ObesityHelp

I am a woman of 44 years of age with two teenagers and a very
supportive husband.I have had weight problems since about age 13
and did the fad diets,medications,etc.since that time.All worked
for a time but all the weight loss would come back and then some.
We have all "been-there....done-that",as we all know.Each time
would leave me feeling more of a failure and more hopeless.I
have health problems with degenerative disc disease,fibrmyalgia,
arthritis,high cholesterol,and others.I really need this oper-
ation to get some quality of life.I am a very upbeat type of
person but my health problems have gotten the better of me the
last couple of years.

May 25,2001
I have a date for surgery....yes yes yes.It is July 11,2001.Now all I need is the insurance approval.The nurse at Dr.Swet's office has assured me that everything will go through as it always does with blue cross.The doctor hasn't sent the letter of medical necessity yet (which is causing a lot of anxiety),but the nurse assures me it will be OK.My pre-admission testing is scheduled for June 19,2201.I have Capitol Blue Cross-Federal Program and also Medicare A&B.If anyone has these feel free to e-mail me so I know how you made out with your approvals.Thank-you.
I have lost 20 pounds since seeing Dr.Sweet appx.10 weeks ago.This is what I needed to lose for surgery.I will continue to limit what I eat so maybe I will lose a couple more before the surgery.I had a hiatal hernia operation 11 years ago in which the surgeon tacked my stomache to my diaphragm.Dr.Sweet must undo this procedure before doing the bypass.I will be in surgery about twice the time he said so losing as much as I can before surgery will help minimize getting an embolism from being imobile for so long.
I am going on 2 trips in June which scares me.It is very hard to remain on a diet while traveling.It will hopefully (need insurance approval yet)be the last time I am in Florida at this weight.The heat really bothers me and being obese makes it so much worse.Well gotta go....more when I get my approval.
Good luck to all having the surgery and please pray for me as I will pray for all of you...my friends.

May 30,2001
Met with a cardiologist today for a pre-admission appt. to make sure my heart is in good shape.I previously have had sever chest pain due to fibromyalgia and been hospitalized for this so Dr.Sweet just wants to be absolutely sure that my heart is ok.My appt. and tests went well and everything is a go for surgery.I still have not received a letter from the doctors office showing that the surgeon has asked for insurance approval.I was told it would be mailed out right after my April 16th appt.and the approval would be coming in about 3 weeks.Here it is over 6 weeks later and less than 3 weeks before my pre-admission testing is to be done and the letter asking for insurance approval hasn't even been sent.I am definately frustrated and dissapointed about this.Bariatric surgeons know how stressful the waiting for approval is to us patients and I just don't understand why they make it worse by making us wait even longer.Also the staff shouldn't say a letter will be written that week and approval will come within 3 weeks if they are not certain this is what the doctor's intentions are.

May 30,2001

Wow,can't believe what I got in the mail !!!! My letter for approval has been sent to the insurance company.YIPEEEEE. Now I will try to be patient and WAIT.We all do that so well hahahaha.I am just really thrilled that this step has taken place.Next my approval....then surgery....then I too will be on the "other side"... I CAN NOT WAIT !!!!
Well,more later....

June 7,2001

I had my stress test (3 hours)yesterday.It went really well and my heart is fine for the surgery as far as I know.The isotope they gave me twice made me very nauseaus.It had such a bad taste in the mouth once it went through my system.My stomache still bothers me today.I now lost 24 pounds for having my surgery(MY doctor requires everyone to lose 10-25 pounds before the surgery).I am doing fine.I wanted to lose 25 pounds before surgery and it looks like that will be a good goal.I leave with my family for our 1st of 2 vacations tomorrow.We will be vacationing in Florida for a week.Vacationing is my only diet problem right now....staying away from tasting all the yummy foods there that aren't available back home.I have committed myself to being as good as I possibly can be.That's all any of us can do in life anyway.I am excited to go on these 2 trips.I will write more on how I did with food when I get back.Also,I haven't heard from the insurance company yet but the letter was mailed to them just a week ago.

