enjoy my journey and not focus too much on the numbers

 March 18th, 2007

I posted some recipes from "Eating Well After Weight Loss Surgery" and "Weight Loss Surgery For Dummies" on my blog

May 5th, 2007

I posted some recipes for the book "Cookin For Weightloss Surgery Patients" on my blog.

April 20th 2007

Thirty days post op; two strictures, and 40 pounds gone....seem my blog for the story. 

April 11th 2007

Strictures are not fun boys and girls...see my blog for the story.

April 6th 2007

I have lost almost 30 pounds. I am still breastfeeding Lilith but it was hard for awhile. I pumped every 3 hours while in the hospital (or while awake). I even pumped for 24 hours after I got home. Then when I proudly presented Lilith with the boobies, she wasn't that interested. I still offered them every 3 hours or so and pumped if she wouldn't take them. I noticed that my milk production had really gone down so I asked for Reglan (it is an antiemetic that increases milk production) and started really pushing myself to increase my fluids. It has been hard but Lilith is back on the breasty. It is worth it. I can't tolerate anything yet but clear liquids and some full liquids (pureed soup and protein shakes)so far. I went to the 3 week post op class since I was in the area and wanted to save a drive (I am only 2 weeks post op) and the lap banders were talking about how hungry they were. I have no hunger at all but I do dream of food. Some of the lap banders were already eating protein bars! I was shocked. I think I made the right decision with the by pass. I would have cheated on the band, I am sure.

Went to GNC and bought isopure protien shakes (chocolate and pineapple banana). I hope they taste good since my diet will consist primary of these shakes for awhile (starting the first two days preop. I also bought 6 of the premixed shakes (they look almost like some of the designer flavored water or fruit drinks out there). The woman behind the counter asked me if I was having surgery and proceeded to brag about how many customers have had such great results with the surgery. So either A. I look like I should be having weightloss surgery (sad thought but prob. true) or B. only people having weightloss surgery buy isopure shakes. (makes me nervous about their taste or lack there of). My husband and daughter went out for my last big extravigant dinner last night. Check out my blog for more on that.

Can you believe it! I am having surgery on March 20th at 11am. I was approved so easily with this insurance! I am still in awe and a little shocked. I have my preop appointment with Dr. Snyder in the morning. I can't believe that my persistance finally paid off. it only took 7 years! I am so happy that this is finally going to happen. I will be able to go down slides with my daughter without being afraid I won't fit. I will be able to keep up with her as she grows ( she is already crawling pretty fast). Most importantly, I will be a healthy, physically active mother that she can emulate and not a couch potato that is to physically drained to play with her. My husband is thrilled also. I ordered tons of books from Amazon.com on eatting after weight loss surgery and on living after weight loss surgery. I will have plenty to read during my recovery. Whoo Hooo! Now I just have to find out if my husband and daughter can stay with me in the hospital at least for the first night)

Here it is, 2007. I have a beautiful daughter that is 7 months old. During my pregnancy with her, I reached over 300 pounds. I have tried and tried to get this surgery as my old introduction below will show. Each insurance that I have tried has been tied to whatever hospital or clinic that I was working at the time and almost always had a provision or a list of steps so complicated that I could never qualify. I am trying now with my husbands totally non health realted employer. Their requirements are; you must be over 21, bmi over 40, Dr. Snyder has to be in network, Rose medical center has to be in network, and 5 years of documented diagnosis of morbid obesity. I have all of this, the only catch could be the 5 years of documented morbid obesity. I have gone on drastic diets shortly after each insurance denial ( there have been 4) and have lost weight each time. The longest I've kept it off was for one year. Which I hear is about average when loosing lots of weight through a drastic method. Dolly tried to call me this morning but I missed her call, of course. I left her a message so I hope to be updating this again today, hopefully if perserverence means anything to the fates that be, with a surgery approval.

MY blog;

http://luvsexytrstno1.blogspot.com/

This was written in 2004;

I am a nurse in Boulder and have struggeled with my weight all of my adult life. I hope to have this surgery and show my patients that it is possible to be healthy and active. I have been trying to get this surgery approved for 4 years now. I have tried with United Health Care, Sloans Lake, and Cigna. I have been denied on all of them. I have been on weight watchers, Jenni Craig, nutrisystem, a vegan diet, and medifast. I lost the most weight on the liquid fast. I was on the complete fast for over 6 months. I of course started to regain the weight the minute I started to eat solids (which were veggie salads). I am trying again with Aetna and I am hopeful that this time I will finally be approved. I have a well documented history of my weight and weight loss attempts through the years. I really believe that this surgery is my only hope of ever being able to maintain a healthy weight. My weight now is the highest it has ever been in my life. I have tried to incorperate exercise and healthy eatting into my lifestyle but the weight still hangs on. My appointment with Dr. Snyder is tommorrow and hopefully I will be updating this in a few days with positive new information. 1/12/05 I found out that my surgery will be covered by my current health insurance (Aetna HMO)provided that I jump through the necessary hoops. I have the six month medically supervised weight loss attempts (liquid fast through Access medical in 1999-2000, Jenni Craig (may or may not be considered medically supervised) 2000-2001, vegan diet (again may or may not qualify as I didn't see a nutritionist) 2004. They want a 6 month medically supervised weight loss attempt with nutritionist consult and within 2 years of application for the surgery, physican notes for for the 6 months of the weightloss attempt, a letter from your physician explaining why they recomend you for the surgery. I know that my previous physician (Dr. Amy Scanlon) and I talked about weight for at least 6 months with her recommending diets and tracking my progress through out that time so I will send in her progress notes along with my current physician's (M. Van Tassel, M.D.) progress notes. I hope that this will be enough along with the older records from jenni craig and Access medical (the diet clinic that handled my liquid fast)attempts. My husband can't understand why I am not excited but he wasn't there before when I thought I might get approved through Cigna only to be denied at the last minute. I am hopeful however that this time will be different as I have so much documentation but as Dolly at Dr. Snyders office says, "it all depends on who reviews your case at the insurance company.". I hope to get the necessary paper work to Dolly by early Febuary at the latest as I have to go on Cobra in Febuary (the insurance at my new job doesn't kick in for almost 90 days. I am afraid to wait and try it through them as I had United Health Care once before and there was an exclusion in my policy that excluded all weight loss surgeries and although that benifits manager at my new job says that she doesn't know of any exclusions in their policy, I am afraid to waste my chance with Aetna even if it does cost me quite a bit doing it on Cobra. I hope to be writing to you in a few days with a little more excitement as my appointment with my primary care physician is tomorrow and my appointment with the for the cardiac clearance is Febuary 7th. Wish me luck.