Gwen S.

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Here it is 5 days out and I haven't updated my blog.  Bad me!  Well, I'll start from the beginning.

Tuesday we got to the hospital about 8:30.  All 3 kids in tow along with my niece who was there to help DH.  It is kind of a blur, but I got weighed (128.6 kg - I haven't figured that out yet - multiply it by 2.2)  and then wisked into a 4 bed holding room.  Shortly after donning the sexy fatty gown the nurse came in to tell me my surgery was delayed.  She didn't know how long - only that the first surgery had some complecations.  So 2 1/2 hrs later they came to get me to take me to the pre-op holding area.  I was informed I'd be in there an hr or so before my surgery.  Finally around 12:10 or so it was my turn.  I had my "happy shot" so I don't recall much more.   (Turns out the surgery before me was in for a RNY, but it couldn't be completed and ended up with a sleeve!)

I kind of woke to them moving me out of recovery. And I woke again a bit once they got me to my room.  My family was already there waiting for me.  IF the dr had talked to me prior to that time, I don't remember.  DH told me that the dr called it a perfect sleeve operation.  I was pretty much out of it for the rest of the night.  I was in A LOT of discomfort from nausea - but no pain to speak of.  Sweet Jodie R came up to see me and I barely remember it.  I also remember Eileen and Wigglypoo calling - kind of.  Thanks for caring ladies!!

Wednesday it wasn't much better. This day the nausea was accompanied with vomiting and retching.  I was thinking petty much every moment I was awake - "WTH was I thinking?  This sucks" So needless to say, I slept all I could. When DH & family came back up I had to send them home.  I felt so ill I couldn't deal with anyone.  I was told that the nausea was common but me getting sick wasn't so much.  I still couldn't drink anything.  The nausea bought me another day in the hospital.   They would have sent me home had I felt better.  

Thrusday, things started to change for the better.  I was still nauseated but no more vomiting or dry heaves.  The nausea would come and go.  I so wanted to go home, but I had to prove I could drink in order to do it.  Finally around noon they called the dr to get my walking papers.  They didn't get them until 5:00 and by then I had finished 12oz of unjury and quite a bit of water.

Friday -  a little better yet.  Still a bit sleepy.  Liquids not going down like they should, but still managed more than the day before.  I got almost all of my 4 supplements in too - all but maybe 2-3 oz.  Had my first s/f popsicle.  Went down well.  Kind of sideways, but still easier than plain water.

Satuday -  There is light at the end of the tunnel!  I got the heating pad out.  What a difference!!  I could swallow water without cringing for the first time.  All 4 supplements - no problem (well, except for taste and lenght it took to finish the mushroom soup.)  Lots of water - things going pretty well.  Wish I could eat real food already!  Head hunger.

Today - I have my first decaf coffee.  Not quite as good as I hoped but it is a welcomed change from the other stuff I've been putting in me.  I feel human and am looking forward to using my tool to gain a better, healthier me!!

Wowzers!  It is going fast.  I have so much to do...and yet here I sit huh? LOL  I am not scared, maybe because I am not scared of dying.  I figure even if I didn't have the surgery, chances are I wouldn't be here long anyway.  Not much you can do when your number is called anyway.

I have made videos for my kids.  I think I just rambled on, but then again that is a correct depiction of me!  I think I got most of everything covered....except for DS's because the battery was running low.  I may re-do his.  I decided to leave DH a note. If he remarries he isn't going to want a farewell video....and neither would she.

I started packing my suit case.  I bought a pair of comfy slippers yesterday - ones that didn't have a thick bottom, but were rubbery on the bottom for traction.  I also had DH pick up a *NEW* (ooh, la, la) pillow for the hospital stay.  Since I like my flat ones in my bed, he'll take possession of it once I get home so he might as well be the one to pick it out.  I am also going to take pjs.  Just in case.  I have a robe packed too.  I put together my toiletries and threw in two books.  

I am not cutting my hair until my 6 month anniversary.  So Dec 3rd I will go and get a much needed haul over....(if I can wait that long that is).  I kind of wish now I'd gotten something done prior to surgery so I guess I will wear my lovely headbands while I'm in there.

OH - NEWS FLASH - I cheated!!  Yup!  I am not too worried about it.  I had a small cramp in my calf last night.  I know it is because I haven't had any milk.  The only time I get them is when I haven't had dairy for a few days.  So I splurged and had a small (really) bowl of cereal and skim milk.  I have been VERY good so far so I am not worried about it.  It isn't like I scarfed down a box of donuts or a half gallon of ice cream.  And it wasn't that good.  Probably since I conciously thought about it and it wasn't a sneak type thing.  I was hungry and decided to get some milk with some food.

