6/9/02-- well I have done everything the folks at Neweigh have asked me to do. Insurance has requested my medical records proving MO for at least the past five years. (not a problem) And they also want me to prove that I have tried a medically supervised diet for at least 12 months.(a problem) I haven't been one on for 12 consecutive months. I hope the angel's at Neweigh can work around this!!! I researched WLS for about a year before making the call. My husband wasn't supportive, but now he is. I hope I can say as much for the insurance company!!!

9/1/02 -- it's been 3 months since I last posted!! I was denied my claim by my insurance company, and now the insurance team at Neweigh is working on my appeal. It is my understanding that they have sent in all the paperwork as of last Monday, and now I have to wait and see what happens. I know that the insurance company has to respond within 30 days. I hope they get moving on this faster than that though!!! It's been very frustrating all this waiting. I watched another program today on how people have been helped by this surgery. I want to be one of those people!!!

9/17/02 -- Found out last Thursday that my appeal didn't get filed until last Monday, so the wating started all over for me. In the mean time I have gone back to trying to diet on my own again. Going low-carb. I have to do something, what if I never get approved!!!

1/30/03 -- well denied again by Aetna, I don't have the full 2 years of medically supervised dieting, I only have 18 months!!! I thought all was lost, and then my husband got a new job with UnitedHealthcare insurance. I waited a couple of months and now I have started the process all over again with them. I have also decided to select another surgeon. Neweigh just didn't feel right for my husband, and I decided that if he was uncomfortable with them, we would find another surgeon that we were both comfortable with. Of course I am now heavier than I have ever been in my life. I have to attend an information seminar before I can get an appointment with the surgeon that we have selected. That happens on Feb 12, so maybe I can get all of this rolling pretty quick!! Pray for me, it can only get better right?

2/20/03 -- ok I got an approval letter two days ago!!! I am so excited. And totally surprised, because the letter is for an approval with Dr. Alanis, through Neweigh, so my husband and I had a really long talk about it, and we are going to meet with Dr. Alanis and if we both feel good about it we will schedule the surgery date. The nurse told me I have to get a few things in order first. Like I have to have the 2nd half of the sleep study done and I have to be on the cpap machine for 10 days before surgery. So I go next Tuesday night and have that done, and then I see the Sleep doctor on the 03/05 and we talk about the machine. So to me it looks like I might be having this surgery before the end of March. I am gettting so excited. Last night my very best friend, who is about the same size as me, came over for a heart to heart talk. I have never tried to persuade the surgery, I think that this is a very personal decision. But she wants to have the surgery!!! So she is going to start looking into it. These are very exciting times.

2/24/03 - sleep lab called me to come in on Friday (they had a cancellation) so that part is done, now I meet with the sleep doctor on Wednesday and then as soon as I get the machine I can call the surgeon's office and let them know so we can schedule a date. This is all happening so fast!!! I even told my boss at work about it!! she was happy for me, but we have to start looking for a long term substitute for my class. I feel like I am going into some sort of food frenzy though. All I can think about is what I am not going to be able to eat after I have the surgery, so shouldn't I be eating everything now!!! Lord help me.

2/27/03 - the medical supply company is coming out to my work tomorrow with the cpap machine. My surgeon's nurse told me to call her when I get the machine, and then we can schedule!!! I'm soooo excited. I hope I get a date soon!!!!

2/28/03 - ohhhh, I should know the surgery date today pleasepleasepleaseplease

3/1/03 - well the nurse told me that the surgeon will have to clear my chart for surgery and he won't be in to do his clinical stuff until Thursday!!! DRATS!!! oh well, I whined enough that the nurse told me the next available opening they have for surgery is on March 24th, but she couldn't guarantee that day until the doc's done his part. She did say that I am really close to getting a surgery date, just hold on it's going to happen!! I was talking to some friends in my graduate classes today about it, they were so excited for me. They said they would make sure that I get all the info for any classes that I miss. They really are cool people!!! I am starting to feel the stress of this however. I knew there was something that was making feel weird, emotionally. I just realized that it must be this. I guess a life altering decision will do that for a person.

