A morbidly obese woman in Tennessee claims she still can’t even stand up nine months after undergoing life-saving weight-loss surgery.
When 44-year-old Marla McCants, of Nashville, first appeared on the TLC reality show My 600lb Life, she was one of Dr. Younan Nowzaradan's toughest patients to work with.
Once tipping the scales at about 800 pounds, Marla has been trying to make major positive changes in her life.
Since undergoing gastric bypass surgery in Houston, Marla has shed about 265 pounds, but it’s still not enough.
As she explained in a special follow-up episode, Marla is still completely bedridden nearly a year after the surgery.
“A couple of months ago, I was kind of depressed because things weren't going as I thought they would go, but it is getting better. I'm getting stronger,” she said. “The next big goal I have is to get up and walk, and I know getting some of this excess skin removed would help out tremendously.”
“I came to Texas so I can get my life back and be here for my grandkids, but I still don't feel like I am able to be in their lives like I should, so I can't wait to get that surgery done,” Marla continued.
Although this is a challenging time for Marla, it’s also taken a toll on her relationship with her daughter, Sierra, who’s been forced to act as her mother’s sole caretaker for several years.
“I feel frustrated because if she can just get up and walk, that would be a major step for me,” Sierra said. “I know right then and there—boom—I could just take off with my life.”
Despite her inability to stand, Marla remains confident that she’ll be walking any day now.
“A couple of months ago, I would have said it was frustrating sitting in this bed watching people come and go, but use that as fuel now because soon I will be out there,” she said.
