WHAT CAN I GET STARTED
FOR YOU?

CAN I GET A SIX OF THE BACON,
EGG, AND CHEESE BISCUITS...

OKAY.

...SIX HASH BROWNS,
TWO TRIPLE GRIDDLES.

CAN I GET THREE OF
THE BIG BREAKFASTS

AND A LARGE CHOCOLATE SHAKE
WITH WHIPPED CREAM?

-OKAY.
-YEAH, THAT'S IT.

OKAY. I'LL HAVE A TOTAL FOR YOU
AT THE WINDOW. THANK YOU.

Dominic: I GET PRETTY HUNGRY
PRETTY QUICKLY,

SO I'LL PROBABLY EAT FOUR,
FIVE TIMES, SIX TIMES A DAY

IF I CAN, WHEN I CAN.

AS I'M EATING, ALL MY WORRIES
DO SEEM TO DISAPPEAR.

FOOD IS NEVER MAD AT ME, RIGHT?

AND IT NEVER JUDGES ME, AND
IT'S ALWAYS THERE FOR ME,

SO I CAN RELY ON IT
TO LIFT ME UP

AND BE THERE TO HELP ME GET
THROUGH WHATEVER IT IS I NEED.

SO WITHOUT FOOD, I DON'T KNOW
HOW I WOULD GET THROUGH MY DAY.

AND IF I COULD AFFORD IT,
I'D JUST NEVER STOP EATING,

BUT ME AND JAMES
ARE ON A FIXED INCOME.

I GET SOME FOOD STAMPS,
BUT THEY DON'T LAST LONG.

I GET MONEY BY
PUBLIC ASSISTANCE, GENERAL AID

BECAUSE I'M NOT ABLE TO WORK,
BUT IT'S NOT A LOT.

MY BROTHER IS ABLE
TO WORK SOMETIMES

AND GET SMALL JOBS,
BUT IT'S NOT CONSISTENT,

SO IT'S NOTHING WE CAN RELY ON.

BUT WHAT WE DO GET, WE MOSTLY
SPEND ON FOOD PRETTY MUCH.

WE SAVE SOME FOR GAS
TO TRY TO GET AROUND

AND THEN WE TRY TO SAVE UP
TO GET A HOTEL

ONCE A WEEK OR EVERY TWO WEEKS

SO WE COULD SHOWER AND REST
IN A BED.

THAT WAS GOOD.

IF WE DIDN'T NEED TO CLEAN UP,
AND IF JAMES DIDN'T WANT A BED

EVERY NOW AND THEN,
I'D SKIP GETTING A HOTEL ROOM

BECAUSE THAT'S TWO MORE MEALS
A PIECE FOR US

THAT WE DON'T GET TO HAVE
EACH TIME WE DO THIS.

I WOULD RATHER GET THE FOOD
AND SAY,

"WELL, I COULD GO ANOTHER DAY
WITHOUT THE HOTEL."

BUT I KNOW IT'S NECESSARY
SO WE DO

BECAUSE IF I DON'T, AT MY SIZE,

YOUR SKIN BREAKS DOWN FROM ALL
THE RUBBING IN BETWEEN FOLDS,

SO YOU HAVE TO KEEP
THOSE AREAS CLEAN.

IT'S IMPORTANT,
BUT THAT'S NOT ALWAYS EASY.

AND WHEN WE TRY TO GET
A HOTEL ROOM,

WE HAVE TO FIND ONE WITH A
HANDICAP SHOWER SO I COULD FIT.

IT'S BEEN THREE YEARS SINCE
I FIT INTO A REGULAR SHOWER.

THE WHOLE PROCESS OF
STAYING CLEAN ISN'T EASY.

AT MY SIZE, NOTHING IS.

MOVING THROUGH THE WORLD
FEELS LIKE I'M CARRYING

AN INVISIBLE BOULDER
AROUND MY NECK ALWAYS.

BUT IT'S MY BODY, MY WEIGHT.

SO ANYTHING THAT TAKES
A LOT OF ENERGY FOR ME TO DO

IS ALMOST TOO MUCH FOR ME NOW.

MY BROTHER JAMES HELPS ME
IF I NEED IT,

BUT HE DOESN'T LIKE TO HELP ME
WITH STUFF LIKE THIS.

AND I FEEL BAD THAT HE HAS TO DO
SO MUCH FOR ME.

SO I'M AT LEAST GLAD I CAN
STILL GO TO THE BATHROOM,

SHOWER BY MYSELF,
I JUST CAN'T DO IT FOR LONG.

BATHING FOR ME
IS PHYSICALLY EXHAUSTING,

MENTALLY EXHAUSTING, TIRING,

BUT I TRY TO DO THE BEST I
CAN...

...BECAUSE IT'LL BE AT LEAST
ANOTHER WEEK OR TWO

BEFORE WE SAVE UP
AND DO THIS AGAIN,

SO I TRY TO FOCUS ON THE AREA
UNDER MY STOMACH AND MY LEG

BECAUSE ABOUT A YEAR AGO
I GOT LYMPHEDEMA,

AND I NEED TO KEEP
THAT CLEAN TO PREVENT INFECTION,

BUT IT'S A BIGGER CHALLENGE

NOW TO KEEP MY LYMPHEDEMA CLEAN
AND DRY, NOW THAT I'M HOMELESS.

AND IT'S GETTING EVEN HARDER FOR
ME EACH TIME

I DO IT, SO I KNOW MY ABILITY
TO GET AROUND IS GETTING WORSE

AND IT SCARES ME THINKING
ABOUT LOSING THAT ABILITY.

BUT I KNOW
THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING BECAUSE

NOW I STRUGGLE
TO BREATHE AT TIMES,

AND I CAN ONLY PROBABLY STAND
FOR FIVE MINUTES AT A TIME

BEFORE I'LL HAVE TO SIT DOWN

OR LEAN ON SOMETHING
BECAUSE OF MY BACK OR MY KNEES.

SO I CAN SEE ALL THE WAYS
IT'S GETTING REALLY BAD FOR ME.

LOSING MY MOBILITY SCARES ME.

THAT WOULD BE DEVASTATING
BECAUSE

IF I WERE TO LOSE THE ABILITY
TO GO TO THE RESTROOM

AND BATHE BY MYSELF,
IT WOULD MEAN THE END.

AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT I'M GOING
TO DO IF IT GETS TO THAT POINT.

SO IT DEPRESSES ME
BECAUSE THIS ISN'T THE LIFE

I THOUGHT I'D HAVE.

IT'S NOT A LIFE ANYONE SETS OUT
TO HAVE IN ANY WAY.

MY SIZE HAS ALWAYS BEEN AN ISSUE
FOR ME BECAUSE GROWING UP,

ME AND MY WHOLE FAMILY LOVED
TO EAT, AND ALL THE GOOD TIMES

WE HAD TOGETHER,
WE WERE ALL EATING.

MY BEST MEMORY IS PROBABLY
MY MOM'S HOMEMADE TORTILLAS.

BEFORE DINNER, I WOULD SNEAK
A COUPLE OF TORTILLAS,

PUT BUTTER ON THEM,
AND THEN GO HIDE AND EAT THEM

SO I COULD HAVE MORE
DURING DINNER.

SO, YOU KNOW, FOOD WAS A BIG
DEAL TO US

AND IT MADE US ALL HAPPY

AND THAT'S WHAT I KNEW
AS I GOT OLDER

AND THINGS STARTED TO CHANGE
AND GET HARDER FOR US.

MY MOM AND DAD
WERE GOOD PARENTS,

BUT THEY STARTED TO HAVE ISSUES
TOGETHER IN THEIR MARRIAGE.

WELL, IT STARTED WITH THEM
FIGHTING MORE...

...AND THEN THE FIGHTS GOT WORSE
UNTIL MY MOM GOT TO A POINT

WHEN I WAS 9
THAT SHE KICKED MY DAD OUT.

AND WHEN THAT HAPPENED,
I WAS DEVASTATED.

I KNOW JAMES WAS, TOO,
BUT IT HIT ME REALLY HARD.

UP UNTIL MY DAD LEFT, DOMINIC
AND I HAD A GREAT CHILDHOOD.

WE DIDN'T WANT FOR ANYTHING.

BUT WHEN MY DAD LEFT,
THAT'S WHEN THE TROUBLE STARTED.

Dominic: AFTER THAT,
MY PARENTS GOT DIVORCED,

AND I ONLY SAW
MY DAD ON WEEKENDS.

I WAS OVERWEIGHT
BUT NOTHING CRAZY.

I WAS AROUND A 100 POUNDS
WHEN I WAS 9.

BUT MY WEIGHT
JUST KEPT GOING UP

AS I WENT TO FOOD MORE
WHEN THINGS GOT HARDER.

AND I NEEDED IT BECAUSE A COUPLE
OF YEARS AFTER MY DAD MOVED OUT,

HE LEFT ABRUPTLY, AND AFTER
THAT,

WE DIDN'T EVEN HEAR FROM HIM.

AND IT WAS LIKE HE JUST STOPPED
CARING ABOUT US.

LAST WE HEARD,
ABOUT 15 YEARS AGO,

HE DIDN'T HAVE OTHER KIDS.

BUT MY DAD ABANDONING US
REALLY AFFECTED DOMINIC.

IT SHATTERED HIM.
HE WASN'T THE SAME AFTERWARDS.

Dominic: IT'S BEEN 27 YEARS
SINCE I'VE SEEN MY DAD.

I STILL MISS HIM A LOT.

I THINK ABOUT HIM
EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE.

AND THE LAST I WAS TOLD,
HE HAD MOVED TO HOUSTON,

BUT I DON'T KNOW
IF HE'S EVEN STILL ALIVE NOW.

BUT WHEN HE LEFT,
NOT ONLY DID I LOSE HIM,

BUT HIM LEAVING LED TO THINGS
GETTING WORSE IN MY LIFE

BECAUSE MY MOM WORKED A LOT.

AND WHEN SHE COULDN'T
BE HOME WITH US,

THERE WERE TIMES
WHEN I HAD TO GO STAY

AT A FAMILY MEMBER'S HOUSE --

THE FAMILY MEMBER THAT STARTED
TO ABUSE ME.

A FAMILY MEMBER THAT ABUSED ME

WAS ONLY A COUPLE YEARS
OLDER THAN ME.

IT WAS CONFUSING AND AWFUL.

I DIDN'T TELL MY MOM
ABOUT THE SEXUAL ABUSE

BECAUSE I THOUGHT
I WOULD GET IN TROUBLE.

I WAS ASHAMED,
SO I KEPT IT INSIDE.

AND SO, IT KEPT HAPPENING.

BUT EVERY TIME IT HAPPENED,
IT MADE ME WANT TO EAT A LOT

BECAUSE FOOD WOULD BRING ME
HAPPINESS, TASTE GOOD, COMFORT.

AND I PUT ON SOMETHING
LIKE 50 POUNDS IN THAT NEXT YEAR

TO OVER 150
BY THE TIME I WAS 11.

BUT AROUND THAT TIME IS WHEN
THE ABUSE STOPPED

BECAUSE I GOT OLDER AND I DIDN'T
HAVE TO GO OVER THERE ANYMORE.

AND I WAS REALLY
HAPPY ABOUT THAT.

BUT WHAT IT DID TO ME
WAS STILL THERE.

IT STILL HAUNTS ME TO THIS DAY.

I'VE JUST BEEN COPING
WITH IT EVER SINCE.

BUT IF I WAS EATING,

I COULD PRETEND THAT NONE
OF THAT HAD HAPPENED TO ME,

SO I ATE WHATEVER I COULD,
WHENEVER I COULD.

AND BY THE TIME I WAS 14,
I WEIGHED 300 POUNDS.

DOMINIC WAS ALWAYS A BIG KID.

BUT AFTER A WHILE,
ONCE WE STARTED GETTING OLDER,

IT JUST STARTED
BALLOONING A LOT.

Dominic:
NO ONE WANTS TO BE THE BIG KID
IN HIGH SCHOOL,

SO I TRIED TO CONTROL
MY EATING SOME,

BUT I NEVER REALLY COULD,
SO I KEPT GETTING BIGGER.

AND I JUST STARTED AVOIDING
EVERYONE AS MUCH AS I COULD,

SO FOOD WAS MY ONLY REAL FRIEND.

BY THE TIME
I FINISHED HIGH SCHOOL,

I WAS OVER 400 POUNDS.

WHEN WE WERE YOUNG,
DOMINIC WAS VERY OUTGOING,

CHARISMATIC, HE WAS FUNNY,
AND HE SEEMED VERY HAPPY,

BUT AS THE YEARS WENT ON,
THAT JUST STAYED HIDDEN,

AND I WAS
THE ONLY ONE SEEING IT.

YOU KNOW, HE JUST SHUT IT OFF
TO EVERYONE ELSE.

Dominic:
NO MATTER HOW MUCH I WANTED
TO SLOW IT DOWN OR STOP IT,

MY WEIGHT JUST KEPT CLIMBING.

AND AFTER HIGH SCHOOL,
THAT DIDN'T CHANGE.

I GOT A JOB, BUT I HAD TO QUIT
AFTER TWO MONTHS

BECAUSE OF MY WEIGHT.

I ENDED UP JUST STAYING HOME
ALL DAY

AND ALL I DID
WAS BASICALLY WATCH TV,

PLAY VIDEO GAMES, AND EAT.

SO I GOT OVER 450 BY THE TIME
I WAS IN MY 20s.

SHORTLY AFTER THAT,
I REALIZED

THAT I COULDN'T MOVE
AROUND THE WAY I USED TO.

AND IT GOT TO A POINT
WHERE WHEN I WAS 23,

I WAS CLOSE TO 500 POUNDS.

AND THEN WHEN I WAS 25,
WE FOUND OUT MY MOM HAD DIABETES

AND WAS JUST
IN DECREASING HEALTH.

SO AFTER THAT, ME AND MY BROTHER
TOOK CARE OF HER

AND THAT LASTED ALMOST
EIGHT YEARS WHERE WE DID THAT.

BUT AS I GOT INTO MY 30s,

ME AND MY BROTHER NEEDED
MORE HELP TO TAKE CARE OF HER,

SO WE ALL MOVED IN
WITH OUR GRANDMOTHER,

SO SHE COULD HELP, TOO.

BUT MY GRANDMOTHER PASSED AWAY
A COUPLE OF YEARS

AFTER WE DID THAT,

AND WE ALL KEPT LIVING
IN THE HOUSE TOGETHER.