3/3/03 -- wow three nights on the cpap and I can really tell a difference, how stupid I have been to fight the doctor on this thing!!! it's a little annoying, but I haven't slept this good since I was a kid!!! I will be checking with my surgeon's office to see if they received the sleep lab's report. wouldn't it be cool if Dr. Alanis came in today and cleared my chart early? well now I know that's just dreaming, but it would be cool wouldn't it?

3/9/03-- I can't believe I got a date!!! March 24th is my new birthday!!! I have been running back and forth from estatic to scared out of my mind. I have been in tears and I have been giggling with anticipation. I got out my old copy of Carnie Wilson's book - "Gut Feelings" I am again encouraged that this is the right thing to do. I pray every day that the Lord will see me through this and that he will keep his hand of protection over me. I know that in him all things are possible.

3/17/03 -- the excitement is really building!!! My husband is being so supportive. What a good man. I can't believe that in 7 days I will be on the losing side of life!!! I am little nervous about these weeks of liquids I've got coming up -- but I will be handle it, I have a good support system and I have a pretty strong will. I am feeling really positive right now. I am doing my breathing exercises, and I know that I should be on my treadmill, I'm going to get on it tonight, for as long as I can. Any little bit will help. I am really concerned about the personal care after surgery. What if I am not about to reach!!!! that will be horrible!!! I am getting so big now that things are getting difficult. How embarrassing, I can't believe that I just wrote that. But it's true. Oh well, I'm nothing if not honest!! :)

3/20/03 -- The US is at war, and I am only 4 days away from changing my life forever. Dr.Alanis likes his patients to journal after the surgery, to help cope. So I picked out a journal that has "forever" on the front of it. That's exactly what this surgery is all about. I have to come to grips with that. I have spent 35 years wrecking my body with food, now is the time and opportunity to get it under control. It will be a long journey, but it will be the journey of a lifetime.

3/31/03 -- I am now offically 1 week post-op. If my scales are reading right, I have lost 18 pounds!!! I haven't lost that much in such a long time. Of course I am not going to consider any weight loss real until I get on the scales at Neweigh and find out for sure. I have not had any problems with vomiting. I do not like the protien drink. I can't wait until I can get my protein by actually eating it!!! I hope that I can tolerate meat alright. I have been so blessed so far with no real food problems. Of course eating liquids is really hard to mess up! :)
I feel like I have lost weight. I am also getting past the soreness of surgery. Everyday I get a little stronger. Today I actually felt good enough to get dressed and go out shopping with Jared. We are not sure how to buy food anymore, we ended up spending the same amount of money, but only about a tenth of the food was for me. I guess Jared will be set for about 2 weeks.:)

4/11/03 -- here I am a little over three weeks on the other side and I have lost 23.5 lbs. I am sooo happy. I won't lie, it hasn't been easy. I am still having pain under the incision site. It still feels like someone kicked me in the stomach. But I would do it all over again in a heartbeat. I am really having to watch how much I eat. I am not used to just 2 ounces of anything!!! I have found that I will overeat if I don't measure it out, and then that leads to a lot of discomfort. I have also found that I cannot eat crackers with my tuna. It is horrible. So I will not be doing that any more. My best friend and her husband just got their approval letters. I am so excited for them. I bet they both have their surgery before the end of the summer. This time next year we are all three going to look so different. I cannot be thankful enough for my wonderful husband. I don't think that I would be doing nearly as well without him. What a doll!!!

4/21/03 -- Today makes it 4 weeks since surgery. I have now lost 30 pounds. I can really feel a difference. I get out of bed without my ankles screaming at me, I have energy. Surgical pain is gone. I have a small place on my incision that is draining, but I feel that it's healing. I can't believe that I have lost 30 pounds!!!! This is incredible. I was just telling my DH last night that the last time I had lost 30 pounds was before we went on our trip to Europe, and then over the past 2 years I managed to gain all of it back, plus another 30!! I have not been attending the aftercare sessions that Neweigh wants me to go to. I have been finding myself at this website a lot. And I have been talking to my husband a lot about my old lifestyle. I guess maybe this is my therapy.

