**Debbie** .

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Ok, got that appt over with.  They did a chest x-ray and had me breathe in and out on a machine.  I got my approval immediately.  Tomorrow is the nuclear stress test and the echo.  These should take a few hours, fun NOT!!!

Monday is the upper GI then I'm done.  It's hard to believe I'll be done on Monday.  Tiffany may then schedule a surgery date and that scares me.  Be careful what you wish for, you may get it!!

I've been so positive I want this surgery and now I wonder.  I had my cardio appt today.  They did an EKG and said it was “a little” abnormal.  GREAT!!!  So Friday I go for a nuclear stress test where they put in an IV and make me radioactive!!! YIPPPPPEEEE  Then I get an echo cardiogram.  All this fun starts at 7:30am.  So I’m trying not to freak about this and feel lucky to have this testing in case they do find something wrong(blockage).  

Meanwhile back at work I read a coworkers sister passed away on Christmas Day.  It hit me hard.  I didn't know her but I've met her 11 yr old son twice, what a wonderful young man.  His mom was a single mom like me and this has really hit close to home.  Poor Austin is without a mother at the age of 11.  Now I'm wondering how I can have elective surgery and risk leaving my 10 yr old motherless.

I look for signs, I want God's approval and blessing for this surgery.  I thought I was seeing positive signs and now I wonder.  Am I seeing just want I want to see??  

I have my meeting with the pulmonologist on Wed.  I guess I'll just have the tests and then decide.

My Dr's office faxed the info on Tuesday to BCBS and I verified yesterday that they had it.  Just now the Dr's office called and I'm approved for the sleeve!!!!

Ok, is it normal after you are approved to freak out when you realize it's really going to happen?????

I'm shaking right now...I'm excited and scared.

Debbie

I've been to bummed out to update.  BCBS of Maryland where my insurance is from requires a 6 month diet.  Ok, so I submitted my KAISER fully supervised by a DR diet that I participated in.  I had nutrition, exercise and classes to deal with emotions.  I even when to their hypnotist which was a new thing with them.  Problem is that was about 3 yrs ago and the program has to be in the last 2 yrs.  Ok, great!!

So I did do an online program, liquiddietdicussion.com, in the spring of 2006.  I purchased Medifast and New Life Styles food products like shakes and oatmeal and soups.  It was kind of a high protein, low carb diet with one lean and healthy meal a day and the rest were substitutes like shakes or soups.  I spent about a grand on food.

So, I got all the receipts for the purchases and the log I kept on liquiddietdicussion.com and sent it to Dr M.  They got it today and will fax it to BCBS.  It was alot of pages so I guess I'll dazzle them with the mere quantity of crap I sent.

Once again I'll be waiting but this time I'll have Christmas as a distraction.  We are leaving for Ca on Sat and will be gone for a week so I won't even think about it.

Anyone reading this please pray for me.  It sucks that different BCBS have different requirements.  I hear BCBS of GA doesn't have the diet requirement.

I called again today, my stuff is with the Medical Review board.  Not sure what that means.  I'm getting nervous and pessimistic, I don't think I'll be approved.  I was really hoping to have surgery on the 5th of December but that is only 9 days away so I don't think that is happening.  Was hoping I could combine my medical leave over the Christmas Holiday so I didn't have to go farther in the hole with sick leave at Xmas, so much for that idea. 

Ok, so last week when BCBS said they were waiting for more info I faxed Kaiser to send it to Dr M's office.  I called BCBS yesterday and they said again they were waiting for more info so I asked them for the number to fax the info to, what info they needed and a phone number for Tiffany to call.  Then I emailed and later called Tiffany.  She'd just got the stuff from Kaiser and said she would fax the Kaiser stuff and the psych eval to them.  

I called today and they have both documents and they've been forwarded to a board for review, should have an answer in 72 hours.  Since today is Tuesday before Thanksgiving I'm guessing next week will be the soonest I hear.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

BTW, I got in to Ticketmaster and got 4 Hannah Montana tickets.  2 of the tickets are floor seats, Erica will be so psyched.

Still waiting....tick....tick

I call BCBS daily and have had 2 people tell me that they requested additional information from Dr M's office.  When I told this to Tiffany she called and was told they were NOT waiting for any additional information.  So are they or aren't they waiting for more info?  Tiffany was going to call again today but she's not at work 

I'm nervous I will be approved and afraid I won't be approved.  I'm bummed I could have to wait 6 more months while I take a "medically supervised" weight loss class.  I have dreams of being under 200 by next summer and traveling to China.

I have NOOOOO patience and this is freaking me out, driving me nuts and making me want to scream!  Ok, deep breath here, I'll be ok, one way or another.

On a positive note, I got contact lenses this last weekend and I LOVE them.  I can actually see far away and close up at the same time.  If only I'd stop putting them in wrong side out!! 

Dr M's office faxed my paperwork to BCBS on Thursday Nov 1st.  Now I get to bite my nails and wait for a respons.

I'm still waiting on Dr V, she was supposed to Fax her report on Friday, then on Tuesday and here it is Wednesday.  She's my last piece of paper before it can all be submitted for approval.

I talked to Dr M last night.  I had earlier talked to his nurse about him not being approved at Northside to do VSG.  She repeated that it's in the works but no decision yet.  When I talked to Dr M I found out he isn't being approved, it's the VSG procedure that needs to be approved.  This procedure is approved at Emory John's Creek, a brand new hospital that has very good reviews from this forum.  Dr M is on staff at EJC and could do me there anytime.  I asked him why he didn't mention this before and he said since EJC is 20 min from his office he prefers Northside.
It was like pulling teeth to get this info out of him but I finally got it.  So if I get approved in a few weeks I maybe could have surgery the first of December when Kathie is out of school.  I'm also wondering if my coverage will change next year and if WLS is still covered.

I'm just waiting on DR V to do her faxing then I'm on to the final step of submitting the paper work.  I'm trying so hard to be patient but it's not working that well.

That they approve all surgeries!!  That's what Tiffany told me.  I asked her if she specifically asked about VSG and she said yes.

So now if that's true I just wait til next week to make sure Dr V sends in my psych report and then hope Dr M can submit it quickly to BCBS. 

Of course my mom is flying in next week so her 2 week visit will keep me busy and stressed out.  Maybe it will keep my mind off of being approved or waiting for an approval(thinking positive here).