Not all fat is bad for you. In fact, fat is an important part of a healthy diet. Fat comes from both animal and vegetable sources. Animal sources include meat, poultry, fish, and butter. Plant sources include nuts, avocados, and vegetable oils. 

Even though fats are high in calories, they are important because they:

• Make you feel full and satisfied
• Store energy in the body
• Help your body use vitamins A, D, E, and K
• Form a part of the membrane of every cell
• Provide a source of energy during starvation

Some fats even protect the body against heart disease and other health conditions.

Not all fats are good for you, though. These fats are not healthy for your body:
• Saturated fats
• Trans fatty acids

Saturated fats come mainly from animal sources (like meat or butter). Trans fatty acids are found mostly in processed foods (like packaged cookies). They are almost never found in whole foods. For good health, eat more unsaturated fats. These fats come mainly from plant sources (like olives).

How much fat do you need each day?

Most adults should limit how much fat they eat to:
• About 20–35 percent of their calories

Limit saturated fats to:
• No more than 10 percent of your total calories

December 3, 2007 
 Lori calls me to answer my questions about Dr. Heider. I informed her about the denial letter I received from Cigna.

December 3, 2007
 I ask Dr. Voellinger's staff to transfer my medical records to Dr. Heider.

December 4, 2007
 Dr. Heider staff calls me to re-schedule my appointment. My appointment is changed to December 7th.

December 4 - 6, 2007
 I call Dr. Heider's office to verify which medical records were received by his office. Thank God they recieved all of my medical records.

December 7, 2007
My consultation with Dr. Heider went well and my medical records are submitted to Cigna. I informed Dr. Heider I was going to start my clear liquid diet on Monday. He wants me to wait.

I'm claiming my surgery. I've decided to start my Clear Liquid Diet on Monday, December 10th.

Thank God I contacted all the medical facilties I've gone to for the last 5 years for my medical records. Dr. Voellinger's staff never transferred my medical records to Dr. Heider.

December 11, 2007
The rep at Cigna stated I should know if my surgery with Dr. Heider is approved on Monday, December 17th.

December 13, 2007
Cigna rejected my appeal regarding my surgery with Dr. Voellinger.

I cheated on my clear liquid diet. For dinner I had 3 pieces of bacon and a slice of bread. I couldn't take it anymore.

December 14, 2007
I went to my PCP and informed her that I changed surgeon's. I've lost 8 lbs. Dr. Heider's office was given a Pre-Authorization for my surgery. I was given a date 12/21/07.


December 21, 2007
I underwent a vertical gastroplasty on 12-21-07. This was complicated by intraoperative perforation of the stomach. It was repaired intraoperatively.

December 24, 2007
Due to persisten fever and tachycardia I was reexplored on postoperative day number 3. On postoperative days one and two I underwent an upper GI which showed no evidence of leak.

At the time of exploration on 12/24/07 no leak was identified and the gastric tube was intact.

December 26, 2007
On 12/26/07 it was discovered that I had Pneumonia.

December 28, 2007
I developed progressive tachycardia over the ensuing two to three days and on 12/28/07 was taken to the operating room again after a large pleural effusion was identified on chest x-ray. Tube thoracostomy had been performed which revealed fluid with a high high amylase with an eteric leak. At reexploration on 12/28/07 a disruption of the repair was noted near the GE junction. It was oversewn and buttressed using available local tissue including some available omentum.


I was on a feeding & drainage tube for 3 months (it sucked). It took about three months for the open wound on my tummy to heal.

November 5, 2007
I received a denial letter from Cigna regarding VSG with Dr. Voellinger

November 30, 2007
I call Dr. Heider's office for a consultation.