AND THEN MY MOM PASSED AWAY
WHEN I WAS ABOUT 34,

AND THAT WAS DEVASTATING.

MY MOTHER MEANT
EVERYTHING TO ME.

EVERY DAY I WAKE UP AND SHE'S
THE FIRST PERSON I THINK ABOUT

AND HOW I MISS HER.

SHE WAS THE ONE PERSON
I COULD COUNT ON.

James: IT WAS VERY HARD
WHEN MY MOM DIED.

IT WAS VERY SURPRISING.
IT WAS VERY SHOCKING.

AND LOOKING BACK ON THAT, I FEEL
LIKE I HAVEN'T LEARNED ANYTHING

BECAUSE MY MOM WAS STRUGGLING
WITH FOOD ISSUES.

AND NOW I'M AFRAID DOMINIC MIGHT
KILL HIMSELF WITH FOOD

LIKE MY MOM DID.

BUT I DON'T KNOW WHAT WILL
GET HIM TO LOSE WEIGHT.

BEFORE MY MOM PASSED AWAY, SHE
DID ENCOURAGE ME TO GET HEALTHY.

IT WAS AROUND THAT TIME
WHEN IT GOT ON A SCALE

AND FOUND OUT
THAT I WAS UP TO 630 POUNDS.

AND I KNOW MY WEIGHT HAS
PROBABLY BEEN GETTING WORSE

SINCE THEN.

THAT WAS ABOUT FOUR YEARS AGO
THAT MY MOM PASSED AWAY,

AND SHE WAS THE ONE WHO KEPT
THE REST OF THE FAMILY IN LINE

TO KIND OF PROTECT
MY GRANDMOTHER

FROM BEING TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF.

BUT WITH MY MOM GONE, THERE WAS
NO ONE TO KEEP DOING THAT.

WHEN MY GRANDMOTHER DIED,

WE HAD THE MOTIVATION TO KEEP
THE HOUSE FROM BEING SOLD,

BUT A LOT OF OUR FAMILY MEMBERS
CONSPIRED TO GET

WHATEVER THEY COULD OUT OF IT
AND NEVER PAY RENT.

THEN EVENTUALLY
AFTER MY MOM DIED

AND NOBODY WAS PAYING
ANY BILLS,

SO THE HOUSE WAS SOLD
BY THE COUNTY.

Dominic:
LOSING THAT HOUSE LEFT ME
AND JAMES HOMELESS,

SO WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY CHOICE

OTHER TO LIVE
IN MY VAN ON THE STREETS.

THE SCARIEST THING ABOUT
BEING HOMELESS

IS THE UNCERTAINTY
OF EVERYTHING.

I HAVE NO IDEA
HOW WE'RE GOING TO SURVIVE

OR WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO.

AT THE SAME TIME, I DO FEEL LIKE
A BURDEN TO MY BROTHER.

THE STRESS OF HIM
HAVING TO FIND A JOB

AND ALSO HAVING
TO WORRY ABOUT ME

IS HARD FOR HIM,
SO IT MAKES ME FEEL GUILTY

THAT MY BROTHER
HAS TO TAKE CARE OF ME.

James:
EVERY DAY WE'RE SPENDING MONEY

THAT WE CAN'T AFFORD
TO FEED DOMINIC.

AND WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH MONEY

TO KEEP FEEDING
DOMINIC THIS WAY.

AND IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT MONEY.
IF HE DOESN'T SLOW DOWN,

HIS BODY'S GOING
TO JUST GIVE UP.

Dominic: I'M 37 AND I KNOW
I'M OVER 600 POUNDS,

BUT I DON'T EVEN KNOW
MY EXACT WEIGHT RIGHT NOW.

BUT WE KNOW THINGS
ARE GETTING WORSE

AND I'M GETTING TO A REALLY
BAD PLACE THAT SCARES ME.

THE PERSON I USED TO BE
IS LOST AND GONE.

MY WEIGHT HAS TAKEN AWAY
THE LIFE I WANTED

AND I'M VERY TIRED OF THIS LIFE.
I WANT A FAMILY.

I WANT A ROOF OVER MY HEAD.
I WANT A SPOT TO LAY MY HEAD,

BUT NOT BEING ABLE TO CONTROL
MY EATING HAS DESTROYED MY LIFE.

AND I'M SCARED I'M NOT
GOING TO HAVE THE CHANCE

TO EVEN CHANGE
TO HAVE THOSE THINGS

BECAUSE I'M NOT GOING
TO BE ALIVE MUCH LONGER

IF I KEEP LIVING LIKE THIS.

I'M MOST AFRAID OF DYING,
LEAVING MY BROTHER BY HIMSELF

BECAUSE LOSING ME
WOULD BREAK WITH BROTHER.

HE WOULD HAVE NO ONE ANYMORE.

HE WOULD BE ALONE.
THAT SCARES ME.

AT THIS POINT, I'M STUCK
IN MY VAN WAITING TO DIE.

AND I FEEL LIKE I'M IN A CAGE.

I FEEL TRAPPED, STUCK.

I DESPERATELY NEED THINGS
TO CHANGE.

AND I'M HOPING ME AND MY BROTHER
CAN FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN GET

WHAT WE NEED TO GO TO HOUSTON
TO GET HELP FROM DR. NOW,

SO I COULD FIND A WAY
TO STOP EATING AND LOSE WEIGHT.

BECAUSE IF YOU DON'T
FIGURE THAT OUT SOMEHOW,

THEN I KNOW I'M NOT
GOING TO BE ALIVE MUCH LONGER

BECAUSE THERE'S NO WAY MY BODY

CAN TAKE MUCH MORE
OF BEING LIKE THIS.

I JUST REALLY HOPE
IT'S NOT GOING TO BE TOO LATE.

Dominic:
ME AND JAMES HAVE BEEN TRYING
TO SAVE UP ENOUGH MONEY

TO GO TO HOUSTON TO SEE DR. NOW,

BUT WE'VE BEEN HAVING TROUBLE
GETTING ENOUGH TOGETHER

TO FEEL LIKE WE COULD MAKE IT
ALL THE WAY THERE.

WE CAN'T END UP STRANDED
SOMEWHERE WITH NO MONEY FOR GAS

AND IN A PLACE
WE'RE NOT FAMILIAR WITH

WHERE WE MIGHT GET ARRESTED
FOR LOITERING AROUND IN PLACES.

BUT OUR COUSIN GINA TOLD US SHE
WANTS TO TRY AND HELP US OUT.

SHE'S THE ONLY FAMILY
WE REALLY TALK TO NOW.

THE ONLY FAMILY
WE HAVE LEFT REALLY.

AND SHE'S THE ONE
WHO CONVINCED ME

TO START CONSIDERING
GOING TO SEE DR. NOW

TO TRY AND GET HIS HELP,

AND SHE SAID SHE'S GOING TO COME
GIVE US SOME MONEY TO HELP OUT

BECAUSE SHE'S WORRIED
I'M RUNNING OUT OF TIME.

HI, GINA.
GLAD TO SEE YOU.

HOW ARE YOU GUYS DOING?
I BROUGHT YOU GUYS SOME...

-THANK YOU.
-...TOOTHPASTE AND STUFF.

HOW ARE YOU DOING?
HOW'S WORK GOING?

OKAY.

-BUSY.
-BUSY.

HOW ARE YOU GUYS...
HOW'S EVERYTHING ELSE GOING?

IT'S GOING ALL RIGHT.

MY LEG IS FEELING
A LITTLE HEAVY AGAIN.

IS IT STILL...
SWOLLEN?

YEAH, IT'S GOTTEN BIGGER.

USUALLY OVER THE DAY,
IT STARTS GETTING BIGGER,

BUT AT THE BEGINNING
OF THE DAY, IT'S LESS.

WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN?
LIKE, WHAT'S THE PLAN?

WHAT'S NEXT?

I KNOW LAST TIME
WHEN I SAID,

"WE WERE GOING TO SET A GOAL.
WHAT DID YOU WANT TO DO?"

AND YOU SAID...
DO YOU REMEMBER?

BARBECUE, YEAH. BARBECUE.
GET SOME BARBECUE.

NO, YOU SAID
GO THE BEACH.

OH, YEAH, YEAH, YEAH.
THAT'S RIGHT.

FOOD.

YEP. ALWAYS THINKING ABOUT FOOD.
BUT, YEAH, THE BEACH.

YOU SAID THAT WAS A GOAL
OR A DREAM OF YOURS TO GO...

GO TO THE OCEAN, YEAH.

PUT YOUR FEET
IN THE SAND.

YEAH.

YOU HAVE TO DO
SOMETHING, DOMINIC.

I JUST FEEL LIKE
THERE'S NOTHING I CAN DO.

YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?
YOU HAVE TO DO IT.

YEAH.

YOU HAVE TO.

HOPEFULLY THIS DOCTOR IN HOUSTON
WILL BE ABLE TO HELP ME.

MAYBE THAT'LL
BE THE DIFFERENCE.

I'M HOPING IT WILL BE.

OKAY. ALL RIGHT.
WELL, I'M GOING TO GO.

-ALL RIGHT.
-I'LL TEXT YOU.

THANK YOU. BYE.

TAKE CARE. LET ME KNOW
WHAT HAPPENS.

-YEAH.
-IF YOU FIND OUT ANYTHING.

-THANK YOU GINA.
-THANK YOU. BYE.

-BYE.
-BYE.

Dominic:
GINA IS OUR ONLY REAL FAMILY ME
AND JAMES HAVE LEFT,

AND I KNOW SHE CARES ABOUT ME
AND WORRIES ABOUT US,

AND I FEEL BAD
THAT I DO THAT TO HER.

BUT WITH THIS HELP
SHE'S GIVEN ME,

I'M HOPING IT'S ENOUGH TO GET ME
AND JAMES TO HOUSTON.

Dominic: WE GOT EVERYTHING
WE NEED READY TO GO

TO HEAD OUT ON THE ROAD
TO HOUSTON.

AT LEAST WE HOPE WE DO.
BUT WE GOT SUPPLIES AND STUFF.

DID A TUNE UP ON THE CAR,
GOT SOME TIRES, ADDED OIL.

BUT ALL THAT TOOK, LIKE,
HALF HER MONEY.

WE HAD NO CHOICE THOUGH.

WE CAN'T AFFORD FOR ANYTHING
TO GO WRONG ON THE ROAD

AND TO GET STRANDED ANYWHERE.
AND IT'S A LONG TRIP, YOU KNOW.

FROM FRESNO TO HOUSTON WITHOUT
ANY TRAFFIC, THE DRIVE

SHOULD BE 26, 27 HOURS AND...
I'M WORRIED ABOUT THAT.

BUT I'M THANKFUL
FOR GINA'S HELP

BECAUSE WE WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN
ABLE TO DO THIS WITHOUT IT.

SO WE'RE GOING TO MEET UP
WITH HER TO SAY, "BYE,"

AND THEN HEAD OUT TO TEXAS
AND HOPE FOR THE BEST.

WE DON'T HAVE THE MONEY
TO GO THERE AND COME BACK,

SO THIS IS A ONE WAY TRIP
RIGHT NOW,

AND WE'RE PUTTING ALL OUR EGGS
IN THIS ONE BASKET,

SO I'M A LITTLE NERVOUS
ABOUT THAT.

I'M JUST REALLY HOPING
THIS TRIP LEADS TO ME

GETTING THE HELP I NEED.

SO, READY TO GET GOING?
I MEAN, FOR GOOD?

IT'S GOING TO BE A LONG TIME
UNTIL WE GET BACK.

YEAH. I WOKE UP KIND OF NAUSEOUS
AND NERVOUS THIS MORNING,

BUT I'M READY.
READY TO DO THIS.

Dominic:
I KNOW JAMES DOESN'T REALLY
WANT TO GO TO HOUSTON,

BUT HE'S DOING IT FOR ME,
SO I'M GOING TO WORK HARD

ONCE I GET THERE TO DO
EVERYTHING I CAN TO GET HEALTHY

AND MAKE THIS TRIP WORTH IT.

James:
I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS COULD BE

A LIFE CHANGING MOMENT FOR
DOMINIC.

SOMETHING THAT HE NEEDS,
SO I'LL BE THERE TO HELP, BUT...

BECAUSE THIS IS PROBABLY
DOMINIC'S LAST CHANCE

BECAUSE HE'S ALREADY
GIVEN IT A FEW TRIES HERE,

AND HE JUST GOT NOWHERE WITH IT,

SO I THINK HE KNOWS
THIS IS HIS LAST CHANCE.

James:
ALL READY TO GO.

HI. THANKS
FOR EVERYTHING, GINA.

YOU'RE WELCOME.

I'M SUPER EXCITED
FOR YOU GUYS.

ESPECIALLY YOU, DOMINIC.
I JUST WANT YOU TO BE OKAY

AND I WANT YOU TO JUST...
ONCE THIS IS ALL DONE

AND JUST REALLY SEE LIFE
THE WAY -- THE WAY YOU SHOULD.

I'M JUST -- I'M SUPER
EXCITED FOR YOU.

THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING
YOU'VE DONE FOR US TOO, GINA.

-OKAY.
-THANK YOU.

-TAKE CARE.
-THANK YOU AGAIN.

-BE SAFE.
-YEAH.

-DRIVE CAREFULLY.
-BYE.

DRIVE SAFELY
AND TEXT ME.

BYE.

MY APPOINTMENT WITH DR. NOW

IS IN A WEEK SO THAT GIVES US
FIVE DAYS TO MAKE IT TO HOUSTON,

BUT I'M HOPING WE'RE ABLE
TO MAKE IT SOONER THAN THAT.

I'M TAKING THIS RISK
BECAUSE I BELIEVE IT'S THE LAST

AND ONLY OPPORTUNITY
I'LL GET TO BETTER MY LIFE

BECAUSE I'M GETTING OLDER
AND PUTTING ON MORE WEIGHT,

AND IT'S GETTING HARDER
FOR ME TO MOVE AROUND.

SO I NEED TO TAKE
THIS OPPORTUNITY

AND DO IT NOW
BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE.

LET'S GO FIND A SPOT
WE WON'T GET KICKED OUT OF.

-A SAFE PARKING LOT?
-YEAH.

Dominic: IT'S BEEN TWO DAYS
SINCE WE LEFT FRESNO,

AND WE'RE SOMEWHERE AROUND
LAS CRUCES, NEW MEXICO,

SO WE MADE IT
ABOUT HALFWAY TO HOUSTON.

I'M HAVING TO DRIVE
THE WHOLE WAY

BECAUSE JAMES DOESN'T HAVE
A LICENSE RIGHT NOW.