June 20,2001

YES YES YES My insurance approval came in last week while I was on vacation in Florida.I called the doctor's office and the nurse gave me the good news.I was so happy I cried.I so much want to be on the other side.We had a great trip but I am so tired right now.We had auto trouble and were gone an extra 2 days so I only have 3 days to get all laundry done,bills caught up,etc. before the next trip on Friday.We are going to St.Louis to see our daughter,son-in-law,and our newest grandson....born on June 1st. I can't wait to see them all.I maintained my 24 pounds lost and the doctor (saw him on the 19th)was very pleased.I have to say he really boosted my resolve to eat healthier and get more exercise.He made my day and kept telling me how proud he was of my hard work and even told the nurse to congratulate me on a job well done.I saw the dietician todat and she was equally happy with my progress so far and we went over the new way I will eat when leaving the hospital and in the future.I now have an upper GI scheduled on July 5th and after that is my surgery on the 11th.I am so ready !!!!! Well....more later.

July 3,2001

71/2 days to go !!! I'm actually a little surprised that the big day is almost here.Seems like just recently I said ugh...my date is 3 months from now! Amazing how fast it comes.Well,got back from my trip to St.Louis and only gained 2 pounds.I still have 22 off so that is still good.I couldn't get much exercise while traveling on this last trip due to nerve pain in my legs.This trip was a lot harder than the one to Florida at the beginning of June.I have 2 foods that I want to eat before my surgery but will only have a small portion of each (on seperate days too).One is spaghetti with meat sauce and the other is fettucinne alfredo with baby shrimp.The doctor said only fluids the day before surgery but I will eat my last meal at lunch on Monday,July 9th....and surgery is Wednesday morning,July 11.This way I know my system will be cleared before the surgery takes place.I can't wait til I am on the other side.I will be glad when I wake in the recovery room and the surgery is behind me.I guess you could say I am a little nervous....my family and friends have been very supportive and for that I am very happy,proud,and very thankful.More later....

July 6,2001

The date for surgery is getting close now.I do have some anxiety but in the manageable range.I feel from having other major surgeries in my past that it is normal at this time to feel this way.I have lost in the range of 24-26 pounds and am happy with that.There are a few foods that I wanted before having the surgery and I have had them.I am having severe pain in my spine and both knees the last 2 days and have decided I better rest during the next few days so that my progress after the surgery is not jeapordized.I had dislocated my right knee-cap appx.8 weeks ago and had to have physical therapy to get it to heal.I don't want that again.

July 9,2001

Well...it's 7:41pm and I have less than 36 hours before my surgery.I am actually very relaxed and calm right now.I don't know where the calmness is coming from but I sure am glad it has arrived.. hahahaha.I just know I will do fine in surgery and will come home determined to make the most of this new tool I will be given.I hope and pray each day that I will be physically able to make the most of this tool each and every day (due to physical problems currently).My best friend is scheduled for this surgery on the 20th of July with the same surgeon and yesterday she got a letter saying her surgery was not approved.I was so upset for her.....our worse nightmare.Well,she talked to the insurance co. today and it will probably be approved with another more detailed letter from the doctor.Whew........I sure hope so.If I don't get a chance to post before my surgery I will post after getting home on the 15th or 16th.Keep me in your prayers as I will you mine....


August 10,2001

Well,I had the surgery but all did not go as planned.When the surgeon began the operation he had to deal with a massive amount of adhesions from previous surguries.These adhesions were wrapped around my liver,colon,and almost everything else too.My liver ruptured while removing those adhesions and I lost a little over 2 pints of blood.It took him 3 1/2 hours to remove the adhesions and when he finally got to my stomache....the walls of it were too thick and therefore not pliable enough for the bypass to be done.The "leak"potential was very high and he said to continue would be a huge risk to my life.Because I didn't know how bad the adhesions were,it was good that I had decided to have the surgery.It saved my life,for if I had not gone in for surgery I chose to have,my liver would have ruptured at some point in the near future and I would have bled to death.
At first,when I found out that evening that I did not get the bypass,I cried in my husbands arms.He cried too.I had worked so hard to get this chance and now I would never have it.It felt so unfair.I felt like my life was over at that point....but by morning I was re-stratagizing on how I could still have my dream of being "less-of-me".I had a surgeon that makes you lose some weight before the surgery to prove to him that you are committed to the life style changes you will be embarking on following the surgery.I lost 28 pounds prior to surgery and decided that maybe with or without the tool I could still do it.I wasn't kidding myself...I knew it would be harder and a much longer period of time but my life is worth it.I have 2 teens who need me and a husband I love deeply...I must fight for us all....1 pound at a time.On July 11(surgery date),I had lost 28 pounds and today...1 month later I have lost 42 pounds.I am very pleased and continue the fight.I WILL WIN THIS TIME !!! I need to lose 109 pounds to be at a weight I will be happy with(150 pounds).I am almost 1/3 of the way to goal.Keep me in your prayers and good luck to all of you.