ObesityHelp

After being denied by BCBSIL-our company switched to BCBSNE.  I was denied based on not having 1 year of monthly weight checks/records.  I will be coming up on 1 year in May and called Dorothy at Dr. Jones office to see what we had to do to get the ball rolling. I was told the regulations had changed and that instead of 1 year, new requirements stated I only need 6 months--they went ahead and processed my application again last Thursday, and said it would take approximately 4 weeks.  I am having a hard time trying not to get too excited, as when I was denied before, I contacted Gary Viscio, paid him a few bucks, only to have them deny me again.  Even though I had been seeing my doctor for the last several years regarding my weight, there rules were:  MONTHY WEIGHT CHECKS FOR ONE YEAR--just no getting around it.

I am even more determined to have this surgery, but I am 59 years old and wondering if my recovery will be worse because of my age.  I have decided I need to get back on track with exercising and that will help me all the way around.

I have done a lot of lurking, but no posting.  Just a little bit about me:
I have been overweight all of my adult life.  Losing 50 pounds here, 70 pounds there, but always gaining it back.  I have high blood pressure, sleep apnea, incontinence and have problems occasionally with my back and my knees.

Almost three years ago, my first grandchild was born-at only 25 weeks gestation--he weighed only 2 pounds 1 ounce-My son's wedding ring fit around his wrist with room to spare.  He was in the hospital for over three months-and that was one of the hardest periods of my life--I had been regularly going to Curves and had lost about 40 pounds, but that put an end to that.  We tried to get to the hospital as much as possible and I would be so depressed whenever we came home.  Anyway to make a long story short, and by the grace of God, he is going to be three years old in April and has no physical problems, except he may have asthma--no cerebral palsy, no problems with hearing or vision-we are so blessed.  Needless to say, I am very involved in the March of Dimes and each year my daughter-in-law and about 40 of our friends get together to make small fleece-tied blankets.  We will be doing that this Wednesday.  I am also very involved in the WalkAmerica, and whatever monies I raise, my company matches.

I have been a rubber stamper for about 15 years, and then when Carson was born, I am now a scrapbooker as well, hence the user name Paperdoll-I LOVE LOVE LOVE paper-patterned paper, plain paper-and I am something of a paper snob.  

In August, we were blessed with another grandchild, Kaylie--this time my daughter-in-law started going into labor at 23 weeks, but they managed to stop it this time, and she was given weekly progesterone shots until week 34.  I am proud to say our little Kaylie went full term and was born weighing 6 pounds 10 ounces--YEAH.

I find myself doing more research on the internet and lurking on these boards in anticipation of my surgery--I am trying to be very positive and confident that I will be approved--if everything goes well, I could possibly be having surgery in June.  I will try to post some pictures and I really do need to take some full shots and side views--I know I don't have any of those pictures--maybe I will be able to scrapbook a page or two.

I've rambled on, but find the idea of having a blog and posting my thoughts here very satisfying.  Maybe I will even post a message to you all.  Thanks and God bless.