Tammy Slaton showed off the progress in her continuing weight loss journey by posting a full-length mirror selfie on Instagram on August 25. She left the post captionless, but she was flooded with praise and support in the comment section from fans.
“Tammy ! You’ve inspired me so much. I was at 407 pounds and I watched your struggle and saw the similar patterns. You inspired me to lose over 200 pounds! Thank You,” one person commented. Another person went on to say, “Tammy!!! Look at you! So proud of you! Looking snatched. Miss hearing your laugh on TLC.”
Fans of the TLC show 1000 Lb Sisters have watched the reality star struggle with her weight over the course of many seasons and it even came down to a near-death experience. During the season 3 finale, which was filmed in November 2021, Tammy was brought to the hospital one day after entering a rehab facility for her food addiction, because she was having difficulty breathing. She was put into a medical-induced coma and was placed on a ventilator. “They’re just telling us that her lungs have given up, and like, her body is shutting down,” her sister Amanda said, also sharing that the family was “facing making funeral arrangements” for Tammy.
Once she woke up, Tammy was given a tracheotomy, which is a surgical procedure that creates a hole in the throat to insert a breathing tube. This would ensure that the doctors could give her emergency breathing support at any time. After spending three weeks at the hospital, Tammy was able to go back to the recab facility.
Reflecting on the horrifying experience, she shared, “I don’t remember any of it. Nothing. I completely blacked out. I woke up a week later in the hospital on life support.”
After being in the facility for just 30 days, Tammy lost 115 pounds. Once she left rehab and hit her weight goal, Tammy underwent bariatric surgery. Since then, the TLC star has changed her habits and has attempted to live a healthier life. “I’m not doing this for anybody but myself,” she said. “I’ve decided to put myself first. Take care of Tammy.”
“Now I only wear my oxygen at night, along with my BiPap machine. I monitor my oxygen levels throughout the day and keep my machine on hand in case I need it,” she said, noting that she’s “feeling great,” following her surgery. “I’m thankful to be alive, and it’s fun to be progressing as much as I am,” she expressed to People in May 2023.