Well - time to get moving again.  Lots of laundry to do and have my play list to create yet.

3 more days!!  Less than 72 hrs and I'll have my new tummy!  Yippee!!

May 21, 2008

Dear...

This letter is in response to your inquiry of May 20, 2008.

Procedure code 43843 is payable for your group but would be diagnostic restrictive.  The medical criteria guidelines for gastric restrictive surgery are as follows:

A body mass index (BMI) grater than 40, or BMI of greater of 35 with comorbid conditions such as degenerative joint disease, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, coronary artery disease, presence of other atherosclerotic disease, type II diabetes mellitus, sleep apnea or congestive heart failure.

Bariatric surgery may be indicated for patients 18-60 years of age.

The physician has documented failure of non-surgical management including a structured professionally supervised (physician or non-physician) weight loss program for a minimum of six consecutive months within the last four years prior to the recommendation for the bariatric surgery.  The six consecutive month weight loss program listed above is waived for super morbidly obese individuals who have a BMI > 50.  Documentation should include periodic weights, dietary therapy and physical exercise, as well as behavioral therapy, counseling and pharmacotherapy, as indicated.

The primary care physician and the patient have a documented good understanding of the risks involved and reasonable expectations that the patient will comply with all post surgical requirements.

Psychological evaluation must be performed by a contracted mental health professional in order to establish the patient's emotional stability and ability to comply with post surgical requirements.

The information in this letter is intended to provide you with basic benefit information.  This letter does not serve as a guarantee of payment for services.  Payment for services will be determined based on the stated criteria guidelines being met, as well as review of procedure and diagnosis codes submitted by the providers rendering the service.

Sincerely,
Customer service rep.

I hope I am understanding this correctly. My starting BMI was around 56.  I am really close to 50 now.  I have sleep apnea and degenerative spine something along w/ arthritis.  I didn't have any documented professionally supervised weight loss program history.  That supposedly is waived for the higher than 50 BMI though.  The thing that worries me is the "this letter does not serve as a guarantee of payment of services."  I am guessing no insurance company guarantees that up front though.   So I should be alright, right?

It's been a while!  I'll try not to make this too long.  I forgot to read my last entry so I am not really sure where to start.

Recap - I went to orientation, got my physical, EKG, labs, met the surgeon, dietitian and behaviorist.  All OK.  Had the sleep study, not OK.  Needed a CPAP machine.  Had that a month and got the release from the sleep dr.  Same day, I got a date.  The next day they canceled it.  They submitted the request for prior approval on 3/27 (I think).  I called a couple weeks back because I was worried that the procedure was wrong.  The one they submitted was right. Was told then I didn't need the pre-approval, but was told to give it a week or so.  

I think that was about where I left off.  SO - Last Tuesday I called to see where things were at.  It had been about 2 weeks since I was told to give it a week or so.  The coordinator checked with her supervisor again and called my insurance again and was told once again, no approval was needed.  She gave me the option of waiting until the approval came back or schedule.  No brainer - I scheduled!!  My new birth date is 6/3/08!  Two weeks from the day I got my date is all!  

I went to the pre-op appt and saw the dietitian, physical ed dude and PA.  All were very nice.  There was only 3 of us in the 'class' so it was pretty laid back.  I lost 8.8 lbs since the last time I was there, so the PA was happy.  I got my food and started the diet that afternoon.

As of today, I have lost 7 lbs since Friday!  It is going pretty well.  We had an extremely busy weekend so that helped.  I am now trying to get things ready for when I am in the hospital and afterward.   I go back on Thursday for the product check and labs.  I should get my surgery time on Thursday or Friday.

Things are going to fast!!  I am still geeked.  Not worried at all...yet.  I am sure the doubts will come the closer I get, but I am SO ready for this!! 

I am not mad at my surgeon nor his office....nor my insurance company for that matter.  I do wish things have gone smoother, but there is nothing I can do about it.  Eventually I WILL get there.

Not that all of this was emotion, but my emotions have been a big part of how I react to things lately.  My husband is on strike - we are trying to live on $200/week...3 kids in diapers, mortgage and I don't work outside the home (believe me I would if I could afford it). Thank goodness we have some in savings...not a whole months worth is left now so hopefully he gets back to work soon.  (Since he has been off 3 weeks now, it would have been a great time to have surgery though! Oh well...)