SO I'M GOING AS FAR
AS I CAN EACH DAY,

WHICH IS AROUND EIGHT HOURS
AT A TIME BEFORE I NEED A REST.

JAMES HAS BEEN TELLING ME
WE CAN'T STOP TOO OFTEN FOR FOOD

BECAUSE HE WANTS US
TO CONSERVE MORE MONEY,

BUT I TOLD HIM
I'D RATHER SKIP THE HOTELS

AND SAVE MONEY THAT WAY,

BUT HE'S WORRIED ABOUT IT BEING
DANGEROUS TO SLEEP IN OUR CAR

IN PLACES WE DON'T KNOW,

SO WE'VE BEEN
FIGHTING ABOUT THAT.

BUT HE AGREED WE COULD SKIP
THE HOTELS SO FAR.

HOW COLD DO YOU THINK
IT'S GOING TO GET TONIGHT?

VERY COLD.
CLOSE TO FREEZING I THINK.

CLOSE TO FREEZING.

34, 35.

Dominic:
BUT THE NIGHT WE GET THERE,
WE NEED TO GET A HOTEL ROOM

SO WE COULD GET CLEANED UP
BEFORE WE SEE THE DOCTOR

BECAUSE I DON'T WANT
TO GO IN AND SMELL

WHEN WE SEE HIM,
SO THAT'S THE PLAN.

BUT SO FAR THE TRIP HAS BEEN
A LITTLE MORE STRENUOUS

THAN I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE,

AND WE'RE JUST FIGHTING A LOT
ABOUT THE MONEY AND PLANNING

AND THAT MAKES ME
WANT TO EAT MORE,

BUT I'M TRYING TO WAIT
UNTIL JAMES GOES

TO SLEEP TO SNACK SOME

JUST SO WE DON'T FIGHT ABOUT
USING UP MORE OF OUR SUPPLIES

OR RESOURCES
OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

IT'S MY TURN TO SLEEP
IN THE BACK TONIGHT.

I THINK YOU HAD IT YESTERDAY,
DIDN'T YOU?

NO, YOU SLEPT THERE LAST NIGHT.
IT'S MY TURN.

ALL RIGHT, WELL, YOU THINK
I COULD SLEEP BACK THERE

AGAIN TONIGHT BECAUSE MY LEGS
ARE HURTING ME AGAIN?

-YEAH, I GUESS.
-ALL RIGHT, THANKS.

I'LL SLEEP UP HERE
AGAIN.

Dominic: ALL I KNOW IS I HAVE
AN APPOINTMENT WITH DR. NOW

IN THREE DAYS, BUT IT'S STILL
GOING TO TAKE US

AROUND TWO DAYS TO GET THERE.

EVERYTHING ELSE WE STILL
HAVE TO FIGURE OUT,

SO WE'RE JUST TRYING
NOT TO WORRY ABOUT THAT

AND FOCUS ON GETTING THERE.

BUT I JUST HOPE THINGS
DON'T GET WORSE

BETWEEN US
WITH THE FIGHTING.

Dominic: WE'VE BEEN ON THE ROAD
FOR A TOTAL OF FOUR DAYS NOW,

BUT WE'RE GETTING
CLOSE TO HOUSTON,

AND I'M HOPING TODAY'S
MY LAST DAY OF TRAVEL

BEFORE I GET TO MEET THE DOCTOR.

AND WE'RE BOTH REALLY LOOKING
FORWARD TO GETTING THERE

AND GETTING A HOTEL ROOM
WE COULD REST IN

BECAUSE THIS HAS JUST BEEN
A REALLY LONG TRIP.

AND IT'S BEEN HARD ON ME
HAVING TO DRIVE THIS LONG.

BUT AS WE GET CLOSER,

I'M GETTING MORE NERVOUS
ABOUT WHAT DR. NOW

IS GOING TO SAY BECAUSE I KNOW

I'M EITHER GOING TO GET
HIS HELP OR NOT.

BUT I'M WORRIED ABOUT
THE POSSIBILITY OF NOT,

SO I'M THINKING
A LOT ABOUT THAT.

I'M GETTING NERVOUS
ABOUT SEEING HIM.

WHAT DO YOU THINK?
YOU THINK I'LL GET ACCEPTED?

WELL, I HOPE
YOU'LL GET ACCEPTED.

WHAT ARE THE REASONS
HE WOULD NOT ACCEPT YOU FOR?

IT CAN BE SOMETHING
MEDICALLY WITH ME.

-YEAH.
-YOU KNOW, IF I...

MY HEART OR
SOMETHING OR...

I'M KINDA WORRIED ABOUT
SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

Dominic:
WE FINALLY MADE IT HERE
TO HOUSTON

AND I JUST WANT TO GET REST
AND GET CLEANED UP,

BUT I'M VERY HAPPY
THAT ME AND JAMES MADE IT

AND THAT THE VAN
MADE IT ALL THIS WAY.

THIS IS THE FURTHEST
WE'VE EVER TRAVELED,

SO IT FEELS REALLY GOOD
TO HAVE ACHIEVED SOMETHING.

LIKE A FIRST STEP FOR ME
IN GETTING HEALTHY LIKE I NEED.

-MADE IT, HOMEY.
-YEAH.

-WE'RE HERE.
-WHOO.

Dominic:
I'M SO SORE AND TIRED

FROM BEING CRAMMED
BEHIND THE WHEEL FOR SO LONG,

AND I'M STILL WORRIED
ABOUT WHAT DR. NOW

IS GOING TO SAY TOMORROW
AT MY APPOINTMENT.

BUT RIGHT NOW, I'M JUST EXCITED
WE DID THIS AND I MADE IT.

-WE'RE HERE, MAN.
-YEAH.

2000 MILES, ALMOST.
-ALMOST 2000 MILES.

-YOU STILL EXCITED?
-YEAH.

I'M GETTING NERVOUS.

I'M DEFLATING, THOUGH.
I'M GETTING TIRED.

-WELL, IT'S LATE.
-YEAH.

Dominic: RIGHT NOW, ME AND JAMES
HAVE A LITTLE LESS

THAN A THIRD OF THE MONEY LEFT,

SO I'M NOT SURE
WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO HERE

IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS
WHEN WE RUN OUT AROUND THEN.

BUT RIGHT NOW, MY FOCUS IS
JUST ON BEING AT MY APPOINTMENT

WITH DR. NOW TOMORROW
AND GETTING ON HIS PROGRAM

BECAUSE IF THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN,

THEN WE JUST CAME OUT HERE
TO GET STRANDED FOR NOTHING.

SO THAT'S THE BIG THING I NEED
AND WHY I'M HERE,

BECAUSE MY WHOLE LIFE
AND FUTURE DEPENDS ON THIS.

Dominic:
ME AND JAMES ARE HERE FOR MY
FIRST APPOINTMENT WITH DR. NOW,

AND I'M VERY NERVOUS
SINCE EVERYTHING IN MY LIFE

IS ESSENTIALLY DEPENDING ON HOW
THIS GOES.

BUT I'M HOPEFUL THERE WON'T BE
ANY ISSUES GETTING

DR. NOW'S HELP, AND THAT TODAY
WILL BE THE TURNING POINT

FOR ME TO GET HEALTHY
AND FINALLY LOSE THE WEIGHT.

DOMINIC?

I'M ALSO A LITTLE NERVOUS
ABOUT SEEING MY WEIGHT.

I KNOW I'M OVER 600,

BUT THERE HASN'T BEEN
A SCALE BIG ENOUGH FOR ME

TO GET MY WEIGHT
FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS,

SO I'M WORRIED IT'S CLIMBED
A LOT HIGHER THAN 600.

I'M JUST HOPING
I'M NOT CLOSE TO 700.

GEEZ.

Dominic:
THAT'S A LITTLE SHOCKING
AND UPSETTING

TO BE AT MY HIGHEST WEIGHT
OF MY LIFE.

AND I KNOW IT WAS JUST GOING
TO KEEP GETTING WORSE LIKE THIS

UNLESS I STOP EATING,

SO I'M HOPING TODAY'S THE DAY
I CAN TURN THINGS AROUND

AND STOP THE CYCLE
BEFORE IT GETS WORSE.

-HELLO.
-HELLO.

-HELLO.
-HOW Y'ALL DOING?

-PRETTY GOOD. HOW ARE YOU DOING?
-I'M GOOD.

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

DOMINIC HERNANDEZ.

NICE TO MEET YOU.

JAMES HERNANDEZ,
HIS BROTHERS.

JAMES HERNANDEZ.
BROTHERS, HUH?

BROTHERS.

ALL RIGHT. SO WHERE
Y'ALL COMING FROM?

CALIFORNIA,
CENTRAL VALLEY.

CALIFORNIA.
THAT'S QUITE A WAYS.

SO YOU CAME ALL THIS WAY
FOR HELP WITH YOUR WEIGHT.

YES.

OKAY. AND I SEE YOUR BROTHER'S
ALSO ON THE SAME PATTERN,

BUT NOT QUITE AS BAD AS YOU.
-YEAH.

OKAY. SO YOU'RE 37, AND
YOU WEIGH 672 POUNDS.

AND HOW'S
YOUR ACTIVITY?

OH, LIMITED.
NONE.

YOU WALK?

YEAH, I DO WALK.
I CAN WALK.

HOW MUCH YOU CAN WALK
BEFORE YOU GET TIRED?

ONLY A FEW YARDS.
20 YARDS.

OKAY. AND ANY
SHORTNESS OF BREATH?

-YES.
-OKAY.

SO YOU'RE STRUGGLING
WITH YOUR MOBILITY.

SO YOU
NOT WORKING NOW, HUH?

NO.

SO THEN, DOES
YOUR BROTHER WORK?

-NO.
-ALL RIGHT.

SO YOUR BROTHER IS HERE
WITH YOU, MORAL SUPPORT?

YES, FOR MORAL SUPPORT.

OKAY.
AND HOW OLD ARE YOU?

James: I'M 44.

-SO YOU'RE BIG BROTHER?
-YEAH, 7 YEARS OLDER.

OKAY. SO IF YOU DON'T WORK
AND HE DOESN'T WORK,

HOW DO YOU MAKE A LIVING
IF YOU'RE NOT WORKING?

WE'RE HOMELESS RIGHT NOW.
WE'RE LIVING IN OUR VAN.

BOTH OF YOU LIVE IN A CAR
OR WHAT?

YES, IN A VAN.

HOW DO YOU GET MONEY
TO EAT?

DO YOU GET
FOOD STAMPS OR WHAT?

YEAH.
FOOD STAMPS?

WE GET GENERAL AID
AND FOOD STAMPS.

AND I USED TO WORK.

THROUGH TEMP AGENCIES, HE
GETS JOBS EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE.

-YEAH.
-OKAY.

WELL, SO WHAT DO Y'ALL EAT
IN A REGULAR DAY?

FIRST, IT'S TOO MUCH
AND BAD FOOD.

SO WHAT KIND OF FOOD SUPPLY
Y'ALL HAVE AT YOUR VAN?

-JUNK FOOD. CHIPS.
-JUNK FOOD.

YEAH. COLD STUFF THAT WE COULD
JUST EAT OUT OF THE CAN.

-WE EAT A LOT OF SOUPS.
-YEAH, SOUPS.

-COLD RAVIOLI IN THE CAN.
-YEAH, PASTA.

SO HOW
DO YOU WARM IT UP?

-WE DON'T.
-WE DON'T. WE EAT IT COLD.

ALL RIGHT. I DON'T KNOW
WHAT IT WOULD BE POSSIBLE

TO GET YOUR FOOD STAMP
TO BE TRANSFERRED TO HERE.

IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, YOU HAVE
TO HAVE AN ADDRESS IN TEXAS

TO BE ABLE
TO DO THAT.

OH, REALLY?

YEAH. SO WE'VE GOT
THE DIFFICULT SITUATION

WITH YOUR HEALTH
AND ISSUES

WE GOT WITH YOUR FIGURING OUT
YOUR LIFE IN BOTH OF YOU,

AND THE DYNAMIC THAT YOU HAVE
THAT BOTH OF YOU WERE EATING

AND ENABLING EACH OTHER.

SO THAT'S GOING TO BE
DIFFICULT SITUATION TO TREAT.

THERE ARE GOOD HOME SHELTERS
AROUND IN HOUSTON

THAT WE CAN GET YOU
OVER THERE,

SO YOU CAN HAVE AT LEAST
A BEDDING FACILITY,

AND THE MEALS,
AND THINGS LIKE THAT FIRST.

PLUS, YOU BOTH NEED
SOME CIVILITY IN YOUR LIFE

TO START TO GET THINGS
UNDER CONTROL LIKE YOU NEED.

BUT DOMINIC, YOUR HEALTH
IS GOING TO START

TO DECLINE RAPIDLY

IF YOU DON'T DO SOMETHING
NOW TO CHANGE THINGS.

I UNDERSTAND.

OKAY. ALL RIGHT.

SO LET'S GET YOU
TO A HOMELESS SHELTER

OR WE'LL SEE ABOUT
PUBLIC HOUSING

BECAUSE YOU MAYBE QUALIFY
FOR SOME ASSISTANCE,

AND WE WILL HAVE TO GET
A SOCIAL WORKER TO WORK WITH YOU

AND SEE WHAT WE CAN DO
TO GET YOU THAT.

BUT WE'VE GOT A LOT OF
OBSTACLE TO OVERCOME

AND GET
YOUR LIFE BACK.

SO AT THE MEANTIME, YOU'RE
GOING TO HAVE TO CHANGE

YOUR EATING HABIT,
BOTH OF YOU.

SO I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU BOTH
TO READ SOME STUFF,

LIST OF FOOD TO AVOID.

I WANT YOU TO EAT ONLY
THREE TIMES A DAY. NO SNACKING.

WAIT A MINUTE, I'M ONLY
HERE FOR MORAL SUPPORT.

BUT YOU'RE GOING
TO BE WITH HIM.

YEAH.

YOU'RE LEAVING,
GOING BACK?

NO. I'M GOING
TO STAY HERE.

ALL RIGHT, YOU'RE
GOING TO STAY,

BUT IF YOU'RE
GOING TO EAT BAD

AND HE'S GOING TO SIT DOWN
AND WATCH YOU,

THAT'S NOT
GOING TO WORK.

SO YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE
TO EAT BETTER, TOO.

OKAY? SO YOU'RE GOING
TO BE MORAL SUPPORT,

YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE
TO DO YOUR PART, TOO.

OKAY?
-ALL RIGHT.

