aprilshowers68
I started thinking about and researching wls about 5 yrs. ago. This past year I've really been researching hard! I'm on medicare so I had to find a "center of excellence" to accept my insurance. The closest I could find was in Sedalia, Mo. and the Dr. I found there was Dr. Phillip Hornbostel. I read as much as I could find on this surgeon, the hospital and all the reviews about both. I must say I was impressed, but had to see for myself.
Ok so let me introduce myself a little first. I'm now 38 yrs. old, happily married for 16 yrs. to my second husband and I have 3 very handsome sons. My medical problems that have gotten me to the point of having surgery are: lymph edema, and high blood pressure, and I am a faction five deficient(my blood is wayyy to thick). My mom has diebetes and recently had a stroke. She also has had to have both her legs amputated just below the knees. This scares me to death! I love my mother but I don't want to end up like her. So, I did what most of us have done...I tried every diet known to man and probably some they haven't! lol. The result from all this yo-yo dieting has gotten me up to my highest weight and I'm sooo embarrassed to even type this but 325 lbs. All this weight is causing my knees to crack and pop even when I get outta bed, I have really bad back problems also.
July 4th, 2006
I went to the seminar in Sedalia, Mo. and it was very good. Dr. Hornbostel really knows what he is doing. He answered all my questions about my health and everyone else's questions that was there also. So I got my paperwork and left for the long ride back home.
The next day I faxed my paperwork to his office. Then I started the long wait to hear when I could see him. It really wasn't that long of a wait I guess about 2 weeks. My insurance was approved! This was a wonderful feeling! Dena told me that my first consult date would be Oct. 25th at 3:30 pm.
October 25, 2006
Ok so the day came and went. Unfortunately, I couldn't make my appt. due to car problems. I called Dr. Hornbostel's office and explained what had happened, and to my horror the office lady said ok March 7th, 2007 is you're next appt. date then. First, I got mad! That's 5 months away! I'm thinking.....how long is this all gonna take? I know my surgeon is a busy guy and there are lots of people wanting this surgery but geez! So I vented online of course and to the hubby and anyone else that would listen to me...lol.
October 26, 2006
Ok so it's a new day, and i have been doing alot of thinking about the surgery and my new appt. date. I'm still bummed about having to wait sooo long but I figured that maybe God wants me to wait for a reason. I didn't gain all this weight overnight so I guess I can wait a little longer to get it off. I think I'll use this time to get my pysch eval. done and maybe start eating and drinking the way i'm gonna have to do after the surgery. I think I will also call Dr. Hornbostel's office and ask to be put on a cancellation list. Maybe, just maybe I can get in a little bit earlier that way!
I love to look at all of the before and after pics of everyone that has had this surgery done. I keep thinking.. that's gonna be me some day! I bet I have read a thousand profiles and stories over the years...lol. Sometimes my hubby would say that I was obsessing on it...but since he has gone to the seminar with me, he's just about as bad as I am...lol.
October 31, 2006
Happy Halloween all!! Ohhhhh how happy it was for me too! My surgeon's office called and asked me if I wanted to come in for my consult tomorrow!! Seems they had a cancellation.....I was soooo happy and said yes, yes, yes!! I'm sooo glad that I called about being put on a cancellation list! Seems I'm going through a trend here, I went to a seminar on The Fourth of July, I got my First Consult with my surgeon the day after Halloween....hmmm wonder if my surgery will be by Christmas? One could only hope!
November 1, 2006
Well me and the hubby went to Sedalia to see Dr. Hornbostel. I was soooo nervous, and I really don't know why? All the nurse did was take my blood pressure and pulse..lol...and of course my blood pressure was high! 150/90...it's never that high! My palms were even sweating...lol..anyways the Dr. came in and introduced himself to me and my hubby. He answered all of our questions, not that we really had that many questions cause he had already either answered all of them or we already knew from all the research I had done. Dr. Hornbostel is the best!! He would go threw what was gonna happen and then pause and say "Are you with me so far?" and he even asked my hubby if he understood everything! How refreshing....a Dr. that listens to his patients! hmmm..lol...anyways all the way back home the hubby and I were talking about how good we both felt about me having the surgery done now. Oh and I got this book from the Dr. it has everything in it that I need to know. My hubby is really getting into this, and I must say I'm am sooo thankful! He says he is really proud of me. Proud of actually taking my health into my own hands and for doing all the research on this surgery, this surgeon, and the hospital.
I guess the next step is to get my psych eval. done. I have an appt. with my regular Dr. on Monday to get my pro time checked and I'm gonna ask him to fax my records and write a letter to my surgeon then. I have to have my blood checked all the time because i'm on blood thinners for the rest of my life...yay (NOT) but I deal with it. Luckily, I have a Greenfield filter...which is like a net around my heart and lungs to prevent a blood clot from getting in. In 1988 I was pregnant with my second pregnancy and had a blood clot in my leg which broke off and went to my lung....I was in the hospital a very long time and tried everything but had to have an abortion. The Dr. told me that I had three choices: 1. Have the baby and die, ( which I already had a 6 month old son at home waiting for me), 2. Have the baby and it be stillborn and I would die in the process also, or 3. Have an abortion and I might make it.....not very good choices but I had to live for the child I already had waiting for me.
