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On Monday Feb 11,  I completed my pulmonary clearance for insurance. I was given the clearance, but the pulmonary doctor wanted me to have a sleep study to check me for sleep apnea. I will complete this on February 22.  I now have all my clearances complete. All my cardiac tests were just fine. Now I just have to wait until this Friday, the 15 of Feb for my 6 th and final month of my supervised diet. The doctor and I will complete all my required paper work for the surgeons office and insurance company. Hopefully the doctor and I are able to get everything completed by the time my appointment ends. Once that is all complete, and the surgeons office receives the paper work, they will be able to submit it to Molina healthcare- for what I hope will be an approval.  Everyone, please pray and cross your fingers !

I'll keep you all updated :)

So, I just wanted to update while I was online. 

My week has been so full of appointments for the insurance clearances.  Monday, as I posted in my blog earlier in the week I had completed my chest x-ray and arterial blood gas test.  Thursday I completed my Psych, dietician and exercise physcologist clearances. Then Friday (today) I completed my cardiac clearance.  The only things I have left to do is complete my pulmonary clearance, that will be done on Monday,  the 11 th  and I have my final appointment with my primary doctor on Friday the 15 th. I am praying to God so much for an approval.  I hope all that the insurance coordinator is able to obtain all the necessary information that the insurance company needs so that I can avoid the run around.  

If you are reading this, please pray for me !

Hayley

I cannot express just how proud I am of myself. Today I just completed my ABG test or better known as the dreaded arterial blood gas test !  I cannot believe that I made it through !

Now, I was most scared of this test in particular simply because I  heard all the horror stories.  Trust me, they are only stories.

I begged and pleaded with the nurse, which I happened to end up with a big, hairy male nurse ! That made me even more nervous. He was very nice, and had a soft touch.  At first I asked him to do the test in the crease of my inner arm, where one usually has blood drawn. He did, but it wasn't a good stick because he wasn't able to get much blood. So, then I panicked knowing that he would have to stick my right wrist.

To be totally honest this did not hurt as much as it sounds. I would not lie to anyone, since I know how nervous I was before the test.  It literally feels just like a regular blood draw, but once the syringe is inside the skin I felt a pressure type of feeling.  He did tell me that the arteries unlike veins are wrapped in nerve endings so I may feel some discomfort when the needle made contact with the artery. 

After the test was complete, it only felt like I had been bumped really hard in the wrist. I took 2 Advil's and about 20 minutes later, I forgot all about the pain. Now, I only can tell if I press on the site.

I hope I may have helped someone who is scared of this procedure !

On Tuesday I had my 5th out of 6 months of supervised dieting with my primary doctor. It went well. I have my final appointment on February 15th.  My doctor and I will get everything done and put together that my insurance requires for approval.

I have such a busy month ahead of me. February is going to kick my ass ! But if this surgery gets approved then it will defiantly pay.

On the 7th of Feb I have to complete my dietician/psych/exercise physiology clearance. Then if I have enough time left, I will have to swing over to the hospital to have a cardiac clearance done which includes a chest x-ray and thee most dreaded thing of all--- the Arterial Blood Gas test !  I know this will be a pain in the ass- and wrist so I may as well just grin and bear it.

On Feb 11th I have my pulmonary function test to complete. If all goes well I'll receive my clearance. 

Then as I mentioned earlier i'll have my final appointment of my supervised diet on Feb. 15. Hopefully after all this is completed it will not be long until it can be submitted to my insurance company. Then after all that is turned in I will be bitting my nails to the quick waiting for their response.

About a month ago I found out that Caresource's requirements are very different from Molina's. After speaking to a very good source from Premier Bariatric's in Dayton, I found out that Caresource is a very difficult insurance company to deal with, and that they do not always approve; even when necessary.

So after thinking about this for a while I decided to switch back to Molina, where they are much more likely to approve my surgery.  I have most of my requirements finished, I just need to have a pulmonary and cardiac clearance and my lab work. Also, February will mark my 6 month of the supervised diet. I'll soon be done !!

I'm so excited. I have been praying religiously every night that I will become approved for surgery.

A few days ago I found out that Miami Valley Hospital (where my surgery will take place upon being approved) will no longer accept the health insurance I currently have (Molina healthcare) as of January 2013. I only had to wait until February until I was finished with my 6 month diet, then I would be ready to submit to insurance. I can honestly say I was upset to hear this news. But I switched back to Caresource, whom requires a 9 month supervised diet and specific co-morbid conditions with a certain BMI. This has me worried as I do not have high blood pressure, or diabetes. I am pre-diabetic however. I also have high cholesterol, acid reflux, with the possibility of sleep apnea (haven't been tested yet) and Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome.

 That was the bad news.  The good news is that I will be able to submit to my insurance in May 2013. That only puts me 3 months behind of what I was hoping.  Also, with Caresource you do not have to go through a Cardiac and pulmonary clearance, as Molina had requested.  

Today I also had my Nutritional consultation.  Last month I had my Psychologist consultation.  So, next week I have my last appointment with my Psychologist and I'll receive my clearance from him.

Wow, I have to be honest, the closer I get to finishing up my 6 month supervised diet, the more nervous I become. I am currently in my fourth month of the six that are required. I have completed my Pshy. evaluation, turned in papers for my pcp to fill out, and I will be seeing the NUT in a week.

I have a wonderful feeling inside of me. I'm praying that all goes well and I will become approved for surgery around February of 2013. I am so ready to become a post-op, rather than a pre-op.

 As of today, I have completed my first month of a 6 month doctor supervised diet. The appointment went well. I was ordered some blood work to check my cholesterol, sugar and thyroid. As much as I want to be healthy, I also want to be approved by my insurance company for this surgery. I truly feel it will change my life for the best. I have been praying to our great Lord that he stands beside me throughout this process and gives me good news when time comes for an answer from the insurance company.  Please, wish me luck. Have a blessed day- Hayley.