Also, our son was diagnosed with diabetes last week.  The week prior and up until today was nerve racking.  The BEST thing is that it was lab error or something, because all the glucose levels we got and the last two labs have been normal!  WHEW!  Praise the Lord!  Prayers DO work!!

Anyway, to prevent planting any bad seeds, I have removed my surgeon's name from my page and also tried to removed his name and his office name from any post I had put them into - which wasn't many.  I didn't want my emotions, frustrations or anything to reflect badly on my surgeon since he really doesn't have anything to do with my situation.  The office is doing the best they can. 

Do I still want surgery?  Honestly?  I don't know.  Well, I do know but I am just not as excited as I was.  I DO want to lose weight.  I DO want this to be over with.  I guess that is it.  I would be sad if the insurance denied me, but I don't think I'd be crushed....not any more anyway.  And I don't fully know if I'd try to appeal. 

My posts are pretty negative.  I don't like it any more than you who read them.  I have only shared my decision with a very few people so this is where I go to unload everything - good or bad.  Unfortunately most of it is not so good.  I figure - I don't know you... but it still makes me sad.  I don't want to irritate anyone.  

The thing that cooks my giblets is that I was doing GREAT!  I gave it my all.  I was doing almost the pre-surgery diet.  Keeping my journal, drinking all my water, BEING really good.  But once things - I felt - started to lose stability in the process, I jumped ship.  I am still in a row boat, but man, land is has more security and less disappointment.  Don't get me wrong, those numbers on the scale are REAL disappointment!    

Things started out good - too good in fact.  I was whipping right through everything.  There was something telling me to watch out.  I know that peole have a much longer wait than I have had....and more things to get taken care of.  So when put that way, I am actually lucky I am as far as I am.

In my closing thought.  I DO believe that the Surgeons are really, really good....even excellent.  And I am sure that others have had really good experiences.  AND I do have faith that this will eventually be turned around and someday I can say I'd do it all over in a heart beat.

I even though I am super frustrated with trying to answers and get a date set, I have continued "keeping my eye on the prize".  I had my 1 month weight and measurements from Curves and lost 5 lbs and 8 inches!  I haven't been losing well and the person said that she expected me to have a gain since a lot do the first month, so losing lbs and inches is great!   That is definitely something to smile about!

I am very sad. I got a date on Wed.  Then I got a call on Thurs  saying that everything has been canceled until they submit a request for pre-approval .

Hopefully it won't be long....

Whoop!  Whoop! [raise the roof]
I got a date!  May 12th.  (Ironically was the date DH and I were first going to be married on. 1994....River Bank Run Day that year too....I am just full of useless trivia info!)

So it started with meeting the sleep dr.  What a waste of a month.  I think I would have gotten a date had I not ever wore the CPAP mask.  I have - however - been very good.  The only night I didn't wear it was when my daughter had a fever and I spent all night in the recliner with her.  I plan on continuing to wear it even post op.  I want to make sure I do everything to the letter.   She wrote me a script and I took it right to the surgeon's office.  Then I headed to the mall to have lunch with an old friend who is over 2 yrs post op (RNY) and another friend.  By the time I got home, the surgeon's coordinator had called.  It was after 4 and I still managed to get ahold of her and we set a date!!  I also set dates for dietitian and meal pick-up, 1 week pre-op and she'll schedule the post op with dietitian and surgeon and call me back.

Holy Cow!  I have so much to do in the next couple of weeks.....as long as DH is back to work before the end of the month and we still have insurance.   He is on strike and was told today that we'd have to sign up for Cobra if it goes past the end of the month.   I will need to check, but I doubt that the surgery will be covered on Cobra.

Got my fingers and toes crossed!!

Just kidding!  I see no difference except that they don't make a comfortable one.  I originally had one with nostril cushions, but it would leak air at the connection points, so I got a nose mask on Friday.  It isn't as irritating, but the head gear kills my ears at times from riding up.

Oh and after reading another post, I am guessing IF (I am not about to assume that I am any closer to having surgery - once bitten, twice shy) but IF I get the approval from the sleep Dr on the 23rd, then I can expect a June date.   I know it is nothing when compared to what other people have waited, but it would be likely that my pre-op diet will fall over Memorial Day weekend - the same weekend that just today my sister from FL said she is coming home.  I could probably set the date further into June, but I want to take advantage of as much good weather as possible for getting out to get my exercise in after I am healed.   Worse things have happened, but it is just a pisser since the last few things haven't been so exciting. 

I am a bit depressed....