In 1995, the Smashing Pumpkins released a double album, Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness – the concept was centered on the change from day to night, and 1000-Lb Sisters star Tammy Slaton went through a similar transition. Out of the darkness of super morbid obesity, Tammy moved into the light. During her journey, she had so many moods.
What happened to Tammy’s body affected her in deep and profound ways, on a soul level. Losing hundreds of pounds was the catalyst for a whole new life. While nothing will ever be perfect, Tammy’s dramatic body makeover opened her mind. The woman who contemplated taking her own life is now dancing joyfully in TikTok videos. The changes in her psyche shine through in her before and after photos. The “before” images are tinged with melancholy – in “after” photos, she’s lit from within.
In the Instagram post shown above, Tammy looked so unhappy. She posed in a skeleton shirt but didn’t smile. In a way, photos like this seemed like cries for help. Without saying a word, Tammy was communicating her sadness to her followers. With her hair pulled back in a bun, a trach tube, and bleak lighting, Tammy silently shared so much about her life experience.
In this picture, she was alone, and her porcelain skin had an unhealthy pallor. Being so heavy made Tammy sick. At one point, she was in the hospital, hooked up to a ventilator. That medical device was keeping her alive. Sometimes, addictions are so severe that they consume people. This is what happened to Tammy. Her emotional eating was out of control. As she tried to fill up the empty spaces inside of her, she created more problems. However, her issues with food started early on, in childhood.
Smashing Pumpkins/YouTube
Sometimes, people carry their childhood traumas with them into adulthood. It can be hard to look back and forgive others, and forgive oneself. It can be so difficult to change. In Tammy’s case, a cold and distant mother set the stage for the kind of unhappiness that made her daughter turn to food for comfort. Those who mock Tammy should stop and think about what’s happening inside of her, but few trolls take the time to do that. Tammy’s someone who ate too much because she was hurting. She didn’t know what to do with her pain.
As an adult, Tammy was still suffering. Living with an addiction creates so much stress – it compounds the issues that are already there. Many people who live with addiction are depressed. Tammy had to dig deep – somehow, she did find the strength to stick to a diet and qualify for weight-loss surgery. Without that procedure, she might have died like her ex-husband, Caleb Willingham, did. Yes, they split up before he passed away, but he used to be her one and only. She’ll never forget the gentlemanly man who treated her so well. As per Yahoo News, she said:
After all that darkness, the sun came out. Tammy began to feel hope. She began to let go of the pain that was eating her alive. Tammy said. as per Yahoo News:
Tammy once weighed 725 pounds. Obviously, it was very difficult for her to reach her goal weight of 550 pounds. That’s how much she needed to weigh before a surgeon would green-light her bariatric procedure. Despite being depressed, Tammy did it – during a pivotal weigh-in, the number on the scale was 534 pounds.
This was really one of the brightest moments of Tammy’s life. 1000-Lb Sisters‘ Amy Slaton found it fairly easy to qualify for her own weight-loss surgery, but Tammy had a harder time. She would backslide. When she finally hit this goal, it was like sunrise. The cold darkness that had crept into her mind seeped away. She would have the operation and that would change her life forever.
On Instagram, before weight loss, Tammy was clearly in distress. In the picture shown above, she wore black lipstick – her face was very full, and her smile didn’t reach her eyes. Tammy was unhappy. Her attempts to slim down had repeatedly failed – her romances with “feeders” had been toxic. As Tammy stumbled on her fitness journey and in her love life, her dreams were embers turning to ashes.
The sense of hopelessness that addiction brings has led people to the rocks. Tammy’s health was very poor – she’d once been hospitalized due to carbon dioxide poisoning. She was so heavy that it was hard to move. All that soothed her was the food that was slowly killing her. Most people would crumble when faced with these sorts of hurdles, but Tammy didn’t give up. She changed instead. When she decided that she would truly change, her metamorphosis began, if only in her mind. Soon enough, the caterpillar would become a butterfly.
Tammy hid in the shadows. Now, she’s comfortable in broad daylight. She’s reaching out to others and the people who love her help her to endure even the most daunting challenges. Tammy still deals with haters online, but she has a tribe, including her pal Haley Michelle, who’s pictured with Tammy above. As they lounge by the lake, they look so relaxed. Tammy’s smiling and well-groomed – the black lipstick is gone, replaced by a cheery ruby red stain that brightens her face.
Tammy will always have problems, but maybe the worst is over. Trapped in her body, she felt like a prisoner. She was caged by obesity – her weight hindered her movements and kept her from experimenting with life. It sapped her strength. Now that she weights 287 pounds, Tammy’s real self is emerging – she’s becoming the woman she should be. Tammy’s happy, humorous and playful. She’s a fun person.
There’s no “farewell” from pain. Everyone has to feel it. However, love for herself and others (and a much thinner body) are working wonders. She looks and feels better – she can move around – Tammy can even dance. A lot of people have disabilities and Tammy was disabled due to her weight. She was frustrated by the limitations. It’s hard for people who aren’t disabled to understand. The feeling of being trapped in one’s body, with no real hope of any change, can trigger rage that’s intense and primal. That’s why Tammy used to lash out. Billy Corgan memorably sang:
and Tammy probably knows exactly what he means. However, now, she’s freed from disability, and Tammy is someone else. She’s beautiful inside and out. The 1000-Lb Sisters star is bathed in golden light. Her nights aren’t bleak, but starlit. Tammy’s real fans wish her well, sympathizing with the woman who suffered for decades. She’ll always have her critics, but sensitive people understand that she’s been through the wringer. Now that she’s opened her heart, she’s showing the world who she really is. That woman is lovable.
Sources: Smashing Pumpkins, Yahoo News, Smashing Pumpkins/YouTube, Yahoo News, Tammy Slaton/Instagram,Tammy Slaton/Instagram