4/23/03 -- I am now down to 314. That's 31 pounds gone forever. I noticed that wedding rings are getting a little loose. I have to keep an eye on that, don't want to lose this set!!! I tried on some clothes that were too small just a few weeks ago. I could wear one item, the others were still a little tight across the stomach. Oh well. Gotta get on that treadmill.

5/15/03 -- My current weight is 302, that's 43 pounds gone. The loss has been slower than I had hoped. I believe that part of the problem is my not exercising.

5/17/03 -- I cannot believe that I am finally below 300!!! The scales read 298 today!!! And I got the job I have been wanting for a couple of years now!!!! This is so exciting!!!

6/05/03 -- Today the scales read 290. I am soooo happy! I started a pile of clothes that I will never wear again. They are already too big on me. I also started trying on clothes that I have had in my closet for years but have not been able to get on. I have been able to wear 4 or 5 different things, of course there are several that are still too tight, but their time will come. My best friends husband had lap RNY yesterday and he is doing very well. He did 4 laps around the hallway when I was there. I pray that he has the success that I have had and that we both reach our goals. His wife has been approved for the surgery, I hope that her complications along the way haven't discouraged her too much. I think that her life is in danger from the weight. I was thinking about Carnie Wilson posing for playboy. What a shame to have accomplished such a wonderful thing, only to cheapen herself for the pleasure of men. What a shame.

6/18/03 -- Have finally gotten below 290!! I am now at 287. People are starting to ask me about how much I have lost and make comments about the weight loss. It's nice to get the encouragement. I am worried about a small red lump that has developed on the side of my left calf. I think that it is probably a superficial venous thrombosis. Will have to see the doctor about this!!! I can't wait to get out of the 280's!!! My next goal is to get to 250. I very much want to be down there by the time school starts, which is Aug. 14th so I have a little less than 2 months to lose 30 pounds. I think that I can do it.

6/20/03 -- Well the scale has dropped to 285 and that means I have officially lost 60 pounds now!!!! I had a little bit of a scare today though. I had developed a red, swollen spot about the size of a half dollar on the side of my left calf. I called my doctor today about it, but her office was closing and she thought it was something that needed to be checked right away, so off to the ER I went. 4 hours later the ER doc decides that it was probably cellulitis that seems to be resolving itself. He felt like it was definately not a blood clot, but told me what to watch for. Big relief.
My best friend in the whole world is having her surgery on July 3rd. I hope that she has the same speedy, uneventful recovery that I have had.


7/9/03 -- Yesterday I had my 3 month follow-up with Dr. Alanis. All my labs came back just fine. He stated that my weight loss is great, not to try and rush the loss, keep it steady. He also mentioned that I should be taking a calcium supplement. I noticed that more of my clothes are becoming loose. I will definately have to buy a few things soon. Even my shoes are starting to become loose. I love this part!! :)

7/31/03 -- The scale now reads 275. This means that I have now lost 70 pounds!!! People are really starting to notice. I notice the changes even more now. I had to serve jury duty this week, and we had to walk about 4 blocks for lunch. Before this surgery I would have been dying to walk the distance, but I didn't even break a sweat!!! I bought three new dresses today at Ross - spent 40.00, and they were all 2X's and they fit!!! This is soo cool. I can pretty much eat anything. My limits are not too much bread, nothing fried, and no sugar.


8/15/03 -- well the weight loss is slowing and the hair is coming out!!! I am now down to 269. And it's wonderful. I have so much energy!! I met a lady at work who is 2 years post op on she is down 135, she says she is where she thinks she'll stay, she is about 160, and she's very happy with it. She looks great. I can't hardly wait to say that I am finally happy with my weight.

