I am a 31 year old wife and mother of one, hoping to have the surgery. I do my insurance req'd psych and nutrional evaluations on 2/3/06.

2-6-06 Okay NeWeigh rescheduled my psych and nutrional evaluations. So I did my psych this morning as (re)scheduled and I hope it went well. Not sure but the therapist was really nice. I was quite honest, so *crossing fingers*. On the other hand, I am still waiting on a call back from NeWeigh about my rescheduled nutrional exam. I wish they'd hurry up and do it so we can submit to insurance. My friend who has the same insurance as me just got approved after only 2 weeks, so I'm anxious! I'm ready to go! I've got my income taxes, let's pay and play!

2-22-06 Insurance documents submitted by NeWeigh.

3-2-06 Call from NeWeigh....I'm approved! I should be getting my approval letter in the mail. Wow. I am so floored. I thought it would be harder than this. I am now terrified!! And not terrified. I feel so befuddled. Where will the money come from for my sleep study? Lord, I gotta go talk to my husband now. I'm approved!!

11-06-06.  After I received the approval, I got scared.  I decided to put everything on hold and do some soul-searching.  I went on an all organic diet complete with amino acid therapy.  It helped.  I lost a little bit.  I'm down to 340lbs right now from an all-time high of 365lbs.  I worked it for about 6 months.  Then went back to low-fat.  And I began to yo-yo with 10lbs.   In the meantime, I received some doctors bills from Dr. J and I realized that he was not an approved doctor in my network.  In my excitement in the beginning, I did not get that checked out.  As well as the nutrionist and psych evaluator.  It was an expensive lesson.  To the tune of over $1000.00.

In July, I put money in my flex to pay for some dental work, but after re-consideration, I decided my weight was probably the bigger (ha!) issue.  In September I began the process again.  I really feel as if I gave it my all from March to September.  In September I began looking for doctors in my network and decided to try the Memorial Hermann Bariatric Program.  I have met the surgeon, done all the tests, including EGD and gallbladder ultrasound.  They found h.pylori, gastritis, a hiatal hernia, and I have gallstones!  I was put on prev-pac and they will take my gallbladder and the other things should resolve themselves with weightloss.  Prev-pac, for anyone fortunate enough not to have experienced it is some EXTREMELY nasty antibiotics along with a prevacid for stomach acid.  Everything smelled terrible for 2 weeks and made me nauseous!

On Friday, 11-03-06, everything was submitted to my insurance.  They think I will possibly hear something back in a week since I have a current approval with the other doctor.

 I am crossing my fingers!!!

 11-16-06 I AM APPROVED!  I called my doctor's office and the only one who can schedule surgery is out until Monday!  WTF!!  I want to schedule it now!  This is killing me.  I am waking up at 4:30am every morning because I am so excited and nervous, and that was before I was re-approved.  Now what!  Plus I've got to work around the doctors vacation and give my folks enough notice to get here and not pay exorbitant plane fares and I have to WAIT FOUR MORE DAYS???!!  Deep breaths, deep breaths!

 11-22-06 My surgery date is scheduled!  It is 12-20-06.  I feel calm and actually kind of apathetic. I was more excited about the approval.  I think that one week before the surgery I will bounce off the walls.  Well, it's Thanksgiving tomorrow, so I guess I will have one really good one and then back to my diet before surgery.  I can't believe it is really going to happen!