BECAUSE YOU'RE PART
OF HIS OVEREATING

AND HE'S PART
OF YOUR OVEREATING.

YOU BOTH ARE FEEDING EACH
OTHER, AND THIS DYNAMIC

IS NOT GOING TO BE
POSSIBLE TO CHANGE

UNLESS BOTH
OF YOU CHANGE.

IS THAT SOMETHING
YOU BOTH UNDERSTAND?

-YEAH.
-YEAH.

SO I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU
BOTH HIGH PROTEIN DIET,

LOW CARB AND 1,200 CALORIE
A DAY, OKAY?

JAMES, DO YOU THINK
YOU CAN DO THAT?

I COULD DO THAT.

OKAY. AND ALSO THERE'LL
BE SOME EXERCISE

I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU

THAT I WANT YOU TO START
DOING THOSE TWICE A DAY.

AND THOSE EXERCISES ARE GOING
TO BE VERY IMPORTANT

TO GET YOUR STAMINA UP,
OKAY?

SO YOU BOTH ARE IN
TOGETHER, OKAY?

AND IF YOU ARE TOGETHER,
THEN YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE BOTH

HAVE TO BE
ON THE SAME PAGE, OKAY?

SO THE PRIORITY
FOR BOTH OF YOU

IS TO GET YOUR LIFE
IN ORDER, OKAY?

BUT YOU DON'T HAVE TO WAIT
FOR ANYTHING TO CHANGE

YOUR EATING HABITS NOW,
TO START EATING HEALTHY.

AND THAT'S GOING TO BE
REALLY IMPORTANT

TO UNDERSTAND THAT,
OKAY?

BUT DOING THAT IS NOT
GOING TO BE EASY.

SO DON'T COME BACK
HERE

AND SAY, "IT WAS VERY
DIFFICULT TO FOLLOW DIET

BECAUSE I'M STRESSED AND
I GOT THIS AND GOT THIS."

NOBODY SAID THAT IT'S GOING
TO BE EASY, OKAY?

YOU UNDERSTAND THAT?
-YEAH.

THAT'S GOING TO BE HARD,
BUT LIFE IS HARD,

AND IF YOU DON'T TRY,
IT IS GOING TO BE HARDER.

SO THERE IS NO MAGIC PILL
FOR YOU.

AND WHAT I WANT TO SEE FROM YOU,
DOMINIC, IS IN TWO MONTHS,

I WANT YOU TO LOSE
60 POUNDS, OKAY?

OKAY?
-OKAY. YES.

SO THIS IS GOING TO BE
VERY EASY GOAL

BECAUSE IF YOU JUST CUT
BACK ON THE CARBS,

EAT ONLY THREE TIME A DAY,
DON'T EAT JUNK FOOD,

YOU'RE GOING TO BE EASILY ABLE
TO LOSE THAT AMOUNT, OKAY?

OKAY.

GIVE YOU SOME
PROTEIN SUPPLEMENT

AND YOU CAN GET THOSE
AT THE MEANTIME,

UNTIL WE GET SOME BETTER STUFF
AVAILABLE FOR YOU, OKAY?

OKAY.

BUT YOU NEED TO START MAKING
ALL THE CHANGES RIGHT NOW

WITHOUT ANY MORE
EXCUSES, OKAY?

OKAY.

AND THAT INCLUDES
YOU, TOO, JAMES.

YOU GOT IT, TOO?

-YES.
-OKAY, GOOD.

SO WE'LL SEE IF WE CAN GET HELP
FOR BOTH OF YOU, OKAY,

TO CHANGE YOUR LIFE

BECAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE YOU
BOTH NEED SOME HELP.

AND THERE IS A DYNAMIC
BETWEEN YOU TWO

THAT MOTIVATES
EACH OTHER.

SO, WE NEED TO TURN AROUND
THINGS FOR BOTH OF YOU

FOR EITHER OF YOU
TO HAVE A CHANCE.

OKAY?
-OKAY.

-WELL, NICE TO MEET YOU BOTH.
-NICE TO MEET YOU.

I'M SORRY YOU HAVE
SO MUCH PROBLEM

THAT NEED
TO BE WORKED OUT,

BUT WE'LL DO
WHAT WE CAN TO HELP YOU.

AS LONG AS YOU REALIZE
THIS IS ALL UP TO YOU

TO DO WHAT YOU NEED
AND MAKE ALL

THE CHANGES
TO SAVE YOUR LIFE.

OKAY.
-YES.

OKAY. ALL RIGHT.
ANY QUESTIONS?

NO.

ALL RIGHT.
NICE TO MEET YOU GUYS,

AND I'LL SEE YOU BOTH
IN TWO MONTHS.

IN THE MEANTIME, IF YOU NEED
ANYTHING YOU MAY CALL.

-OKAY.
-ALL RIGHT?

-THANK YOU.
-THANK YOU.

THAT WAS EXCITING.

YEP.

I DIDN'T LIKE
THE FOCUS ON ME.

Dr. Now:
IT LOOKS LIKE WE HAVE A LOT
OF OBSTACLES

TO OVERCOME WITH DOMINIC

TO GET HIM ON THE RIGHT PATH
AND WHERE HE NEEDS

BECAUSE ASIDE FROM NEEDING
TO CHANGE HIS EATING HABITS,

HE HAS A DYSFUNCTIONAL DYNAMIC
WITH HIS BROTHER

WHEN IT COMES TO EATING

BECAUSE THEY'RE ENABLING EACH
OTHER'S UNHEALTHY LIFESTYLE.

AND HIS BROTHER JAMES SEEMS
HESITANT TO START WORKING

ON WHAT HE NEEDS TO CHANGE

TO IMPROVE THAT DYNAMIC
FOR BOTH OF THEM.

AND ON TOP OF ALL THAT,
LIVING OUT OF A VAN RIGHT NOW

IS GOING TO MAKE IT
DIFFICULT FOR THEM

TO GET INTO THE ROUTINES
THEY NEED WITH EATING

AND EXERCISING
TO IMPROVE THEIR HEALTH.

SO WE NEED TO WORK TO HELP THEM
GET ESTABLISHED

AS MUCH AS THEY CAN.

SO ALL THAT COMBINED IS NOT
GOING TO BE EASY TO ADDRESS,

BUT IT'S ALL GOING TO START WITH
DOMINIC TAKING THE FIRST STEP

AND ACCEPTING RESPONSIBILITY

TO START IMPROVING
HIS SITUATION.

BUT WE MAY HAVE A VERY LONG ROAD
AHEAD WITH DOMINIC

TO GET HIM
TO WHERE HE NEEDS TO BE.

Dominic:
IT WAS HARD TO HEAR DR. NOW
SAY A LOT OF THINGS,

BUT I DO BELIEVE
THE DOC'S, RIGHT.

AND I'M JUST GLAD AND RELIEVED
HE'S GIVING ME A CHANCE

TO DO THIS PLAN
TO GET THE SURGERY

AND GET MY LIFE
TOGETHER IN THE WAYS I NEED,

LIKE DR. NOW SAID.

AND I KNOW I'M GETTING
A SECOND CHANCE AT LIFE,

AND I WILL DO WHAT IT TAKES
TO GET APPROVED.

Dominic:
SINCE MY FIRST APPOINTMENT
WITH DR. NOW,

ME AND JAMES TALKED ABOUT A PLAN
TO START EATING HEALTHIER

SINCE WE DON'T HAVE A PLACE TO
COOK AND PREPARE MEALS.

RIGHT NOW, WE AGREED TO NOT USE
ANY MONEY WE HAVE LEFT ON HOTELS

AND INSTEAD USE IT
TO GO TO RESTAURANTS TO EAT

BECAUSE WE CAN'T GO
TO FAST FOODS

BECAUSE THERE'S
NO HEALTHY OPTIONS THERE.

CAN I GET THE CRISPY HONEY,
GINGER CHICKEN SANDWICH?

AND WE CAN'T GO GROCERY SHOPPING
BECAUSE ALL THE HEALTHY OPTIONS

ARE THINGS WE NEED A FRIDGE
AND A STOVE FOR,

SO IT'S THE BEST ROUTE
I THINK WE HAVE

TO GO TO RESTAURANTS BECAUSE
THEY AT LEAST PREPARE MEALS

IN A MORE HEALTHY WAY
LIKE I NEED.

IT'S BEEN WHAT,
OVER FIVE YEARS

PROBABLY SINCE I'VE BEEN OUT
TO A RESTAURANT?

I'VE BEEN TRYING TO
GET YOU OUT FOR A LONG TIME.

-PRETTY ANXIOUS.
-GORGONZOLA BURGER?

YEAH. THANK YOU.

-THANK YOU.
-CAN I GET YOU ANYTHING ELSE?

-NO.
-NO, THANK YOU.

-THANK YOU.
-ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, ALL.

THANK YOU.

Dominic:
ME AND JAMES ALSO WENT THROUGH
ALL THE FOOD

STOCKED UP IN THE VAN

TO SEE WHAT FIT THE DIET PLAN
AND WHAT DOESN'T,

AND WE TALKED ABOUT
THROWING SOME OF THE STUFF

THAT'S NOT HEALTHY OUT,

BUT THAT'S REALLY HARD, TOO,
BECAUSE WHEN YOU'RE HOMELESS,

FOOD IS HARD
TO COME BY SOMETIMES.

AND YOU KNOW, WE CAN'T REALLY
JUST THROW IT AWAY

OR GIVE IT AWAY
WHEN WE'RE GOING TO NEED IT

EVEN IF IT IS
NOT SO HEALTHY FOR US.

SO JAMES SAID HE'LL EAT
THAT STUFF FOR ME

SO I COULD FOCUS
ON THE HEALTHY STUFF.

MY BROTHER, HE DIDN'T LIKE
WHEN THE DOC FOCUSED ON HIM

BECAUSE HE TOLD ME THAT
HE'S HERE FOR MORAL SUPPORT,

BUT YOU KNOW, HE'S STILL
GOING TO EAT HOW HE WANTS,

BUT I JUST NEED TO MAKE SURE
I STICK TO EATING LIKE I NEED.

OOH-WHEE.
TWO MORE BITES.

SO I THINK IT'S GOING WELL
RIGHT NOW,

AND WE'RE ALSO WORKING
ON THE OTHER THINGS

THE DOCTOR TOLD US
LIKE FIGURING OUT HOUSING,

BUT I THINK THAT'S JUST
GOING TO TAKE TIME.

SO JAMES IS GOING TO MAKE IT
A PRIORITY TO FIND SOME WORK,

SO WE COULD AFFORD TO STAY
SOME WORK TO START OUT.

SOMEWHERE THAT HAS A KITCHEN
SO WE COULD COOK

AND PREPARE HEALTHY MEALS
AND STUFF.

-YEAH, I'M DONE.
-YOU'RE DONE?

Dominic:
SO WE'RE DOING A LOT AND MAKING
A WHOLE LOT OF CHANGES

SO THAT WHEN I GO BACK
TO SEE DR. NOW,

HE'LL GIVE ME
WEIGHT LOSS SURGERY.

SO THAT'S WHAT I'M HOPING FOR
WHEN I GO BACK IN A FEW WEEKS.

ME AND JAMES ARE HERE
BACK AT DR. NOW'S

TO SEE HOW MY WEIGHT LOSS IS,

AND I FEEL GOOD ABOUT MY CHANCES
OF BEING AS LOW AS I NEED.

I KNOW ME AND JAMES
CHANGED A LOT.

I THINK I MADE
SOME GOOD PROGRESS

THAT WILL MAKE DR. NOW
PROUD OF ME.

DOMINIC.

BUT I'M STILL ALSO
REALLY NERVOUS

BECAUSE SO MUCH KIND OF DEPENDS
ON THAT NUMBER THAT COMES UP,

SO MY ONLY FEAR IS
IF I DID FAIL,

AND IF DR. NOW IS GOING TO THINK
I'M BEYOND HELP

BECAUSE IF THAT HAPPENS
I'M GOING TO BE DEVASTATED.

Dominic:
ME AND JAMES ARE BACK AT
DR. NOW'S FOR MY WEIGH IN,

SO I COULD SEE
IF I MADE IT TO MY GOAL.

I WAS AT 672 LAST TIME

AND I WAS SUPPOSED
TO LOSE 60 POUNDS,

SO I NEED TO BE AT 612 TODAY.

AT LEAST I HAD
SOME GOOD WEIGHT LOSS,

SO I'M HAPPY ABOUT THAT ASPECT,
BUT I THOUGHT I DID BETTER.

AND I'M VERY WORRIED
RIGHT NOW

ABOUT WHAT DR. NOW
IS GOING TO SAY.

I'M REALLY HOPING HE'S NOT TOO
DISAPPOINTED AND UPSET AT ME.

-HELLO.
-HELLO.

-HELLO.
-HOW ARE YOU ALL DOING?

-GOOD.
-PRETTY GOOD. HOW ARE YOU?

I'M DOING GOOD.
ALL RIGHT, DOMINIC.

FIRST OFF, HOW ARE YOU
GETTING SITUATED IN HOUSTON?

WERE YOU ABLE
TO GET HOUSING SET UP?

NO, NOT YET. IT'S KIND OF HARD
TRYING TO FIND A PLACE.

I CALLED THOSE NUMBERS.
THEY SENT US TO A PLACE

WITH THOSE LONG LINES,
AND WE DIDN'T GET TO MAKE IT IN.

AND THEN THE NEXT DAY
WE WENT BACK, THEY CLOSED EARLY.

YEAH. SO WE DIDN'T GET
TO TALK TO ANYBODY YET

ABOUT FINDING
THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

OKAY.

SO THEN WHAT KIND OF CHANGES
YOU MADE IN YOUR EATING HABIT?

I'M TRYING TO STICK TO
THE UNDER 1,200 CALORIES,

BUT WE STILL HAVE
SOME OF OUR FOOD

WE'RE TRYING TO FINISH 'CAUSE
WE DIDN'T WANT TO THROW IT AWAY,

AND WE DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH MONEY
TO GO GET MORE.

BUT IT WAS STILL,
IT'S NOT THE HEALTHIEST,

BUT IT WAS STILL UNDER
THE 1,200 CALORIES.

WELL, THAT
SOUNDS POSITIVE,

BUT YOU'RE NOT MAKING
THE PROGRESS YOU SHOULD

AND YOU NEED TO WORK HARDER
ON DOING THE DIET

AND LOSING MORE WEIGHT.
-OKAY.

AND THEN, WHAT I WANT
YOU TO DO

IS TO START GOING
TO PSYCHOTHERAPY TO SEE

IF THEY CAN HELP YOU MAKE
SOME PROGRESS, OKAY.

