noonietunes

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Feeling awesome! NO blood pressure meds for 2 years, normal blood pressure, feeling light on my feet!  New life, new love, new apartment, RnY is one of the best decisions I've ever made. 

Another "best" decision is deciding to walk away from a 20 year emotionally/physically/verbally abusive marriage.  People say I look happier and more energetic than ever.  I'm learning how to golf, getting back into bowling, and love camping/hiking. I've made over my wardrobe and hair.  I have not done any plastics yet, and don't think I am going to.  I've managed to maintain my weight at or below my goal.  I still cannot eat a "normal sized portion," and I do get dumping if I eat anything overly sweet.  Protein intake is something I still supplement with a shake to ensure my hair stays healthy and to help me build muscle.  I didn't really exercise until 1.5 year mark, as I wanted to see what surgery alone would do.  Now I'm incorporating some workouts along with the activities I enjoy. 

I am soo excited!  AND so thankful for switching to BCBS federal.  I will warn any federal employee with BMI > 35 < 40 that the FEHB insurers that NALC will NOT send your request to their underwriting insurance, Cigna, and that they play the middleman and ignore/deny comorbidities.  With NALC, you have to have had a heart attack or something, and they made it very clear to me that the Cigna bariatric policy did not apply to them.    I was lucky in that their denial came during open season so I could bail on them.  

Now that I can relax as I am approved, time to get prepared for my new life.   I feel a spring cleaning coming on!

I am so over waiting for this surgery.  Changed insurance effective this week, so the surgeon's office will be sending my documentation to the new insurance Monday.  Part of me is so used to everything being a hassle or fight, so it wouldn't surprise me if I was denied by this new insurance. The old insurance denied me because of BMI was under 40, they didn't think hypertension qualified as a comorbidity, and I had not had my sleep study at that time.  It was the underwriter that denied me and refused to refer my case to the actual insurer, Cigna.

My new insurance, whom I will hold off naming here until approved, SHOULD approve me as my bp averages over 140/90 even with meds and I was newly diagnosed with apnea, albeit mild to moderate depending upon sleep position. I also have therapy pending for a knee problem. My BMI is 37.6.  If I am denied, I am going to nickel and dime my insurer to death and go see a dr. with every single ache and pain, heart flutter, you name it.  It should not be so hard to get approved!  My surgeon, primary dr., and sleep dr. are all supportive of me having this surgery.  I've had 14 months of dr. supervised diet (unsuccessful), and did the Jenny Craig/weightwatchers thing for years, all unsuccessful. After 18 years of this, I am so over it.

I am totally aware that my skin will sag, I will probably have to save for some cosmetic work, my hair will fall out, etc.  However, I want to be able to get back into my kayak and be able to paddle without being immobilized by my fat and pfd.  I want to be able to hike and backpack, I want to feel good and  look good in clothes again.  I want to be able to move and get into yoga/tai chi and maybe even martial arts.  I want to pitch my diuretic and bp meds to the curb.  I no longer want to feel like I am just waiting for death or a heart attack (family history).  At 52, I am more than ready to get my life back..  I think I will lose it if I am denied.  I can't imagine putting this off any longer! I wish we could sue our insurance companies for unnecessary delays.... but unfortunately the appeal process/clause protects them from that.