SheddingMyFatSuit
10 days and beginning the liquid diet!
Apr 16, 2010
My sugar levels have dropped considerably, I can feel it. It's not a nice feeling, but it tells me that I really did have a little too much fun with my "last supper" mentality. I am very tired today and the headche has begun. I'm trying to not take any pain relievers since they will be a big no-no soon.
10 days... it doesn't sound like much, but for some reason it feels like a lifetime away! Crazy!
15 days...
Apr 12, 2010
I have basically told everyone I know what I am doing... and why. When someone tells me they don't think I'm large enough to need gastric, I just smile and tell them it's not only vainty that has me pursuing this! It's my health! All I have to say is that my doc said I'd be 50, blind, in a wheelchair and receiving dialysis and people instantly back-off with the "you don't need bypass surgery" garbage. Everyone thinks they have the perfect diet answer, but I've been dieting since I was 15... if there was a magic diet for me I would have found it by now!
Seriously, do people think we chose to be grossly overweight? Yes, I like to eat some foods that are bad for me, but I eat healthy too!
Oh well, no reason to rant, right? I've got 15 days and everything is smooth sailing right now. My first pre-op class last Thursday was great. I had no idea that we would have multiple sessions, but I loved it! I more interested in the food aspect, but I enjoyed the mental health specialist and the trainer showed us some awesome exercises that even the most bed bound person can do. I think it'll help me to remember to be active.
Tonight is the support group meeting that Dr. Heydari's office runs. Everyone and anyone is welcome. If you have time tonight, stop by and check it out. It's a great way to meet a bunch of people experienceing very similar issues as yourself. I have met quite a few awesome people and have made two very good friends!
Friday I will be starting my liquid diet. I am officially supposed to begin on Saturday, but I have heard the days two and three are the hardest, so I want to make sure I'm home those days. Plus the weekend will be extremely busy for me, so that'll help keep me on track too! I guess I better get my weight tracker up and running! I hope to lose at least 10 pounds during the liquid diet... we'll see!
Here's to protein shakes!
22 Days and counting... Hospital pre-surg appointment done!
Apr 05, 2010
Just a little over 3 weeks and I will become the new me! I am counting down the days and can't wait!
Today I went to the hospital for all the pre-surgical testing. I had no idea they would need so many vials of blood! I had blood work run before, but not like that! I've also never had an EKG before... it was a very quick test! The upper GI was kinda fun in a strange way. I had an awesome nurse/tech who was funny. Drinking the barium wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. The crystals were kinda nasty, but they went down quickly. I was told by the anesthesiologist that all my test results look good and that they would see me on the 26th for one more set of blood work before surgery on the 27th!
Wednesday I go to a group pre-surgical meeting with my surgeon, Dr. Heydari. I'm really impressed with the process he has set up for this. There is no question that I have not gotten an answer to and I know that if I do come up with a question, someone will answer it for me immediately. His staff is so amazing! I've still only met with Dr. Heydari the one time, but I can appreciate that he is a very busy man and I know he is taking excellent care of me through the fabulous staff he employs.
I know some people have had a very long road to getting their surgery approved. I was extremely fortunate that my insurance has dealt with this surgery a few times which paved the way for me. I am so thankful that my day is coming and I am using this once in a lifetime tool to create a healthier and happier me!
I'm Approved and Scheduled!
Mar 29, 2010
It's been a while since I've made a post on here, but nothing was really happening. My insurance required me to get medical clearance from me primary care doctor before they would approve the surgery. Luckily I have a very easy to work with doctor and she took care of me right away. So now I am ready to get all my ducks in a row before surgery!
I can't wait to feel healthy. I can't wait to have energy to play with my boys. I can't wait to look in the mirror without wanting to cry! I can't wait to shop in the regular sized clothing stores again!
I am about to begin a new life...
Screening done!
Feb 05, 2010
My bariatric screening is complete! Now all I have to do is wait for my insurance to tell me if I have to participate in a medically managed weight loss program or approve me as is!I sure hope I don't need to do a program. I've been watched by my PCP for a few years and at her suggestion I've done a few diets that really didn't work. So I don't see how following some program is going to do anything.
My mom saw some program that talked about how a person can fall into a diabetic coma and die from their sugar being way too high. So now she wants me to hurry up and get the wls done as soon as possible! LOL! I hate to tell her, but if that was going to happen to me, it would have already! Before I was put on insulin my average glucose reading was in the upper 300's to mid 400's. Scary!
Anyhow, the screening appointment was actually pretty fun! I really liked the dietitian that I met with. She was very friendly and knowledgeable. I feel very confident that if I have any questions she will help me greatly. I've met the nurse previously and I like her too. Although I did learn that before going to work for Dr. Heydari she was an OR nurse for 20+ years and had worked with him there. She said that he was a fabulous surgeon and that's why not only does she work for him, but she had her lap band done by him. If that's not an awesome endorsement I don't know what is!!!
So I was told that the process from here on out depends on my insurance. If they give me approval I could be looking at a surgery date in a month or so. If they insist on the medically managed weight loss program, I'm looking at a surgery date in four months or so. And if they deny me, well I guess I'll keep appealing until I get the answer I want!
I've researched enough and gotten myself prepared as much as I ever will and I know that this is the path for me. RNY is going to be the tool to save my health and make my life worth living!
