attitude
March 9, 2005--Hello, I am 34 years old, have been married for 14 years, and have 2 beautiful children. Well, my journey has begun. My PCP agreed to send the letter to my insurance company that is required in order to receive approval. I am excited, scared, and still a non-believer; meaning that my thoughts are still at the point of, "I have the knowledge and the neeed, but something like this could never happen to me." I have been very inspired by this web site and the stories that I have read. I even went to the memorial page to pay my respects. I will let you know when I hear something from the insurance company.
March 19, 2005--Today is my son's 9th birthday, and when admitted to the hospital to deliver him, I weighed 260. I thought I was enormous then, now I weight 300 (not pregnant). I received a copy of the letter that my PCP sent to the insurance company, and was very disappointed in how vague it was. Not one mention of my BMI, the fact that my left hip is deteriorating quickly, or any specifics. I sent a copy of the letter that I gave to my PCP to the insurance company, so maybe that will help. I have an appointment to attend the required seminar with the surgeon's office and that is when I get my packet to complete. At that point, I can get my appointment with him and move forward. My insurance is BCBST and they told me that my PCP had to submit the letter of medical necessity, but then the surgeon's office said that they do. At this point, I don't know, but I am going to fight to get this approved. It is time that I take care of me. I have two beautiful children, and I can not stand the feeling that I can't do something with them because of my size.
March 29, 2005--Well, another day of waiting. I have received a letter from my insurance for my PCP detailing the information that they need to include to get my predetermination approval through. Hopefully all will progress quickly! I am scheduled to attend my seminar on the 31st, and I can't wait. The thought of actually meeting the surgeon and his staff is scary, yet exciting. I am terrified of the hospital, so this is such a change for me. I will update when I hear more.
March 31, 2005--Well, my PCP called me yesterday to let me know that they needed me to come in so that they could make sure that I had all of my information ready so that he could resend my predetermination letter. They did blood work, an EKG, and a breathing test. YUC! The girl was really good with the blood work, got me on the first stick. My EKG shows that I have minor COPD, and asthma. Oh boy, that sounds like fun. The doctor said he would get all of the information ready and send it to the insurance company. So now we will just have to wait and see. I feel really lost with this some days. I have not heard of anyone having to go about their insurance this way, but I know that every insurance company is different. BCBST says that my PCP has to submit a letter for predetermination. I don't know if this is what the surgeon's office sends usually, because at one point in the letter that I received, it stated that the surgeon could do this with permission from my PCP. Hopefully I will just be a step ahead. Who knows. Well, tonight I go to the bariatric seminar and get my information packet. Then the next step is to meet with my surgeon. WOW! Until I know more, good luck to you and best wishes in your journey.
April 5, 2005--WOW, what a difference a couple of days can make. In less than a week, I have an appointment with the surgeon and the psychologist. That only leaves the insurance approval. WOW! I will update soon.
April 8, 2005--Today I had my first visit with the psychologist. I had to fill out 4 different questionnairs. One had 568 T/F questions and a bubble-in answer sheet; another had 368 adjectives to read and bubble-in if they related to me; another had 21 multiple choice questions; and the fourth was a 10 page questionnaire asking about my life. That took a total of 2 hours to complete. I don't know if I am crazy for doing it all or if the person who has to enter that information into the computer is. Oh well, that is done. Next Friday I meet with the psychologist to discuss the results. Tuesday I meet with my surgeon. WOWOWOWOWOWOW
This is all moving so quickly now. I hope the insurance goes as quickly! Well, until next time.
April 12, 2005--Oh my goodness, I had my consult with the surgeon today and discussed insurance approval with the insurance person at his office. She told me that it can take a couple of weeks to get through, but we are looking at the end of May of beginning of June for my surgery! WOW! I can't wait to be a loser. To be healthy and active is what I want most of all. My children and I will be able to o so much more while we are off for the summer and when we want to. This is such an amazing journey. Good luck in your journey and until next time...
May 1, 2005--Wow, I can not believe the short time that I have been working whole-heartedly on having surgery. I have been thinking, researching, and wishing for 5 years, but only took the step to initiate it in March. My surgeon's office sent all of my paperwork to the insurance company last Monday. Wednesday I called, and all of my paperwork had been entered into the system and it was off to review. Now I am waiting and hoping that this process is quick! I can not believe that it is so close. I hope that your journey goes quickly and you all have great success!