I have been trying to increase the protein. I have found a bar at Sam's Club that is only 13.oo for a box of 12. And they taste pretty decent, not the best, but tolerable. 20grams of protein per bar. Guess it's a good way to have breakfast on the way to work.

I don't believe that I would be able to do the job I have now if I hadn't had this surgery. I can walk a lot more now. I don't have the horribly sore ankles in the mornings like I used to. I feel so much better.

8/24/03 -- I woke up on my 5 month anniversary of surgery to 264lbs. I am so excited. This is a total of 81 pounds gone forever. I don't know if I am going to make it to my goal of 100 pounds by my anniversary, that's at the end of September, but I am really motivated to work harder at it. Life is good.

9/03/03 -- the scale now reads 260. It is simply amazing. I am now lighter than I have been in about 8 years. 25 pounds lighter than when my husband and I went to Europe, and 40 pounds lighter than the day I got married. Once I get below 250 I will be lighter than my husband has ever known me. Can that day come soon enough? :)

9/9/03 -- this morning the scale read 257!!! I am starting to wear clothes that I haven't worn in years, as well as several things that I had purchased but never worn. This weekend my husband and I went to my family reunion. I have never been before, pretty much because I was so embarrassed about my weight. I had the best time. My husband even convinced me to get on the paddle boat!!! I put up a fight at first because I was convinced that I would be so much heavier than him, that the boat might flip, or at the very least be extremly unbalanced. But he pointed out that there is only about 50 pounds difference between us now, so it shouldn't make much difference. And he was right. What a great weekend.

10/06/03 - well I hit that dreaded plateau. I was stuck at 256 forever, the scale has finally started to move the right direction again. Last weekend my hubby and I went to San Antonio to celebrate our wedding anniversary. We had the best time. I know that I would never have been able to go and enjoy myself if I hadn't had this surgery.

10/20/03 -- I cannot believe I have lost 100 pounds!!! This is the most incredible thing!!! I can tell that the weight loss is definately slowing. I am only halfway to my goal of losing 200lbs. But I cannot believe that I have come this far!!! I also am realizing more and more that if I want to lose the rest of this weight, I am going to have to seriously start working on it. The surgery will not do everything by itself. I am so excited to finally be in the century club!!!

11/30/03 -- It has been a month since I last posted. I have only lost 6 pounds in the last month. Cold reality is setting in. The surgery did half of the work, I have to do the rest. It's gonna get really hard now!!! On a lighter note, I rode on a motorcycle this Thanksgiving!!! My Uncle Bruce used to take all the kids when we were little. Now he is giving the grandkids rides. Well I wanted a ride too!!! And for the first time in years my butt was actually small enough to fit!!! YEAAA!!!!

12/08/03 -- I am only 7 pounds from being severely obese instead of morbidly obese!!! That sounds kind of strange, I mean who would want to be obese at all? But I started this journey at 345, super obese. That was miserable. I have come so far!!! My hubby and I bought our tickets to Amsterdam. We are going during Spring Break. So I have exactly 3 months to get some more weight off. The last time I went I was about 285 and I didn't have as good of a time as I should have. I couldn't walk that far, I was grouchy. This time things are going to be completely different. I have a feeling that I will be able to get down to about 200. It would be nice to get down to 190, but I think that might be reaching a little too far. Of course all this means that I have really got to start in on the exercising. I suspect that the surgery has taken me about as far as it is going to. I have to to work for the rest of it!!!

1/1/04 -- and so with the New Year comes the renewed effort. I actually did stick to the diet and did the exercise today. Of course sticking to the diet really means avoiding the carbs. It isn't so bad. I felt so good after walking. I don't know why I tell myself I don't like to exercise. The truth is I really kind of like it. I know that 2004 is going to be even more exciting that 2003!!! This is the first New Year's that I can say I am really looking forward to life and can't wait to see what it holds for me!!!