Marianne C.
July 5th, 2007
Jul 04, 2007
So I wait for insurance approval. As all of us know... this is very nerve wracking. If I get a quick approval the first time, I should still be on schedule for surgery on August 13. I'll be so glad when I finally get the call from insurance. Then I know I'm on my way. Being in limbo is always hard.
Also for the first time in a year, it's not up to me anymore. I have no control over what happens from here on out. For the last year I have been working feverishly being almost consumed by making sure I jump through every hoop and cross all my T's and dot all my I's.
Let's see.. here is what I have had to do in the last year...
*7 monthly doctor visits for supervised weight loss plan
*Cardio Nuclear stress test
*Cardio EKG
*Cardio Echocardiogram (twice because the first one expired)
*Endoscopy
*Colonoscopy
*Overnight Sleep study
*Pulmonary function test
*CPAP therapy
*Psychiatric Evaluation (2 appointments including a 2 hour test)
*Abdominal Ultrasound
*Chest Xray
*Bone Density Scan
*Blood workup
Also... in the process of all of these tests I needed to make many many phone calls in order to get all of these records sent to the surgeon. In many cases they didn't do it and had to be hounded. To make matters even more difficult I started out in a bariatric program in Albany NY, then moved to Florida and changed to a program in New Port Richey. I had to have all my records transferred to NPR. Then in May I found out that the surgeon in NPR quit so I had to scramble around, do a lot of research to find another surgeon who I liked and get all my records transferred again.
So here I am now in the waiting phase and I have no control. Not easy for a control freak like me.
May 18, 2007
May 18, 2007
So at this point my last hurdle appears to be insurance approval. After my appointment on June 5th with my primary care doc and the surgeon, we will be submitting to insurance and hopefully I should have approval within 30 days of that time.
April 16, 2007
Apr 16, 2007
April 11, 2007
Apr 11, 2007
February 21, 07
Feb 21, 2007
Monday night John and I attended the monthly support group meeting at Community Hospital in New Port Richey led by Ivy Landell and Barbara Corell. Again I was very impressed with the program and got a lot out of the meeting. I also had yet another chat with Ivy and this time Barbara was included about my concerns about having the surgery in Albany and then having to come back down to Florida only being a few months out of surgery. I also needed to consider that I have to be back to work by October 1st at the latest. My husband understood the dilema but was not happy about the idea of not going back up North at all so that I could have the surgery. After all his reenactments are very important to him too. SO Ivy suggested the possibility of us going North as planned in May and coming back home here early and perhaps having the surgery in early August. That way... first of all I'd have a good month or even 6 weeks to heal and be ready to return to work Oct first AND I would have 9 months to heal and be near my surgeon before having to head back up North in May of '08. I strongly feel that it is much safer for me to be near my surgeons and the program that I working with for 9 months out of surgery than only 3 or 4 months. So John and I left the meeting and discussed it and I was SO RELIEVED that he was willing to compromise and agreed to come back down in August. I am a very lucky woman to have such a loving, supportive and understanding husband. I'm am filling out the paper work for Ivy and working on getting my records sent to her. This is going to be a lot more work for me... more paper work and getting all of my records transferred from up North. I think though, it is a much safer plan.
There are some downsides to this new plan. I won't be able to have my weight loss surgery angel, Mary J. with me. She was very disappointed too. I won't be near family... especially my Sister Cuffy, who being a nurse is a real help and comfort. Not to mention we are very close. My Mother will not be happy either but I'm sure she will agree this is best. Even with these negative aspects I am still very happy with my decison. After all I live here now and am here for 8 or 9 months of the year.
It's not like I will be alone. I will have John with me and we have several wonderful, dear friends who live here in our neighbhorhood who I know we can count on to help me if I need it and support John. I think he will need more of the latter than I will help. He really is very nervous about his whole thing.
That's why I am trying to get him to come to support group meetings. He has been to a few and I think the more he attends, the more he understands and the better he feels.
