ObesityHelp

Well, another 8 inches of snow....

SO HELP ME, if there is even an inkling of a snow flake to fall around January 6th, I will be packing early and spending the days in the hospital lobby! LOL  Just kidding... my DH is a truck driver.. come hell or high water, he will get me there.  Still, I am a bit nervous, BUT, I am nervous about EVERYTHING lately!  I feel like I am forgetting something... like I should be doing something, but I just don't know what. 

I have finally told my entire family.  I was very nervous about telling them, however, it all worked out great. Everyone is very supportive of my decision.  I guess I didn't realize they saw my struggle. I assumed that because it wasn't "talked" about, they didn't really know.  I have told a few friends.  I don't know if I should have done that.  My closest friends already knew, but then I did tell some others... oh well, all will know eventually.  Still, even though I am confident in my decision, there is still some "embarassment" to it.  Everyone seems supportive.  Some say, WHAT? WHY? you aren't that fat?  Then we discuss my weight... then they say "boy, you really carry it well"!  Well, anyway, I feel like a weight has been lifted a bit.  Not so worried about who to tell and who not to tell! 

I am finding it is very easy to eat, eat, eat!  I eat something and I think "I wonder if I will be able to tolerate this after surgery".. then I think.. "boy, I don't think I am supposed to have triple fudge double decker sudae's after surgery" ! LOL LOL  Just kidding, but I do wonder about normal things like, steak, cottage cheese, yogurt... things I am supposed to have and enjoy now.  What if I don't tolerate them later?   Guess I will just deal with it!

Well, thats all for now! 

Well, a little over 1 week til surgery.  Nerves are setting in. I have tons of stuff running through my head.  Did I make the right decision?  Maybe I should have just gone for the lap band?  Maybe I could just do this on my own?  Will I self destruct before the date even gets here? Can you say ANXIETY! Do I need to sit down and write the good-bye letter, just in case something goes wrong?  Am I ready? Do I have everything I need for the hospital? Post-op?  What if the surgery doesn't work? 
I think I will treat myself to something nice right before my surgery... maybe a facial? I know I am a worry-wart anyway, so I just need to breathe deeply and "talk" myself out of this anxiety.  I have faith in my surgeon.  I have faith in my God.   That should be plenty!

I was just sitting here looking at my blog... I think I should be keeping track of things better.  Not so much for myself, but for anyone that would look at my profile for "my story".  Not that my information would take the place of any doctor or other professional, but it's kind of nice to see where people have been and how they came through it! 

So, to that, here is a quick rundown of how I got to where I am now:

**I know 4 people personally that have had Gastric Bypass.... all say they would definately do it again.... wonder if I should look into it?

** Big article in the Fargo Forum about a family that has lost over 700 lbs between all of them....  ok.. I'm gonna check into this....

** Chicken shit... took me a long time to check... Called the Innovis (my insurance network) location on 32nd Avenue... they referred me to the Park Rapids location.  Fargo Innovis told me that I needed a psych eval, and a referral from my primary care doctor... Park Rapids will send me an info packet.  I called the psych that was referred to me and my primary care doctor.. got the appointments for 10-21-08.  (after the fact, I found out that I did not need the referral from my PC)  I should have called my insurance company first... they would have sent me in the right direction!  However, I did things a bit backwards and ended up doing most of the "scheduling" myself.  It still came out the same in the end.

** Received the info from the Park Rapids clinic with all the forms and a book I need to read - done!

** Received the forms from the Psych to fill out... jeez.. want my life history?  Filled out and done!

** Scheduled the appointment with the surgeon, his PA, the Nut and the social worker for 11-10-08 in Park Rapids.

** 10-21-08 Completed the Psych - Passed!

** 10-21-08 completed the appointment with the PCP. He was ok with referring me for WLS. PCP said I did a good job of doing all of their work for them! LOL Setting up psych appointment and appointment with Park Rapids!  LOL

** 11-10-08 completed the classes in Park Rapids.  Class was in the morning, then we went for lunch and then the Dr. appointments were in the afternoon.  All went well!  They will get all the paperwork filled out and sent to my insurance company by the 17th. The insurance company then will take up to 2 weeks to decide. Once they get the letter from the insurance company approving the surgery, they will schedule it and call me! @@@ oh yeah.. weird thing here at this clinic... I lost some height!! I went from 5'7 to 5'6!  She even measured me twice!  I was originally trying to slump a bit, but jeez.. I think it may have been my hair!  Wear your hair as flat as possible and the heaviest clothes you own... you want to be shorter and heavier at this point!  Also, was told I have to be on birth control before they will do surgery.... guess absitnence is not a good enough birth control! LOL My hubby wouldn't buy it either! LOL

** I called and bugged everyone the week of the 17th... BCBS does not have my pre-auth request.  I called the clinic... they do not have all my labs back and cannot send until they do.  They advised me to give it 1 more week.  Ok.. Patience.. ha.. not in my book! LOL

** 11-21-08 I got my letter about my labs... blood sugar elevated... liver functions elevated (will do biopsy at surgery)... Vitamin D is low (need to start chewable calcium citrate with D)

** 11-26-08 Called BCBS.. they have the pre-auth and it is awaiting medical review - told me to call in a week or wait for the letter

** I called 12-3-08...... I got a YES!! Woo Hoo!!  I called Innovis, they advised that they will get a copy of the letter a few days after I get mine and they will send it up to the surgery desk for scheduling of surgery!  Wait for the call!

** I got the letter 12-4-08 ........will wait for call from Innovis

** Did I have the word "wait" in the last sentence! LOL LOL 12-9-08 I called Innovis... she had just sent my stuff up that morning, so she transferred me to the surgery desk.  I have a date! 1-6-09!  Woo Hoo! They will be sending me some info and I have to schedule a Pre-Op Physical with my PCP.  Told me to read the consent to surgery in the packet, but I cannot sign it until the day of surgery!

** My PCP physical appointment is set for 12-19-08

** I have procrastinated on the birth control issue too... my appointment is tomorrow morning... I really hate hormones... mine are finally being nice to me... now I have to screw them all up!

Well... that has caught me up on my journey so far... I will do a better job of posting from now on!

1-6-09 ..... it's gonna be a GOOOOD Day!

Yippee!  I called the insurance company today (been everyday since before Thanksgiving!)...........  Approval has been GRANTED!  Woo Hoo!  I hung up and cried!  The emotions were so overwhelming... I wasn't sure what I was feeling.  I called my DH right away, and then a friend who has had WLS...  Now, when to tell the rest of my family.  I have not told them anything about this due to wanting it to be "my little secret" until I knew I was approved.  Now I am approved and I am still not sure what or when I want to tell them.  I just don't see much support coming from them (they are ALL skinny and lose weight at the drop of a hat).  The funny thing is, they have all struggled with drug and alcohol addictions.. I, on the other hand struggle with the food addiction... maybe they will understand??

Next step is to wait for the letter from the ins. company and then schedule my date!  I think I will wait until right after the new year... it will be a nice way to start off!