I guess that's why I'm not so worried about the blood clot thing. I've had sooo many blood clots in my legs over the years I know how to deal with it and what to do. I hope Medicare approves quickly! The hospital I'm going to is a center of excellence and that is what Medicare wants...in fact I think that's the only thing they really require! I might have to get a sleep apnea test done, but I'm not sure until I meet with the hospital nurse. I really hope everything goes smooth and I don't have to make too many trips to Sedalia. It's about a 2-3 hour drive from where I live and it's very hard on me. I have to take a pain pill before, during, and after the drive....and when I get home i'm out!
November 21, 2006
I called about getting a psch evaluation done and can't get one until December 7th. I also called Dena at Dr. Hornbostel's office and she said that my reg. dr. had faxed all my medical history to them and she had sent it over to the hospital already. I told her about having to wait for the psych eval. and as soon as I could get in was the 7th of dec. I'm not sure if i'll get my surgery done this year or not.....it's not looking like it so far. I'm sure i've mentioned this before but, I'm not a very patient person...lol.
I've told a few family members about the surgery...all they can say is.. when is it? I have to laugh inside, and go threw and tell them all the stuff you have to do to get to the point that I'm at right now...then they understand a little bit more. Most of the ones I've told have been supportive. As the time grows nearer I just wish it was over with! I'm nervous, but i'm not..if that makes any sense to anyone? I sometimes feel like I'm on a roller coaster. I'm guessing from what I've read in others journals that what I'm feeling is pretty much the norm.
I went to my mom's the other day and was looking at some old photos of myself...my mom is camera crazy!! I hate to have my picture taken! I just have to laugh and then almost cry. As I looked at the photos my hubby was looking at them too. He would look at them, then look at me, and I realized how big i've really have gotten. These were photos of me before my current husband knew me ( I was much, much smaller in them). My current husband has only known me as being overweight, never under 200 lbs. Later that night he told me that I was HOT in the photos..and I laughed and he got mad....lol...go figure. He hates it when I put myself down. He knows that the reason we are doing the surgery is for my health BUT...he said, I've had you overweight for as long as I've known you now I want you as skinny. I have to smile at that....because I knew what he was talking about. I'm not gonna go into any details about my love life but lets face it....having sex and being as big as I am doesn't go together too well! Ok enough about that!
Dec 7th 2006
I went to my psych eval. today and all went very well! I don't know why I was so nervous...lol. I guess because I've never went to a psych. before. oh well!
Dec 26th 2006
Wow has this year gone by quickly. I called about my psych eval. to dr. hornbostel's office and they said they hadn't gotten it yet. I called the psyche's office and had them fax a copy over. After all of that, they found my psych eval. and whoohooo the next thing I knew I was talking to the woman who schedules the surgeries!! I finally got a date! Its Feb. 19th...first thing in the morning too...thank goodness!
Dec 27th 2006
My dr.'s office called today with some news about my surgery date. Seems that my surgeon won't be in the office the week of my surgery so they wanted to move it. I was thinking ohhh great!! But, to my surprise my new surgery date is Feb. 16th! Not too many days but I'll take it! That works out much better anyways for me. That way the kids won't have to miss that much school. I'm soooo excited. Just waiting to my packet to get here now. What a valentine's gift....he he.
Jan. 10th 2007
Happy New Year to all!! I'm getting soo nervous now...I go in for all my tests on Feb. 5th...I got my blue packet with all my info in it. It's only 1 month and 6 days away now till surgery time...not much to report right now...just getting ready to go for the testing and dealing with the surgery stuff. I just can't wait till it's over. My hubby is already making plans for a canoe trip this summer....lol. Really, I'm kinda excited about it too. He went last year with some of our friends but I didn't want to be seen in a bathing suit and plus there is no way you could get me into a canoe!! They would have to cut me out of the thing! lmao. I probably won't post again until after my testing is done on the 5th of Feb. good luck to all!
Feb. 06 2007
Well, I'm back from all the testing. I saw the assessment nurse and filled out a bunch of papers...mostly just my signature. Then, I saw the Diatician and we talked about portion sizes and vitamins. I had an x-ray done of my lungs and after that came the lab work. They took 3 big viles and 2 small ones of blood. Then I met with the guy who's gonna put me to sleep..lol. And, almost forgot the physical therapist too. Now, I'm on a 1000 calorie diet and found out that I lost 6 pounds from the November 1st. So, I now weigh 319 lbs. Not too bad since I had all the holidays to deal with. I don't know how I lost it but every little bit helps! I also bought some protein supplements too! I bought them from Wal-Mart for $11.97/ bottle. They are big bottles of Body Fortress, chocolate and vanilla for right now. They don't taste too bad. Only ten days left now!!
