Hi! I found this thread on accident while looking for an old press article on my show. I am overwhelmed by your kind words and wishes and was floored by some of the insight and empathy you folks possess. I absolutely had to make an account here to thank you. There seem to be a lot of recurring questions here too, so I figured I'd also stay to answer some of them!
I didn't wear shoes because the overhanging lymphedema tissue made it really difficult to get and keep shoes on. It was uncomfortable and chafing to even wear sandals, so by and large, I didn't. The soles of my feet are leathery, as a result. Even though I'm down around 250 now, surgery on my legs would be difficult, because all of the soft tissues and skin of my lower legs were involved. It's easier to remove damaged tissue when you have discrete masses.
Rowdy was a school bus driver when we lived in Troutdale with my folks. Kinda has that Otto from the Simpsons vibe, right? He's also disabled ex-military and is currently taking time off of work while he goes through a series of surgeries related to his service-connected disability. He hopes to someday drive professionally again. He's an excellent person and still my best friend, but we figured out after a while that what was between us was more friendship than romance. I was looking for something a little serious, like kids and marriage, and he doesn't want kiddos. We went our separate ways over a year ago, but I have him on speed dial and we remain very close. Throw him a Semper Fi and a thank you if you run into him. :)
How do I currently manage my anxiety? I'm at the gym 4-6 days a week. It's hard to have nervous energy when you have no energy whatsoever. Other than that, I am still too anxious to live. Hurricane season scares the snot out of me.
I moved into Westchase, just outside beltway 8, to the one Houstonian who was asking! Dr. Now practices off of Bellaire near Stella Link, so it wasn't terribly far.
Regarding the folks on phones taking pictures in the airport, I agree it was more the spectacle of having a small film crew around a woman on a luggage cart than anything else that drove them to snap pictures. I think they needed the voice over for narrative reasons saying how shocked and embarrassed I was, but I am neither shocked nor appalled that folks did what they did. I would rather assume the best of others, and I would also be curious in that situation.
Dr. Nowzaradan is, surprisingly, very sweet in person. I adore him to bits. His bedside manner is far better than you'll see on TV.
Thanks again, guys! I hope this is sufficient!