OKAY.

OKAY, GOOD.
HOW'S YOUR BROTHER DOING?

ARE YOU ALL
CHANGING TOGETHER,

OR EATING THE SAME THING
OR WHAT?

I'M CHANGING.
HE'S CHANGING SLOWER.

HE'S TAKING A LITTLE WHILE.
HE'S EATING A LITTLE MORE.

I HAD TO SACRIFICE AND EAT
THE LESS HEALTHY FOOD.

YEAH.

HE'S NOT GOING TO
BE ABLE TO DO THIS

IF YOU'RE NOT
DOING THIS WITH HIM.

YEAH, THAT'S TRUE. WE'RE ALL
DONE WITH THE UNHEALTHY FOOD.

SO FROM NOW ON,
IT'S ALL YOUR DIET.

ALL RIGHT, WELL GOOD.
WHAT ABOUT WORK?

HAVE YOU TRIED
TO FIND WORK

BECAUSE THE JOB MARKET IS SO
GOOD IN HERE, YOU CAN FIND JOB?

YEAH, BY THE END OF THE WEEK,
I EXPECT TO BE WORKING.

OKAY. WELL, STAY POSITIVE
AND KEEP TRYING.

NONE OF THIS IS EASY,

BUT YOU HAVE TO KEEP WORKING
ON IT IF YOU WANT THIS.

OKAY?
-YEAH.

OKAY.

SO I'M GIVING
YOU THE SAME GOAL.

IF YOU WANT TO SHOW ME
YOU'RE SERIOUS

AND THAT YOU'RE READY
TO DO THIS,

YOU NEED TO LOSE 60 POUNDS
OVER THE NEXT TWO MONTHS,

AND START GOING TO PSYCHOTHERAPY
THAT WE WILL SET UP FOR YOU.

OKAY?
-OKAY.

ALL RIGHT. I GET YOU
SOME SUPPLEMENT

AND THEN IF YOU
NEED ANYTHING,

GIVE ME A CALL AND HOPEFULLY
YOU'LL FIND A PLACE

TO LIVE IN HOUSTON.
OKAY.

-OKAY.
-ALL RIGHT.

-THANK YOU.
-THANK YOU, DOCTOR.

Dr. Now: I'M GLAD DOMINIC MADE
SOME PROGRESS,

BUT HE STILL SEEMS TO LACK
AN OVERALL MOTIVATION

TO DO WHAT HE NEEDS
TO TURN HIS LIFE AROUND,

AND MY BIGGEST CONCERN
IS HIS BROTHER JAMES

BECAUSE HIS BEHAVIOR AND CHOICES
ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO HAVE

A NEGATIVE EFFECT ON DOMINIC
THAT MAKES IT HARDER FOR HIM.

BUT AGAIN, THIS ALL HAS
TO START WITH DOMINIC.

AND WITH ALL THE OBSTACLES
WE'RE STILL FACING WITH HIM,

MAYBE PSYCHOTHERAPY CAN HELP HIM
TO FIND THAT MOTIVATION

BECAUSE RIGHT NOW,
I'M NOT SEEING ANYTHING FROM HIM

THAT CONVINCES ME
HE'S TAKING THIS SERIOUSLY

AND READY TO MOVE AHEAD.
AND IF THAT DOESN'T CHANGE,

THERE'S NOT GOING TO BE ANYTHING
WE CAN DO FOR HIM.

Dominic: I'M GOING TO TRY MY
HARDEST TO WORK

EVEN HARDER THIS TIME
AND EAT LESS.

I THINK IF ME AND JAMES
COULD GET SET UP WITH A PLACE,

THAT'LL BE THE BIGGEST THING
TO HELP ME EAT BETTER

AND BE MORE CONSISTENT

BECAUSE WE'LL BE ABLE
TO PREPARE MEALS,

SO HOPEFULLY
WE COULD DO THAT SOON.

AND IF DR. NOW THINKS THERAPY
WILL HELP ME, I'LL DO THAT, TOO.

BUT I'VE NEVER HAD THERAPY,
SO I'M SCARED

BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW
WHAT TO EXPECT.

BUT I KNOW I HAVE TO DO THIS.

I'M GOING TO THERAPY TODAY.
I'M NERVOUS ABOUT DOING IT,

BUT I'M ALSO A LITTLE GLAD
BECAUSE I NEVER REALLY

HAD ANYONE TO TALK TO
ABOUT THE THINGS

I'VE BEEN THROUGH.

I TOLD MY BROTHER
WHAT HAPPENED TO ME AS A KID,

AND HE SHARED WITH ME
THAT IT HAPPENED TO HIM, TOO.

SO THAT ABUSE FROM
A FAMILY MEMBER

IS SOMETHING WE BOTH ENDURED,

WHICH I DIDN'T KNOW
UNTIL HE TOLD ME THAT,

BUT IT DIDN'T HELP ME KNOWING
THAT

BECAUSE IT JUST MADE ME ANGRIER
WHEN I FOUND THAT OUT

BECAUSE I WOULDN'T WANT THAT
FOR ANYONE ELSE.

AND I KNOW IT MADE JAMES UPSET
AND ANGRY, TOO,

SO NOW WE JUST
DON'T TALK ABOUT IT.

SO I'VE STILL NEVER
REALLY TALKED ABOUT

THE THINGS I'VE ENDURED.
SO YOU KNOW, ULTIMATELY,

I'M HOPING THIS WILL BE A
POSITIVE THING FOR ME

TO GET ME TO A BETTER PLACE.

DOMINIC, YOU CAN HAVE A SEAT
RIGHT OVER THERE ON THE COUCH.

WELCOME. SO TELL ME A LITTLE
BIT ABOUT YOURSELF.

WHO WAS IN YOUR HOUSE
WHEN YOU WERE GROWING UP?

I HAVE A BROTHER.

MY DAD LEFT WHEN I WAS
AROUND, I WANT TO SAY, 8,

SO IT WAS JUST MY BROTHER,
MY MOM, AND ME FOR A LONG WHILE.

WHAT HAPPENED
WITH YOUR DAD?

HE TOOK OFF TO TEXAS,
OF ALL PLACES.

-NO KIDDING.
-YEAH.

DO YOU KNOW
WHERE IN TEXAS?

SOMEWHERE IN HOUSTON.

-NO KIDDING.
-YEAH.

BUT YOU NEVER GOT AN ADDRESS,
YOU NEVER GOT A...

-NO.
-OKAY.

WHAT HAPPENED AFTER YOUR DAD
FADED OUT OF YOUR LIFE?

8 TO 10, ANYTHING BIG
HAPPEN IN YOUR LIFE?

I WAS ABUSED.

OKAY.

FAMILY MEMBER.

WHAT KIND OF ABUSED?

-SEXUAL ABUSE.
-SEXUAL ABUSE.

-YEAH.
-OKAY.

THAT'S REALLY HARD FOR ME
TO TALK ABOUT IT, STILL.

MM-HMM.
MM-HMM.

FOR A LONG WHILE,
KEEPING IT BURIED, YOU KNOW?

SURE, YEAH, YEAH.

AND WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THAT,
THAT'S THE KIND OF THING

A DAD SHOULD STOP
FROM HAPPENING, RIGHT?

YEAH.

SO TALKING ABOUT IT WILL
HELP YOU MAYBE REALIZE

THAT IT WASN'T
YOUR FAULT.

WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'D HAVE
ACCESS TO IN YOUR LIFE

THAT YOU DON'T
IF YOU HADN'T BEEN ABUSED?

I WOULDN'T BE THIS BIG.

I'D PROBABLY HAVE
A RELATIONSHIP --

A WIFE, KIDS.
-YEAH.

I DON'T WANT YOU TO BELIEVE
THAT THE ABUSE

IS PREVENTING YOU
FROM DOING ANY OF THAT.

IT'S GOING TO BE
PART OF THE HEALING

IS TO PROVE TO YOURSELF THAT YOU
DESERVE TO HAVE A GOOD LIFE.

YEAH.

LET'S TALK ABOUT YOUR
RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUR BROTHER.

YEAH.

HOW WAS YOUR RELATIONSHIP
GROWING UP?

OH, IT WAS GOOD.

AND YOU GUYS
ARE STILL TOGETHER,

AFTER YOUR MOTHER DIED,
IT'S THE TWO OF YOU?

YEAH.

WHAT HAPPENED
AFTER YOUR MOM DIED?

BECAUSE THEY SOLD
THE HOUSE,

WE HAD GOTTEN A LITTLE MONEY
FROM THE HOUSE.

OKAY.

SO WE GOT A VAN, AND WE
ENDED UP LIVING IN THE VAN.

WOW. SO YOU GUYS
WERE REALLY HOMELESS?

-YEAH.
-OKAY.

SO, HOW ARE YOU
AND JAMES NOW?

HOW DID THE RELATIONSHIP
EVOLVE?

I GUESS IT BECAME MORE,
WHAT DO YOU CALL IT,

CO-ENABLING?

WE WOULD GIVE IN TO OUR WORST
PARTS OF OURSELVES, YOU KNOW?

YEAH. YEAH. THAT MEANS HE WAS
PROBABLY HELPING YOU GET BIG.

YEAH, AND HE HAS PROBLEMS
WITH DRINKING AND STUFF

LIKE THAT, SO, YEAH.

OKAY. OKAY, YEAH, THAT'S
REAL CO-DEPENDENCE.

YEAH.

HOW DOES HE FEEL
ABOUT YOU LOSING WEIGHT?

HE'S PROUD OF ME.
HE'S ENCOURAGING ME.

HE'S SUPPORTIVE, YEAH.

OKAY, SO HE'S NOT
ENABLING YOU ANYMORE?

NO.

OKAY. WHAT ARE YOUR
BIG GOALS RIGHT NOW?

GETTING A JOB.

WHAT DO YOU WANT
TO DO?

I'VE ALWAYS WANTED TO HELP
PEOPLE WHO CAN'T READ THE WAY

I COULDN'T LEARN HOW TO READ,
SO I WOULD LIKE TO DO THAT.

I WONDER IF YOU COULD BE
A TEACHER'S AIDE

OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
-YEAH, THAT'S WHAT I'M THINKING.

OKAY. WHAT ABOUT GOALS
WITH YOUR FAMILY?

DO YOU HAVE ANY GOALS
WITH JAMES?

WE WANT TO EVENTUALLY BE NOT
CO-ENABLING OR WHATEVER.

-HAVE MORE OF YOUR OWN LIFE.
-YES.

BECAUSE YOU GUYS
REALLY DO DESERVE EACH

TO HAVE YOUR OWN LIFE.

WHAT ABOUT OTHER FAMILY GOALS?
WHAT ABOUT YOUR DAD?

HE'S SOMEWHERE HERE,
MIGHT BE HERE IN HOUSTON.

I WOULD WANT
TO SEE HIM AGAIN

AND FIND OUT HIS SIDE
OF THE STORY.

WHY DID HE LEAVE?

SO YOU HAVE SOME QUESTIONS
FOR HIM.

YEAH.

AND YOU KNOW,
EVEN IF YOU CAN'T FIND HIM,

THINKING ABOUT
WHAT YOU MIGHT SAY

IF YOU DID FIND HIM,
THAT'S HELPFUL.

-YEAH.
-YEAH.

SO MAYBE THE HOMEWORK
IS TO DECIDE

IF YOU WANT TO FIND HIM
AND CONTINUE THAT QUEST.

YEAH, OKAY.
I'M REALLY GLAD YOU CAME IN.

-THANK YOU.
-IT'S GOOD TO TALK TO YOU.

THANK YOU. IT WAS GOOD
TO TALK TO YOU, TOO.

-THANKS FOR COMING IN, MAN.
-THANK YOU.

GOOD TO SEE YOU.

Dominic:
THAT WAS VERY INTENSE FOR ME
AT MOMENTS,

AND IT WAS A LITTLE HARDER
THAN EXPECTED,

BUT I'M GLAD I DID THIS.

AND I'M PROUD OF MYSELF
FOR WORKING UP THE COURAGE

TO DISCUSS SOME OF THE THINGS
I TALKED ABOUT

BECAUSE IT DID TAKE COURAGE
FOR ME TO GO BACK

AND BRING THOSE THINGS BACK
TO MY MIND AND GO THROUGH THEM.

BUT IN TERMS OF TRYING TO
SEPARATE MYSELF MORE FROM JAMES,

I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THAT.

DR. PARADISE MAKES IT SOUND
LIKE IT'S SOMETHING SIMPLE,

BUT HE'S MY FAMILY
AND WE STICK UP FOR EACH OTHER,

SO WHY WOULD I WANT
TO CHANGE OUR RELATIONSHIP?

BUT I WANT TO DO THE THINGS I'M
TOLD WILL HELP ME GET BETTER,

SO IT'S LIKE
A CONFLICT IN ME RIGHT NOW,

AND THE THOUGHT OF THAT
IS SCARY TO ME,

SO I JUST NEED MORE TIME TO
FIGURE OUT WHAT I'M GOING TO DO.

Dominic:
THINGS HAVE FELT A LITTLE
TOUGHER THE PAST COUPLE OF WEEKS

BECAUSE ME AND JAMES HAVE
JUST BEEN HAVING A HARD TIME

GETTING THINGS FIGURED
OUT LIKE WE NEED.

I NEED SOMETHING
BEFORE WE SLEEP,

SO LET'S GRAB
A BITE REAL QUICK.

THERE'S A FAST FOOD PLACE
RIGHT WHERE WE'RE GOING TO.

YEAH.

Dominic:
JAMES HAS BEEN ABLE TO DO
A COUPLE OF SHORT-TERM JOBS

THAT HAVE HELPED US SOME WITH
GETTING A LITTLE MORE INCOME,

SO THAT'S BEEN NICE,
BUT IT'S NOTHING THAT'S ENOUGH

TO HELP US GET A PLACE.

WE'RE STILL TRYING
WITH HOUSING PROGRAMS

AND A SOCIAL WORKER TO SEE
WHAT OPTIONS WE HAVE WITH THAT,

BUT I THINK THAT ALL WILL
TAKE A WHILE

BEFORE ANYTHING
MATERIALIZES FOR US.

WHAT WE REALLY NEED IS FOR JAMES

TO FIND A JOB
THAT'S MORE PERMANENT

THAT WOULD GIVE US
CONSISTENT INCOME,

SO JAMES IS TRYING TO FIND THAT.

