Cheri C.

Send Message

Block

Add Friend

Today I celebrated 23 years of sobriety.  I have been sober half my
life.  I started drinking when I was 12.  I was drinking every day by the
time I was 13.  I quit drinking when I was 23. 

The last week and a half has been a roller coaster.  I got my pre-op
testing done on Monday, May 15.  On the 16th my surgeon's office sent me
an email (they are in Seattle, I'm in Alaska).  My surgeon didn't like
the results of my thyroid tests and he said that if my PCP couldn't
explain why my T4 and TSH were so low and get me on some kind of treatment
for it, he would cancel my surgery.  My results were so low that my PCP
and I thought there had to be a lab error because I wasn't having any
symptoms.  Well, to be on the safe side I quit taking all my medications
for a week except my heart medicine and my GERD medicine.  I repeated
the tests on Monday, the 22nd.  Today I got the results.  They are
normal!!!!  Surgery is on again!!  It is really getting real now.  I still
have to meet with my PCP's partner who is an internist and have him give
the final clearance to my surgeon but there won't be any problems with
that.

My PCP also called me Monday night while I was in Anchorage.  He said
he couldn't give clearance with the way my EKG looked but when I
reminded him that my cardiologist in Seattle already gave me clearance and the
EKG looked the same then he reviewed my file and saw the clearance from
the cardiologist.  I have a very abnormal EKG but it was just as
abnormal when the cardiologist gave the clearance.  So all is well!!

HAPPY MOTHERS DAY!
I am starting to get really excited.  Tomorrow will be 1 month until
surgery.  I am having all my pre-op testing done tomorrow at the local
hospital.  They will fax the results to my surgeon in Federal Way.  I
also will see an internist here on May 26 to go over the results with him. 
He needs to write the final clearance letter to my surgeon.  I'm not
worried as I know everything is going well on the inside!!

I have made our travel arrangements for Seattle.  My husband is going
with me.  I didn't think he was going to because he and I were having
such a rough time.  But when I ask him if he wanted to go he was right
there saying yes - I was so worried about you going by yourself.  I'm
glad he will be going with me.  I wasn't looking forward to going by
myself and being in a hotel by myself.  I think that since I know he is
going it has brought our relationship to a different level.  Kinda closer
again.  We just celebrated our 7 year anniversary on May 8.  We've had
our ups and downs and almost separated a few times.  I really do love
him and I know he loves me.  Just different personalities and that makes
it hard sometimes.  Whew...time to change the subject.

But because he is going with me, we will stay with his daughter who
lives about 5 minutes away from the hospital.  We will be borrowing my
brother's truck.  The airline tickets are mileage tickets so actually, the
trip isn't costing us anything other than leave time from our jobs!!

We leave Juneau on June 13th.  I have an appointment with the surgeon
on the 14th and surgery is scheduled for 8:00a.m. on June 15th.  I have
a 3 hour nutrition class on June 21 and also meet with the surgeon that
day for my one-week follow-up appointment.  We plan on coming back to
Juneau that night if all goes well.

We will be taking the lap top so I'll try to update when I can.

Tina called this morning at 7:30 when I was on my way to work.  I have
a date - JUNE 15, 2006.  I will leave Juneau on the 12th to do some
pre-op appointments in Seattle; have surgery on the 15th; go to my
nutrition class and one-week followup appointment on the 21st and come home
that evening.  If all goes well, that is the plan.

Work has really gotten busy as my supervisor took another job and I had
to take over some of her departments.  That will make the time go by
quickly.  Plus I have to go to Anchorage for 2 1/2 days on May 22. 

I have to do a 10-day clear liquid diet before surgery and I'm supposed
to start my protein drinks and vitamins now.  I'll buy those on payday. 
I'm glad I already quit smoking as I'd have to be doing that now, too.

Well, here begins the next step of this journey.  Stay with me God. 
You have never let me down.

I'M APPROVED....OH YEA OH YEA OH YEA!!!! Bombdiggity as my daughter
would say!!!!

Tina, the patient coordinator/nutritionist at my surgeon's office
called today.  As soon as I heard her voice I knew I had been approved - she
would have sent an email if I was denied or if the insurance company
needed more information.

She wanted to schedule me for sometime in July but my employer is
changing insurance companies July 1 so she is doing some rearranging to get
me in before then.  She'll call me back tomorrow with a date.

This has been quite the journey so far.  Actually, I feel very
fortunate.  Even though the clinic where I did a 6-month supervised diet lost
my file and I had to do another 3-month program I still feel grateful. 
I learned so much during that 3-month program that will benefit me
after surgery.  I really need to thank my nutritionist and counselor.  They
did a wonderful job.

Tina also told me she wanted me to start on my protein shakes and
vitamins.  I've never heard anyone say they needed to start these pre-op but
I'm going to do as she says.

