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 It's now 6:30 am....I have been awake since 5:00.  I don't need to be to the hospital until 9:00 am with my surgery being at 11:00 am. Hopefully they are running on time.  Feeling quite anxious this morning.  I have a upset stomach, but I think it is probably nerves.  Not feeling hungry really, 

I'll be getting in the shower shortly and we will head to the hospital about 8:15.  Lisa is going to be there this morning before I go in and then stay with Mel while I am in surgery.  She is such a great friend, I don't know what I would do with out her!!!  Pam is going to bring Mom up about an hour before I get out of surgery. She wants to be there when I wake up.

Well not a whole lot to talk about this morning.  Hopefully they can get my IV in with no problems - one of my fears.  Ok, now I am rambling. I better just get ready to go.

Until POST-OP!!

 04/11/12

Well, this time next week I will be recovering at St. Mary's hospital.  I'm into my second week of the pre-op diet.  It is really not that bad at all.  I did slip a little last night.  I stopped to a friends house to visit and had a glass of red wine.  Not the end of the world I suppose, but a slip all the same.

I am so ready for next Tuesday to be here!  I'm a little nervous when I actually think about what they are going to do and how much pain will follow surgery, but other than that.  I'm pretty calm about the whole thing (as of right now).

I had my last appointment pre-surgery at GHP on Monday.  I've lost 10.5 pounds in the last week on this pre-op diet.  I met with Matt (the PA) again and he said everything looked good.  I was concerned about a statement he had made during my last visit that sometime when they get in there they can't always do the switch part of the surgery and you end up with only the gastric sleeve.  I really don't want that to be my case, so I asked him how often does that happen.  He said not very often.  That my safety was first and if they could not do the switch safely then they would not do it.  Again, hopefully that is not what they find with me.

Had more labs drawn on Monday too.  I'm really worried about them finding a vein for an IV on the day of surgery.  They seem to have such a hard time with finding anything to even draw for blood work.  She ended up tapping into a spider vien up near the bicep area of my arm (I know there is bicep muscles in there somewhere).  Now I have a giant hematoma.  I going to tell them that I need some of those "I don't give a shit" drugs before they start poking on me in the hospital.

So....now I just wait until next Tuesday!  Can't get here soon enough!

 Today was my pre-op appointment at Grand Health Partners (GHP).  Met as a group with a nurse/rep from St. Mary's Hospital to discuss hospital information and if we wanted to be part of a study.  Then we met with the dietitian to go over what we will be eating pre-op and post-op.  We will be eating the food from the GHP Store for both.  She helped us fill out our order forms for that.  Next we met with the Exercise Physiologist, Andy.  He seemed like a really nice guy and really acts like he want to help us succeed at our goals.  And the last person that came and talked with us was the surgical PA, Matt.  He was very informative, with a dry sense of humor.  After the group meeting we were seen one at a time by the PA again to discuss our medications, answer any questions that we had and sign our consent forms.  That was everything that was covered in the pre-op appointment.  Before we left we could pick up our food at the GHP Store.

Now I need to follow the 800-900 calorie diet for the next two weeks.  Next Monday will be my last appointment at GHP before my surgery.  Matt said that Dr. Kemmeter is a stickler for weight loss pre-op, so I really have to stick with this food plan the next couple of weeks.  They have been know to cancel surgerys if there is no weight loss.

Not really looking forward to eating this for the next two weeks, but in the big picture this is just a very small sacrifice to get to the end results.  So here we go...

March 29, 2012

Today was a great day!  I finally got the phone call I was waiting for.  Nettie called me this morning and said that my Vit. D levels are up where they should be and she was able to get the whole diagnoses issue straightened out.  Then she said "We can now set up a surgery date", music to my ears!  I told her I would take the first available.  I am scheduled for Tuesday, April 17th!  That's only 18 days away!

Next Monday, April 2, I have to go for my pre-op appointment at Grand Health Partners.  I understand that it is a 1/2 day appointment.  I will meet with the PA, Dietician and Exercise Physiologist in a group setting.  Then I will meet with the PA one on one.  I will also be picking up my food for the next 2 weeks before surgery. Sounds like a long afternoon, but yet I'm excited to hear what's ahead.

Then on Monday, April 9, I have a quick 1/2 hour appointment with the PA to make sure I am tolerating the supplements ok and he will give me a lab slip for more blood work.  

Then I just wait for April 17th to get here.  I am hoping all this time goes by quickly.  I am very excited and a little freaked out all at the same time.  All that I have been waiting for is just around the corner!

 March 28, 2012

So...I picked up my CPAP machine last night, had my Vitamin D blood drawn this morning.  I wasted no time and called Nettie right after my blood draw, on my way to work.  She said she will get the CareLinc information from Consolidated Sleep Center since that is where they were going to fax it. They will proabably have my blood results in a day or two, then she said she is waiting on another confirmation from the insurance company.  WHAT!!!???  I thought I was already approved/confirmed.  I guess the insurance company approved me for the DS but used the wrong diagnosis code.  Good grief!  If nothing else this is teaching me patience.

So now I wait for hear back from Nettie and hope and pray that my Vit. D levels are high enough!!

March 22, 2012

The Good News:
I spoke with Nettie today.  She received the approval from the insurance company.

The Bad News:
I still can't schedule my surgery yet!  

First of all, I have to wait until I actually have my c-pap machine in hand.  Since I just did the follow up sleep study on Tuesday, I have to wait for the results from the Dr. that reads the test.  Then they have to send the request over to CareLinc.  Then I have to connect with CareLine to go there and get my machine.