May 6, 2005--This has been a crazy day in the world of insurance approvals and dr.s offices. I received a phone call this morning stating that my first attempt to gain approval was denied because my PCP is a nurse practitioner and not an MD. I fixed that quickly--my PCP had the Dr. that he works under send the letter and it was faxed back in to the insurance company along with all of the original letters and info . The surgeons office was concerned that it might be denied again because the overseeing doctor is an osteopath. I called my insurance company to ask this question and the girl tells me that she has conflicting information on the computer. My case was approved under one number and denied under another. Now her supervisor is checking into this. Ok, I am waiting patiently until Monday to find out , but then I check my mail. I have a letter that states
"The review has been completed and we find this service to be medically necessary. This predetermination is effective until the end of your current benefit period."
CALL ME CRAZY, but this sounds like an approval letter . Doesn't it? I am so very confused at this point in the game. I think I am going to view this as "I AM APPROVED!"
May 10, 2005--It is official. I am approved!!
May 25, 2005--Wow, the waiting is soooo hard. My date is June 15th, and that is only 3 weeks from today. I have known for 2 weeks already though and I think I may be crazy by the time it gets here. I must say that I am so blessed to be a teacher, school ended the 20th and I now have 2 months to take care of what I need to. My children and I are able to spend this time together and try to have some fun. My daughter and I have been working out at Curves, and LOVE it. We have been going for two weeks, and it is wonderful. Well, let's wait some more.
June 14, 2005--Ok, can you say nerves? Needless to say, I am getting pretty nervous, excited, scared, you know--READY! My surgery was moved last week from the 15th to the 16th, so I have an extra day to WAIT! Yesterday I went to the hospital to do my preadmission stuff. EEWWWW...blood work, scale, paperwork, and oh yes, a blood oxygen test. That was one that I don't remember ever having, but the nurse said that most people are in a hospital bed and sleeping when it is done. How sweet...I got to be wide awake and sitting up. She told me to relax my arm, but hold it out straight. Then she stuck a needle into the ARTERY--not vein--ARTERY and took blood. Ok, let me say that the stick itself was not painful, she was able to miss the nerve endings she talked about possibly hitting. Afterwards though, my arm felt like someone had tried to bend it backwards and my funny bone was on the wrong side and hurting. That was really fun, but hey it is all in the name of getting this surgery done so I can get healthy and hopefully get to where I don't have to take my arthritis meds and can put off a hip replacement until I am older. Well, unless I talk to you tomorrow, I will see you on the other side...YEAH...
July 6, 2005--I had my surgery on June 16th and everything went great! I had pain meds through the IV until the 17th, then 2 doses orally of Lortab. One for pain early in the day and one for a headache that night. That was it for the pain meds. I left the hospital on Saturday the 18th. HOME. I felt wonderful (all things considered). I did not get my pain meds filled until June 28th, and then only because I was having some trouble with my sciatica. I guess everything is a bit irritated from the weight loss. I will say that I have not had to take my arthritis meds since the day before surgery, and I have had no pain from it since.
I went for my first check-up yesterday the 5th, and I am officially down 20 pounds. 2 weeks and 5 days and 20 pounds. That amazes me. Well, that is it for me right now, good luck in your journey and hold on tight.
October 15, 2005 Ok, well it has been a while since I have updated. I am four months out tomorrow and down 7 0 pounds. I have went from a size 26/28-32 to an 18. I have been so amazed at the progress that I have made. It is truley a miracle. I have been out to fly a kite with my son, hiked several times, and even rode a bike. I feel better than I have in years. I weighed 230 about 10 years ago. This is really amazing!
April 8, 2007
WOW...I suck at keeping this updated. OK, thought I would stop in and update. Guess I should do that more often.
Tomorrow I will meet with my plastic surgeon for the 2nd time. This time, I think I will be scheduling my surgery. My insurance is going to cover the "removal of excess skin" from my stomach. Oh yeah, I now weigh 185, and wear a large shirt and my pants are between 12-14. INCREDIBLE! Ok, well, guess I will try to get back more often.