AND HE'S GOING TO INTERVIEWS
AT PLACES AS MUCH AS HE CAN

BECAUSE IF HE GETS A STABLE JOB,

THAT WOULD BE THE FIRST BIG STEP
WE NEED IN US

FIGURING OUT A PLACE
THAT WE CAN RENT MONTH TO MONTH

WITH A KITCHEN SO WE CAN START
TO MAKE HEALTHIER MEALS.

EATING AT RESTAURANTS
JUST GOT TOO COSTLY,

SO FAST FOOD
HAS BEEN OUR ONLY OPTION.

SO I'M TRYING TO JUST EAT LESS
SINCE THE FOOD OPTIONS

AREN'T THE BEST,
BUT IT'S NOT EASY

BECAUSE I'VE BEEN REALLY
STRESSED ABOUT EVERYTHING.

THAT'S MEANT I HAVEN'T HAD
ANY TIME TO THINK MORE ABOUT

WHAT DR. PARADISE
DISCUSSED WITH ME.

I'M GOING TO HAVE
TO DO THAT LATER

BECAUSE ALL MY FOCUS
HAS BEEN ON SURVIVING

AND GETTING A PLACE FOR US

BECAUSE THAT'S
THE MOST IMPORTANT THING.

SO, WHERE SHOULD WE GO
TRY OUT FOR A SPOT?

-I'LL SAY FIND A BIG STORE.
-A BIG STORE?

YES, OR A
BIG PARKING LOT.

OR WHAT ABOUT WHAT WE DID
IN FRESNO? A LIBRARY.

I'M WORRIED ABOUT
THE VIOLENCE.

YOU KNOW, WE COULD GET ROBBED
IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT.

YEAH, BUT USUALLY LIBRARY
AREAS ARE PRETTY SAFE.

Dominic:
RIGHT NOW, I'M NOT ABLE TO DO
ALL THE THINGS I NEED.

I'M JUST STUCK, BUT I ONLY HAVE
LIKE SIX WEEKS

TO GET TO MY GOAL, AND SO
I'M REALLY STRESSED OUT

AND NEED THINGS TO START
COMING TOGETHER

BECAUSE I CAN'T GO BACK
AND FALL SHORT AGAIN.

SO RIGHT NOW
I'M JUST DOING THE BEST

I CAN TO MAKE MORE PROGRESS
BECAUSE I KNOW I'M ON A CLOCK,

AND I DON'T HAVE A LOT OF TIME
LEFT TO DO THIS.

THINGS ARE GOING A LITTLE BETTER
FOR US THIS MONTH.

JAMES HAS BEEN ABLE TO GET
A LOT OF SMALL JOBS

THAT HAVE HELPED US PAY
FOR A LONGTERM-STAY HOTEL

WITH A KITCHEN IN IT

BECAUSE HAVING A PLACE
TO PREPARE FOOD

IS BASICALLY ESSENTIAL FOR ME
TO BE ABLE TO DO THE DIET.

SO THIS IS SOMETHING
WE HAD TO FIGURE OUT

TO GIVE ME A CHANCE
TO GET TO DR. NOW'S GOALS,

SO JAMES MADE IT, LIKE, HIS
MISSION TO PROVIDE THIS FOR ME.

I'M REALLY THANKFUL
FOR ALL HIS SUPPORT

AND HOW HARD
HE'S WORKING FOR ME,

AND THAT JUST MAKES ME
WANT TO WORK EXTRA HARD

SO I DON'T LET HIM DOWN, TOO.
NOW THAT WE HAVE A KITCHEN,

I'M WORKING HARD TO FIGURE
OUT OPTIONS ON THE DIET.

AND I FEEL LIKE
I'M DOING IT BETTER THAN BEFORE

BECAUSE I'M GOING
THROUGH WITHDRAWALS,

ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES
TO SUGARY STUFF.

I'M MISSING THAT, BUT I KNOW
IT'S IMPORTANT TO LOSE

AS MUCH
AS I CAN OVER THE NEXT MONTH

BECAUSE I NOT ONLY NEED TO HIT
DR. NOW'S GOAL,

BUT WE ONLY HAVE THE MONEY
TO PAY FOR A MONTH HERE,

SO THIS MAY NOT LAST LONG,

SO I HAVE TO MAKE
THE MOST OF IT WHILE WE DO.

THREE SOURCES OF ENERGY
FROM FOOD.

IT SAYS CARBOHYDRATES,
PROTEIN, AND FAT.

WE GOT TO TRY TO GET
MOST OF OURS FROM PROTEIN,

BUT I'VE BEEN LOOKING
AT THE LABELS,

AND YOU KNOW THEY'RE
BAD OF CALORIES,

YOU KNOW?

IF YOU KEEP YOUR FOOD
UNDER 1,200 CALORIES,

YOU'RE GOING TO LOSE
SOME WEIGHT.

YEAH, I GOT TO START
LOOKING AT FOOD AS ENERGY,

JUST FOR ENERGY.

Dominic:
I'M TRYING TO STUDY THE DIET
SO I MAKE SURE

I STICK TO IT LIKE I NEED
AND ONLY EAT WHAT'S ON IT,

AND IT CONSTANTLY
FEELS LIKE NOTHING IS.

BUT WHAT I'M LEARNING IS NOTHING
WE'VE BEEN EATING FOR YEARS

HAS BEEN HEALTHY.

THERE ARE SOME THINGS I CAN HAVE
THAT ARE PART OF OUR STASH,

BUT I'M JUST SURPRISED
THAT MOST OF IT

IS STUFF I CAN'T HAVE ANYMORE.

IT'S NOT LIKE I THOUGHT
WE WEREN'T EATING BAD,

I JUST THOUGHT
THAT IT WASN'T ALL BAD,

SO DOING THIS HAS BEEN
A BIG LEARNING EXPERIENCE.

BUT I'M WORKING MY HARDEST
TO SUCCEED THIS TIME.

I HAVE ALMOST A MONTH
UNTIL I GO BACK

AND SEE DR. NOW
AND FIND OUT IF I HIT MY GOAL.

AND I JUST HOPE
IT'S ENOUGH TIME

TO MAKE THE REST
OF THE PROGRESS I NEED

BECAUSE I DON'T WANT
TO GO BACK AND FAIL AGAIN.

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

AND I'M REALLY NERVOUS JUST
BECAUSE OF HOW IMPORTANT IT IS

THAT I MADE IT TO MY GOAL AND
EVERYTHING THAT DEPENDS ON IT.

AND I'M JUST MORE ANXIOUS
BECAUSE I'M ALONE

SINCE JAMES HAD
A JOB INTERVIEW.

DOMINIC.

I FEEL LIKE I'VE WORKED HARDER

AND THAT MY CHANCES
ARE BETTER THIS TIME,

BUT I HAVE NO IDEA
WHERE I'M AT ULTIMATELY,

AND I'M JUST PRAYING HARD
THAT I GOT THE GOAL

AND DID IT
BECAUSE I REALLY NEED THIS.

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

TO SEE IF I MADE
MY GOAL THIS TIME,

AND THIS IS MY SECOND CHANCE
TO DO THIS,

SO I'M REALLY HOPING
AND PRAYING I MADE IT THIS TIME.

AT MY LAST APPOINTMENT,
I WAS AT 650,

AND MY GOAL WAS TO LOSE
60 POUNDS NOW.

SO THAT MEANS I NEED
TO AT LEAST BE DOWN TO 590,

SO I'M REALLY HOPING I'M THERE
LIKE I NEED THIS TIME.

I DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT.
I'M VERY CONFUSED RIGHT NOW

BECAUSE I KNOW
I WAS WORKING HARDER

TO EAT THE FOODS
I SHOULD AND BE HEALTHY.

SO I JUST DON'T GET
HOW I LOST LESS THIS TIME

WHEN I SHOULD HAVE
LOST A LOT MORE.

I'M JUST UPSET AND CONFUSED,

AND I'M ALSO WORRIED
ABOUT WHAT DR. NOW

IS GOING TO SAY
TO ME ABOUT THIS.

-HEY, DOMINIC.
-HEY, DOC.

-HOW ARE YOU?
-PRETTY GOOD. HOW ARE YOU?

GOOD. ALL RIGHT,
SO WHERE'S JAMES TODAY?

WHAT HAPPENED
TO YOUR BROTHER?

HE HAD A JOB
INTERVIEW TODAY,

SO THAT'S WHY
HE'S NOT WITH US TODAY.

HAS A JOB INTERVIEW?

YEAH.

OKAY. WELL, THAT'S GOOD.
WHAT ABOUT A PLACE TO LIVE?

WE'RE STILL WORKING ON
GETTING A PLACE FOR US,

BUT JAMES HAS BEEN ABLE TO DO
A COUPLE OF SHORT-TERM JOBS

SO WE COULD
AFFORD A HOTEL.

WELL, THAT'S ALL POSITIVE,
SO THAT'S GOOD.

BUT WHAT'S NOT POSITIVE
IS THAT YOU'VE BARELY MADE

ANY PROGRESS
FOR YOUR WEIGHT LOSS.

SO, WHAT HAPPENED
WHERE YOU HAVEN'T LOST

MUCH WEIGHT THIS TIME?

YEAH, I THINK
IT'S THE EXERCISE.

I HAVEN'T BEEN EXERCISING
AS I SHOULD.

YOU'RE GETTING YOURSELF
CONFUSED, OKAY?

EXERCISE, IF YOU EVEN
RUN MARATHON,

HAS VERY LITTLE TO DO
WITH YOUR WEIGHT.

YOUR WEIGHT HAS TO DO
WITH YOUR EATING,

SO WHAT'S GOING ON
WITH YOUR EATING?

I THOUGHT I WAS KEEPING
UNDER THE 1,200 CALORIES,

BUT I GUESS NOT.

NO. OBVIOUSLY NOT BECAUSE
YOU HAVEN'T LOST WEIGHT,

SO YOU'RE
OVEREATING AGAIN.

SO THE FIRST TWO MONTHS
YOU DID VERY WELL.

NOW YOU GO BACK
TO NOT LOSING

AND EATING AS MUCH
AS YOU DID BEFORE.

SO YOU'RE NOT LOSING WEIGHT
AND PRETTY SOON

YOU'RE GOING TO START
GAINING WEIGHT AGAIN.

SO, WHY IS THAT?

I GUESS THE STRESS OF EVERYTHING
IS MAKING ME EAT MORE.

WELL, LIFE IS STRESSFUL.
IF YOU USE FOOD TO DEAL WITH IT,

THEN YOU'RE GOING TO BE
600 POUNDS.

BUT YOU SHOULDN'T BE
THAT STRESSED

BECAUSE YOU ARE
GETTING SITUATED

AND THINGS ARE GETTING BETTER
IN TEXAS FOR YOU,

SO THE STRESS
IS GETTING LESS,

BUT YOUR EATING
IS GETTING WORSE.

I'VE GOT TO FIND A WAY
TO WORK AROUND THE STRESS

AND FIND SOMETHING ELSE
TO DO THAN EAT.

WELL, THAT'S WHAT PSYCHOTHERAPY
WILL HELP YOU WITH.

SO, I'M GOING TO SET UP
YOUR NEXT APPOINTMENT

FOR YOU TO GO BACK.

AND YOU NEED TO START
WORKING WITH HIM

TO LEARN
THE HEALTHIER WAY TO COPE

WHEN YOU FEEL STRESSED AND DEAL
WITH THE EMOTIONAL ISSUES

THAT DRIVE YOU TO EAT.
OKAY?

OKAY.

AND CUT BACK
ON YOUR EATING.

YOU'RE EATING SIX TO SEVEN
TIMES WHAT YOU SHOULD.

SO, GO OVER THE DIET AGAIN,

AND GO OVER
THE PORTION SIZES AGAIN.

WHAT HAPPENED TO THOSE PAPERS
I GAVE YOU TO READ?

I'M READING THEM.

-EVERYDAY?
-YEAH.

AND EVERYDAY YOU READ THEM, YOU
FIND OUT WHAT YOU DID WRONG?

YEAH.
I THINK SO.

YOUR WEIGHT LOSS WASN'T WHERE IT
SHOULD HAVE BEEN TO BEGIN WITH,

AND FOR IT TO STOP IN SUCH
A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME

IS VERY CONCERNING.

SO, I WANT TO SEE YOU
IN A MONTH THIS TIME

BECAUSE I DON'T WANT YOU TO
START TO SPIRAL AND GAIN A LOT

WITHOUT US BEING ABLE
TO INTERVENE.

AND IN THAT MONTH, I WANT YOU
TO LOSE AT LEAST 40 POUNDS.

YOU GOT THAT?

-YES.
-OKAY. GREAT.

SO HOW IS YOUR BROTHER
DOING WITH THE DIET?

DO YOU ALL EAT
TOGETHER?

YEAH. WE USUALLY EAT
TOGETHER, BUT HE HAS LUNCH,

SO I DON'T HAVE
THAT MEAL WITH HIM.

BUT, HE'S BEING PRETTY
SUPPORTIVE AND TRYING TO GET...

WELL, IF THAT'S ACCURATE, THEN
THAT'S ANOTHER POSITIVE THING.

BUT WITH ALL POSITIVE
THINGS,

YOU SHOULD BE HAVING
EASIER TIME LOSING WEIGHT.

SO THERE IS NO EXCUSE
FOR YOUR WAITING OTHER

THAN YOU JUST WANT TO DO IT.
SO THIS IS ALL UP TO YOU, OKAY?

YES.

ALL RIGHT, DOMINIC,
I'M DISAPPOINTED

BECAUSE YOUR 4-POUND WEIGHT LOSS
IS NOT VERY GOOD,

SO YOU NEED TO GET BACK
ON YOUR EATING HABIT, OKAY?

-OKAY.
-AND I'LL SEE YOU IN ONE MONTH.

IF YOU NEED ANYTHING,
LET ME KNOW.

OKAY.

ALL RIGHT,
I'LL SEE YOU THEN.

THANK YOU.

Dr. Now:
IT'S VERY DISAPPOINTING TO SEE
DOMINIC'S PROGRESS

WASN'T WHERE HE NEEDED TO BE
IN THE FIRST TIME,

AND NOW IT'S WORSE DESPITE
STARTING HIM WITH PSYCHOTHERAPY.

SO WHAT I'M SEEING
FROM HIM SO FAR

IS SOMEONE
WHO'S NOT TAKING THIS SERIOUSLY

AND ISN'T MOTIVATED
TO PUT IN THE HARD WORK

HE NEEDS TO CHANGE
HIS LIFE YET.

