dcharles831
I started on this journey in October of 2005. My daughter and I attended an information session at the St. Francis Medical and Surgical Weight Loss Center. We were both interested in WLS. We both decided that WLS was what we wanted. We started going to Support Group meetings in November 2005. We had appointments with our surgeon in November and we had our psychological exams done in November. By the time the results from the psychologist were available it was the middle of December. Our paperwork was then submitted to our insurance companies.
My daughter's insurance company approved her for surgery in mid-January and on February 21, 2006, she had Roux-N-Y surgery. I was denied by my insurance company, so began the appeal process. My appeal was denied and I was told that they wanted a recent physician-supervised weight loss attempt. I had one, but it had been a few years. In June 2006, I began another physician-supervised weight loss program, going to my PCP every other week for weigh-ins. I saw a dietician once a month, joined Curves, and continued attending the Support Group meetings. By November, I had completed six months. My paperwork was again submitted, only to be told that I could only submit for a procedure once every 12 months. So, calendars were marked for January 10, 2007. My paperwork was again faxed to the insurance company on January 10, 2007. A week later, I was informed by the insurance company that my paperwork had gone to medical review and I should have an answer in two to five days. On January 23, 2007, the insurance/billing coordinator at the Weight Loss Center called me to say I had been APPROVED!!!
I am so excited. I do want you to know, though, that I am going in to this having done a tremendous amount of research and being there every step of the way with my daughter. It hasn't been an easy journey for her. She has had some complications. Early on, she had a stricture which just required a simple procedure to take care of it (endoscopy). In late May, she was experiencing severe abdominal pain. We took her to the hospital and discovered that she had a bowel obstruction. Unfortunately, it required surgery. Now, while her initial RNY surgery was done laparoscopically, this surgery required an incision about seven or eight inches. Following this surgery, things seemed to be going fairly well. Then in early October, again she was struck with severe abdominal pain. Another bowel obstruction - surgery again. Even though she has experienced these complications, she says that she would do it all again. She has lost about 120 pounds and only has about 15 to go to goal. I am very proud of her.
So, now I start my journey. I will have my surgery one day before her one-year anniversary. My husband is very supportive, but is worried about complications like our daughter had. I told him that just because she had complications does it mean that I will. We were told that four percent have the bowel obstructions. I'm hoping I'm in the other 96 percent.
I have a RNY class on February 1, so I'm on my way to a healthier me.
February 6, 2007
Had my first pre-op class last Thursday. I especially enjoyed meeting Tina and several others who will be having surgery about the same time as me. Tomorrow I go to the hospital for all the pre-op testing and on Thursday, I will have my second pre-op meeting. I am on my way. I started the two-week, pre-op diet yesterday. The first day didn't go too bad.
February 8, 2007
I had all my pre-op testing yesterday. It all went fine - even the Upper GI. As expected, I was questioned about my chest x-ray. It happens every time I have one because apparently some time in my life I had histoplasmosis (sp?). Anyway, I've been cleared for take-off, so now it is 12 days and counting.
March 29, 2007
I can't believe this much time as passed since I last posted. I had my surgery on February 20, 2007 (no coincidence that it was "Fat Tuesday"). Surgery went well; however, the day after surgery I coughed up blood three times. It was determined it was probably due to irritation from the tube they put down my throat, but it landed me in the Intensive Care Unit as a precaution. After I got to ICU, I never coughed up another drop of blood, but I started passing blood. My doctor said that it didn't really surprise him because my staple line was "mushy." So, I guess there was a lot of blood there and it had to come out somehow. They ended up giving me two units of blood. I passed blood for about three days. So, I was in the hospital 5 days and spent 4 days of it in ICU. I'm glad I was there - I got wonderful care!
Since coming home, everything has gone well. I took 5 weeks off work and just returned this week. Today is day 37 since surgery and I have lost 37 pounds!
June 12, 2007
I didn't realize it had been so long since I updated my story. I am still doing well. I have experienced some plateaus over the last couple of months, but I just try to stay the course and eventually the scale moves. In another week, I will be 4 months out and I've lost about 70 pounds. I feel great and have had quite a few WOW moments. I know I have a long way to go, but I know if I continue to work hard I will get there.
August 21, 2007
Yesterday was my 6 month anniversary since my surgery. I am happy to report that I have lost 92 pounds since my surgery, but 103 total. Best of all - I feel great. Not a day goes by without someone saying, "Wow, you look great." I have a hard time accepting the compliments because I feel like I still have a long way to go, but considering where I came from I know there has been a big improvement - most importantly in my health and the way I feel. It really is not about the looks for me. I have a wonderful, loving husband (of 28 years) who loved me at 306 lbs., loves me now at 203 lbs., and will continue to love me when I reach my goal of 145 lbs. Of that, I am sure! So, I don't really care about the looks, if other people do, that's their problem. What I care about is that I feel great, I have a lot more engery, and I am able to do things that I want to do and wasn't able to do 100 pounds ago. I feel so blessed!
