'1,000-Lb. Sisters' ' Tammy Slaton on Recovering from Her Health Scare: 'I'm Not Letting My Body Defeat Me'

Tammy Slaton.Photo: TLC

Tammy Slatonhas a brand new mindset following her near-death experience.

The1000-Lb. Sistersstar, 36, is reflecting on how her recent health scare has impacted her weight loss journey. Slaton was previously hospitalized and put on a ventilator and placed in a medically induced coma after family members said she stopped breathing and her body was shutting down.

“My near-death experience has taught me not to take life for granted,” Slaton tells PEOPLE exclusively. “I now live my life how I want to and not how others want me to.”

The experience has also changed how she reacts toward other people. “It has also mellowed me out. I try harder to not get mad as easily and try to figure out a way around the situation,” she adds.

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Slaton’s bariatric surgeon, Dr. Eric Smith, previously said that if she’s able to hit 500 lbs. she can go straight from rehab to getting weight loss surgery.

At the time, Smith expressed that Slaton was “putting herself in grave danger” with her eating habits, lack of exercise, and new interest in drinking.

He also noted that he wanted her towork on her depression, but doesn’t believe this is the right way to do it.

“She says she’s focusing on her mental health, which if that was true, I’m all about that. But she’s not made any strides to actually do it,” Smith said. “So I’m a little concerned that she’s actually just using that as an excuse to buy her more time to not work on her activity level, making some changes in her diet, or anything further than that.”

source: people.com