HE MAY WANT HIS SITUATION
TO CHANGE

BECAUSE HE REALIZES HOW BAD
HIS CONDITION IS GETTING,

BUT HE'S STILL EXPECTING
SOMEONE ELSE TO FIX IT

AND DO ALL THE WORK FOR HIM.

HE HAS A BROTHER WHO TAKES
CARE OF HIM LIKE A PARENT,

AND HE'S RELYING ON A SYSTEM

THAT ENABLES HIM
TO DO VERY LITTLE.

SO RIGHT NOW THE BIGGEST ISSUE

WE HAVE IS GETTING HIM
TO WAKE UP,

TO FIND THE MOTIVATION
HE NEEDS TO DO THIS,

AND REALIZE NOBODY'S COMING TO
SAVE HIM OR SOLVE HIS PROBLEMS.

SO RIGHT NOW, WE'LL CONTINUE TO
HAVE PSYCHOTHERAPY WORK WITH HIM

AND SEE IF THEY CAN
MAKE PROGRESS WITH HIM

TO GET HIM MOVING
IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION

BECAUSE UNTIL HE STARTS
TAKING THE STEPS

HE NEEDS, THERE'LL BE NO POINT
IN MOVING AHEAD WITH HIM.

Dominic:
I FEEL REALLY BAD BECAUSE
I'M LETTING DR. NOW DOWN,

BUT I DON'T KNOW
HOW I DID WORSE THIS TIME

BECAUSE I KNOW I WAS EATING
HEALTHIER THAN THE LAST TIME.

BUT I'M NOT GIVING UP,

SO I'LL TRY TO CUT BACK
ON HOW MUCH I EAT AT ONCE

AND I'LL KEEP WORKING
WITH THERAPY, TOO,

BECAUSE I KNOW THAT'S IMPORTANT
AND THAT IT'S HELPFUL FOR ME.

OUTSIDE OF THOSE TWO THINGS, I'M
NOT SURE WHAT MORE I COULD DO

BECAUSE I'M ALREADY WORKING
MY HARDEST TO GIVE UP JUNK FOOD.

I HAVE TO DO THIS,
SO WHATEVER IT TAKES,

I'M GOING TO KEEP TRYING UNTIL
I GET MY WEIGHT LOSS SURGERY

BECAUSE I KNOW MY LIFE
IS DEPENDING ON IT.

TODAY, I'M GOING SHOPPING
FOR MYSELF AT THE GROCERY STORE

FOR THE FIRST TIME
IN MAYBE LIKE FIVE OR SIX YEARS,

AND I'M A LITTLE NERVOUS
ABOUT IT

BECAUSE I DON'T LIKE
BEING OUT IN PUBLIC.

BUT I'M DOING THIS BECAUSE
A COUPLE OF DAYS

AFTER MY LAST APPOINTMENT
WITH DR. NOW,

I WENT BACK FOR ANOTHER SESSION
WITH DR. PARADISE,

AND HE EXPLAINED MORE ABOUT
WHAT HE MEANS

ABOUT SEPARATING FROM JAMES,

JUST IN WAYS I NEED TO BE
LESS CO-DEPENDENT ON HIM.

AND THAT DOESN'T MEAN
HE HAS TO BE

ANY LESS A PART OF MY LIFE,
WHICH WAS MY BIG ISSUE.

IT'S SOMETHING
I DIDN'T WANT TO CHANGE.

SO I FEEL REALLY GOOD ABOUT IT,
BUT IT MEANS

I HAVE TO START
DOING MORE FOR MYSELF

SO WE CAN START TO TRY AND BREAK
SOME OF THE CYCLE

OF HOW WE LEAD EACH OTHER
TO UNHEALTHY PLACES.

SO IN DOING THIS ON MY OWN
IS ONE OF THE WAYS

DR. PARADISE SUGGESTED
BECAUSE IT'S SOMETHING

JAMES ALWAYS DID FOR ME
AND ENDED UP BUYING ME JUNK.

SO I NEED TO TAKE OWNERSHIP
OVER IT AND MY EATING CHOICES,

AND THAT'S WHAT
I'M TRYING TO DO.

AND DOING THIS HELPS JAMES OUT

BECAUSE HE DOESN'T REALLY
HAVE TIME TO DO THESE THINGS

SINCE HE'S WORKING
AROUND THE CLOCK AT JOBS

TO KEEP US IN A HOTEL.

BUT IT'S A LITTLE HARD
TO BE ALL AROUND THIS FOOD

BECAUSE A LOT OF THINGS HAVE
STUFF LIKE HIGH SUGAR AND FATS.

SO IT'S A LEARNING PROCESS, TOO.

BUT DOING THIS IS
JUST ONE OF THE THINGS

DR. PARADISE WANTS ME TO DO.

HE ALSO TALKED ABOUT
DOING OTHER THINGS

HE SAYS WILL BE
VERY IMPORTANT FOR ME.

HE THINKS MAYBE REACHING OUT
TO MY DAD AND TALKING WITH HIM

WILL HELP ME START TO RECLAIM
SOME OF MY SELF WORTH

AND BRING ME CLOSURE
SINCE HIS LEAVING

WAS ONE OF THE BIG THINGS
THAT AFFECTED ME

IN HOW I SEE MYSELF
AND MY WORTH AND STUFF.

SO I'M THINKING
ABOUT DOING THAT.

BUT HE ALSO SUGGESTED I START
A JOURNAL TO PUT MY FEELINGS IN

AND FOCUS ON THINGS LIKE
WORKING OUT AND EXERCISING

WHEN I FEEL UPSET
TO LET THAT ENERGY OUT

INSTEAD OF
JUST EATING TO DEAL WITH IT.

MOSTLY, HE SAYS I NEED TO DEAL
WITH THE FEELINGS

I HAVE FROM BEING HURT
AND MOLESTED WHEN I WAS A KID.

SO IT'S A LOT OF THINGS
TO PROCESS AND DO,

BUT I'M TRYING
SO I CAN GET BETTER.

IT CAN JUST BE A LITTLE
OVERWHELMING

BECAUSE ME AND JAMES
STILL HAVE TO WORRY

ABOUT GETTING A LONG-TERM
HOUSING OPTION, AS WELL.

BUT MY FOCUS IS ON ONE THING
AT A TIME,

AND JUST TAKING AS MANY
OF THOSE STEPS AS I NEED

TO KEEP MOVING FORWARD
NO MATTER WHAT.

I ONLY HAVE THREE MORE WEEKS
UNTIL MY NEXT APPOINTMENT

WITH DR. NOW,
SO I HAVE TO GET TO MY GOAL SOON

AND FIGURE OUT WHATEVER I NEED
TO DO THAT BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE.

Dominic:
I THINK THE PAST COUPLE OF WEEKS
HAVE BEEN GOING WELL.

I'VE JUST BEEN CONTINUING
TO WORK ON THINGS

I NEED TO MOVE FORWARD.

I DID THE GROCERY SHOPPING
ON MY OWN,

AND I'VE ALSO TAKEN ON DOING
THE LAUNDRY FOR ME AND JAMES

TO KEEP TRYING TO WORK ON WAYS
OF BECOMING LESS CO-DEPENDENT.

DO WE HAVE QUARTERS?
WE HAVE QUARTERS, RIGHT?

YEAH, SAME PLACE
THEY'RE ALWAYS AT.

-ALL RIGHT.
-TOP DRAWER.

ALL RIGHT.

I'LL PROBABLY
GET IT GOING RIGHT NOW.

Dominic:
IT GIVES ME SOME GOOD EXERCISE
WALKING TO THE LAUNDRY ROOM

THEY HAVE HERE AT THE HOTEL.

ALL RIGHT,
I'LL BE BACK.

James:
OKAY.

Dominic:
BUT THE ONLY DOWNSIDE IS THAT

THERE'S A SNACK MACHINE
IN THERE, TOO,

AND IT'S A BIT
OF A TEMPTATION FOR ME

WHEN I PASS IT GOING BACK
AND FORTH

TO PUT IN THE LAUNDRY
OR CHECK ON IT.

AND SOMETIMES I GIVE IN
JUST FOR SOMETHING SMALL,

JUST TO LIKE TIDE ME OVER.
BECAUSE I ALREADY HAVE CHANGE

FOR THE LAUNDRY MACHINES
AND ALL,

SO IT'S EASY JUST TO GRAB
A QUICK, SMALL SNACK.

BUT MOST OF THE TIME,
I'M RESISTING.

I CATCH MYSELF AND DECIDE
AGAINST IT, YOU KNOW.

BUT TO MAKE UP FOR THE TIMES
I'VE GIVEN IN,

I ALSO TRY TO GET
IN SOME EXERCISE

TO BALANCE MY CHOICES
AND BURN OFF THE EXTRA CALORIES

I GOT, EVEN THOUGH
IT'S JUST A LITTLE.

AND I USE THE EXERCISE EQUIPMENT
THEY HAVE IN THE GYM

THAT'S BY THE LAUNDRY ROOM.

LIKE, I'LL GET ON THE TREADMILL
WHILE I WAIT

AND TRY TO WALK SOME ON IT
TO BURN OFF SOME CALORIES.

AND YOU KNOW, DR. PARADISE
TOLD ME WORKING OUT

COULD HELP ME GET OUT
SOME OF MY PENT UP ANGER,

AND SO I'M HOPING IT'S NOT
JUST HELPING ME LOSE WEIGHT,

BUT HELPING ME WITH THAT, TOO,
SO I CAN KEEP MAKING PROGRESS.

I'VE ALSO TRIED THE JOURNALING
TO LET MY ANGER OUT SOME TOO,

BUT I HAVEN'T GOTTEN INTO THAT

BECAUSE I REALLY DON'T KNOW
WHAT TO WRITE YET.

I JUST KIND OF END UP STARING
AT THE PAGES AND I GO BLANK.

SO MY FOCUS WITH THAT
IS JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT

WHAT TO START WRITING ABOUT,

TO LET THINGS OUT WITH SOME OF
MY EMOTIONS AND ANGER AND STUFF.

I ALSO LOOKED INTO
TRYING TO FIND MY DAD

AND CONTACTING HIM,

BUT I HAVEN'T
BEEN SUCCESSFUL YET.

AND TO BE HONEST WITH YOU,

I'M NOT EVEN SURE
IF HE'S STILL ALIVE.

I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT HIM,

SO I DON'T KNOW HOW
I'M GOING TO TRACK HIM DOWN

SINCE I DON'T SEEM TO HAVE
ANY CURRENT INFORMATION ON HIM.

BUT I'M GOING TO KEEP TRYING
TO DO ALL THE THINGS

I CAN TO IMPROVE
AND GET HEALTHY.

MY NEXT APPOINTMENT WITH DR. NOW
IS IN A WEEK,

AND I'M JUST GOING TO KEEP
WORKING AS HARD AS I CAN

AND HOPE IT'S ENOUGH
WHEN I GO BACK

SO I CAN GET SURGERY
BECAUSE I REALLY NEED THAT.

SO IT'S VERY IMPORTANT

THAT I DON'T LOSE
THIS CHANCE TO GET IT.

I'M BACK AGAIN FOR ANOTHER
APPOINTMENT WITH DR. NOW

TO SEE HOW I DID THIS TIME,

AND I'M JUST MORE NERVOUS
THAN EVER

BECAUSE THIS IS, LIKE, THE MOST
IMPORTANT WEIGH IN YET.

LIKE THE MOST IMPORTANT WEIGH
IN OF MY LIFE, REALLY,

BECAUSE I KNOW HOW MUCH
DEPENDS ON THIS.

SO I'M REALLY WORRIED ABOUT
HOW I DID AND SCARED RIGHT NOW,

BUT I'M THANKFUL THAT
AT LEAST JAMES

IS HERE WITH ME TO SUPPORT ME

AND GIVE ME SOME COURAGE
TO DO THIS

BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW
WHAT TO EXPECT.

DOMINIC.

I THOUGHT I'VE DONE BETTER
THAN I HAVE EACH TIME,

AND THEN, YOU KNOW, I FOUND OUT
I HAVEN'T,

AND IT'S DEVASTATING TO ME.

BUT I'VE WORKED HARD ON A LOT
OF THINGS THIS PAST MONTH,

AND I KNOW I STILL STRUGGLED
AT MOMENTS,

BUT I PUT MORE INTO A LOT
OF AREAS TO HELP IMPROVE MYSELF.

SO I'M JUST HOPING
IT'S AT LEAST BETTER

AND CLOSE ENOUGH
TO THE GOAL THIS TIME,

BUT I'M TERRIFIED OF WHAT'S
GOING TO HAPPEN IF I'M NOT.

ALL RIGHT.

Dominic:
I HAVE THIS PIT IN MY STOMACH.
I JUST CAN'T BELIEVE IT,

AND I DON'T KNOW
WHAT THIS IS GOING TO MEAN,

BUT I'M TERRIFIED RIGHT NOW

BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW
WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.

I JUST REALLY HOPE THAT DR. NOW
DOESN'T GIVE UP ON ME,

AND THAT I'M NOT ABOUT
TO LOSE THIS.

I'LL LOSE EVERYTHING
IF THAT HAPPENS.

SO I'M JUST PRAYING
THAT THIS ISN'T IT FOR ME,

BUT I'M REALLY SCARED
THAT IT IS.

Dominic:
I'M AT DR. NOW'S FOR ANOTHER
APPOINTMENT TO SEE HIM

AND FIND OUT
WHAT HE'S GOING TO TELL ME,

BUT I'M REALLY SCARED
BECAUSE I GAINED THIS TIME,

SO I'M REALLY WORRIED ABOUT
WHAT THIS MEANS

AND WHAT DR. NOW IS GOING
TO TELL ME.

AND I'M JUST HOPING I STILL HAVE
MORE CHANCES WITH HIM,

AND THAT THIS ISN'T GOING
TO BE IT FOR ME.

-HELLO.
-HELLO.

-HELLO.
-HOW ARE YOU ALL DOING?

YOU DOING OKAY?

-YUP, DOING GOOD.
-ALL RIGHT.

SO, IT LOOKED LIKE
YOUR WEIGHT LOSS

WENT FROM SLOWING DOWN
TO NONEXISTING NOW.

IN FACT, YOU GAINED
A COUPLE OF POUNDS.

SO WHAT'S GOING ON
WITH YOUR EATING HABITS?

I'M NOT SURE.

SO AFTER ALL
THE GUIDANCE

WE'VE GIVEN YOU,
YOU'RE STILL NOT SURE?

I DON'T KNOW.

WELL, WHAT IT LOOKS
LIKE TO ME

IS THAT YOU JUST DON'T WANT
TO DO WHAT YOU SHOULD,

NOT THAT
YOU DON'T KNOW.

