TLC's Reality TV show 'My 600-lb Life' follows morbidly obese patients. Marla McCants of season 4, was always Dr. Nowzaradan's "problem child" fighting the doc every step of the way. The bedridden 800-lb woman proved she had the gumption to be successful, losing a whopping 288 pounds in the first year after gastric bypasssurgery. But she refused to do basic things her bariatric surgeon asked--like walking. Ironically, it was after Dr. Now kicked her out that Marla was able to kick obesity butt.
Pick up your bed and walk
Dr. Nowzaradan's Biblical command to Marla McCants after surgery was the thing she found hardest to do.
She'd only been bedridden a year and a half--a lot less than most "My 600-lb Life" patients. But she had developed a phobia of walking, even though at 520 some pounds after surgery, she was more than able to. Marla had to be taken to appointments on a stretcher.Her kids, particularly caregiver daughter Sierra had to do everything for her--toileting, bathing, feeding.
Marla and Dr. Now butt heads
It wasn't that Marla was lazy, but she was stubborn. Shewanted more than anything to be independent. But she'd developed a sort of Stockholm Syndrome attachment to her jail bed. Her refusal to walk was killing her and derailing weight lossfor skin removal surgery. Marla blamed the doctor and made tons of excuses--Dr.
Now didn't understand, didn't have her best interests at heart, etc. Finally, the normally easy-going doc lost his patience and booted this recalcitrant patient out.
Compassion gets Marla moving
After Marla's flounce and bounce, she moved to Tennessee. Normally distancing from physicians is the worst thing gastric bypass patients can do.
Penny tried this with disastrous results. But Marla's story was different and her reasons didn't stem from self-pity or denial. She wanted to be close to grandkids and to give caregiver Sierra a break.
Marla McCants can!
Once Marla got out of denial, stopped blaming and admitted responsibility, she got out of bed. She started walking and, like Forrest Gump, hasn't stopped.
At 330 pounds, she still hadn't lost enough for skin removal surgery but she says she now has a plan to get there. In under two years after surgery, Marla had lost a wow-worthy 470 pounds and looks fabulous! As the Obama campaign slogan said, "yes she can and yes she did!"