January 30 '07
Jan 29, 2007
Still staying the course. Reading, reasearching, regularly attending support group meetings here in Florida at Community Hospital in New Port Richey. Seeing my primary doctor, Dr. Feliz King every month. Doing well with the 10 percent requirement for weight loss. Last month lost 4 pounds this month lost 3 pounds. Down from top weight of when I was in the hospital in late June at 250 pounds to 230 for a total of 20 pounds lost. According to Albany Clinical Nutrition I need to get down to 224. So only 6 more pounds to go. The tricky part is that I should not lose MORE than that prior to insurance approval or I risk them denying me. So I play the game. I can do that. Since I posted last I had my sleep study done here at the Florida Sleep Institute. I was diagnosed with severe sleep apnea. They are putting me on CPAP therapy with a machine pressure of 17. I understand that is very high. I HATE the machine and unlike other people, I am not feeling better using it. In fact I feel MORE tired. A LOT more tired.
My next step, I need to make an appointment with a psychologist for my required psych eval. I think I will do that this week.
Other than the fact that I keep having these CRAZY thoughts go rushing through my brain that MAYBE I can lose it on my own and THIS time will be different. THIS TIME I will be able to keep it off on my own. Then I wake up and continue working on the requirements for surgery. I talk to people online and in the groups, and of course my angel, Mary J and all say their heads did the same to them. I guess it's all part of the process and why it is so important to really research and go to support group meetings and take your time. I guess I won't have to worry that I'd regret not doing my homework!
Ok it's after midnite and here I am up late again. I have to go to work tomorrow too! My sleep habits are terrible. But that's another story for another day.
11/10/06
Nov 10, 2006
Anyway.. here's what has been going on. I am still staying the course with regards to my endeavor to have the weight loss surgery. We are back down in Florida now (YAH!!).. and it took me a while to find a primary care doctor who is taking new patients. I found one but couldnt get an appointment until November 30th. I went for a consultation today at the Florida Sleep Institute in Spring Hill and will do the sleep study next Wednesday night. Dr. Kohler, the sleep doc does think I have sleep apnea. Not good because I will have to do that darn cpap machine.. and wear a mask to bed. NOT happy about that at all BUT if I am diagnosed with sleep apnea it is considered one of the comorbidities so along with high blood pressure, I will have 2 comorbidities which will put me in better shape to get insurance approval. AND... once I have the surgery and lose weight, chances are very good I won't have sleep apnea any longer since it is most likely caused by the excess weight.
I have also been in touch with Dr. Santoro up in NY at the Albany Clinical Nutrition group and let her know I have my doctors appointment scheduled AND that I am dieting and excercising AND that I have lost 15 pounds toward my 10 percent pre surgery weight loss requirement. She was very pleased and told me to keep in touch and have Dr. King... my primary care doc here send her my records and weight procress. I need to be monitored monthly by Dr. King to show my attempted weight loss.
Austust '06 - Sept '06
08/14/06 Got the paperwork in the mail today from Albany Medical College Bariatric Center. I filled it out immediatly and faxed it from Staples at 8PM tonite. I will call them tomorrow to verify that they received it. Once they have received it they will set up my appointment for my "Informational Session". It is the first of 3 sessions. This one takes all morning.
Also... today was reading through the forum messages here on OH and came across a post with a subject line: Vaginal Vault Prolapse. It caught my eye because lately I have been experiencing something that sounds like that. I did a search in Google and found a website that explains what I have to a T. I have an appointment with my PCP on Thursday to talk to her about referring me to a sleep center for possible sleep apnea and my blood pressure. I guess now I have something else to talk to her about. BTW... the website says that one of the possible causes of this vaginal prolapse is obesity. :-(
It's looking more and more like this surgery is something I really need.
8/15/06 I didn't even get to call them this morning when I got a call from Stephanie at 9AM from Albany Med to set up my appointment for my first session. I will be attending the session on 8/29. I spoke with Stephanie about my living in NY for 5 months and 7 months during the winter in Florida. She was a little discouraging saying that I would have to do 6 months with THEIR nutrition program just prior to surgery. Then she transferred me to the nurse practitioner who said the same thing. I asked her if I could do a program with a bariatric nutritionist in Florida who would work with them directly. She did not think that would be possible. She advised me to go to the information session anyway. I will see what happens then. Hey if worse comes to worse, I'll have the surgery in Florida. Not my first choice but if that's what I have to do, I will.