Tomorrow I'll have a date.  I'm sure once I get the date that time will
stand still until the date gets here.  I've waited this long.  I can
wait a bit more.

Well, I am back from Seattle - and no surgery yet.  The insurance
company contacted my surgeon on Monday, the 24th saying they needed
documentation showing my weight in 2004.  I had to jump through some hoops to
find a doctor I went to in that year.  That is the year I graduated from
law school in Michigan and moved back to Alaska.  I had gone to a
clinic in Michigan to get a mammogram.  Normally, they don't weigh you for
mammograms, but they did a mini physical on me, including my weight. 
Anyway, they faxed the document to my surgeon who forwarded it on to
Aetna.  Now, I'm waiting again.

I went to Seattle for my conference for work.  It was good.  I was also
able to spend time with my brother and sister.  I will stay with my
sister after surgery.

I also went to an orientation Friday night put on by my surgeon's
office.  It was good to hear him explain the procedures again.  Also, he has
changed his practice somewhat as now he does medial and distal RNY
using the laproscopic procedure.  I may go for the medial now that he does
it lap. 

I gained 3 pounds between my trip to Anchorage on Monday and my trip to
Seattle.  I'm back in weight-loss mode now though.  I still need to get
a good pre-op picture.  I think I have a few somewhere at my highest
weight of 239.

I expect to hear from the insurance company sometime this week.  I'll
post again then.

My surgeon's office emailed me.  They have submitted my paperwork to
the insurance company. Oooohboy...here we go!!!  I'm fairly confident
I'll be approved as I made sure I met all the criteria on their bulletin. 
We'll see.

I have lost 17 pounds since April 1.  Now I think I will make the
pre-op weight loss requirement.  I have about 10 more pounds to go before
surgery. 

I'm still hoping to have it the first week of May but I've kind of
resigned myself to the fact that it may be later in the month. I can't
imagine that I would be approved and the surgeon would have an opening all
within the time frame that I'm trying to fit all this in.  I think that
would be asking too much.  All it will cost me is the mileage for my
ticket.  I am going to Seattle on Wednesday for work and had hoped to
have the surgery while I'm down there.  We'll see.  I'll write again when
I get a response from the insurance company.

Yesterday was my 46th birthday.  Today I bought myself a little sports
car.  I call it my mid-life crisis car.  It is a Chevy Cobalt Turbo
Charged Super Sport....It goes VERY fast.  It's bright yellow.  One of my
goals post-op is to fit into the racing seat the way you're supposed
to!!

Well, yesterday I had my last appointment with my counselor and my
nutritionist/physical trainer.  I have already faxed everything from the
counselor to my surgeon.  My nut was going to fax all her stuff last
night.  So now all I need is to get my PCP's letter and notes from the past
3 months and fax them to my surgeon.  They are supposed to be ready on
Monday.  This is a bit sooner than I planned and my 3 months is not
technically up until the 18th.  But, I have seen all the professionals 6
times since January 18.  I'm really hoping my surgeon gets the stuff to
the insurance company by the end of next week and that approval comes
real quick.  I'm pretty confident I will be approved as I have done
everything required in the insurance bulletin.  We'll see though, I know
how those insurance companies can be.  Wish me luck!!  Oh, by the
way...I've lost 4 pounds this week!!!

I haven't updated for awhile but not much new is happening.  I've been
seeing the counselor and nutrionist/physical therapist twice a month
since January.  I have decided to send in the paperwork the week of April
10.  That will give my surgeon's office and the insurance company a
little more time to get everything in order. 

Day to day time seems to be going so slow but when I look back on it, I
guess its gone fast.  Less than a month now before I will be playing
the waiting game for approval!! 

A friend at work gave me a treadmill.  I've been trying to do two miles
a day.  Sometimes I make it, sometimes I don't but I always keep the
goal in sight. 

I'm starting to get concerned because I haven't lost any weight. 
Quitting smoking has slowed down my metabolism drastically.  I'm very jazzed
that I'm not gaining but I'd really like my efforts to pay off more and
start losing.  Not for the 3-month pre-op program but for the surgeon. 
He wants me to lose 15-20 pounds.  I have to do a 10-day clear liquid
fast before surgery so that will help. 

I quit smoking on New Years and gained about 15 pounds.  I asked the
patient coordinator at my surgeon's office if I could count that weight
(i've lost 7 pounds of the 15 I gained) or if I needed to lose it plus
15-20 and she said I need to lose it all.  So total, I have to lose
about 22 pounds now before surgery.  With quitting smoking, my metabolism
has really slowed down.  I'm only eating 1200 calories per day on my
nutrionist's instructions but I think I need to cut down further.  I'll
kick it in high gear and get the rest of this pre-op weight off.

I'll update again once I submit my paperwork for approval...oooh
boy...I get excited just thinkin' about it!!