Bil

Send Message

Block

Add Friend

Last night I went to the Oregon Bariatric Center's informaiton session at Sacred Heart Medical Center at Riverbend here in Springfield, OR.  It was like the previous two that I have been to in the past, except for one thing, the doctor did all of the talking.  
It was Dr. Jessica Folek who was talking.  I was really impressed by her.  She did not have the big headedness like the pervious doctors at OBC.  She was able to explain things very clearly and it was great to listen to her.  My first impression is that I liked her.  

I'm really think I'm going to do it this time.  I have the application filled out I just have to do one more day of a diet journal tomorrow and I'll send it in next week and get this process started.  With my insurance (who I called yesterday and they do cover both bypass and lap band) I have to wait at least 6 months from the time I start until I have the surgery, and that is great.  With my work, I could only have the surgery (and not cause problems) in August or December.  So six months would be great and maybe I can make it work for an early August surgery.  

I've only talked with my wife about this, no one else.  I'm not really worried at all what others will say but I don't want my mom to worry about it yet (she will) so I'll wait to tell her and my dad.  

Here we go! 

Well, it's been Five yesrs since I started thinking about surgery.  I just don't think I was ready then and pulled out.  My weight has gone up and down since then.  I believe I am currently about 20 pounds lighter than I was five years ago.  If I was 20-30 pounds overweight, that would be great, but since I'm about twice the weight I should be, that's a small percentage.  

Starting to think about surgery again.   

. . . that I start sleeping with my CPAP machine.  I have finished the 2nd sleep study, and went in today to pick-up my machine.  I guess I am at a higher pressure than average (I don't know that is what I was told), so I have a special machine with a built in humidifier.  My level is 14, not sure what that means, but I am sort of excited to try it out tonight!

I have "Severe Sleep Apnea".  I have to go back in this Sunday for my 2nd sleep study with the CPAP machine.  Not looking forward to it, but if it makes me feel better and gets me on the way, then I am open to it. 

I was told that I stop breathing 38 times an hour, and my blood oxygen got down to 71%.  Not near where my father was, but still not great. 

I was also wrong about when my last physical was, so I need to go get another one, so that will be done on the 27th with full blood work that day. 

Still waiting on the call from Terra to set up the Psych eval.

Bil

I had my first 2 appointments with OHSU on Friday and did my sleep study on Thursday.

The sleep study was one of the worst experiences I have been through.  I didn't get any sleep at all.  I got there about 9:00 and got all set up and was ready by about 9:40.  I watched TV for a little while and then about 10:40 went to sleep.  I tried as hard as I could to sleep on my back, but I am just not a back sleeper.  I couldn't do it no matter how hard I tried.  I gave it probably about an hour or 2 before I moved to my side and then my stomach.  I did sleep a little while on my stomach.  But with all the wires, it made it tough.  Other than the wires, it wasn't that bad of an experience.  The technician let me know that I do have sleep apnea, and will have to go back for another test with the CPAP machine.  I am not looking forward to that.  But it is good to have it done with! 

I left the sleep center at about 5:30 went home and woke up the family and then we were on the road to Portland by about 7:00. 

My first appointment was with the Nutritionist, Shannon Rentz. In the orientation meeting I though she seemed a liitle aloof, but after meeting with her, she is amazing. She knows her stuff, there is no sense that she expects people to know everything, but also didn't treat me like a 3 year old who knows nothing. She spoke to me like a person, and I liked that. We had a great conversation for about 60 minutes. We talked about my goals, my background, my likes, my dislikes. We talked about good books to read, where to go to get more information, etc. I left that meeting with what seemed like more than 60 minutes of information.

I then went and met with Susan Fee. Also a really nice and caring person. Once again it was more of a conversation on where I was wanting to go, what my goals are, and my history. I also was weighed, and that is never fun, but it is now starting. I have a starting weight, and now I can go down from here.

We talked about the timeline, and it is a little longer than I expected, but it will work. It may be 8-12 weeks until my surgery, but that is ok. I knew I probably couldn't get spring break so I may have to wait until after graduation (I work at the UO). I would have liked to have it done earlier, but it is my fault I didn't start earlier so I can only blame myself.

It was a long day.  My nieces birthday party was that night, so we didn't make it home unitl about 10:30 that night.  If it gets me to a place where I don't have to worry about my health, that is a small price to pay!!

So, a couple more tests (blood workup) to be done here in Eugene, maybe another physical (can't remember when my last one was), finish my sleep study, meet with the psychologist, meet with one of the surgeons, and then, I'm ready to go.

I have a date to meet with the Sleep Study Dr. February 5, 2007. One more step is done!!!!

I have been researching bariatric surgery for about 18 months now.  A woman I know on a board that I read quite often had bariatric surgery, and that got me to thinking.  I spoke to a couple of other women on the board who I know who had RNY and started getting information from them about their journeys.  I attended my first Information Session at Sacred Heart Hospital last July.  I really learned a lot and I really liked the Dr.s.  The only problem is that my insurance would not cover surgery at this center.  We were told that they were in the process of getting approved and it should only take a month or so.  So, I waited a month and contacted them, and they said “Call us back next month.”  I did this until November, and got tired of hearing the same thing every month.

So, I started to look at the three locations here in Oregon where I could have the surgery done.  Legacy Health in Portland, OHSU in Portland and a center in Bend.  Well, Bend is about 3 hours away, and the roads sometimes close, so I ruled out Bend.  Of the 2 centers in Portland, it was a toss up so I called Legacy Health to register for their session.  Nobody there so I left a message and waited but nobody called me back.  I called them back at a different time, and nobody was there so I left another message and waited.  Still no call back.  That was it for me.

I called OHSU (my brother went to school at OHSU, and he has a lot of respect for everybody there), nobody was there so I left a message and waited.  I didn’t wait that long, they called me back that afternoon and I made an appointment for December 11^th.  I received my paperwork from them but it had me scheduled for the December 18^th session.  This actually worked out better for us because of work and weather.

We attended the session on the 18^th and met the nurse practitioner, the nutritionist and one of the doctors.  I really enjoyed listening to each of them, and I felt comfortable with them.  I got the paperwork that night and took it home.  It took me a while to get the paperwork filled out (vacation, sick children, procrastination, etc.)  I had to take my daughter in to our family Dr. this last Monday, and while I was there I took in the paperwork to have him send my files to OHSU and he was supportive.

I faxed in my paperwork today that they needed from me to make an appointment with the nurse practitioner.  I was going to call on Monday to see if they got my paperwork and make an appointment.  I got a call about 2 hours later from the nurse Susan wanting to make an appointment with me.  WOW!!  I like that!  She then had her assistant call me back about 15 min. later and we made an appointment.  I have an appointment set to meet with the Nurse Practitioner and the Nutritionist on Friday, February 9^th.  The nurse also asked me to call my Dr. and set up a sleep study.  Because of my BMI, it will be required, so just to get it out of the way I am going to set that up.  I called my Dr. to set that up, but he and his nurse do not work on Fridays, so I’ll call Monday morning to set up the sleep study.  I’m almost more worried about the sleep study than anything else!

So, it has all started!  I’m ready to go, have the support of my family (wife, kids, parents and siblings) and with that, anything can happen!