THE SITUATION WE'RE IN
IS JUST HARD,

BUT I'M TRYING.

I KNOW YOUR SITUATION
ISN'T EASY,

BUT THE REALITY IS IT
IS ALSO HARD FOR SOMEONE

WHO IS HOMELESS
TO MAINTAIN 600 POUNDS.

SO YOUR HEALTH AND YOUR WEIGHT
IS SOMETHING YOU'RE CHOOSING,

AND YOU'RE NOT
ACCEPTING RESPONSIBILITY

FOR THAT
TO TURN YOUR LIFE AROUND.

AND YOU'RE ALSO LIKELY
EATING YOUR OPPORTUNITY

TO GET MORE
ESTABLISHED

BECAUSE OF HOW MUCH YOU
TWO SPEND ON FOOD

BECAUSE YOU BOTH DON'T LOOK
LIKE YOU LOST MUCH WEIGHT.

I DID,
50 POUNDS.

50 POUNDS? SINCE WHEN?
SINCE YOU GOT TO HOUSTON?

I'M JUST EYEBALLING IT,
I'M JUST GUESSING.

OKAY. WELL, YOU'RE
GUESSING WRONG.

AND IT LOOKS LIKE NEITHER OF YOU
ARE TAKING THIS VERY SERIOUSLY.

BUT DOMINIC, THE ISSUE
IS YOU'RE STILL NOT SHOWING ME

YOU'RE WILLING TO DO WHAT YOU
NEED TO TURN YOUR LIFE AROUND

AND BE SUCCESSFUL
WITH WEIGHT LOSS SURGERY,

AND WE'VE GIVEN YOU
A LOT OF TOOLS TO DO THAT.

ARE YOU STILL WORKING
WITH THERAPY LIKE YOU NEED

AND GOING TO THAT?

YEAH. YOU SET IT UP, AND I
WENT AGAIN AND IT WAS GOOD.

IT WAS HARD TO GET THROUGH,

THE TALKING AND EVERYTHING,
BUT IT WAS GOOD.

ALL RIGHT. WELL, SO FAR,
NONE OF THAT TRANSLATED

INTO HELPING YOU TO DEAL
WITH YOUR EMOTIONAL EATING

AND MAKING A CHANGE
WITH YOUR LACK OF PROGRESS.

SO AT THIS POINT,
THERE IS NO POINT IN CONTINUING

IF YOU'RE NOT GOING TO START
DOING WHAT YOU NEED.

BUT WE'LL CONTINUE TO PROVIDE
YOU WITH PSYCHOTHERAPY

AS LONG AS YOU CONTINUE
GOING TO THAT.

BECAUSE THAT'S SOMETHING
YOU WILL CONTINUE WITH

IF WE DO THAT.

-YEAH.
-OKAY. SO, WE WILL DO THAT.

AND IF ANYTHING COMES UP
THAT YOU NEED HELP WITH,

WE'LL HELP YOU.

BUT OTHERWISE, UNLESS
YOU START TO LOSE WEIGHT,

WE DON'T NEED TO DO
THESE APPOINTMENTS.

AND I'M NOT GOING TO
GIVE YOU ANOTHER GOAL,

BUT IF YOU DECIDE TO GET SERIOUS
AND START LOSING, LET ME KNOW.

OKAY?
-OKAY.

ALL RIGHT,
ANY QUESTIONS?

NO, BUT DON'T GIVE UP ON ME.
I'M GOING TO DO THIS.

I'VE ALREADY MADE PROGRESS
IN A LOT OF WAYS.

I'VE BEEN DOING A LOT
MORE THINGS ON MY OWN,

UM, SEPARATE FROM MY BROTHER,
LIKE THE THERAPIST TOLD ME.

SO I KNOW IT MAY
NOT SEEM LIKE IT,

BUT IT REALLY MEANS A LOT
YOU'VE GIVEN ME THIS CHANCE.

JUST DON'T GIVE UP
ON ME, PLEASE.

I NEVER GIVE UP
ON ANYONE, DOMINIC.

BUT LOOKING AT YOUR SITUATION
AND WHERE ARE YOU NOW,

I THINK WEIGHT LOSS SURGERY
IS THE BOTTOM OF YOUR LIST.

OKAY?

SO, THERE ARE SO MANY
ISSUES IN YOUR LIFE,

IN BOTH OF YOUR LIVES
THAT NEED TO GET IN ORDER

PRIOR TO CONSIDERING
THIS SURGERY.

YOU NEED TO GET
YOUR LIFE IN ORDER.

-OKAY?
-YEAH. ALL RIGHT.

AND IF WE CAN DO ANYTHING
FOR YOU TO HELP YOU OUT,

THEN LET ME KNOW.
OKAY?

OKAY.

AND I HOPE YOU KEEP WORKING
AT IT AND THAT YOU WAKE UP

AND I SEE YOU SOON
WITH SOME GOOD WEIGHT LOSS.

I'LL DO IT
AND MAKE YOU PROUD.

I HOPE SO.
ALL RIGHT, SEE YOU ALL LATER.

THANK YOU, DOC.
BYE.

Dr. Now: I WAS HOPEFUL
AT THE BEGINNING

WHEN DOMINIC STARTED
TO LOSE WEIGHT,

BUT NOW THAT HE'S HEADING BACK
IN THE WRONG DIRECTION AGAIN,

I'M VERY CONCERNED ABOUT WHETHER
HE'S GOING TO WAKE UP IN TIME

TO TURN THINGS AROUND BEFORE
HIS SITUATION GETS A LOT WORSE.

ON A 1,200 CALORIE DIET,

HE COULD HAVE LOST 160 POUNDS
IN TWO MONTHS.

BUT WITH HIS SITUATION,

I GAVE HIM
A VERY MODERATE GOAL OF LOSING

JUST 60 POUNDS
IN THAT TIME

TO SHOW ME
A SMALL DEGREE OF EFFORT

THAT HE'S WILLING TO TRY LIKE
HE NEEDS TO SUCCEED IN THIS.

AND THEN THIS LAST TIME,

I GAVE HIM AN EASY GOAL
FOR JUST ONE MONTH,

TO TRY AND SEE IF HE WOULD
START TO APPLY HIMSELF

EVEN FOR A LITTLE WHILE,

SO IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN
NO PROBLEM FOR HIM.

SO THE BOTTOM LINE
IS THAT HE STILL

DOESN'T WANT TO DO
WHAT HE NEEDS TO CHANGE,

AND HE'S HOPING FOR SOMEONE
TO RESCUE HIM

AND FIX HIS SITUATION FOR HIM,
AND THAT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN.

SO WE'LL KEEP PROVIDING
PSYCHOTHERAPY FOR HIM

IN THE HOPES
THAT THEY'LL BE ABLE TO START

TURNING HIM AROUND AT SOME POINT

AND MAYBE MAKE SOME PROGRESS
WITH HIM

TO GET HIM TO START
LOSING WEIGHT LIKE HE NEEDS.

BUT UNTIL HE DOES THAT
AND SHOWS ME HE'S SERIOUS

AND READY TO DO THE HARD WORK
TO CHANGE HIS LIFE,

THERE IS NO MORE NEED FOR
ANYMORE APPOINTMENTS.

Dominic:
I KNOW I HAVE TO DO EVERYTHING I
CAN TO PROVE MYSELF TO DR. NOW.

I KNOW I SLIPPED UP AT MOMENTS,

BUT I'M NOT GOING TO STOP
TRYING TO DO THIS

BECAUSE MY WHOLE LIFE
DEPENDS ON ME SUCCEEDING

AND GETTING WEIGHT LOSS SURGERY,

SO I CAN'T GIVE UP
AND LOSE THIS, NO MATTER WHAT.

ME AND JAMES HAVE BEEN
WORKING WITH A SOCIAL WORKER

TO GET SET UP
WITH A HOUSING OPTION.

AND TODAY, I'M FILLING OUT
AN APPLICATION TO SEE

IF WE CAN QUALIFY
FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

-HI, HOW ARE YOU?
-HI. HOW ARE YOU?

I'M FINE.

COULD YOU START FILLING
THAT OUT FOR ME PLEASE

AND WE CAN GET
YOU STARTED?

YES, THANK YOU.

Dominic:
AFTER MY LAST APPOINTMENT
WITH DR. NOW,

I'VE DECIDED I'M GOING TO SPEND
THE NEXT FOUR TO FIVE MONTHS

GETTING TO WHERE I NEED

SO I CAN GO BACK
FOR AN APPOINTMENT

AT THE END OF THAT TIME
AND REALLY IMPRESS HIM

WITH EVERYTHING I'LL HAVE DONE
AND ACCOMPLISHED BY THEN.

AND TODAY, I'M TAKING A BIG STEP
BY TRYING TO GET THIS HOUSING

BECAUSE I KNOW
ONE OF THE BIG THINGS

THAT'S IMPORTANT IS GETTING
SOME STABILITY IN MY LIFE.

THAT'S NOT POSSIBLE WITH HOW ME
AND JAMES HAVE BEEN LIVING.

SO I KNOW GETTING QUALIFIED
FOR SOMETHING LIKE THIS,

WE WON'T HAVE AS MUCH
CONSTANT STRESS

ABOUT WHAT'S GOING
TO HAPPEN EACH DAY

AND HOW WE'RE
GOING TO SURVIVE.

-THANK YOU.
-TALK TO YOU SOON.

YES.

Dominic: SO I FEEL LIKE THIS IS
A VERY IMPORTANT

AND BIG STEP IN MOVING FORWARD
ALONG WITH ALL THE OTHER THINGS

I'M DOING TO MOVE MY LIFE
INTO A MORE POSITIVE

AND HEALTHIER PLACE.

I'M STILL GOING TO THERAPY
AND WORKING ON THINGS

WITH DR. PARADISE,
AND I'M DOING MORE ON MY OWN.

AND I THINK ALL THAT I'M DOING
IS ACTUALLY REALLY HELPING ME

BECAUSE I'M LOSING MORE AGAIN.

AND I FOUND A PLACE THAT'S NOT
TOO FAR FROM OUR HOTEL

THAT HAS A BIG SCALE
FOR LIKE RECYCLING METALS,

I THINK, THAT CAN
HANDLE MY WEIGHT.

AND THEY LET ME GET ON
TO CHECK MY WEIGHT

AND I LOST
ALMOST, LIKE, 20 POUNDS.

AND THIS TIME, I'M NOT LETTING
MY PROGRESS SLOW DOWN

OR GET OFF TRACK.

AND TODAY, I'M DOING SOMETHING
THAT I FEEL LIKE

IS ANOTHER BIG STEP FOR ME.

I'M FOCUSED ON GETTING CLOSURE
AND LETTING MY EMOTIONS OUT.

DR. PARADISE TOLD ME TO DO
A VIDEO MESSAGE

TO SOMEONE I WISH I COULD
TALK TO BUT CAN'T ANYMORE.

SO I PICKED TO DO THAT
WITH MY MOM.

WHEN I WAS YOUNG,
I REALLY USED TO LOVE THE BEACH,

AND I WOULD GO THERE
WITH MY MOM AND MY BROTHER.

BUT WHEN I STARTED TO GET BIG,
I JUST STOPPED GOING.

BUT I'VE ALWAYS WANTED
TO GO BACK,

SO I'M DOING THIS TO GET
SOME CLOSURE WITH MY MOM,

TO TELL HER THE THINGS
I WISH I COULD

BUT CAN'T SINCE
SHE PASSED AWAY.

HOPEFULLY, THAT WILL LET ME
LET SOME THINGS OUT

I'VE HAD IN ME
FOR A VERY LONG TIME.

HEY, MA. UM, I'M IN HOUSTON NOW,

ALL THE WAY IN TEXAS,
BACK WHERE YOU WERE BORN.

ME AND JAMES
ARE DOING A LOT BETTER.

I'M LOSING SOME WEIGHT,
AND I DON'T BLAME YOU

FOR WHAT HAPPENED TO ME.

I KNOW IT WASN'T YOUR FAULT,
AND I FORGIVE YOU.

IT'S REALLY HARD
WITHOUT YOU BEING HERE WITH ME.

I JUST REALLY WISH
YOU WERE HERE WITH US.

I WANT YOU TO KNOW
I'M GOING TO BE OKAY,

AND I'M GOING TO BE HAPPY.

I LOVE YOU, MOM.
I REALLY MISS YOU.

Dominic:
IT FEELS A LITTLE WEIRD
TO DO THIS

BECAUSE I HAVE A LOT OF PAIN

THAT I'VE NEVER REALLY
ADDRESSED WITH MY MOM.

BUT I DID KNOW SHE LOVED ME,
AND SHE DID HER BEST.

I DON'T THINK SHE KNEW
HOW TO DEAL

WITH WHAT SHE WAS
GOING THROUGH AND US BOYS.

BUT I DO LOVE MY MOM, AND I KNOW
SHE WAS A GOOD MOM,

AND I MISS HER
EVERY SINGLE DAY OF MY LIFE.

AND I FEEL LIKE THIS, TODAY,

IS A GOOD STEP
IN MOVING ON WITH MY LIFE,

PUTTING IT BEHIND ME,
AND MOVING FORWARD.

MY PLAN IS TO GO BACK TO DR. NOW

IN FOUR MONTHS
WITH 150 POUND WEIGHT LOSS.

IF ME AND JAMES HAVE A PLACE
TO LIVE, I COULD DO THAT.

I MAY HAVE HAD A SLOW START,

BUT I'M MORE DETERMINED
NOW THAN EVER

BECAUSE I DON'T WANT
TO LOSE THIS,

AND I KNOW THERE'S
A WHOLE FUTURE OUT THERE

THAT'S POSSIBLE FOR ME.

SO NO MATTER THE SETBACK
OR HOW HARD IT GETS,

I'M GOING TO FIND WAYS
TO KEEP MOVING FORWARD

UNTIL I'M WHERE I WANT
TO BE WITH THE LIFE I WANT.

I HOPE IT'S SOON,
BUT HOWEVER LONG IT TAKES,

I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT DAY
I CAN LOOK UP AND SAY TO MYSELF,

AND EVERYONE IN MY LIFE,
"I DID IT.

I DIDN'T GIVE UP, AND I DID IT.
I DIDN'T LET LIFE KEEP ME DOWN.

I CLIMBED OUT OF THE VALLEY
TO SEE THE SUN

AND CHANGE MY LIFE
AND FUTURE FOR THE BETTER."

AND I CAN'T WAIT FOR THAT.