Now to finish my psych evaluation next week!
True / False... how many questions!?!
Feb 01, 2010
Psych. eval. part I - Done!
Hooray! I went for the true false testing on Wednesday last week! I would have posted sooner, but had a mini crisis at home, so I'm doing it now! (We had a pipe burst while we were at work all day and flood the lower level of our home. We had 4 to 6 inches of water in our garage and part of the basement! No fun!)
Have any of you had to take two true false quizzes that had nearly 800 questions combined? It was crazy! I had no idea that would be something I had to complete. Some of it was rather funny. While I understand there are people in the world who truly believe that demons have possessed them, voices are telling them to do things or the people are stealing thoughts and ideas from their minds, I am not one of them! So those questions made me laugh!
I do, however, think that I understand myself a little better after those questions. While I like to be around people, I am so insecure of myself that I won't talk to somebody I don't know unless they smile at me or engage me in conversation first. I'm paranoid that people are looking at me and making nasty comments about me in public. So, I like people I know, but I'm afraid of everyone I don't know and I hate talking in front of people I don't know! I must be okay at hiding it though!
In two days I go for my bariatric screening which is a two hour appointment with a dietitian and a bariatric nurse. That'll be good to get over with! The following Wednesday I have the second part of my psych evaluation. That should be fun too! I can't wait to go over those quizzes and find out what neuroses I have! I really liked Dr. Johnson too! He was a very friendly and personable. Rather than acting like he was going to keep from wls he said that he wants to make sure we are aware of any hang-ups I may have that could hinder my recovery. I like that, for I am my own worst enemy!
So, it's onward and upward my friends!
Nicole
Psych. evaluation scheduled!
Jan 22, 2010
The doc himself called to schedule the appointment and seems very supportive and determined to make sure that I am completely aware of my choice and how to live with it. While I'm a little nervous about this, I feel that I am making the best decision for my life and I'm positive that I can convey that to him. How can you argue with wanting to live?
Now I've two of my very important appointments set-up! As long as the insurance pulls through I could very well have this surgery set up in a few weeks! Then my only road block will be money! I'll have to take the recovery time off work without pay, so I need to make sure that we have enough saved to cover the bills. Luckily tax time is here and I think we should have a small amount owed back to us, but at least enough to cover the gas bill for a month!
Where I work, for a local school district, they are going to be cutting some employees and I think that my position may be one that they look at. Actually the position that I'm in was re-created nearly 3 years ago when I was hired. Previously they had gotten rid of the position because the person quit and they needed to save money... so here I am in a not quite necessary position with millions of dollars needing to be cut from the budget! As crazy as it may seem no longer having the job doesn't scare me as much as not being able to have RNY done because my insurance is gone! I need RNY to save my life! So to have this process move so very quickly is awesome!
I know not everyone is religious, but God is watching over me! So many things have happened in my life recently, and the pieces are starting to fit together. All I can say is PRAISE BE TO GOD!
Screening and stuff
Jan 21, 2010
My Dr.'s office emailed me with a list/time-line of what to do next. Even though this list told me to schedule my psychological evaluation after I complete the screening, I'm going to try and get that appointment scheduled now. I'd like to get that appointment scheduled as close to the screening as possible!
When I saw Dr. Heydari yesterday I asked him what the time frame can be from yesterday's consultation appointment to actual surgery day, and he said as little as three weeks to as long as twelve weeks... I would like to try for four to six weeks! As long as my insurance cooperates it'll be fine!
I called my PCP and requested that she write a letter on my behalf as well, which she offered to do when I told her I was interested in wls. So that should help speed the process up a little too. I must say, I have a wonderful PCP. Dr. Bremer has always been very supportive and understanding. You know how some doctors make you feel bad because your over-weight? Dr. Bremer has never been like that. She has always been concerned and urging me to do something about it. When the diets and things didn't work she didn't tell me I was lazy and stupid, she said let's try something else. I love Dr. Bremer!
Happy Day!
I'm a good candidate! (And so it truly begins!)
Jan 20, 2010
The doc is going to write my insurance a letter of medical necessity soon and get that ball rolling. He said that since my PCP recommended the wls a letter from her would be really good as well. Hopefully my insurance will just approve it and then in as little as 1 month I will be having my RNY done! I can't wait to feel good again!
I also must say... maybe since my consultation was so short, I didn't find Dr. Heydari to be as enigmatic as I imagined him to be. Although I don't really have much of a relationship as doctor / patient with him yet, so that could be it. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying I think he's bad or something. I just didn't see him as my angel of mercy... at least not yet!
I can't wait now!! I want my surgery to be done and over with! I want to be getting healthier and happier by the day!
I want my life back!
Tomorrow... is gonna be great!?!
Jan 19, 2010
I was filling out the information packet with my Mom over the phone. I needed her help with the family medical info. We found that all the medical issues I currently have are medical issues that my Grandmothers on both sides have. I guess my parents lucked out that none of this garbage has been a bother to them. Nope, I got it all!
Maybe that means my children will be lucky? I hope so! Actually, I'd rather I ended up with all the medical problems in the family for the next few generations in the least. I don't want to imagine any of my children or future grandchildren having so many problems. Okay, enough rambling for tonight! I'll be letting everyone know how tomorrow goes as soon as I can!