8/16/06 After talking to Stephanie at Albany Med yesterday I am wondering after that conversation that I may have to think more seriously about the possibility of having surgery in Florida. I sent an email on July 19 to a woman named Ivy Landell who is the coordinator of the bariatric program at Community Hospital in New Port Richey, Florida. I told her about my snowbird status and asked her when the next seminar would be held since I wanted to make plans to attend as soon as I return to Florida. She replied to that question and also told me to let her know if I would like her to send me information on things I could be doing here until I return to Florida in October. I replied that YES... I would very much appreciate her sending me that info. The following week when I did not hear back from her I emailed her again reminding her. I never heard back from her. So last week I sent another email. Again no reply. Yesterday I left a phone message on her voice mail. Still no reply. Hmmm.... I guess this is the part where determination comes in? All part of the test to see if we are motivated? Perhaps.
8/17/06 Just some thoughts for today. You know, unlike many obese people I really don't have a bad self image. I do feel pretty even when I'm heavy and my size doesn't make me feel self conscious. Of course I'd love to look thinner... don't get me wrong but looks are not my motivation. I have always been a very active person. I can't stand feeling so restricted and it's taking a toll on my physical health which is effecting my emotional health. So many things are popping up health wise because of this. To name a few:
High Blood pressure
Possible sleep apnea (going to talk to doc today about referral to a sleep center)
Heal pain (Plaster Fastitis)
Anxiety and Depression
Vaginal Rectal Prolapse (talking to doc about this too)
Low blood sugar
Cervical degenerative disk
Excema in areas of excess fat
And of course low energy.
I am too young and want to have many years ahead of me. I can't keep dieting and gaining weight back. It is very dangerous and I've done the yo yo thing way too many times in my life.
8/17/06 My "Angel/Friend" Mary and I were talking tonite around the campfire. We talked about how some people don't understand the reasoning behind the requirement to lose 10% of your weight before being approved for surgery. I told her that I totally understand. I was just laying in bed and thought of an analogy and had to get up to write it down lest I'd forget in the morning. My analogy is this. If I were a farmer and needed to plow 126 rows of field. (I have 126 pounds to lose) and I was told I needed to use this very difficult tool to do it. (The very difficult tool represents dieting without the tool of weight loss surgery) Someone has the tool that would make it much easier to plow all 126 rows but they don't want to give me that easier tool just yet. They want to see how I do using the more difficult tool. The reason is that using the easier tool alone, without the other things necessary, then I will not be successful. Along with the easier tool, I still need to have determination, motivation and knowlege of how to properly plow the field. If they just handed me the easier tool, without knowing that I already have the determination, motivation and knowlege, that easier tool all by itself wouldn't be enough to successfuly get the job done. Until they see I have the other things it takes then and only then will they give me the tool to make the job easier and more successful.
9/13/06 Had TERRIFIC news today. Went to Albany Clinical Nutrition for the 4 hour initial visit. I am assigned to Dr. Santoro and she has agreed to work with me to do my 6 month nutrition and weight loss program in Florida but will monitor me up here! This means I can have the surgery in Albany with Dr. Singh! I am trhilled. It means a lot to me because all of my friends and family are here. Also Mary had her surgery with Dr. Singh and he was amazing with her during her crisis so I feel very confident in him.
This week I am also doing the required 1/2 day sessions for educational classes at Albany Med. I did part one yesterday and will finish part 2 tomorrow. They were excellent and very informative. I also enjoyed the commeraderie of those going through the process at about the same stage I am. Most there will have the surgery long before I will since I will wait until we get back from Florida next May. Then I will do the preliminary things I need to do here before surgery. Still a long road ahead and many hurdles but I'm on the road and pshyed.
Here is a picture of me taken recently at the Coldbrook Picnic. I am at my highest weight ever of 250 pounds. I hate how I feel and I hate how I look. I can NOT continue on this path or I will be facing many debilitating health problems:
About Me
Before & After
rollover to see after photo
