Munky
4/24/05I've finally bitten the bullet. I went to the seminar in CF this past Thursday, and had the famous 25 page questionnaire mailed back to them on Friday. Now I'm just waiting until I have my appt with my PCP in 3 weeks. I guess I really don't have anything to do before then! I made sure to make copies of my diet history and family history, so I could show my Dr what I sent in. Now I'm just trying to focus on everyone's before and after pics and not insurance horror stories! Now I get to think about when to tell some friends... I don't think we'll say anything to anyone who doesn't already know - until after I get the insurance approval. I think the largest group of them won't know until I'm on the losing side. I just don't want to deal with some of the very negative people before I head into a major surgery, KWIM? Well, there's not much to say. I went to my PCP yesterday and she's very supportive. She wants to help get me more diet documentation if I should need it... Over all it went well and she's taking everything very seriously. She put me on the pill to see if it would help with PCOS, and she said that if my cholesterol is even borderline this time, she'd think about medicating me... just because my family hx is that bad. Scary, but probably a good idea. I have my consult appt in less than a week. I had my initial consult today with Angie and Lois. My MIL went with me and introduced me to some of the staff - that was nice. Always good to know some insiders. So now I'm waiting for my psych eval. I'm getting my sleep study scheduled and then I'll just need to see the cardiologist. Oh, and that pesky insurance. LOL I guess I do need an approval. ;) My psych evaluation went well. I really had no idea what to expect... I was kinda thrown off that he asked a lot more questions about my relationship with my mother, etc, instead of my husband... that was pretty odd. The only thing I got a kick out of was when he tried to catch me in a lie. LOL He had in his hands (which I didn't realize at the time) the paper that said that I don't drink any soda... He asked me what dietary changes I'd need to make and then eventually went back and asked about carbonated beverages. Well duh. I hadn't thought to tell him that I wouldn't be having them, because I don't have them now! LOL That wouldn't be a change, right?! He wished me luck though, before and after, so I'm assuming that he felt I was competent enough for surgery. Now it's in the insurance companies hands. *fingers are crossed!* Today, after being pushed by a friend, I bit the bullet and called the insurance company. I swear I was pleading under my breath, and trying to remind myself to keep breathing if they could me that the pre-approval was denied. LOL I really thought that I didn't hear him right when he told me that it was approved just yesterday. Woooo hooooooooo! I think I might just be in shock right now. LOL Finally. After 5 years of trying to lose weight as a full time job, it might just happen. I'm so thrilled. The good news is, I have dropped about 15 lbs since my first appt. Like everyone else, I signed that dreaded contract that says that they won't operate if I've gained more than 5 lbs... so I'm busting my ass to get as far a way from that original weight as possible. Heck, if I could be in the 230's before surgery... I might just faint. OK, maybe just jump for joy. LOL He told me that he would wake me up and put the CPAP on if I was really having problems - and that didn't happen - but that doesn't mean I'm in the clear, either. We'll see - I really still think it could go either way... Or I wouldn't be surprised either way, maybe that's what I should say. All in all I'm excited. I thought it would kill be to wait that long, but I'm very at peace knowing that the can is (kinda) set in less than a month and a half. (that date had been "penciled" in already at the office, pending the sleep study results) I got the official word today that my surgery date is set for Sept. 20th. Wow, kinda a weird feeling. I finally have a day in sight... Woo hoooo - my BMI is officially under 40. I'm one week out and feeling great. I hadn't been having any pain, but then I hit this little coughing spree this morning. Man did that hurt. So right now I'm just trying to get back on top of that and carry on. The drain is out and wow. I can't even describe how much better that makes me feel! At the office I was at 239 today and at home, without shoes, etc, I'm at 231. Our scales are about 5 lbs different. I'm cool with that. LOL Well, I'm down to 204 and hoping to get below 200 by Thanksgiving. I think my mother is going to be blown away next week when I see her. She saw pictures a month ago, but still, this is another HUGE difference this month. We'll see. I'm excited about this round of pictures and measurements - I love seeing the difference month to month. Oh, and did I mention that I'm *this* close to getting into my pre-kids jeans?! Just wanted to jump back in here and say that I did make it below 200 - I came back from Thanksgiving vacation to find myself at 197! I've decided that I really need to go with the 265 starting weight for my own sanity. I know Dr G goes with the weight right before surgery (251), but heck, I would have still been at 265 without the liquid diet... so dang it, I earned those lbs just the same!!! Anyway, I'm thrilled where I am and I've kicked up my exercise even more. My muscles hurt, but I'm sure it'll pay off and I'll be looking good for summer. Plus, I'll be super healthy! I'm happy to say that I'm at a normal BMI!! And... I'm pregnant. Not expected, and sure not planned, but great all the same! As far as the pregnancy goes, we had a pretty big scare last week and ended up finding out that I'm just a lot "less" pregnant than we thought. We're blaming the weightloss and think I was hyperovulating or something. I would have gotten pregnant right when I was "late". So instead of being around 12-13 weeks, I'm only about 9.5. All is well though, and that's what matters. I just have to "relive" the last few weeks of this pregnancy so far. LOL Anyway, my update. At 26 wks pregnant, I'm sitting around 162. You have no idea how many times I slip up and say 262. After freaking out about it a lot, and talking to Angie, etc., my OB nurse talked my OB into letting me go without the glucose test. I really wanted to refuse it, but apparently all of her post-op patients have done it. I think they're nuts! lol If I dumped off BBQ beef this summer, there's no way I'm going to drink that glucola. Man, it made me sick before surgery... I told them if I did it, they would probably have to provide me with a place to nap afterward. And that I'd have to arrange for a baby sitter so that my husband could be there to drive me home. They decided it wasn't worth it! I was a very happy camper after that appt.