Secondly, they have to know that my Viatmin D level is up in the mid 40's before they can schedule anything.  Nettie said today that I can have labs done 4 weeks from when I started taking the 10,000IU's of Vit. D.  Which actually the end of this week will be 4 weeks.  Guess she forgot that the PA told her yesterday that I needed to up my Vit. D to 10,000IU 3 times a day.  So I think I will continue with the 30,000IU per day and wait until next week or until I hear from the sleep study place that they have the results.

So the waiting game goes on and on and on....

March 21, 2012

I finally found out late today that the insurance company has approve my surgery!  No 6 months of extra supervised weight loss!!!!!

I also completed my Sleep Study last night.  I was diagnosed with Severe Sleep Apnea.  Last night was the sleep over with using the c-pap. 

I have to do two more things yet - 1) get the results of last nights study read by the sleep Dr. and sent over to CareLinc so that I can get my c-pap machine. ( I have to have this and be using it before surgery)  2) I still have to get my Vitamin D level up.  Today they told me to start taking the 10,000IU of D that I am currently talking, to start taking that 3 times a day.  The PA says it will take a month to get me to the level that Dr. K. wants me to be for surgery.  Why they didn't have me taking this amount from the start, I don't know.

I don't have a surgery date as of yet.  I know Nettie was also waiting to hear from the insurance company too.  Hopefully, she will be in contact with them soon and we can get something scheduled.  I will call her tomorrow to let her know what I have found out, not sure if she can schedule anything based on just what I know or if she needs to talk to the insurance company directly.  Either way it is going to take 2-4 weeks to complete the two things that I need to do yet any way.  So my guess is that I am looking at a surgery date of late April to the first part of May.

I am just so relieved that I don't have to go thru the medical weight loss part!!

On to the next steps...

So...I have been to many appointments.  I met with Dr. White on Thursday, Feb. 2nd and she ordered 3 more tests for me.  I had to have a stress test, sleep study, and a EGD (performed by Dr. Kemmeter). She also ordered labs.  On Monday, Feb. 6th I was able to meet with Dr. Kemmeter and Scott, the Behavoirist.  Both of those appointments went well.  Scott saw no red flags as to why I cannot proceed with surgery.  At Dr. Kemmeter's appointment we discussed which surgery I would like to have done.  After lots of research I have decided to choose the D.S. surgery.  It seems to have the best success rate for amount of weight lost and being able to keep the weight off long term.  Dr. Kemmeter agreed.

My labs came back with low Iron and Vitamin D.  So I am taking 10,000IU of Vitamin D daily, along with Iron.  My Vitamin D was only 21 and Dr. Kemmeter will not do surgery until it is in the 40's.  Hopefully it doesn't take too long to get that number up.

This past week (Feb. 20) I was able to complete all of my other tests.  Monday, I had my stress test at Grand River Cardiology.  I did not have to walk on the treadmill.  They injected me with a medicine to get my heart rate up.  That was kind of a wierd feeling and hard to explain.  Not something I would want to have done everyday, but wasn't too bad.  The worst was them trying to get an IV in me.  That is always an issue for me.

Tuesday night I had my sleep study.  It went pretty good.  They did not have to wake me up and put a CPAP on me part way through the night.  Last time I had a sleep study they had to do that.  They said the Dr. would read the study and send the results in about 10-14 days.  Seems like a long time but what do you do.

Wednesday was my EGD, which was done by Dr. Kemmeter.  He is such a nice man!  I once again challenged them with finding a vien for my IV.  After 5 different tries in 5 different places they finally got it in my foot!  Who knew!  Dr. Kemmeter had to do a biopsy of a couple places in my stomach.  He was testing for H-pyloric.  They also found some mild Gastritis as well.

So all my tests are now done.  

Friday, I spoke with Nettie at Dr. Kemmeter's office and she has finally submitted everything to the insurance.  I hope and pray that everything goes smoothly with them and they authorize it with no problems.  Also, found out I tested negative for the H-pyloric that they did the bioposy on my stomach and the Gastritis can be treated with Prevacid, which I am already taking.

So now it's just waiting to hear back from insurance, get the rest of my test results and raising my Vitamin D numbers.  Hopefully none of them take very long!!  Will update as soon as I know anything more.

I attended the WLS seminar on Tuesday night.  My husband and best friend went with me.  I had attended one back in December of 2010, but left there with only a feeling of fear and too scared to want to move forward.  It all seems so drastic to me at that time.  Now here we are just over one year later and this time I left feeling excited!  Don't get me wrong I have my concerns, but it doesn't feel scary this time. 

I came to the decision after a conversation with my PCP.  After a few tears and that conversation I knew I no longer wanted to live my life in this condition.

I now have my first appointments scheduled.  Feb 2nd I meet with the Bariatician, Dr. White.  She will decide from there if I can proceed with surgery or if I have to do some medical weight loss first.  I am really hoping that I don't have to do the medical step.  I did that for more than a year, about 2 years ago. It worked, but I have since gained all the weight back plus and additional 30 pounds!  Pretty typical for me.

My biggest concern is approval from my insurance company.  Their criteria requires the 6 months of supervised weight loss and a psych exam.  I am hoping that with my BMI being 57 they will be willing to waive that, especially since I have done it in the past already.

If I am ok'd to moved forward with surgery, my next appointments are with the surgeon and the behaviorist on Feb. 6th.  I am praying that I am able to go to those appointments.  If anyone reading this is a praying person, I would appreciated any additional prayers, if your willing.

I probably won't have many updates until I have those appointments.  I am on the cancellation list so it possibly could be sooner.  I guess I need to pray for patience as well.  :-)